U.S. , E.U. sanctions -- Russia , China do not want UN involved

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

Gridking wrote..

Russia , China do not want UN involved

They apparently learned their lesson well from the Libyan precedent.

The claim was that UN sanctioned NATO involvement was intended only to protect (implied non-combatant) civilians, with the clear implications that the method to be used was the establishment of no-fly zones and, if necessary, the separation of combatant forces. Given the military assistance provided to the rebels and the attacks on Libyan gov't facilities far removed from the "battle lines", no one can reasonably deny that the intention is the removal of the regime.

For China and Russia, the lessons are clear: The way to prevent the UN sanctioned toppling of regimes that they (Russia and China) don't particularly want toppled is to veto the early attempts by US, EU, and others to get the nose of the "protect the civilians" camel into the tent.

Foreign Office urges British nationals to leave Syria immediately

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-new....

Sheesh, I certainly hope foreign nationals are not still there awaiting instructions to leave. What in the world happened to self preservation?

Syria: Refugees flee border camps as troops deploy


Hundreds of Syrian refugees are fleeing across the border into Turkey to escape an assault by Syrian troops in the area, witnesses say.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-e....

BreakingNews: Tens of thousands of protesters take to street across Syria to denounce attacks by military - witnesses and activists via Reuters

Twitter - 1 hour ago

BreakingNews: Another Friday turns violent in Syria: Forces open fire on demonstrators, killing at least 5 - AFP via Al Jazeera

Twitter - 18 minutes ago

US 'concerned' at Syria border move
US secretary of state says reports of Syrian troops entering a village adjoining Turkey mark "worrying new phase".

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middle....

Syria protesters 'shot outside mosque'
Reports of 15 deaths in protests across country, including six said to have been shot as they left a mosque in Damascus.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middle....

Quote:

Syria's military spokesman now says more than 400 members of security forces have been killed in the months-long unrest that has taken hold in the country, a charge that came as videos surfaced allegedly showing children killed in the violence.

In an interview with CNN in Damascus, Maj. Gen. Riad Haddad initially said about 1,300 security personnel had been killed. He corrected that figure Sunday, saying 300 soldiers, 60 security officials and 50 police died in the violence.

He also has said 700 people, whom he described as terrorists, and their families had fled Syrian authorities to Turkey.

Haddad offered no details about the killings of the security forces other than to blame the deaths on armed gangs.

CNN.com

BreakingNews: RT @CBCAlerts: Syrian forces kill 24 pro-democracy protesters: reports . Military helicopters used in assaults on rallies. #syria

Our world is ****ed up. I'm ashamed of my government. What a ****ing travesty of democracy. We would boots on the ground, huge air support, international coalition if Syria had significant oil. ****.

"We would boots on the ground, huge air support, international coalition if Syria had significant oil."

Why can't we just mind our own damn business?

Because Rarnopp "The spice must flow!"

I'm fine with isolationism. But this charade of "supporting democracy and human rights" makes me sick.

"this charade of "supporting democracy and human rights" makes me sick"

Amen to that.

BreakingNews: Syrian tanks deploy at entrances to city of Hama, activists and residents say, after mass anti-regime protest - Reuters

+10000 Spanktron

BEAKING NEWS!

Witnesses tell AP pro-government rioters have attacked U.S. embassy in Syria

EOM

Fox News says they set up a Syrian flag on the property.

RanSquawk: French Embassy guards fire live ammunition to repulse crowd loyal to president Assad on Embassy compound in Damascus

More incoming


BEIRUT --President Bashar Assad's loyalists broke into the U.S. Embassy compound Monday in the Syrian capital Damascus, Reuters reports.

A witness in Syria's capital says security guards at the French Embassy have fired into the air to drive back protesters taking part in two-pronged demonstrations outside the French and American embassies in Damascus.

The protests Monday come days after the U.S. and French ambassadors visited the opposition stronghold of Hama in central Syria. The witness says crowds were not allowed to get near the U.S. Embassy.




The witness, Hiam al-Hassan, says about 300 people had gathered outside the French Embassy. Hundreds others were at the American diplomatic compound.

The protests coincide with government-organized talks in Damascus on possible political reforms after four months of unrest against the regime of President Assad.

Fox News: US Marines had to push them out.

Mean While..........

Activist: Troops storm Syrian city
Beirut - Syrian troops stormed into the country's third-largest city with armoured personnel carriers and heavy machine guns, a rights activist said on Monday, as dialogue over possible government reforms moved into a second day in Damascus.

At least two people were killed and 20 wounded in the attacks in Homs, activists said.

The clashes in Homs in central Syria suggest the regime of President Bashar Assad will not ease its four-month-old crackdown on the opposition despite proposing some political changes.

Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa called on Sunday for a transition to democracy in a country ruled for four decades by the authoritarian Assad family dynasty.

But the talks, which wrap up on Monday, are boycotted by the main anti-government factions and are unlikely to produce any breakthroughs to immediately end the bloodshed.

The two days of meetings, however, were seen as a major concession by Assad's regime after the most serious challenge to its rule. Some 1 600 civilians and 350 members of security forces have been killed since demonstrations began in March, activists say.

Lights turned off, then shooting begins

In Homs, an activist in the city told The Associated Press clashes occurred after security forces killed on Sunday the son of an anti-regime tribal leader. The unrest lasted until 05:00 (02:00 GMT) on Monday.

Street lights were turned off then troops started entering neighbourhoods, shooting with heavy machine guns atop Russian-made armoured personnel carriers, said the activist, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisals.

He said some people cowered in their bathrooms during the height of the assault. At least one person was killed and 20 wounded, the activist said.

Rami Abdul-Rahman, the London-based director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, also said forces pushed into parts of Homs.

Also on Monday, the state-run news agency SANA reported that Assad named Anas Abdul-Razzaq Naem as a new governor of the central city of Hama, that has been out of government control since early June.

Naem replaced Ahmed Khaled Abdul-Aziz, who was fired earlier this month as apparent punishment for allowing protesters to stage a huge rally in the city earlier this month.

The new governor is the secretary general of the Baath party branch at Hama and the head of the doctors' association in the city.


Also........From the BBC

Supporters of Syrian President Assad attack US embassy

Supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have attacked the US embassy compound in the capital, Damascus.

An embassy official told the BBC there was physical damage, but no personnel were injured. Windows were reportedly smashed and a Syrian flag raised.

Earlier, guards at the French embassy fired into the air to disperse a crowd.

The protests come days after the US and French ambassadors visited the central city of Hama, where a massive anti-government rally was held on Friday.

They also coincide with a government-organised dialogue conference in Damascus that many opposition leaders are boycotting.

The meeting is discussing possible political reforms, which the government hope will bring an end to the four-month-old uprising.

Human rights groups say at least 1,400 civilians and 350 security forces personnel have been killed since demonstrations began in mid-March.

'Dog'

A US embassy official in Damascus told the BBC on Monday afternoon that the embassy had come under attack by a "mob".

The embassy suffered physical damage, but no personnel were injured.

The official said that the Syrian government had given assurances that they would provide adequate protection for the embassy.

But on this occasion, the authorities were slow to respond, he added.

Witnesses told the Associated Press that the protesters had smashed windows and raised a Syrian flag on the compound.

They also wrote anti-US graffiti referring to the ambassador, Robert Ford, as a "dog", the witnesses said.

The US embassy official said that the real story in Syria was not the attack on the embassy, but the fact that the government continued to imprison, torture and kill citizens because they want to protest.

Why do we have an embassy in Syria? Another line item for my budget cuts

Quote:

The Syrian government was slow in responding with additional security measures, the embassy official said. "We call on the Syrian government to abide by the protections required under the Vienna convention."

"This is an unfortunate distraction because the Syrian government continues to beat, imprison, torture and kill people who want to peacefully protest," the embassy official said.

The incident came a day after U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford slammed the Syrian government for letting "an anti-U.S. demonstration proceed freely while their security thugs beat down olive branch-carrying peaceful protesters elsewhere."

In a note on the embassy's Facebook page, Ford also said the United States respects "the right of all Syrians -- and people in all countries -- to express their opinions freely and in a climate of mutual respect. We wish the Syrian government would do the same."

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/07/1....

When did our ambassadors start acting this way? How effective would he be if he had to negotiate with the Syrian government about something tomorrow?

Drench: That wasn't very... diplomatic of him. I mean, you could say the same thing with out saying it... that's what ambassadors are suppose to do.. right?

RT @richardengelnbc: #syria.. bashar supporters calling for US+French ambassadors to be expelled, and for demo against them tomorrow

RT @STRATFOR: Assaults on the #French Embassy in #Damascus have continued throughout 7/11 a French Foreign Ministry official said


Meh, US and France are wusses, I'm more interested in the response to the Turkish embassy also being attacked. Also reports are at all three embassies the national flags were replaced with Syrian flags.

(not sure if the Turkish reports are repeats from last month or not...)