Syria-the next Libya?

[Philip]

I've started this thread becaus events to send Assad and Syria the Libyan way are apace,with the west coordinating efforts to engineer the overthrow Assad and require a thread for itself.Here theTurks,with delusions of grandeur of their Ottoman imperial past,are stirring the pot very dangerously with reports of an "army of 15,000" ready to invade and take on the Syrians.This comes even as Syria has accepted in toto the Arab League peace plan.This is so volatile a situation,that Syria might hit out in all directions,particularly stir the pot in Lebanon.How the Russians and Chinese will also react to another attempt to take over a Middle Eastern nation that has traditioanlly friendly ties to it remains to be seen.It is not a coincodence that tyhe recent reports about the AKQ network assited the Syrians in setting up N-facilities has come to light.One can see a clear and similar strategy at work here with respect to both Syria and Iran.Once the Iranians obtain a "bomb"- and even one is too much for the paranoid Israeli right,it will be "match over" as no one wil take the risk of attacking Iran to face a nuclear response.

The Saudis are also in the game here,trying to obtain their own N-deterrent via the Pakis-which might explain why Paki N-weapons production is the world's highest,as they want to pre-empt the Iranians from possessing N-weapons which will be carried by their Sino-Paki ballistic missiles.The tragedy is that India,with its supine impotent leadership,is acting like the proverbial monkeys,not realising that a new world restructuring is taking place the machiavellian puppeteers behind the scenes.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... Syria.html

'15,000 strong' army gathers to take on Syria
An insurgent army which claims to be up to 15,000 strong is being coordinated from Turkey to take on President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, which risks plunging the region into open warfare.

XCpts:

By Ruth Sherlock, Antakya, Turkey
03 Nov 2011

The national "Syrian Free Army" aims to be the "military wing of the Syrian people's opposition to the regime", its leader told The Daily Telegraph from a heavily guarded camp in eastern Turkey.

Confirmation of an armed force operating with the covert approval of the Turkish authorities follows evidence that attacks inside Syria are causing high levels of casualties in the security forces. It also shows the anger of Recep Tayipp Erdogan, the Turkish premier, with Mr Assad, a former ally whose failed promises of reform have caused a deep rift.

"We are the future army of the new Syria. We are not in league with any particular sect, religion or political party. We believe in protecting all elements of Syrian society," the Army's leader, Col Riad al-Assad, said.

Made up of defectors from the regime's army, SFA fighters are conducting "high quality operations against government soldiers and security agents," Col Assad said.

Last week the SFA claimed responsibility for the killing of nine Syrian soldiers in battles in a town in central Syria. On Friday a further 17 regime soldiers were reported killed in violent clashes with defected former comrades in the city of Homs, a hotbed of resistance.

The violence has continued this week. There have been unconfirmed reports that nine members of the minority Alawite sect to which Mr Assad belongs were dragged off a bus and killed, while 15 members of the security forces were killed by deserters on Wednesday in two attacks, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The escalation has given new urgency to Wednesday's fragile agreement between the regime and the Arab League to withdraw the army from the streets. The Observatory said 20 more people died in Homs on Thursday from gunfire and shelling despite the supposed agreement, while today will see an even bigger test as activists challenge Mr Assad with street protests after Friday prayers.

Col Assad has an extensive Turkish personal security entourage, and access to him is controlled directly by the Turkish foreign ministry.

Turkey's formal position that it has only a humanitarian role in Syria and Col Assad was coy on whether the SFA was conducting cross border operations.

But he said his men were operating across Syria. "Our fighters protect the borders of dissident towns and villages, and attack soldiers who gun down peaceful demonstrators," he said. "We are armed with guns and ammunition stolen from the regime".

The size of the movement is unclear, with estimates ranging from 5,000 to 15,000. Many defectors have fled across the border and are being hosted in guarded camps in Turkey.

Col Assad appealed to the international community to impose a 'no fly zone' and a 'no sea zone'.

"We don't have the ability to buy weapons, but we need to protect civilians inside Syria," he said. "We want to make a 'safe zone' in the north of Syria, a buffer zone in which the SFA can get organised." With a small weapons supply, his movement is not yet in a position to pose a serious threat to the regime, but its presence marks a definitive change to the original unified opposition policy of peaceful protest.

Col Assad said he wanted his force to be recognised as the military wing of the Syrian National Council – the umbrella political opposition announced at a conference in Istanbul.

"We are waiting for them to appoint a high delegation and send a representative to speak to us about how we can support their aims militarily," he said.

A council member speaking anonymously confirmed that 'off the table discussions' were taking place. "Our commitment is, and has always been, peaceful resolution, but our patience has a limit," the source said. "It depends on the political developments among the Arab League, the Middle East and the International Community.

"In 10 days we will present a new plan that is to include a military and political strategy. Here the issue of the SFA may well be put on the table."

PS:The name of the rebel army's leader,"Col.Assad",is also not a coincidence! It has been deliberately chosen to pit one "Assad" against another.

[Altair]

Col Assad appealed to the international community to impose a 'no fly zone' and a 'no sea zone'.

"We don't have the ability to buy weapons, but we need to protect civilians inside Syria," he said. "We want to make a 'safe zone' in the north of Syria, a buffer zone in which the SFA can get organised." With a small weapons supply, his movement is not yet in a position to pose a serious threat to the regime, but its presence marks a definitive change to the original unified opposition policy of peaceful protest.

Col Assad said he wanted his force to be recognized as the military wing of the Syrian National Council – the umbrella political opposition announced at a conference in Istanbul.

"We are waiting for them to appoint a high delegation and send a representative to speak to us about how we can support their aims militarily," he said.

A council member speaking anonymously confirmed that 'off the table discussions' were taking place. "Our commitment is, and has always been, peaceful resolution, but our patience has a limit," the source said. "It depends on the political developments among the Arab League, the Middle East and the International Community.

"In 10 days we will present a new plan that is to include a military and political strategy. Here the issue of the SFA may well be put on the table."

Eerily similar western propagandu. The etymology has become cliched. Cant they find anything new?

[Philip]

Just wait for "Col." Ass-ad to get friendly assistance from well-known NGOs such as the SAS,Blackwater "contractors" et al.Despite NATO's denials,watch for the inevitable NATO air strikes-or has NATO left that to the Israelis's to perform-they do it so well.Remember the last air strike that took out Syria's alleged N-plant? Will we then have US battleships (will the "New Jersey's" be taken again out of mothballs as was done with Lebanon?) bombarding the Syrian coast and USN subs firing Tomahawks as was done with Libya? The Turks will then come down like the proverbial "wolf on the fold" and the "smiting" of the Damascenes will be bloddy and terrible to behold.History in the region is about to repeat itself,not as a farce but again and again as a veritable tragedy.

Byron: (Read Syria for Sennacherib)

The Destruction of Sennacherib


1 The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold,
2And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;
3And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea,
4When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.


5 Like the leaves of the forest when Summer is green,
6That host with their banners at sunset were seen:
7Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown,
8That host on the morrow lay withered and strown.


9 For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,
10And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;
11And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,
12And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!


13 And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide,
14But through it there rolled not the breath of his pride;
15And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf,
16And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.


17 And there lay the rider distorted and pale,
18With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail:
19And the tents were all silent, the banners alone,
20The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown.


21 And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail,
22And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal;
23And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword,
24Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!

[RajeshA]

Syrian Resistance : Strategy and long term implications. Thread

[Pranav]

Turkey is playing a somewhat contradictory role. On one hand the Islamist government has been in conflict with the pro-western military elite and also with Israel (flotillas etc).

On the other hand, they have been fairly enthusiastic supporters of western action against Libya and now Syria.

[Philip]

They are suffering right nowfrom delusions of grandeur...of the restwhile Ottoman empire and are looking for an imperial role.A weakened Syria under great internal strife is an opporunity for Turkey to redraft its borders and influence,ever mindful of the opportunity to kick the Kurds in their teeth.

[abhischekcc]

Turkey wants to recreate Ottoman empire, hence destroying Syria is in its interests. As for Libya, they may have pre-emptively eliminated a rival claimant for leadership of the Islamic world.

[Philip]

It appears that Assad and his high command see armed intervention by the anti-Syrian froces as inevitable and that a civil war wil be engineered by outside forces justa s was done in Libya.Therefore they are carrying out swift offensives in the anti-establishment pockets in the country to decrease the number of leaders and fighters that can be ranged against them.When faced with such asitu,it is only to be expected that the Syrian govt. will go all out to reduce the danger from these entities since ther is no guarantee from the Arab League that foireign intervention and support will not take place.When Turkey is allwoign these forces to gahrter and arm themselves under its patronage on its soil,what would any beseiged nation do? But Assad must somehow be able to distinguish the innocents from the hard-core anti Syrian cadre,otherwise his support on the street will be precious little when the balloon goes up.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 58268.html

13 people killed as troops attack rebellious city

Government forces shot dead at least 13 civilians yesterday in a continued military assault on the restive city of Homs.

The onslaught has prompted Qatar's Prime Minister to call for Arab states to meet on Saturday to consider Syria's failure to implement a deal struck with the Arab League to end the bloodshed triggered by the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

Egypt's officials MENA news agency said the gathering would address the violence and "the government's failure to stick to its obligations under the Arab Action Plan to solve the crisis in Syria".

Arab leaders have ramped up criticism of Mr Assad as killings have mounted, but shied away from demanding major political change in the country for fear chaos could ensue, given Syria's volatile sectarian divisions.

Most of yesterday's deaths were in Homs, north of Damascus, where a main district has been under tank bombardment since Tuesday, the day before Syrian officials agreed in Cairo to the Arab League initiative. REUTERS

[Pranav]

Turkey wants to recreate Ottoman empire, hence destroying Syria is in its interests.

Rash ambition can be very costly. Turkey should be mindful of what happened to Japan and Germany. The Japanese were financed by western elites (with the Rothschilds and Jacob Schiff playing a key role), and built up against Russia. Later, they had to go through Hiroshima and Nagasaki. German ruling classes facilitated both the French and the Bolshevik revolutions. Later they were hijacked by an agent of the same financial elites, namely Hitler, who led them to ruin.

In fact, Turkey has much to learn from its own history - in the waning days of the Ottoman empire, state power was captured by Donmeh Freemasons, who not only completed the process of dismantling the empire, but also perpetrated a genocide against the Armenians. It is only the last decade that Turkey has been recovering from that hangover.

[shyamd]

The opposition will unite in 3 days and announce their victory over the regime. Thus enters the bloodier phase. All bailing from the sinking ship

[Yogi_G]

We will need to see how quickly the Syrian military forces are bought over by the west and how many flashy new weapons need to be made "battle proven".

[Agnimitra]

Pro-Assad protesters storm Turkish diplomatic missions, burn Turkish flag

[joshvajohn]

Syria calls for Arab League meet to avert suspension
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/11/1 ... GZ20111113

Arab moves isolate Assad, West intervention unlikely
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2 ... 76972.html

Arab leagues themselves should bring a proposal to UN against Syria with the help of opposition parties. Assad should go out and give way for his own group or any other party for democratic Syria.

[sumishi]

4 Star US General Talks The Truth About Middle East Conflicts -- original plan for 7 countries in 5 years -- on Fora TV:
The vid has some problem with playing in the initial segment. If so, try forwarding the progress indicator.


If the above works, fine, otherwise a (similar but smaller) interview of the General in "Democracy Now":

[member_19686]

[youtube]aPfrDGNTsy0&feature=related[/youtube]

[Philip]

Robert Fisk: Assad will only go if his own tanks turn against him

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/co ... 62679.html

In Damascus earlier this month, Syrian state television asked me for an interview on events in Syria. With much trepidation, I accepted, promising the presenter he would not like all I said, but warning – a bit of Fisk blackmail, this – that any censored words would be relayed to readers of The Independent. The interview went ahead and I said that President Bashar al-Assad was "running out of time – fast". The Arab people, I added, could no longer be infantilised; there was clearly an armed insurgency under way in Syria to overthrow the regime – foreign correspondents must be allowed to visit Homs and other areas where a host of YouTube pictures show protesters being shot down. When I was told later that the translation had not been finished in time, I smiled with my usual cynicism.

But almost incredibly, the interview duly aired on Syrian state television – and to my utter astonishment, they ran the lot (they used near-perfect subtitling), including the remarks about Assad "running out of time – fast".

What happened? Did this have the President's approval? Or was the government – or some part of the dictatorship – trying to show that they were in no doubt about how serious the near-civil war had become? I don't know. And my Middle Eastern crystal ball broke many years ago. But I'll hazard a dangerous prediction: Assad's time is running out, fast – but don't believe the State Department and the Washington "tink thanks" (as I call them) and the EU or the Arab League. He ain't going yet.

Even the words of Jordan's King Abdullah this week were slightly bent by the press and television coverage when he supposedly told the BBC that Assad should "step down". What he actually said was that "if I was in his [Assad's] shoes, I would step down". Which is not quite the same thing. Far more important was that section of the interview – one of his best, by the way, and I'm not his majesty's fan – in which he said that if Assad stepped down, only to be replaced by the same "system" (ie the Baath party), the problem would not be ended. Too true. And running alongside King Abdullah's words, I thought, was the faint hope that perhaps Assad could still take the initiative and honour all his fine words (new constitution, political pluralism, real democracy, etc). Certainly, the West's pompous predictions of Assad's imminent demise – based more on YouTube than the reality on the ground – are hopelessly optimistic. True, there are deserters from the Syrian army. But you don't win revolutions with Kalashnikov AK-47s. Only the desertion of a tank unit or two plus generals – Libya-style – could have any chance of that. And so far, there is none. Assad is not Gaddafi.

Furthermore, Russia's military support is not going to end. Only nine days after Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria, the joint director-general of the federal Russian service of military cooperation, Viatcheslav Djirkaln, said that there would be "no restrictions at all on arms deliveries to Syria". The Russians talk, of course, of "contractual obligations".

Nor is that surprising. The truth is that Russia was once Libya's only arms supplier; it was selling combat jets, frigates, tanks and anti-aircraft systems to Colonel Gaddafi after the West's 1974 arms embargo and had 3,500 advisers in the country. Its ships could refuel at the Tripoli naval base. Now it is associated with the dead and hated regime. Russia was 73rd on the list of nations to recognise the Libyan National Transitional Council.

So now the Syrian city of Tartous contains the only 24-hour port open to the Russian navy in the Mediterranean. Without Tartous, every Russian naval vessel in the sea would have to return through the Bosphorous to Odessa for every nut, screw and cigarette packet it needs. Friends, as they say, need each other.

Does the Arab League's threat of suspension really matter? I suspect not – but clearly the Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem thinks very differently. He said that the league had taken "an extremely dangerous step" in threatening Syria and that US support for the league's decision was "incitement". Armour had already left Syrian cities, prisoners were being released, armed insurgents were being offered an amnesty. YouTube bounced back with video of a Russian-made armoured vehicle firing thousands of rounds down a Homs street and a photograph of a half-naked murdered Syrian, hands tied behind his back, lying in a Homs street. But murdered by whom?

One thing is now clear. Quite apart from the massive civilian casualties, even opponents of the regime now admit that Assad faces an armed insurgency. This may originally have been a myth promoted by the regime, but the monster has now been born. Anti-Assad activists now openly speak of "armed insurgents". Sixteen civilians were killed in Deraa three days ago. But 15 soldiers were killed on the same day in the same city. Who killed them? That's what we need to know.

How Assad is going to be able to hold out against a "long (civil) war,retain the loyalty of his troops,especially,W hen faced with an increasingly militaristic Turkey,greedy to launch a new Ottomna Empire,providing sanctuary and support to the anti-Assad elements and avoid what happened to Gadhaffi,is the big Q.

[Philip]

Just as the thread predicted,the game is unfolding true to form.The noose is being tightened around Assad's neck and uniformed defectors are being bought over as they were in Libya,a trick which actually began in Egypt! A conveneint NATO ally,neo-imperialist Turkey is to be the launchpad for the attack on Syria and mischief is indeed afoot.Then "Arab League" has been twisted to this goal and its sanctions against Syria now gives a "moral" sanction for the attacks/invasion of Libya
by western airpower,supported on the ground by the resistance "army",which will be well packed with mercenaries and contract killers as we saw in previous conflicts.Damascus will be turned into a hellish disaster zone,adding to the regional ruins-future tourist sites,that have already "exploded" (pardon the pun) in number in numerous places in the Middle East!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 63233.html

Plea to the West: Syria needs Libya-style intervention
Arab diplomat's call comes as Syrian army defectors attack military base

As violence in Syria intensifies with an attack by anti-government forces on an air defence intelligence complex near Damascus, a senior Arab diplomat in London says Middle Eastern states opposing the Syrian government need West European leadership similar to that seen in the Libyan war.

He said that what was needed was "a team captain" to co-ordinate moves to put pressure on Syria, and only the Europeans could do this. The US is preoccupied by domestic politics and "in the Middle East everybody is driven by ego. How can you have a regional policy when they [local rulers] can't talk to each other?"

The diplomat added that a crucial turning point would come in Syria if the anti-government forces succeeded in establishing an independent enclave like Benghazi in Libya. He thought this was more likely to happen in the north on the Turkish border rather than around Deraa, north of the Jordanian frontier, where the protests began. The existence of such an enclave would raise the possibility of setting up a no-fly zone.

The crisis has reached a crucial stage inside and outside Syria. Inside the country, the Syrian opposition claim that fighting has escalated with 71 people killed on Monday, including 34 government soldiers and that army defectors using automatic rifles and rocket propelled grenade launchers attacked an air force intelligence base near Damascus yesterday. The attack on the Harasta facility is the first such reported assault on a major security facility in the eight-month uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Free Syrian Army (FSA), which purports to be a band of army deserters set on ending President Assad's rule. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Ammar al-Wawi, a commander in the FSA, said: "Our only goal is to liberate Syria from Bashar Assad's regime. To put it simply, we carry out military operations against anyone who targets the peaceful protesters."

Their claims cannot be independently verified because the government has excluded most foreign journalists.

President Assad is increasingly isolated as the 22-member Arab League yesterday confirmed the suspension of Syria from the organization and gave its government three days to halt the violence and accept an observer mission or face economic sanctions

The protocol agreed upon yesterday calls for an observer mission of 30-50 members under the auspices of the Arab League to ensure that Syria is following the Arab plan, an end to attacks on protesters, pull tanks and armoured vehicles out of cities, release political prisoners, and allow journalists and rights groups into the country.

The extent of Syria's isolation is underlined by the presence at the meeting of the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu for a meeting on Arab-Turkish ties. He said: "We denounce the mass murder of the Syrian people. It is all of our responsibility to end the bloodshed in Syria."

Of Syria's neighbours, Turkey is the one best placed to move decisively against the government in Damascus. It could declare a wide buffer zone on the Turkish-Syrian frontier which would become an enclave for the opposition.

In another move last night France withdrew its ambassador. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé said: "The vice is tightening" around the Syrian regime. Middle East leaders are concluding that President Assad cannot survive for, at most, more than a year or two because the loyal units in his army will be worn down by constant use in suppressing protests.

But the difficulty facing Middle East states eager to see the end of the Baathist government in Damascus is that the Syrian opposition is disunited and different groups are of uncertain strength.

Despite this, there is a growing consensus – that may prove self-fulfilling – among states in the Middle East that the regime will be overthrown. The support of Russia and China may prove to be largely rhetorical and Iranian leaders have shifted away from publicly claiming that the survival of Iran depends on the present Syrian government staying in power.

Looking for a leader to take on Syria? Cameron is being sent to bat!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... Syria.html

Call for David Cameron to lead action against Syria
David Cameron has been urged by at least one Arab state to lead a diplomatic offensive against Syria, after successfully cooperating with regional powers to oust Col Gaddafi, The Daily Telegraph has learned.

[shyam]

Report: Russia warships to enter Syria waters in bid to stem foreign intervention

Russian warships are due to arrive at Syrian territorial waters, a Syrian news agency said on Thursday, indicating that the move represented a clear message to the West that Moscow would resist any foreign intervention in the country's civil unrest.

About Arab League suspension of Syria and asking for more constitutional reforms, one Syrian official was commenting on TV that most of the Arab League countries is not democracy, many of them do not even have a constitution, and what right do they have to ask Syria to implement constitutional reforms.

[Pranav]

Another NATO Proxy War Begins, Rebels Attack Military Base in Syria
Eric Blair
Activist Post

In what is becoming Western foreign policy déjà vu, another disgruntled segment of a Muslim nation's population, armed by NATO, has taken offensive military action against their government.

VOA News reports that "rebels of the Free Syrian Army fired rockets and machine guns at an air force intelligence complex in the Damascus suburb of Harasta early Wednesday."

The news came from a "German-based spokesman" although there was no independent confirmation of the attack which reportedly killed 11 people.

Meanwhile Turkey and Arab League nations met to consider more sanctions against Syria for "refusing to end the crackdown" against the violent rebels who have been consistently referred to as peaceful protesters by the Western media.

Syria has blamed much of the violence on foreign-backed terrorists, and evidence is mounting that proves their concerns valid.

Even before the August announcement that NATO was secretly arming these Syrian protesters, agents in Lebanon linked to the United States and Saudi Arabia were caught smuggling arms to Syrian rebels.
...
The West has followed the exact same blueprint for regime change in Syria as they did in Libya. First, they acknowledge support for the angry civilians. Then they impose crippling sanctions by executive order. Next, they arm the proxy army of rebels who are then coordinated by the foreign organizers like the un-named German spokesman referred to above. And if Libya is indeed the model, NATO airstrikes will be on the horizon.

http://www.activistpost.com/2011/11/ano ... ebels.html

[Altair]

Syria Baath Party in Damascus hit by rockets
BBC Breaking news

At least two rocket-propelled grenades have hit a building of Syria's governing Baath Party in the capital Damascus, residents and activists say.

[Pranav]

Russian warships in Syrian waters - http://www.thehindu.com/news/internatio ... 650542.ece

Russians are not officially denying it, but not confirming it either. They need to come off the fence. Also, Assad needs to announce an internationally monitored election, with observers from a variety of nations.

[Philip]

The Russian naval presence of Syria,is a stark warning to the west not to use the services of mercenaries and "contractors" as was used in Libya,where British agents and SAS forces took the leadership of the war against Gadhaffi after the locla anti-regime fighters were being trounced.The combined air and ground campaign was EU led ,whe most of the actua fighting was being done by foreigners.Russia and China have see to their dismay how the UN resolution of saving civilians was abused to effect regime change.The imminent intervention on the ground by Turkey is probably what has prompted the Russian naval gambit,to try and forestall any foreign supply of arms to the rebels by sea.However,the situation in Syria is grave and all depends upon whether Assad will have the military on his side in the prolonged struggle that appears evdient.

[Satya_anveshi]

Events are moving fast on this front.

Russia says missiles to target US nuclear shield in Europe

Dmitry Medvedev accuses Washington and Nato of ignoring Moscow's concern at defences they say are aimed at Iran

Russia Retaliates Against US: Puts Radar Station On Combat Alert, Prepares To Take Out European Missile Defense Systems

Cutting straight to the chase - in a nationally televized appearance by Russian president Dmitry Medvedev: in response to what the Russian believes is an active incursion and a potential act of eventual aggression on behalf of NATO countries in Eastern Europe (and hence the US), he he said the following (7 minutes in): "First, I am instructing the Defense Ministry to immediately put the missile attack early warning radar station in Kaliningrad on combat alert. Second, protective cover of Russia's strategic nuclear weapons, will be reinforced as a priority measure under the programme to develop out air and space defenses. Third, the new strategic ballistic missiles commissioned by the Strategic Missile Forces and the Navy will be equipped with advanced missile defense penetration systems and new highly-effective warheads. Fourth, I have instructed the Armed Forces to draw up measures for disabling missile defense system data and guidance systems if need be... Fifth, if the above measures prove insufficient, the Russian Federation will deploy modern offensive weapon systems in the west and south of the country, ensuring our ability to take out any part of the US missile defense system, in Europe. One step in this process will be to deploy Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad Region. Other measures to counter the European missile defense system will be drawn up and implemented as necessary. Furthermore, if the situation continues to develop not in Russia's favor we reserve the right to discontinue further disarmament and arms control measures. Besides, given the intrinsic link between strategic offensive and defensive arms, conditions for our withdrawal from the New START Treaty could also arise." That said, he concludes that Russia is still open to dialog. However, if Obama merely intends to bomb any nation at will, we are very much concerned that everything Medvedev has just threatened will be enacted. And exponentially more so when Putin comes back in charge. One thing is certain - Russia is not North Korea, and taking this speech for more empty jawboning is probably not the wisest option.

[Philip]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... began.html

Syrian troops and activists fight one of biggest battles since uprising began
Syrian troops and army defectors have fought one of the biggest battles in the nine-month uprising while a protest strike shut businesses in a new gesture of civil disobedience, residents and activists said.

Arab foreign ministers will meet on Saturday to discuss a response to Syria's conditional acceptance of an Arab peace plan aimed at ending its crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, Egypt's MENA news agency said, citing an Arab diplomat.

And in a major international development likely to raise Western pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, France's Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Paris believed Syria was behind attacks that wounded French peacekeepers in neighbouring Lebanon on Friday.

In Sunday's fighting, Syrian troops mainly from the 12th Armoured Brigade based in Isra, 25 miles from the southern border with Jordan, stormed the nearby town of Busra al-Harir.

A housewife in Busra, who did not want to be named, told Reuters by telephone that the town was being hit by machinegun fire from tanks. Her children were crying.

The sound of explosions and heavy machineguns was heard there and in Lujah, an area of rocky hills north of the town, where defectors from the army have been hiding and attacking military supply lines, residents and activists said.

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"Lujah has been the safest area for defectors to hide because it is difficult for tanks and infantry to infiltrate. The region has caves and secret passageways and extends all the way to Damascus countryside," said an activist, who gave his name as Abu Omar.

Opposition activists said they had shut down much of the capital and other towns with a strike, the biggest walkout by workers since the protest movement demanding Assad's removal erupted in March.

Syria has barred most independent journalists, making it difficult to gauge the extent of participation in the strike. Official state media made no mention of it.

"For the first time we have seen business close in multiple districts in Damascus and spread to most of the suburbs and provinces. The aim is to reach civil disobedience that encompasses all sectors and forces the regime down," said Rima Fleihan, a member of the opposition Syrian National Council.

"The cost will be more human lives but I am afraid it is less costly than an armed uprising and the regime dragging the country into a Libya-type scenario, she said.

[Austin]

Russian navy in Syria: Thorn in US side

The US-based intelligence-gathering firm Stratfor says most of the claims by the Syrian opposition about the seriousness of the country's crisis are untrue. The company insists protesters are exaggerating, to win support from powers like the US.

­Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, a former Reagan administration official, told RT he believes Washington is doing more than simply backing the rebels diplomatically.

“The United States is bold in stirring up the opposition and in arming it. They used the cover of the Arab Spring and Arab protests as they did in Libya,” he said. “These are not spontaneous protests, and certainly in an authoritarian state like Syria you wouldn’t find people in opposition able to readily supply themselves with arms, with military weapons.”

Besides, Roberts continued, it makes no sense for ordinary Syrians to create an opportunity for the country to be destroyed like Libya, Iraq, or Afghanistan.

“What’s involved here is that the Russians have a naval base in Syria, and the Americans don’t want a Russian naval presence in the Mediterranean. And, just as in Libya, the problem was the Chinese oil investments. If Syria goes, Iran is in the target sites, and Lebanon,” he concluded.