Demonstrators protesting against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad march through the streets after Friday prayers in Homs on Nov 11
Posted on 11/24/2011 11:03:34 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Free Syrian Army chief Riyadh al-Asaad on Thursday called for foreign air strikes on "strategic targets" in Syria to speed up the fall of the regime, in a telephone interview with AFP. "We are not in favour of the entry of foreign troops as was the case in Iraq but we want the international community to give us logistical support," said FSA chief Colonel Asaad, who is based across the border in Turkey. "We also want international protection, the establishment of a no-fly zone, a buffer zone and strikes on certain strategic targets considered as crucial by the regime," he said. In contrast, the leader of the main Syrian opposition group in exile said after talks in Paris on Wednesday that his organization does not want to see rebels launch armed attacks on President Bashar al-Assad's forces.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.nationalpost.com ...
Demonstrators protesting against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad march through the streets after Friday prayers in Homs on Nov 11
Quite a surprising turn in Gog and Magog story with Russia backing Israel’s interest and secular elements while US getting ready to do air support for another islamic extremist takeover of ME.
Another war that will be labeled a ‘non-war’ and the anti-war left kooks will ignore it.
This strikes me as extremely worrisome because if the Russians have indeed sold advanced S-300 systems to Syria — and I wouldn’t doubt it for a moment — we’re going to lose planes and pilots.
Russia is not only going to send their best stuff, they are going to send their best operators. Our stuff may be better, but it’s not going to be the turkey shoot Iraq was. Not by a long shot.
I think this will not be as long or as mean as Libya was. The Bathist Party isn’t as well entrenched and their is wide spread unhappiness against the tyrant family that runs the place. He is killing his own people worse than Guadaffi did. Let the Turks have the place. The way I see it—we stand up for what we believe or we do not. My fear is that Obama is only doing this to get re-elected and put in a radical group.
No. We don’t have to support one set of Arabs over another. It isn’t in our interest to do so.
I will stand for freedom and democracy. There is not one iota of evidence that these rebels support either of those any more than their putative governments.
It worked so well in Libya.
We are setting up the Middle East for an Iranian takeover.
If you paid attention, you would see that we are not involved and not going to be involved.
The problem of Syria is being handled by the Arab League and Turkey
Russia is a toothless old tiger that is roaring but is unable to do much beyond making meaningless noises
You're kidding, right?
Prince "O" will soon have us in Syria, defying Russia and putting another muzzie fanatic govt. on Israel's north border. He'll ruin us before we get rid of him.I think this will come out much better than some people think. Russia's actually in a real bind here, and their best case scenario isn't much better than the worst case. And their worst case is more likely.
Another war that will be labeled a 'non-war' and the anti-war left kooks will ignore it.Thanks South40.
This strikes me as extremely worrisome because if the Russians have indeed sold advanced S-300 systems to Syria -- and I wouldn't doubt it for a moment -- we're going to lose planes and pilots.Thanks Ronin. We can be patient and let the Syrian uprising take its course, and that course is that Assad is done, out, and either in exile or he'll get the Gaddafy Special.
The way I see it -- we stand up for what we believe or we do not. My fear is that Obama is only doing this to get re-elected and put in a radical group.Thanks Forward the Light Brigade. Everything that Zero does is to get re-elected and to undermine both our liberty and our sovereignty. Regardless, nations don't have friends and relatives, they have interests. Had we been acting strictly by what we stand up for as if the world were a power vacuum (that time is coming, but it's not here yet), Syria, Lebanon, Iraq would have ceased to exist long ago.
We are setting up the Middle East for an Iranian takeover.Thanks Venturer. The Syrian uprising isn't in the interests of Iran.
...we are not involved and not going to be involved.Thanks bert. No direct military involvement -- probably. NATO's involvement could be broad, but it's more likely that, as you said, Turkey and the Arab League (iow, the Gulf States) will be the boots on the ground.
You're kidding, right?Thanks Sarajevo. The current transformation has had diplomatic consequences that have been far-reaching, but other than Libya, there has been little outside military involvement. And none by the Russians until recently.
Wow, sorry that was so huge. I should have at least split off the links.
That is a great post. It illustrates the great diversity of thought that exists on Free Republic. It delves into the complexity if issues in the area even when focused on the narrow territory that is Syria.
Then there is this.......
-——Turkey’s plan for an economic common market of the Middle East....has been blown to pieces———
Although I am not aware of such a plan I would argue that such a market already exists and the potential for growth will be enhanced by the elimination of Assad.
I speak of course of the GCC, the Gulf Cooperation Council presently composed of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
I don’t know which is most important, Abu Dhabi or Dubai and the Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone but both are mega financial and trade centers. They are the de facto center of the mid east business and financial trade. Both are the access point for the burgeoning trade with the Pacific Rim. They posses the tallest building in the world.
Although Turkey is industrialized and highly capable, the trade capability would be increased by membership and closer political ties to the GCC. If Turkey is nice and helps eliminate Syria and then helps control the rabid dogs of Hezbollah and Hamas, the joining prospects will be looking up.
And then there is Iraq. Religious issues aside and they will be nudged aside, Iraq is a natural. Once the process of stabilization becomes more solid, Iraq will implement policies similar to the Royal Saudi Commission for Yanbu and Jubail. It is only a short drive from Jubail to Basra. It is not a long flight from Basra to Dubai
Bechtel is quietly in the wings coordinating infrastructure and when called will do it over again, near Basra first and somewhere in the north later.
The potential, as in potential energy of a coiled spring, of this alliance is almost immeasurable. It is a serious burden for industrial Europe. It is without doubt the future
The only two Russian Navy vessels in the Mediterranean at the time were exercising with NATO assets. They hadn't been anywhere near Syria.
Russian Navy Admiral Valentin Selivanov has revealed.
"In Tartus now there aren't any our ships. There is only our floating workshop and storage platform. A month ago also there came the Black Sea Fleet patrol ship "Smetlivy", but she has already returned to Sevastopol."
Russian Admiral reveals Russian Navy status currently in Mediterranean
The whole story was bogus from the start! The same also applies to the Cypriot News agencies reporting that the Russian aircraft carrier was currently off Malta and heading for the Eastern Mediterranean. These two bogus stories were widely reported and took on a life of their own.
I agree. Enough.
And I am not impressed by “rebels” who need foreign armed intervention in order to prevail.
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