Posted on 03/03/2012 1:53:43 PM PST by SunkenCiv
QUSAYR, Syria -- This city of 35,000 is largely empty. Seven miles from the Lebanese border, it is the last rebel stronghold in this part of Syria.
Residents and rebel fighters spoke in hushed tones about the shelling they expect to begin any day. Those who have decided to stay are resigned to their fate. The Syrian military holds positions in some neighborhoods in the city, and tanks were said to be taking up positions surrounding Qusayr in preparation for a final assault...
Fatma said the army had entered the city three times before, and that the assault on Qusayr could be worse than the attack on Homs.
Homs, a city 10 miles north of Qusayr, was shelled daily for nearly a month. The army attack culminated in a raid on Baba Amr, the city's most restive neighborhood. Activists there report that the military executed civilians. Shelling has leveled most of the neighborhood, killing an unknown number of people...
Asked if she would be at the demonstration the next day, Um Abdo, whose nickname means mother of Abdo, took out a list of all the demonstrations she has attended since the revolution began one year ago.
"Fifty-one," she said, adding the demonstration the following day to the list as she spoke.
FSA commanders have said they will not fight for Qusayr, but are maintaining a defensive posture. They are calling the FSA's retreat from Homs tactical.
"We can't face the tanks. We get weapons from the defectors. We also capture weapons and buy them from corrupt captains in the Syrian army," said Ebro, a Free Syrian Army fighter and former Syrian army lieutenant.
"We need weapons," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at miamiherald.com ...
If they were allowed in on Friday, why does the ICRC complain that they are still being held back?WRAPUP 6-Syrian rebels quit besieged Homs strongholdDefeated Syrian rebels left their shattered stronghold in the city of Homs on Thursday after a bloody 26-day army siege aimed at crushing a symbol of the year-long revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.
by Mariam Karouny
Thu Mar 1, 2012
Activists said a few fighters had stayed on in the Baba Amro district, which has endured weeks of shelling, sniper fire and privation, to cover their comrades' "tactical withdrawal". Soon afterward, the international Red Cross said Syrian authorities had finally given it permission to take aid into the district on Friday.
"The Free Syrian Army and all the other fighters have left Baba Amro," one activist said from Homs. "They pulled out."
A pro-government figure proclaimed that troops had "broken the back" of the rebellion and that the fall of Baba Amro heralded impending victory over a Western-backed insurgency.
A statement in the name of the fighters urged the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian groups to enter Baba Amro to protect and bring aid to 4,000 civilians who had stayed in their destroyed houses.
"We warn the regime against any retaliation against civilians and we hold it fully responsible for their safety," the statement said, adding that the rebels had been forced to leave because they were short of supplies and ammunition.
Russia and China joined other U.N. Security Council members in expressing disappointment at Syria's failure to allows U.N. humanitarian chief Valerie Amos to visit and urged that she be allowed in immediately, France said.
The ICRC said it had received a "green light" from the Syrian authorities to enter Baba Amro on Friday.
The arms for the FSA have been coming across the border from Lebanon — the elimination of Assad’s regime will be the best chance for the Lebanese to rid themselves of the illegal Iranian proxy occupation by the Hizzies.
Decisions, decisions....
Back in the 80s Israel lobied for the war between Sadaam and the Ayatolah to last as long as possible. That's pretty much my attitude about this whole affair: Pox on both their houses!
The great thing about a Moslem civil war is, everyone wins.
Okay, now brace yourself...
Unless and until FSA is able to get RPGs and some counter-battery fire, they are doomed...
A rumor floating around Algezeera blogs is that Maher Assad got whacked by an RPG in Homs. Doubtful.
Definitely the Iranian proxy. The Muslim Brotherhood (through its military wing al Qaeda) carried out two attacks on the World Trade Center - in 1993 and 2001. In total, it has killed 10,000 Americans, via the World Trade Center attacks the terrorist attacks in between and the wars that followed. Besides 90% of the world's Muslims are Sunnis. Until a better balance of forces is achieved, it would be prudent to root for the weaker of the two powers.
Iran is a big talker, but it sued for peace after losing less than 1% of its population during the Iran-Iraq War. In WW2, the Germans, who never had this view that death in battle meant a straight shot to paradise, fought until their capital war captured in 1945. They lost 10% of their population. Bottom line is that talk is cheap, and the Iranians have indulging themselves accordingly.
“Assad forces reportedly going door to door in Homs and arresting all males over 12. Now that he in essence controls Homs”
Good to hear. I’m not crazy about the Syrian regime, but there are 2.3 million Christians in that country that will get SLAUGHTERED if Assad falls. So, I still support him...give the alternative.
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