Syria rocket attacks on Hermel raise tensions

Tensions remained high in the Bekaa Valley Sunday after renewed shelling from Syria targeted the heart of the town of Hermel for the first time along with other border areas...

For the first time since the uprising against President Bashar Assad, two rockets hit separate locations in Hermel Saturday night, causing only material damage while five others fell in the Syrian border town of al-Qusair which is mostly inhabited by Lebanese Shiites.

The rocket attacks came amid reports that regime forces are advancing in al-Qusair with the help of Hezbollah fighters. The party has said it is helping Lebanese in the Syrian border town to defend themselves against rebel assaults.

President Michel Sleiman followed-up on the developments in the border towns with the head of the Lebanese Army Gen., Jean Kahwagi...

He added that Lebanon is working on controlling the border in accordance with the Baabda Declaration.

The president asked the Army and concerned officials to take the measures needed to prevent further attacks on Lebanon, and protect the safety of its citizens.

Syria army closes in on Qusayr near Lebanon
Sunday, 21 April 2013
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/04/21/Syria-army-closes-in-on-Quasar-near-Lebanon-.html

http://dam.alarabiya.net/images/046342db-bf8a-4313-a9c7-1c37281c543a/600/338/1?x=0&y=0
Free Syrian Army fighters stand guard in Idlib, Syria. (AFP)

Troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made new advances Sunday on the rebel stronghold town of Qusayr near the border with Lebanon, reports said.

Activists say the army, backed by pro-regime militia and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, is aiming to crush insurgents in villages surrounding Qusayr, and to then launch an assault on the town itself.

2010 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY of root cause of the Syrian "rebellion".

Background

The impact of the global financial crisis on Syria has been relatively moderate and mostly through linkages to trading partners in the region and Europe. Non-oil growth is estimated to have declined by 1.5 percentage points in 2009 to 4.5 percent. The fiscal and current account deficits are estimated to have widened somewhat, but remained at sustainable levels, and the level of official net foreign assets remained comfortable.

Authorities’ views (Assad government)

* Measures taken in response to the global crisis and to support lending to investment projects are temporary and will be phased out over time.
* Quasi-fiscal operations that are conducted by public enterprises and state-owned banks will continue to be streamlined.
* Plans to modernize the monetary policy framework will be advanced, including by developing indirect monetary policy instruments such as treasury bills.
* Implementation of financial sector and other structural reforms will continue to promote the private sector, diversify the economy, and accelerate growth and employment creation.

Staff recommendations (International Bankster Community)

* Gradually resume fiscal consolidation, including by revisiting the large increase in public investment budgeted for 2010, maintaining current expenditure restraint, and building on the progress made in reforming subsidies.
* Complete the remaining preparations for the introduction of the VAT in 2011 and improve public financial management.
* Continue with the implementation of the 2008 FSAP recommendations, and reform public banks. Reverse the increase in the regulatory ceiling on credit exposure, and phase out the differentiated reserves requirement.
* Allow exchange rate fluctuations within the de jure band around the SDR and gradually increase flexibility over the medium-term.
* Accelerate structural reforms, including by modernizing regulations, continuing to streamline the extensive subsidies system, and further liberalizing trade.

There's more detail, such as Syria being forced to increase the ceiling on foreign ownership of banks from 49% to 60%, but the summary conveys the basic idea. In laymen's terms, the current Syrian government was balking at the orders of the banksters to open up and let them in. When the bankers want to assimilate a nation into their "system" they don't take no for an answer. If they think it's "time for you to go", you'll either have a normal war with their "police force" or a "spontaneous" revolution, a la Kadaffi.

Libya's "new central bank" was actually started during the Libyan revolution - go figure. Didn't get much coverage in the press, though, what a shame.

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