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Tag: Syria

  • Sarin Found in Syria Clothing Samples, Says Cameron

    As the U.S. Congress debates the merits of bombing Syria, the British Prime Minister is also pushing the case for intervention in the Syrian Civil War. Speaking at the G20 summit today in Saint Petersburg, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron asserted that new tests have turned up positive for sarin gas in Syria.

    According to The Gurardian, Cameron stated that the new tests confirm sarin was part of an attack in eastern Damascus back in late August. The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to deride the House of Commons, insinuating that Labor Party members chose to play politics instead of choosing what he called the “right” path. Cameron’s motion to involve the British military in a response to chemical weapon use in Syria was rejected by the House of Commons one week ago.

    Sarin has been classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction. The chemical is a nerve agent that can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin, acting as a sort of pesticide for humans. It causes complete loss of muscle control, including those used to breathe.

    One of the issues at hand is whether the Syrian government, rebel forces, or both have used Sarin as a chemical weapon. According to the Guardian report, Cameron stated that he is “confident” that the Assad regime is behind the chemical attacks. This sentiment is rejected by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who maintains that Syrian rebel forces could have also been behind Sarin attacks. Russia, a member of the U.N. Security Council, is a close ally to the Assad regime.

    This is not the first time positive tests for Sarin gas have come out of Syria. As far back as early June, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced that sarin gas had been detected in urine and blood samples smuggled out of Syria by French journalists.

    (Image courtesy Harry Metcalfe via Wikimedia Commons)

    (via The Guardian)

  • Kenneth Cole Is Tweeting Insensitive Things Again, This Time Making a Bad Syria Joke

    So, Kenneth Cole is once again saying some crap on Twitter that’s making people upset.

    The 59-year-old fashion designer is making light of the current situation in Syria and the United States’ potential involvement by using a common phrase, “boots on the ground,” to promote shoes (in a fashion sense). Here’s the screencap of the tweet, not the embed, because you know it’s going to be removed eventually:

    Let’s also not forget about that time back in 2011 when Kenneth Cole used the unrest in Egypt to promote his new spring collection.

    “Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online,” he said.

    He later took to his Facebook page to apologize for said tweet, saying, “”I apologize to everyone who was offended by my insensitive tweet about the situation in Egypt. I’ve dedicated my life to raising awareness about serious social issues, and in hindsight my attempt at humor regarding a nation liberating themselves against oppression was poorly timed and absolutely inappropriate.”

    I guess there are a half dozen or so reasons why Cole’s latest tweet is riling people up. I mean, people are dying in Syria at an alarming rate. There’s at least some evidence to suggest that President Bashar al-Asad or at least someone under his command used chemical weapons on his own people. Our own legislature is set to vote on granting President Obama the right to use military action against the country. Our nation is divided, our Congress is divided. There are far-reaching implications not only in terms of the security of Syrians and Americans, but also how any sort of move will affect international relations. Plus, joking about soldiers in harms way is usually pretty ill-advised.

    But Kenneth Cole wants to make sure we’re considering pumps and loafers.

    “Not cool OR socially responsible,” says one Twitter user.

    “Are you fucking kidding me?” says another.

    Anyway, it is just a joke, I guess. And it’s not like anybody is turning to Kenneth Cole for political advice or anything. But people are mad. Just check Twitter. You’d think, after that whole Egypt thing a couple of years ago, Cole would remember the awful taste of what a foot tastes like when it’s lodged firmly in one’s mouth.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • John Boehner backs Obama for Military Action in Syria

    Despite many constituents strongly disagreeing, John Boehner has verbally backed Obama after he called for American military action in Syria after learning Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, possible use of chemical weapons in the country’s civil war.

    “I’m going to support the president’s call for action. I believe my colleagues should support this call for action,” Boehner said. “We have enemies around the world that need to understand that we’re not going to tolerate this type of behavior.”

    “The use of these weapons has to be responded to and only the United States has the capability and capacity to stop Assad and to warn others around the world that this type of behavior is not going to be tolerated,” said Boehner after meeting with Obama. “I appreciate the president reaching out to me and my colleagues in the Congress over the last couple of weeks. I also appreciate the president asking the Congress to support him in this action. This is something that the United States as a country needs to do. I’m going to support the president’s call for action. I believe my colleagues should support this call for action. We have enemies around the world that need to understand that we’re not going to tolerate this type of behavior.[emphasis me] We also have allies around the world and allies in the region who also need to know that America will be there and stand up whether it is necessary.”

    Other conservatives, among others, are urging support for military action including Nancy Pelosi and Eric Cantor.

    Pelosi sent a letter to her colleagues Tuesday urging support for military action saying, “It is in our national interest to respond to the Syrian government’s unspeakable use of chemical weapons.”

    President Barack Obama was confident that Congress would pass a resolution. Obama said, “So long as we are accomplishing what needs to be accomplished, which is to send a clear message to Assad, to degrade his capabilities to use chemical weapons, not just now but also in the future.”

    After congress returns from summer recess next week, the house and senate will be expected to vote on whether or not they will also be in agreement with Boehner, Pelosi and Cantor, in their task to seek approval of the military action.

    Main Article Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

  • USS Nimitz Heading Closer To Syria, No Orders Yet

    With the tough decision on whether to enter Syria still to come from President Obama, it appears that the USS Nimitz has already set sail and is headed in that direction. The carrier has been set in place simply as an act to be prepared with its current status. With no orders to attack, it is just there waiting, in case something should happen. The U.S. naval ship has moved into the Red Sea, but is not ready to be part of a plan to attack at this point. The recent story has been the hot topic all over the news lately, with the big controversy being whether or not the U.S should intervene in Syria or not.

    It is alleged that Syria has been using chemical weapons on its civilians, and like the United States always seems to want to do, there may soon be a plan in place for military assistance for the people of Syria. This could work out well, although some people certainly fear that something like the situation in Iraq or Afghanistan could happen again and that it may not be the best idea to intervene. It is a decision that could be very important in President Obama’s career and what he decides to do could have a great effect on the country.

    In a report from ABC news, it was reported that President Obama announced that he had decided upon military action against Syria, but that he would first seek authorization from Congress. Last Wednesday, the USS Nimitz and four other ships in its strike group were kept in the Indian Ocean, as the likelihood of entering Syria continues to increase. The move to decide to seek authorization from Congress effectively put any future military strike on hold, since Congress does not return until September 9th. Defense officials said the delay will give them more time to assess the situation, specifically, which ships will be kept in the region and whether some may be allowed to leave. The Nimitz carrier group had previously been stationed in order to support U.S. operations in Afghanistan, but was due to return to its home port in Everett, Washington before being rerouted.

    Officials were unnamed, due to the seriousness of the situation it seems, but one reported to Reuters UK that “It’s about leveraging the assets to have them in place should the capabilities of the carrier strike group and the presence be needed.”

    The Navy has also rerouted another ship to join the previous five destroyers heading in Syria’s direction, the USS San Antonio, a ship that holds 300 marines as well as extensive communication equipment. This could be used to provide a temporary base for special operations forces, if they were needed.

  • Syria: Latest Global Responses and Developments

    After announcing his intentions to intervene militarily in the Syrian crisis, President Barack Obama is working on building support before Congress reconvenes on 9 September and discusses the President’s resolution. In the meantime, other nations and organizations are communicating an array of positions on how the world should respond to the chemical attacks of 21 August.

    France Confirms Syrian Regime Complicit

    French intelligence reporting released to parliament today tells a story similar to that of the US, minus about 1,200 deaths. Paris reports that the chemical weapons attack on August 21st was ordered by Syrian President Bashar al-Asad’s regime, but lists at least 281 deaths, a marked reduction from the 1,400 reported in the US intelligence assessment of last Friday. Casualty numbers are also reported differently by the NGO, Doctors Without Borders, which lists between 355-585 dead.

    French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault presented the documents to lawmakers to provide evidence of Damascus’ culpability. Ayrault stated prior to revealing the intelligence files to French parliament, “We are going to give parliamentarians everything that we have—classified until now—so that each of them can take into account the reality of this unacceptable attack.” Paris called for Damascus’ violence to be answered with firm actions that are, “proportionate,” to those of 21 August.

    French President François Hollande—who has voiced his willingness to, “punish,” al-Asad—is not required to seek parliamentary approval for military action, as is his counterpart across the Channel, British Prime Minister David Cameron, but parliament is calling a Wednesday emergency meeting nonetheless. Hollande, seen here in a 2012 meeting with Obama, will likely find supporting airstrikes unhelpful in improving his 20% approval ratings among his people however, as a Friday poll reported that 64% of the French people are opposed to any military action in Syria.

    Paris has been monitoring issues in Syria since before August, and much of this intelligence supported today’s briefings. Data included test results on samples of suspected chemical weapons that journalists for French newspaper Le Monde smuggled out of the country in mid-April.

    Russians Unconvinced

    “What we were shown before and recently by our American partners, as well as by the British and French, does not convince us at all,” that sound bite was offered today by Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, in front of a group of students. Lavrov said that requests for further details from the Western powers were met with denials, because the materials were classified, “therefore it cannot be shown to us. This means there are no such facts.”

    Russian President Vladimir Putin said the idea that Syrian officials called for an attack on a day UN monitors were in-country, “defies any logic,” accusing rebel groups of provoking an intervention by the West.

    In related developments, an unnamed Russian military official reports that a Russian ship was deployed to the eastern Mediterranean, “to collect tactical information in the area of escalated conflict.”

    NATO Chief Agrees Damascus Attacked; No Further Role for NATO

    NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, favored a strong reaction to chemical weapons use in a Monday address. Rasmussen allows that he’s convinced the attacks were ordered by Damascus. While the NATO chief offered the alliance as a place for nations to discuss possible actions, he says that he sees no additional role for NATO.

    Arab League Offers Nonspecific Support

    The Arab League on Sunday called for the UN and the international community, “to take the necessary measures,” against their Syrian neighbor. The organization stopped short of defining those measures. The ambiguity was attributed by some sources to Obama’s hesitation to call for military strikes without approval from Congress, which some see as a stance that cannot be relied upon for action.

    Some of the Arab nations, with Saudi Arabia at their head, were hoping for swift and decisive action, which they have been unilaterally promoting to Washington. Syria is viewed by many in the region as a dangerous ally of Iran, a country they view as a risky opponent to their national interests, therefore military action against al-Asad’s regime could be beneficial to Arab neighbors in particular. Saudi and Egyptian officials, in the same Cairo news conference, presented opposite opinions on what should be done. Egypt directly opposes military action and Saudi Arabia labels it a moral imperative.

    Among other League members, Morocco issued a statement demanding the Syrian regime be held accountable for chemical weapons attacks; however, Moroccan foreign minister Youssef Amrani declined to come out in support of Western airstrikes, assuring, “When the American government will make a decision on this, we will respond.”

    Syrian President Says Airstrikes Could Ignite “Powder Keg”

    Al-Asad said in a Monday interview that military strikes by the West would risk igniting a regional war in the, “powder keg,” of the Middle East. “We cannot only talk about a Syrian response, but what could happen after the first strike. Nobody knows what will happen,” al-Asad said.

    Damascus is reaching out to the UN for support. In a letter to UN Chief Ban Ki-moon and President of the Security Council Maria Cristina Perceval, Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari challenged, “the UN Secretary General to shoulder his responsibilities for preventing any aggression on Syria and pushing forward reaching a political solution to the crisis in Syria.” The Ambassador further accused the US of using force against anyone in opposition to US policies and labeled threats of military action, “out of the frame of international legitimacy.”

    Back Home in Washington

    The President has asked Senator John McCain—once his campaign opponent—to the White House to discuss concerns that Obama is being too soft in his response. McCain has advocated a strong intervention, telling CBS’ Face the Nation, “It can’t just be, in my view, pinprick cruise missiles,” and more strongly criticizing Obama’s decision during an interview with Israeli TV as having, “encouraged our enemies,” by passing off the resolution to Congress.

    Other US lawmakers received private briefings on the President’s position by administration officials, the President, and Vice President Joe Biden. A selection of members from Congress received a two-hour classified briefing on Sunday. Lawmakers are meeting separately, before they reconvene next week, to formulate their responses to possible military action toward the Syrian regime.

    [Image via Wikimedia Commons.]

  • Pope Francis Calls for Day of Prayer for Syria

    During Pope Francis’ Sunday blessing from the Vatican, the pontiff called for the world to hold a day of fasting and prayer for Syria. “May the cry for peace enter the hearts of everyone,” he said, promising to lead prayers and a five-hour vigil on Saturday from St. Peter’s Square. Pope Francis—who went viral this week for his selfie taken with young pilgrims in St. Peter’s Basilica—extended an invitation to all faiths and non-believers to promote peace in Syria.

    The pope said that, “There is judgment from God and history on our actions that no one can escape,” referencing the use of chemical weapons. He refrained however from directly accusing Syria of the crime.

    Tugging at heartstrings, the pope called forth the images of the last week and a half, “My heart is profoundly wounded in these days by what is happening in Syria and I am anxious about the prospect of dramatic developments.”

    As US leaders plan to debate responses to the Syrian regime, the Vatican opposes plans for military action by global powers and favors a negotiated solution. “Never again to war!” Pope Francis said, calling forth a historical reference to late Pope Paul VI’s Vietnam War-era speech at the United Nations. The last call for global fasting and prayer was from late Pope John Paul II in mourning for the September 11 attacks.

    In other Vatican-related developments, the pope appointed Archbishop Pietro Parolin, an Italian and former deputy foreign minister at the Vatican, to be Secretary of State. Italian Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone has maintained the position since 2006, but Bertone has become a divisive figure as the Holy See attempts to recover from embarrassing scandals and financial probes. Bertone also acted as a key inside advisor for retired pontiff Benedict XVI. Parolin will take over the role on 15 October, after returning from his papal envoy duties in Venezuela.

    [Image via Facebook.]

  • Congress Split: Syrian Response Divides Nation

    Congress may mirror America after all. After President Barack Obama’s Saturday Rose Garden speech proclaiming his decision to take military action in response to Syria’s chemical weapons aggression, legislators appear to be split in their anticipated response. Obama will look to Congress for authorization when lawmakers return from recess a week from now. Public opinion polling shows a split in how Americans feel about US military action.

    A Tuesday hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will start debates on the action. At close of business Saturday, the White House delivered a draft resolution authorizing the President to initiate military force. The draft is open-ended in what timeline or military methods would be engaged for a strike. The Administration has the week to make its case to the legislative branch.

    A Washington Post article divides congressional leanings into five caucuses… 1) the do it now, already including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.); 2) the want bigger military action including Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.); 3) the happy to debate the issue, reserving judgment is the largest and includes Senator Christopher Coons (D-Del.) and Representative Trey Radel (R-Fla.); 4) the skeptical, including Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.); 5) and the anti-military action, including Representative Charles B. Rangel (D-NY).

    “Syria… is capable of facing up to any external aggression just as it faces up to internal aggression every day, in the form of terrorist groups and those that support them,” Syrian President Bashar al-Asad responded on Sunday to Obama’s address.

    In Obama’s Saturday address, with Vice President Joe Biden at his shoulder, the President asked Congress to support a strike aimed at al-Asad’s regime. Obama did assert that he has, “the authority to carry out this military action without specific congressional authorization.”

    World leaders are also situated on either side of the line. Russian President Vladimir Putin vehemently opposes military retaliation. British Prime Minister David Cameron was just denied in his call for military strikes against Damascus by the House of Commons. Presently, the only sizable allies supporting Obama’s decision are France and Saudi Arabia. UN inspectors are still finishing up investigations of the chemical weapons attacks having just returned to Rotterdam after four days gathering samples in Damascus.

    [Image via Wikimedia Commons.]

  • Intel Report: Syrian Regime Confirmed Chem Agressor

    Recognizing the number of casualties is a moving target, at least 426 children are among the 1,429 people killed in last week’s chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The UN estimates 70,000+ have been killed during the two year conflict as featured in a Syria-focused Flipbook magazine by the humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders.

    These casualty numbers attributed to the attacks were disclosed in today’s Unclassified US Intelligence Assessment, which included the above map. The report asserts, “with high confidence that the Syrian government carried out a chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburbs on August 21, 2013. We further assess that the regime used a nerve agent in the attack.”

    While policy makers have been saying this since early in the week, the assessment provides a platform for US responses moving forward.

    The assessment which was issued by the White House Press Office is a result of all-source analysis across the Intelligence Community and in addition to traditional intel reporting, utilizes testimonials from medical personnel, witnesses and social media. Social media reporting started at 2:30 am local time on the day of the attacks and after four hours, thousands had communicated from no less than 12 Damascus-area locations. Policy makers also received a Classified briefing on the report which will not be released to the public so as to protect sources and methods.

    “There is a substantial body of information that implicates the Syrian government’s responsibility in the chemical weapons attack,” the assessment concludes. Intercepts of Syrian officials give evidence that the regime initiated the attacks. Similar reports even revealed concerns about UN inspectors obtaining evidence in the aftermath. Intelligence suggests the regime continued shelling in nearby neighborhoods through the early hours of 26 August.

    President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry both issued statements today in response to the assessment. The President is still considering options but he stressed that any action taken would be, “a limited, narrow act,” that would not require, “boots on the ground.”

    NBC News conducted a survey shortly before the release of the assessment in which 35 out of 100 respondents approved of Obama’s handling of the Syrian case. Half would support a US military response if it was restricted to air strikes launched from US ships.

    Secretary Kerry urged the American public to read the intelligence assessment in its entirety, stressing the Administration’s desire to share available information, “with the citizens who have entrusted all of us… with the responsibility for their security.”

    “And we know it was ordinary Syrian citizens who reported all the horrors.” Kerry commended those who turned to social media, “we know, as does the world, that just 90 minutes later all hell broke loose in the social media.”

    Reasoning for the regime’s appalling actions is believed to be frustration with an inability to secure Damascus and its suburbs with conventional weapons against oppositionists. In fact, the Syrian regime may have conducted earlier, small scale chemical weapons attacks in the last year, the assessment goes on to report. The US is joined in confirming Damascus’ culpability in the attacks by Australia, Britain, France and Turkey; Britain alone has come out firmly against a military response.

    [Images via the White House Press Office.]

  • Military Strike Syria: Britain Says No

    Since the last WebProNews update on the crisis in Syria, there has been a lot of breaking news.

    The British parliament voted “no” on the decision to use military force against Syria. The British government had gathered intelligence and published a landmark assessment to provide evidence that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons on its people, thus killing hundreds of Syrian civilians.

    However, this assessment was not enough to sway British parliament in the favor of British Prime Minister Cameron.

    “…it is clear to me that the British parliament, reflecting the views of the British people, does not want to see British military action – I get that and the government will act accordingly.”  ~ British Prime Minister David Cameron

    If the U.S. does decide to take military action against Syria, it may now be unilateral:

    With strong resistance to military action and the latest news that Britain would not be joining the U.S. in the strikes, the U.S. government is scrambling to make a strong case for military force:

     

    Since breaking news regarding possible military strikes on Syria are coming out by the minute, Mashable just released an outstanding interactive map to make sense of it all:

    http://youtu.be/eEV6ySlsAmk

    [British Prime Minister Cameron, Main Image and Video Source: BBC and YouHotNews]

  • Destroyers Syria: Latest Chemical Attack Responses

    “The President continues to work with his national security team reviewing the options available,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney stated at this afternoon’s press briefing in response to questions about the US reaction to the Syrian regime. Briefings from both the White House and the State Department today confirmed that US officials hold the Syrian regime responsible for the use of chemical weapons that killed more than 300 last week; the intelligence community assessment on the attacks will be released to the public later this week.

    Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al-Asad is using a new Instagram presence, in addition to those on Facebook, Twitter and a YouTube channel to record his side of the story posting pictures such as his recent visit with the Syrian Scientific Olympiad team. The Team brought home three bronze medals and two certificates for distinguished performance. “The chemical weapons allegations are completely politicized and come on the back of the advances made by the Syrian Army against the terrorists,” pulled from Asad’s official Facebook page, this statement was made yesterday to a Russian newspaper. Asad has firmly denied his administration’s involvement in the attacks.

    While no specific military strike has been dictated as of this posting, four US Sixth Fleet Navy destroyers, currently located in the Mediterranean, were deployed today to cover the situation in Syria. In a Pentagon statement, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel committed to continued cooperation with the international community to respond to Damascus, specifically referencing French and British defense forces, but Hagel also defended the US right to take military action without the permission of international organizations such as the United Nations. The UN faced its own struggles on the ground yesterday as inspectors were reportedly fired upon by snipers. The inspectors were en route to another chemical attack location close to Damascus.

    The Arab League, a regional organization of 22 member states (though Syria’s participation has been suspended since 2011) issued a statement today blaming Asad for the attacks. If military action is enacted, support from the League will add a layer of legitimacy in the Arab world.

    [Image via Facebook.]

  • Russia Warns U.S. of Fallout if Syria is Struck

    Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to reporters in Moscow today about the United States’ potential counter-strike against Syria in the wake of allegations of chemical weapons use on a Syrian suburb.

    Bloomberg has Lavrov using the words “slippery slope” to describe American desires to retaliate against Syria, and that any military intervention that takes place outside the UN Security Council would be a “gross violation of international law… Western leaders are making statements that indicate that they won’t wait for the results of this commission, they have already decided everything… It’s a very dangerous slippery slope that our Western partners have gone on before. I hope common sense prevails.”

    Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned that the chemical attack could have been staged by Syrian opposition groups as a pretext for a preemptive American strike against the Assad regime.

    Syrian opposition groups remain steadfast in their claims that 1300 victims were killed by nerve agents on Aug. 21 in a chemical attack on the suburb of Ghouta in Damascus. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with Russian paper Izvestia that such allegations are “nonsense… First they make an accusation and only then search for evidence.”

    The UK’s foreign secretary, William Hague, has said that Britain remains convinced that Assad is responsible for the attack, and that agreement on the parts of the United States and France were needed to take action. Turkey’s foreign minister has said that they intend to start a coalition against Syria if the UN takes no actions.

    A Forbes story recalls Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel saying that President Obama will “prepare options for all contingencies.” Unfortunately, this kind of post-911 posturing is the same behavior that frustrated the world with former President George W. Bush, and Russian lawmakers are calling President Obama a cloned copy of the younger Bush, particularly with regard to his drive for war:

    [Image via an ABC News video on Youtube about the subject]

  • U.S. Cruise Missile Syria Attack Looms

    Are the days of Hitler’s poisonous gas brutality behind us? Several hundred lost their lives in Syria last Wednesday to what many are estimating was a chemical attack. However, the Syrian government has strongly denied any connection to the disastrous event even though photos of the atrocities victims endured have been leaked.

    The Syrian government is officially not assuming responsibility for the situation. The chemical attack has not only threatened those directly attacked, but many more have fled the country as refugees. In fact, estimates claim 30,000 people are now refugees as a result of the attack.

    U.N. representatives arrived in Syria to investigate; however, the Syrian government would not allow these representatives access to the Damascus area where the supposed chemical attack occurred. Now, as a result of the looming threat, officials for the United States are considering involvement in order to prevent potentially global devastation.

    The White House National Security Advisor, Susan Rice, took to Twitter to condemn those responsible for the attacks.

    Barrack Obama said in a CNN exclusive, “Some core issues that the United States has both in terms of us making sure that methods of mass destruction are not proliferating as well as needing to protect our allies, our bases in the region. I think that it is fair to say that as difficult as the problem is, this is something that is going to require America’s attention and hopefully the entire international community’s attention.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP13L-7Jes0

    President Barrack Obama shared his concerns with CNN. “If the U.S. goes in and attacks another country, without a U.N. mandate and without clear evidence that can be presented then there are questions in terms of whether international law supports it, ‘Do we have the coalition to make it work?’ Those are considerations that we have to take into account,” President Obama said.

    [Image via Wikimedia Commons is not indicative of potential considerations by U.S. government]

  • War in Syria: Nation Suffers 3-Way Divide

    After over two years of intense infighting, the nation formerly known as the Syrian Arab Republic has virtually ceased to exist.

    The AP reports that the three territories are suffering their own microcosms of the greater civil war, religious and ideological struggles giving way to turf war. The one thing we know for certain: the longer the fighting lasts, the less likely it will be for Syria to reemerge as a cogent nation.

    Charles Lister, an analyst at IHS Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Center, has said that “There is no doubt that as a distinct single entity, Syria has ceased to exist… Considering the sheer scale of its territorial losses in some areas of the country, Syria no longer functions as a single all-encompassing unitarily-governed state.”

    Assad’s regime has control over lands near the southern border with Jordan reaching up through Damascus and up to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Free Syrian Army rebels, made up of mostly Sunni Muslims, control parts of the territory in Aleppo and Idlib provinces headed down to the Euphrates towards the Iraqi border. The far Northeastern corner of Syria holds the Kurdish minority, who control their territory with semi-autonomy.

    The rebels use the rural countryside to their advantage while Assad loyalists fight to maintain control over regional urban centers, having already lost Raqqa city and most of Aleppo. Loyalist bases scattered throughout the countryside find themselves under siege by guerrillas, and supplies must be airdropped to avoid losing ground.

    To paint the Syrian civil war as “loyalists against opposition” would be to carelessly neglect the spectrum of fighting taking place. Al-Qaeda extremists have recently been reported as engaging with moderate rebels as well as Kurds and other radical Islamist groups. The AP believes that such violence would be more than capable of escalating minor skirmishes into all-out war between rebel factions.

    For the moment at least, the more peaceful areas of Kurdish Syria are celebrating their culture more openly than ever before permitted. Where the Baathist Assad regime would have previously suppressed public expression of Kurdish cultural identity, Kurds are now printing their own license plates, appointing their own police, and even teaching their schoolchildren their native tongue.

  • France: Sarin Gas Attacks Confirmed in Syria

    French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius this week confirmed that the nerve gas sarin has been used during the ongoing Syrian civil war.

    According to a Guardian report, both the British and French governments claim to have found evidence for sarin in urine and blood samples smuggled out of Syria by French journalists. Fabius stated that the French government has provided its findings to a UN investigation into chemical weapon use in Syria. Though it is still unclear whether the Syrian government or rebels used Sarin gas first, Fabius stated that there is now some proof that it has been used by the Syrian government. He said that France would be talking with the U.S. and U.K. about possible reactions to the news.

    Sarin is a nerve agent that has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the UN. As a chemical weapon, sarin can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin. Contact with the gas can cause loss of muscle control, including the muscles involved in breathing, leading to asphyxiation.

    Syria has been embroiled in a civil war since 2011, when government forces began firing on “Arab Spring” protesters. The protesters soon organized into armed militias, and a sporadic war has continued to be waged across the country. The UN estimates that around 80,000 Syrians have died during the civil war.

  • TV Correspondent Killed in Syrian Fighting

    With the fighting in Syria showing no signs of slowing, those covering the civil war are now finding themselves in more danger than ever. According to a report from the Associated Press, a Syrian TV correspondent was gunned down on Monday during fighting near the border of Lebanon and Syria.

    The Syrian government has reported that Yara Abbas, a correspondent for the Syrian government-owned Al-Ikhbariyah TV station, was killed by rebels near an air base in the Homs province. Two other station employees were also injured, a cameraman and an assistant.

    The incident reportedly took place near the town of Qusair, where heavy fighting between Syria’s government and rebels has taken place this month.

    The Syrian civil war grew out of protests that begain in 2011 during the so-called “Arab Spring.” Protesters in the country demanded the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, and the Syrian military was soon called in to end protests. After the military fired on protesters, opposition groups formed into armed militias, igniting a sporadic war with flash points occurring throughout the country. The United Nations has estimated that around 80,000 Syrians have died during the conflict.

  • Google And Twitter Team Up Again To Give A Voice To Syrians Without Internet

    Syria has been in a bad place for a long time, but it just got a lot worse yesterday. The country’s Internet was cut off, and now information can not get in or leave the war torn country. It’s key that the voice of the people get out to inform the world of what’s really going on. Google and Twitter have teamed up once again to make this a reality.

    Google announced today on its official Google+ page that its Speak2Tweet service is back for Syrians who need to get messages out of the country. The service works by allowing people to call a phone number and leave a voice mail. That voice mail is converted into a Tweet that anybody can view.

    Google

    Google8 hours ago

    A little less than two years ago, when Internet access was cut off in Egypt, we worked with Twitter to launch Speak2Tweet, giving the ability for anyone to tweet using just a voice connection. 

    In the last day, Internet access has been completely cut off in Syria. Unfortunately we are hearing reports that mobile phones and landlines aren’t working properly either. But those who might be lucky enough to have a voice connection can still use Speak2Tweet by simply leaving a voicemail on one of these international phone numbers (+90 212 339 1447 or +30 21 1 198 2716 or +39 06 62207294 or +1 650 419 4196), and the service will tweet the message. No Internet connection is required, and people can listen to the messages by dialing the same phone numbers or going to twitter.com/speak2tweet.

    #SyriaBlackout   1434    137 Powered by socialditto

    As Google noted, it appears that some cell and phone lines are also down across the country as well. That could definitely hurt the amount of messages that can get out, but there’s already been quite a few messages posted to the service in the last 15 hours. Some of the messages are obviously prank calls, but a few are legitimate calls for help from a people caught up in a war they didn’t ask for.

  • Gun on Live TV: Jordanian Lawmaker Threatens Opponent

    Pulling a gun on live TV is certainly a good way to get people interested in politics, though I’m sure it doesn’t settle very well with the individual who is staring down the barrel of said weapon. This is precisely what happened during a recent debate on a Arab-language television talk show, according to the Associated Press. When things got heated between Jordanian opponents Mohammed Shawabka and Mansour Seif-Eddine Murad, Shawabka threw his shoe and then brandished a pistol, which he pointed in Murad’s general direction.

    Murad, an activist who has ties to various Arab nationalist groups, filed a complaint against his opponent at Amman’s First Instance Court on Monday, stating that Shawabka had attempted to murder him. “He was going to shoot me and he should be punished for that,” he said.

    Prosecutors are currently investigating the matter. However, since Shawabka didn’t point the weapon directly at Murad’s head, for example, trying to pin attempted murder on the man is a little difficult. Although pulling a gun during a heated argument, especially one that’s being broadcast to a large group of people courtesy of a satellite system, is definitely cause for concern, attempted murder might be out of the equations. Still, prosecutors seem to think there could be serious charges levied against Shawabka for his behavior.

    These sort of violatile debates are apparently quite common on Arabic-language television programs, with hosts often booking guests who violently oppose one another. The Shawabka/Murad debacle shows just how extreme these debates can get, particularly when these individuals simply cannot stand the sight of one another.

    Mohammed Habashna, who hosted the debates between the two political adversaries, was a little shocked by how the events played out. ” I couldn’t believe my eyes,” he said. “It was like the Wild West, but we needed horses in the studio.”

    If you’re curious to see the incident for yourself, check out the video below.

  • Wikileaks Dumps The Syria Files, Over 2 Million Emails Leaked

    Syria is in a bad place right now. The violence has been terrible for quite some time, but the countless deaths of civilians has only recently captured the attention of the West. To help expose what’s been happening in the country, a group of revolutionaries shared leaked emails with Western press back in March. Wikileaks is now finishing the job.

    The latest release from Wikileaks is called the Syria Files and it hopes to shed some light not only on the current conflict, but the politics and decisions that led up to the violence that now consumes the country. Over 2 million emails from over 680 Syria-related domains cover the history of the region from August 2006 to March 2012.

    Wikileaks is once again partnering with press outlets around the world to share the information contained in the documents. Wikileaks themselves will be presenting much of the information, but the AP, alongside other international press outlets, will be publishing their own stories based on the leaks over the next two months.

    Julian Assange, currently fighting extradition to Sweden and seeking asylum in Ecuador, said that the material in the leaks is not only relevant to Syria:

    “The material is embarrassing to Syria, but it is also embarrassing to Syria’s opponents. It helps us not merely to criticise one group or another, but to understand their interests, actions and thoughts. It is only through understanding this conflict that we can hope to resolve it.”

    What Assange means is that the emails reveal the part that other countries have been playing in the conflict. It was only until recently that people started to pay attention to the conflict, but it has been going on for over a year now. It’s not beyond the realm of reason to assume that one or two of the major powers have had a hand in the conflict. We won’t know for sure until the emails start getting published though.

    Wikileaks also revealed that 42,000 of the leaked emails were infected with viruses or trojans. Those emails may have been traps set by the Syrian Electronic Army, the group that targeted Syrian protesters with fake Facebook phishing attacks. Weirdly enough, the same group also attacked the LinkedIn blog. Maybe the emails will provide further clarification on why the Syrian government hates social networks so much.

    If you want to take a look at the Syria Files, just head over to Wikileaks to check them out. Here’s hoping that these leaks will have a positive impact and help stop hostilities in Syria.

  • Turkey Reinforces Border Ahead of Geneva Conference

    Turkey reinforces its borders only days before the scheduled conference of world leaders in Geneva this weekend. As death and destruction in Syria mounts, the country fears they will be forced to retaliate should violence in the area make its way across the border. Additional troops and several anti-aircraft weapons have been moved into place in order to contend with any potential threats that could arise in the future.

    The reinforcements were a direct result of Syria’s attack on a Turkish fighter jet last Friday, prompting NATO to announce that they fully intend to defend Turkey if need be. However, the organization did state that the actions the country is currently taking to secure its border “are measures they are taking themselves”.

    Problems between the nations have increased as of late following the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a once-peaceful demonstration that has recently turned very bloody. An explosion at the Justice Palace in Damascus on Thursday only further illustrates the level of devastation currently taking place within the country.

    Following the attack on the fighter jet, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that they had updated their rules of engagement to deal with such issues. Should any Syrian military forces approach the border that separates the territories, Turkey will treat them as a direct threat.

    Despite the potential danger lurking just beyond the horizon, Turkey has not asked NATO for any alliance action. According to an anonymous official, “What they wanted was to make sure that NATO is with them if it comes to defense of their territory. We have plans for the defense of Turkey. They exist; they have long existed.”

    In an effort to express just how serious they were about the recent attack, Turkish officials issued a warning to Syria, stating that the country “will act with determination to use all its rights within the international law against this hostile act.” To illustrate their point, state news outlets showed footage of military vehicles and anti-aircraft weaponry amassing near the border.

  • 10,000 Year Old Ruins Discovered In Syria

    A city that is older than the pyramids lies about 50 miles from Damascus and there is no way for anyone to get there because of war. Fragments of stone tools, stone circles and lines on the ground, and even evidence of tombs appear to lie in the desert near the ancient monastery of Deir Mar Musa. “What it looked like was a landscape for the dead and not for the living,” said archaeologist Robert Mason of the Royal Ontario Museum.

    He made the find during a 2009 trip and is eager to return and further explore the site. But he says regional conflicts make such a return trip nearly impossible. “It’s something that needs more work and I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen.”

    The monastery that is currently found on the site is believed to have been built in the late 4th or early 5th century, he said, and contains several frescoes from the 11th and 12th century depicting Christian saints and Judgment Day. Mason told an audience at Harvard that he “believes it was originally a Roman watchtower, partially destroyed by an earthquake and rebuilt.”

    Mason believes that he found tools that date back to the neolithic era or the early bronze age. The tools, he believes, are 6,000 to 10,000 years old. To put that in perspective, Egypt’s oldest pyramid is 4,500 years old. Mason hopes to return to the monastery to excavate under the church’s main altar — he believes he’ll find an entrance to underground tombs there. He also hopes to return to strange stone formations he found in the desert, which he dubbed “Syria’s Stonehenge.”

  • Syrian Jet Fighter Flies Across Border, Defects to Jordan

    Jordan has granted political asylum to a Syrian fighter pilot who defected by flying his jet across the border today, the Washington Post reports. The fighter pilot was on a training mission when he flew his MIG-21 warplane into Jordan seeking asylum.

    Tens of thousands of soldiers have defected from the Syrian army but this is the first defection of an air force pilot during the current 15 month long uprising against President Bashar Assad. The air force is considered to be incredibly loyal to Assad’s regime and this defection suggests even Assad’s most trustworthy allies have become dubious.

    The defection came just hours after U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford posted an open plea urging the Syrian military to abandon their posts and join the opposition. He warned that those that do not could be prosecuted for war crimes if Assad’s government fails.

    “Members of the Syrian military should reconsider their support for a regime that is losing the battle,” Ford wrote on the Facebook page of the U.S. Embassy in Damascus. “The officers and soldiers of the Syrian military have a choice to make. Do they want to expose themselves to criminal prosecution by supporting the barbaric actions of the Assad regime against the Syrian people? Or do they want to help secure the role of the professional military in a democratic Syria by supporting the Syrian people?”

    He goes on to site precedent, comparing this regime to the Balkans and the International Criminal Tribunal that was formed to hunt down war criminals.

    “There are parallels to the Syria case in the Balkans. In 1993, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICYT) was created to bring to justice those accused of atrocities in the Balkans conflicts. The ICTY indicted 161 people – military and civilian – from foot soldiers to municipal employees to military officers at all levels to heads of state for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity against non-combatants and combatants. The charges against them ranged from directly targeting civilians, mistreating individuals (detained combatants and civilians) in custody, terrorizing the civilian population, using disproportionate force against military objectives, and forcing the deportation or displacement of the civilian population.”

    Ahmed Kassem, a spokesman for the Free Syrian Army, said they encouraged the pilot to defect and followed his activity until the jet landed safely in Jordan.

    In a statement, the Syrian Defense Ministry said: “At 10:34 a.m. Syria time we lost contact with a MiG-21. The pilot onboard was Colonel Hassan Mare’ei Hammadeh was on a routine sortie [in] southern Syria. Pilot Hamadee is considered a deserter who betrayed his country and his military honor. We will follow the usual procedures adopted in such cases. We will request from Jordanian authorities to return the aircraft.”

    Jordan, who is not involved in the Syrian conflict and wishes to keep it that way, was at first hesitant to accept the refugee. Jordan officials have said that they ultimately decided to accept him because his safety was not guaranteed if he were returned home, possibly facing torture or execution for his desertion.

    According to CBS News, Jordan has taken in over 125,000 refugees since the crisis and Syria is actively seeking their return. The two are frequent and long-term trade partners, with trade estimated at $470 million last year.