The Syrian Crisis

[The Last Stand]

US supporting Terrorists (FSA) and Russians Supports another Terrorists (Hizbullah)

At least Hezbollah is on the right side this time

 

[SajeevJino]

At least Hezbollah is on the right side this time

Is any Good Terrorist

only a Dead terrorist is Good Terrorist

 

[The Last Stand]

Is any Good Terrorist

only a Dead terrorist is Good Terrorist

At least, in this case, US thinks Al-Qaeda affliated FSA is good terrorist and Hezbollah is a bad terrorist. I agree. Every dead terrorist is a good terrorist.

P.S பயங்கரவாதிகளில் நல்லவன் இருப்பதாக நான் எப்போது கூறினேன் ஐயா? உங்களை போல் நானும் ஒரு தமிழன் தான். வெளிநாட்டு அரசியல்வாதி முடிவு எடுப்பதில் நான் பங்கு கொள்வதில்லை. அவர்கள் தான் அறிவு இல்லாமல் தீமையை ஒழிப்பதாக பெரும் தீமையை படைக்கிறார்கள்.

P.P.S Other members, the above paragraph is not google translate-friendly. It completely messes up the meaning.

 

[SajeevJino]

Netanyahu alludes to military action on Syria border​

'Crumbling' UN force underscores need for Israel to see to its own security, says PM, who also asserts commitment to two states


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday hinted at the possibility of military action along the border with Syria, saying that the vacuum left by departing UN peacekeepers on the Golan Heights was an indication that, when it came to security, Israel could only count on itself.

Speaking before the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said that he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the weekend on Syria, "where the situation is becoming daily more complex" for Israel given the potential for spillover on the Golan Heights.

"Israel is not intervening in the Syrian civil war, as long as fire is not being directed at us," Netanyahu said. "The crumbling of the UN force on the Golan Heights underscores the fact that Israel cannot depend on international forces for its security. They can be part of the arrangements. They cannot be the basic foundation of Israel's security."

A fierce battle on Thursday between the Syrian army and rebels over the city of Quneitra, near the Israeli border on the Syrian Golan Heights, nearly brought Israel and Syria into open confrontation, according to a UN document leaked on Saturday by US-based blogger Nabil Abi Saab.


Netanyahu alludes to military action on Syria border | The Times of Israel

 

[IBSA]

Health Ministry Receives 15 Fully-equipped Ambulances from Iran

Jun 08, 2013

DAMASCUS, (SANA)- The Ministry of Health on Saturday announced that it received 15 fully-equipped ambulances offered as a gift from the people of Iran to the Syrian people.

Health Minister, Dr. Saad al-Nayef said that the ambulances will be distributed immediately to six governorates in which the rescue system services sustained big losses compared to the rest of provinces.

The minister expressed the ministry's appreciation for Iran's intensified efforts to meet the health needs in Syria at a time when the EU and US slapped economic sanctions that hit all service sectors there, including health, which had negative impact on the lives of citizens and patients.

He added that the provision of new ambulances comes in parallel with the ministry's non-stop efforts to rehabilitate and reinforce the rescue system services in cooperation with international health and humanitarian organizations and friendly countries, especially Iran.

Al-Nayef said that the ministry earmarked up to SYP 1 billion last year to cater to the needs of the emergency departments at hospitals and bolster their strategic reserve, vowing that the ministry will continue to do so despite the repeated terrorist attacks against the rescue systems.

Representative of the Iranian embassy in Damascus Sayyed Reza Kazimi Mohamadi said Iran will continue to support the Syrian government and people, urging the countries ''who claim to be friends of Syria to support the humanitarian situation and stop weapons' shipments to the terrorists there.'' The Health Ministry received last August a batch of advanced medical equipment and materials and ambulances from Iran worth USD 1.2 million.

H. Said/M. Ismael

Syrian Arab news agency - SANA - Syria : Syria news ::

 

[nrupatunga]

Reuters: US weighs arming Syria rebels

The United States could make a decision as early as this week on whether to arm Syrian rebels, U.S. officials said on Monday.

What has changed in recent weeks is the tilting of the battlefield against the rebels as Lebanese Hezbollah has entered the fray on the side of Assad's forces, helping them to retake the strategic town of Qusair.

That shift has made it less likely that a U.S. and Russian planned peace conference to bring the rebels and the government to the table would succeed in U.S. President Barack Obama's aim of a negotiated political transition to remove Assad from power.

So has the geneva conference failed even before it started?? As missiles, f-16s are already there, when will action begin then??? Somehow i get a feeling that this two and half years civil war has entered a very very interesting point where the course of the war will be decided soon. West/israel has to do something before pro-regime forces start regaining territories again. They just can't be seen promoting a losing side.

From an indian pov whatever happens in syria, if the wahabbi gcc is destroyed or gets hit significantly, thats the best outcome for us.

 

[SajeevJino]

^^^

and some 500 UK SAS Troops moving from Greece to Turkey for Unknown Mission

 

[SajeevJino]

check this too


defenceforumindia.com/forum/west-asia-africa/51831-mv-22-kc-130j-500-marines-stationed-libyas-malta.html

 

[amoy]

Very crucial to be on the "right" side - President Assad: we rejected 21 billion $ 'international' and Russians will dig for oil

President Assad friends don not forget; where he said he "was granted to extract oil Syrian coast to the Russian company," stressing full confidence that the Russians will not change their position of his country; because they are in fact defending the security of the strategic and national interests, who were exposed to danger if managed the West and his followers put pounces on Syria. He explained that the Russians did not try, however, at any stage of the conflict, dictate any position on the country, and they even when it was formed have different proposals on some aspects of the conflict, they were content with the formulation of opinion only, and leave for Syria to act in light of what it deems appropriate .For the reconstruction, he said that Chinese companies are ready to do its part in this area, and they made it clear with everything in this regard.

Likely a google translation?

 

[nrupatunga]

Still More Questions Than Answers on Nerve Gas in Syria

The United States and Britain have said that they have detected sarin, a nerve agent, in physiological samples from Syria and that it was probably used by government troops. French officials have gone further, saying there is "no doubt" that the Syrian government used sarin in at least one attack and possibly others.

But none of the evidence has been made public, and many experts on chemical weapons say that it is important to remain skeptical, that the anecdotal evidence that has emerged is inconclusive and needs to be investigated by an impartial organization. Some experts have been mystified by the relatively low number of deaths, given the toxicity of a nerve agent like sarin. They are also confused by the range of symptoms seen in videos disseminated by Syrian opposition activists — including some that seem mild — leading to questions about what kind of toxins were used, but also the veracity of some of the videos.

 

[rock127]

Syria death toll at least 93,000, says UN

 

[t_co]

Syria death toll at least 93,000, says UN

Syria's prewar population was 26 million.

13 million men, assume that half those are of fighting age.

6.5 million.

93k is about 1.5% of all combat age men in Syria.

Those fatality rates are similar to what the UK experienced over six years of WW2...

 

[rock127]

Syria's prewar population was 26 million.

13 million men, assume that half those are of fighting age.

6.5 million.

93k is about 1.5% of all combat age men in Syria.

Those fatality rates are similar to what the UK experienced over six years of WW2...

93,000 is a BIG BIG number for a small country like Syria and it's a serious issue now.

 

[t_co]

93,000 is a BIG BIG number for a small country like Syria and it's a serious issue now.

93k is even crazier when you think about it in terms of death rates.

The Syrian Civil War didn't really heat up until mid-2012.

 

[rock127]

93k is even crazier when you think about it in terms of death rates.

The Syrian Civil War didn't really heat up until mid-2012.

Even bigger concern is that if the West intervenes to stop the war it can blow up in a even bigger war and engulf the whole region.

 

[TrueSpirit]

As someone quoted on this forum & I quote the quoter: One death is a tragedy but a million deaths, statistics.

But that's extremely unfortunate. We can only sit & wonder why....how to...

 

[The Messiah]

India Should Help Syria

Rajendra Abhyankar, India's ambassador to Syria from 1992 to 1996 and foreign secretary from 2001 to 2004, believes India should play a more proactive role in peace talks on the Syrian conflict, likely to take place in Geneva in July.

Mr. Abhyankar, now a professor at Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs, spoke with The Wall Street Journal's India Real Time about India's position on Syria, the potential far-reaching impact of the conflict, and the role India can play in a possible resolution.

Edited excerpts:

The Wall Street Journal: What exactly is India's position on Syria?

Rajendra Abhyankar: India has been supportive of the Syrian government. When the protests started, we were hoping the government would take positive action. Some reforms were announced, and accordingly we abstained from the initial UN resolutions. Then we realized there was no genuine inclusive participation of the people: 50% of the population in Syria is made up of youth but they had no voice. For 40 years this system continued (the al-Assad family has ruled Syria under the Baath Party since 1970) and tested the tolerance of Syrians.

India has always emphasized a democracy which is participative and inclusive government. India shares a longstanding and friendly relationship with Syria, which is one of the few countries to follow the path of secularism in the Middle East and supports Kashmir as a bilateral [issue between India and Pakistan.] It has also been one of the countries to support India as a permanent member in the UN Security Council.

WSJ: Why has India not played a proactive role?

Mr. Abhyankar: Given its own internal conflict situation [Maoist insurgency], human rights violations in Kashmir, and northeast insurgencies, India has shied away from making any bold statements on Syria. In the UN Security Council, India's decisions on voting have largely emanated from its non-interference policy in the internal affairs of other countries and [view] that any resolution to the conflict should come from the Syrians themselves. Any decisions by India at the UN can have a reflection of its own policies back home as questions will be raised on our own policies. But this should not be an excuse not to take any leadership initiative. India needs to act in situations where we have vital interests and where outcomes can directly affect us.

WSJ: There is an understanding that Syria is geographically far from India and the conflict does not have any impact on the domestic matters of the country, hence there is no real need for India to be involved.

Mr. Abhyankar: The conflict may be taking place in the Middle East, but it can have wide consequences in the Gulf. If the conflict starts affecting the Gulf or if it creates a sense of insecurity, India has a reason to get involved. The total number of Indians in Gulf countries is over 7.5 million. Any clamor or insecurity there will have a direct impact on India's domestic policy, politically as well as economically as remittances from non-resident Indians are a major contributor to the domestic economy.

The Iraq-Kuwait invasion during the first Gulf war led to the evacuation of more than 150,000 Indian nationals living in Kuwait within a week. The Lebanese civil war went on for 10 years with regional proxy wars as well. Who can predict the same will not be repeated with Syria? If the conflict lingers from the Middle East to the Gulf, it can also find its way to Pakistan, which is already brimming with Shia-Sunni sectarian violence. It would not take too long then to find resonance in Kashmir.

WSJ: Does India have a role to play in the upcoming peace conference in Geneva?

Mr. Abhyankar: The Syrian government has in principle agreed to attend next month's peace conference, but has refused the opposition's demand on stepping down from power before holding any negotiations. Involving the countries from the NAM [Non-Aligned Movement] or Brics nations will strengthen the peace conference. India can take the support of a few other countries and play a proactive role in the dialogue.

If we want to play an active role we should get together with likeminded countries. India should make a place for itself at the table and talk with the U.S. and Russia, both of whom we share friendly relations with. We have an important contribution to make in any group of countries interested to bring peace. We are in favor of a democracy which is inclusive and participatory and should work to take this initiative forward. This is a foreign policy issue which has domestic impact.

'India Should Help Syria' - India Real Time - WSJ

 

[Singh]

Syrian Govt is being supported by Iran, Hezbollah and Russia; is being opposed by Saudi Arabia, West and Sunni organizations. Hamas has scaled back.
If Syria falls, expect a much more bloody Iraq, Israel, Turkey's kurd areas etc.

 

[Singh]

93k is even crazier when you think about it in terms of death rates.

The Syrian Civil War didn't really heat up until mid-2012.

This is number will be insignificant, if Syria falls to some radical Sunni faction.

 

[SajeevJino]

Obama Authorizes Arming Syrian Rebels​

President Barack Obama has authorized sending weapons to Syrian rebels for the first time, U.S. officials said Thursday, after the White House disclosed that the United States has conclusive evidence President Bashar Assad's government used chemical weapons against opposition forces trying to overthrow him.

Obama has repeatedly said the use of chemical weapons would cross a "red line" triggering greater American intervention in the two-year crisis.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., one of the strongest proponents of U.S. military action in Syria, said he was told Thursday that Obama had decided to "provide arms to the rebels," a decision confirmed by three U.S. officials. The officials cautioned that no decisions had been made on the specific type of weaponry or when it would reach the Syrian rebels, who are under increasing assault from Assad's forces.

Still, the White House signaled that Obama did plan to step up U.S. involvement in the Syrian crisis in response to the chemical weapons disclosure.

The U.S. has so far provided the Syrian rebel army with rations and medical supplies.

Obama still opposes putting American troops on the ground in Syria and the U.S. has made no decision on operating a no-fly zone over Syria, Rhodes said.


Obama Authorizes Arming Syrian Rebels » The Epoch Times