Free Syrian Army preparing for “final battle” for Damascus, US believes Syria moving part of chemical stockpile

"Over 200" dead in new Syria massacre as Free Syrian Army preparing for “final battle” for Damascus and US believes Syria moving part of chemical stockpile

"Over 200" dead in new Syria massacre: "Government troops bombed (Treimsa) using tanks and helicopters," said by phone the president of the SOHR, Rami Abdel Rahman. The NGO has estimated that the death toll amounts to over 150, thus putting the overall daily death toll on Thursday at over 200. "Considering the small size of the town, it is perhaps the biggest massacre since the beginning of the revolution," said Mr. Abdel Rahman.

Abu Mohamad, a rebel leader of fighters based nearby has said the attack had left "over 200 dead ". According to an activist living in the province, the situation is particularly serious because the government forces shelled a mosque where many people had sought refuge. Treimsa "is now empty. Everyone is dead or has fled, "said the activist, calling himself Abu Ghazi. "About thirty army vehicles have completely surrounded the village. There was no way out. Whoever tried to escape through the fields was shot," said a fellow activist. "After the bombing, the army came (into Treimsa) with small arms and the (pro-regime militia called) Shabiha followed with knives," he added.

Free Syrian Army preparing for “final battle” for Damascus: In light of the noticeable development in the Free Syrian Army [FSA]’s military operations, not to mention the escalated pace of defections from the regular army’s forces, the FSA has announced that it is gearing up to take the fight to the al-Assad regime in Damascus. Speaking exclusively to Asharq Al-Awsat, FSA commander Colonel Riad al-Asaad revealed that “preparations for the battle of Damascus are underway and are in full swing, particularly as this operation – which will be the final and decisive confrontation with the regime – requires special preparations and arrangements”.

He added “this has led to the battle being postponed so far; however once it starts it will be resolved quickly, within a matter of weeks.” The FSA commander also stressed that “with regards to today, you could say that the situation has changed. We are now able to take decisions at the right time, after the FSA seized weapons at depots affiliated to the regime, in addition to those present in the border regions.”

'US believes Syria moving part of chemical stockpile': U.S. officials said that Syria has started to move part of its chemical weapons arsenal out of storage facilities, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The country's undeclared stockpiles of sarin nerve agent, mustard gas and cyanide have long worried U.S. officials and their allies in the region, the report said. Western nations have looked for signs amid the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad's government of any change in the location of those weapons, believed to be the world's largest stockpile.

I absolutely believe Assad will use those chemical weapons on his own supporters and people as all he sees is his regime in trouble and a last chance to kill the vermin "terrorist" protesters.

* Assad kept saying that Syria is no Libya but it is in the respect that all the fears we had in Libya essentially did not come true but heretofore have come true in Syria. This includes the fear of chemical weapons being used on the protesters. You better absolutely believe that fear will become real if Assad feels the Alawite's are in danger of losing their control over Syria.

*You also really have to wonder now about that large Russian Naval force that arrived over there recently supposedly to guard the Russian submarine base in Tartus "complete with landing marines.

* We now know Iran and probably Russia are preparing for Syria to fall to the protesters or at the very least into total disarray for years. Russia and China let alone Iran are not going to let this go down. I see their Vietnam. They will keep installing "their leaders" until they are overwhelmed and they are forced out. The entire middle east will be in this if not the world. The future direction of the middle east and the world is at stake and nothing less.

* High ranking Government officials have started defecting along with high ranking military officials. I am hoping they do so en masse because I fear they will be fighting at least Iran and Russia for total control of their beloved Syria.

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com

Damascus residents fear regime reprisals if and when Syria falls to opposition

 
Many Syrian political activists are certain that the Syrian capital will be the scene for the final battle to topple the al-Assad regime, however they also fear that the Baathist regime will seek to carry out systematic reprisals against Damascus residents upon its ouster, particularly as the city is surrounded by heavily armed pro-regime troops and militia.
A Damascus political activist working with the opposition Local Coordination Committee [LCC], who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat under the name “Farah”, revealed that “Bashar al-Assad will not easily surrender Damascus, even if he believes that his regime has been toppled. There is a spirit of retribution in the decisions of this man and those around him, and this spirit will be transformed into a burning desire for revenge, particularly against the residents of Damascus, the city which rose up against al-Assad after he believed that they would stand by him.”

Assad: I won't quit: In an interview with German journalist Juergen Todenhoefer, the Syrian head of state Bashar Assad insisted he would not quit. "A president should not run away from problems, and we have significant problems in Syria. A president should not escape in this situation. " The interview was held on July 5 2012 in Damascus.

When asked if he believed the majority of the Syrians stand behind him, Assad replied: "Yes. Of course, I still enjoy the support of the Syrian public." Assad denied that his family alone holds the power in its hands. "The majority does not participate in the demonstrations," he said.

It is not that he is delusional, him saying the people are still behind him tells you he believes only the Alawite's are people and all other sets are vermin to be eradicated! Also, those Alawite's still behind him are because they now feel they will be eradicated.

You have to be very concerned about what is happening in Syria especially. Russia, China, and Iran are not going to allow Syria to fall to Democracy. What we saw after the voter fraud in Iran was mild compared to what the IRG will do if this movement spreads to Iran. I really wish Bashar would step down but Iran is the elephant in the room any way you look at it. The total middle east breakdown we have written about numerous times is well under way. We can only hope we keep it from erupting into WW3.

In closing: You know Putin just got himself reelected as President, he did this so he could be at the helm of Russia as he like me knows 100% that world war is our future. He plans on marshaling China who is rapidly building a more formidable military and whoever he can to take on US hegemony.Russia watched helplessly as we had our way in Libya. Putin blames what is happening in Syria on our interference and Libya for training the protesters to fight against Bashar Al-Assad. Russia and Iran will not let this be another Libya but?

*You really have to wonder now about that large Russian Naval force that arrived over there recently supposedly to guard the Russian submarine base in Tartus "complete with landing marines.

* We now know Iran and probably Russia are preparing for Syria to fall to the protesters or at the very least into total disarray for years. Russia and China let alone Iran are not going to let this go down. I see their Vietnam. They will keep installing "their leaders" until they are overwhelmed and they are forced out. The entire middle east will be in this if not the world. The future direction of the middle east and the world is at stake and nothing less.

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com

Lebanese ready to fight next to Syrian 'brothers' Assad: I won't quit:

Lebanese ready to fight next to Syrian 'brothers

Lebanese ready to fight next to Syrian 'brothers': About 20 armed men enter a dilapidated barn in northeastern Lebanon, preparing to sneak across the border and fight alongside their Syrian "brothers" against the regime in Damascus. The young men decide to rest briefly at the farm near Al-Qaa in the Bekaa Valley, their arms and baggage placed against a wall. The volunteers aim is to join the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA), which is made up mostly of Syrian army deserters.

Reclining on mattresses on the ground, they dip bread into tins of sardines or tuna, their evening meal. "We will cross the border to go to Idlib (in northwest Syria). The FSA is trying to retake the city and needs all the help it can get. Let's go for it," says Abdel Hakim says in decent English. Like his comrades, the young man from the Baalbek region has dropped everything to go fight in Syria.

The defection this week of a key general with longstanding ties to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad was hailed Friday by officials in the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama as an important step towards ending the regime. Brig. Gen. Manaf Tlas, the son of former defence minister Mustafa Tlas, was reportedly smuggled by opposition activists to Turkey three days ago.

and may be en route to Paris, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters Friday during a high-level meeting of the “Friends of Syria” group in the French capital. Fabius later stated that he had no indication of Tlas’s final destination. “We welcome this defection and we believe it is significant,” Pentagon spokesman Capt. John Kirby said, while Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who took part in the Paris meeting, also praised Tlas’s defection and predicted that more would follow.

Assad: I won't quit: In an interview with German journalist Juergen Todenhoefer, the Syrian head of state Bashar Assad insisted he would not quit. "A president should not run away from problems, and we have significant problems in Syria. A president should not escape in this situation. " The interview was held on July 5 2012 in Damascus.
When asked if he believed the majority of the Syrians stand behind him, Assad replied: "Yes. Of course, I still enjoy the support of the Syrian public." Assad denied that his family alone holds the power in its hands. "The majority does not participate in the demonstrations," he said.

It is not that he is delusional, him saying the people are still behind him tells you he believes only the Alawite's are people and all other sets are vermin to be eradicated! Also, those Alawite's still behind him are because they now feel they will be eradicated.

You have to be very concerned about what is happening in Syria especially. Russia, China, and Iran are not going to allow Syria to fall to Democracy. What we saw after the voter fraud in Iran was mild compared to what the IRG will do if this movement spreads to Iran. I really wish Bashar would step down but Iran is the elephant in the room any way you look at it. The total middle east breakdown we have written about numerous times is well under way. We can only hope we keep it from erupting into WW3.

In closing: You know Putin just got himself reelected as President, he did this so he could be at the helm of Russia as he like me knows 100% that world war is our future. He plans on marshaling China who is rapidly building a more formidable military and whoever he can to take on US hegemony.Russia watched helplessly as we had our way in Libya. Putin blames what is happening in Syria on our interference and Libya for training the protesters to fight against Bashar Al-Assad. Russia and Iran will not let this be another Libya but?

* We now know Iran and probably Russia are preparing for Syria to fall to the protesters or at the very least into total disarray for years. Russia and China let alone Iran are not going to let this go down. I see their Vietnam. They will keep installing "their leaders" until they are overwhelmed and they are forced out. The entire middle east will be in this if not the world. The future direction of the middle east and the world is at stake and nothing less.

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri accuses lebanese Government of being Assad's puppets

Syrian artillery strikes north Lebanon, Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri accuses Lebanese Government of being Assad's puppets

Syrian artillery strikes north Lebanon, : Syrian artillery hit villages in northern Lebanon on Saturday killing two women and a man and wounding scores more after opposition rebels crossed the border into Lebanon, residents said. Residents of the Wadi Khaled region said several mortar bombs started falling on farm buildings five to 20 km (3 to 12 miles) from the border at around 2 a.m. At midday on Saturday villagers reported more explosions.

Hariri slams government 'silence' over Syria border killings: “The silence of the Lebanese Government is ... unacceptable. It shows total disrespect for the lives of our citizens and our sovereignty,” Hariri said. Two people, including an 8-year-old boy, were killed Saturday and 10 were wounded in north Lebanon in separate incidents as a result of shelling from the Syrian side of the border. Earlier this week, Syrian forces briefly kidnapped two General Security personnel at the Bqayaa border crossing in the north of the country.

“However the Lebanese are not surprised their government doesn't care if our citizens are killed and sovereignty violated by Syrian regime,” he said. “In fact all Lebanese know this government was appointed to facilitate such crimes to begin with,” the head of the Future Movement added. Siniora added that the continual blocking of the transfer of telecoms data from the Telecommunications Ministry to security agencies is a decision “to kill all opposing” Hezbollah’s arms and the government. "We declare our fear for the nation, the state, national unity, coexistence and legitimate institutions,” she added.

I have to agree that the Lebanese Government is being complicit with Assad and or at the very least turning a blind eye to the growing incursions into Lebanon and the killing of their own people. A brush up: Lebanon: Residents of the northern city of Tripoli held a general strike Monday to protest the deadly clashes that gripped the area last week, killing at least 14 and wounding 52.

Assad blames Syria's hell on an outside influence and yes there is a growing outside influence and it is on both sides. Assad says there is a danger this growing conflagration will envelop the entire middle east and it will. Because of actions taken by those who want to see him stay in power to protect their interest I am afraid this is going to grow way beyond Lebanon. We will be lucky to keep this from becoming world war three.

Deadly violence flares in Beirut: Gunmen fired rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns early on Monday in intense street battles in Beirut, Iran’s ardent courtship of the Lebanese government indicates that Tehran is scrambling to find a replacement for its closest Arab ally, politicians, diplomats and analysts say.
Deadly violence flares in Beirut: Gunmen fired rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns early on Monday in intense street battles in Beirut, killing two people and wounding at least 18 others."There is an uneasy calm.. streets are relatively empty," Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, reported from Beirut."The situation overnight, the clashes that were witnessed in Beirut, were the worst since January 2001 when we saw people take to the streets in protest following the collapse of the government of the former Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri.

"People who took to the streets were supporters of Saad al-Hariri's movement, mainly Sunnis. they were protesting the death and killing of a Sunni cleric and his bodyguard in northern Lebanon," Khodr said. The clashes erupted hours after Sheikh Ahmed Abdul Wahid, a Sunni Muslim cleric, and Muhammed Hussein Miraib, both members of the March 14 alliance, were shot in their car near Tripoli on Sunday as they "sped through a Lebanese army checkpoint without stopping". The fighting, some of the worst in Beirut in years, exacerbated deep political and sectarian divisions, as fears mounted that the conflict in neighbouring Syria was spilling across the border.

Lebanon's new wild card: Shaker al-Barjawi For more than a year, battlelines have been clearly drawn between pro-Bashar al-Assad and anti-Assad politicians in Lebanon, with the March 14 Alliance desperate to see regime change in Syria, and Hezbollah and its allies willing to fight until curtain-fall with Syrian officialdom. On Arabic satellite talk shows, members of the two camps had blasted at each other for months, once even getting into a fist-fight live on air. Last week, pro-Syrian regime and anti-Syrian regime factions

clashed with arms in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, prompting Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to advise their citizens from traveling to Lebanon, and calling on those already in the country to leave. On Sunday, Sheikh Ahmad Abdul Wahed, a prominent Sunni cleric affiliated with ex-prime minister Saad al-Hariri, was shot dead at a checkpoint in Akkar in northern Lebanon, along with his bodyguard, when his car reportedly failed to stop at a military checkpoint. The cleric was heading to the city of Halba to participate in a sit-in against the Syrian regime, staged by Hariri's Future Movement.

Iran Is Seeking Lebanon Stake as Syria Totters: Iran’s eagerness to shower money on Lebanon when its own finances are being squeezed by sanctions is the latest indication of just how worried Tehran is at the prospect that Syria’s leader, Bashar al-Assad, could fall. Iran relies on Syria as its bridge to the Arab world, and as a crucial strategic partner in confronting Israel. But the Arab revolts have shaken Tehran’s calculations, with Mr. Assad unable to vanquish an uprising that is in its 15th month.

Iran’s ardent courtship of the Lebanese government indicates that Tehran is scrambling to find a replacement for its closest Arab ally, politicians, diplomats and analysts say. It is not only financing public projects, but also seeking to forge closer ties through cultural, military and economic agreements. The challenge for Iran’s leaders is that many Lebanese — including the residents of Tannourine, the site of the proposed hydroelectric dam — squirm in that embrace. They see Iran’s gestures not as a show of good will, but as a stealth cultural and military colonization.

With the return of Putin to the Russian Presidency I am again very concerned and see an end to a partner country whose leaders words and actions we can trust and a return to a confrontational relationship with Russia. I do not like the man, I do not trust the man, and I am very concerned as to which direction Russia and the United States are headed now and at a time when China is surging militarily.

Watching what is happening in Syria and Iran at this point it looks like Russia and China are going to unite at least until the shit hits the fan and it will. Russia is going to go to the limit to allow Syria to slaughter its own. At that point China I am hoping will start backing the US I hope. This has barely begun! Which way will Lebanon go?

We are going to get dragged into this rest assured and you can't really think at least Russia and Iran will not come out in the open: I remember saying from day one that it would take almost the whole military to defect before they would have a chance and now that we know how involved Russia, Iran and Hezbollah are in the slaughtering that is going on around the country that is beginning to look like the beginning of their fight.

You have to be very concerned about what is happening in Syria especially. Russia, China, and Iran are not going to allow Syria to fall to Democracy. What we saw after the voter fraud in Iran was mild compared to what the IRG will do if this movement spreads to Iran. I really wish Bashar would step down but Iran is the elephant in the room any way you look at it. The total middle east breakdown we have written about numerous times is well under way. We can only hope we keep it from erupting into WW3.

In closing: You know Putin just got himself reelected as President, he did this so he could be at the helm of Russia as he like me knows 100% that world war is our future. He plans on marshaling China who is rapidly building a more formidable military and whoever he can to take on US hegemony.Russia watched helplessly as we had our way in Libya. Putin blames what is happening in Syria on our interference and Libya for training the protesters to fight against Bashar Al-Assad. Russia and Iran will not let this be another Libya but?

* We now know Iran and probably Russia are preparing for Syria to fall to the protesters or at the very least into total disarray for years. Russia and China let alone Iran are not going to let this go down. I see their Vietnam. They will keep installing "their leaders" until they are overwhelmed and they are forced out. The entire middle east will be in this if not the world. The future direction of the middle east and the world is at stake and nothing less.

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com

Lebanon Battles Al Qaeda, If Unity was their goal so wouldn't Iraq and not kill each other!

We are watching Lebanon Battle Al Qaeda to the death, If Unity was their goal so wouldn't Iraq and not kill each other! Why tolerate the lies?
There is so much happening in the middle east there is no shortage of important subjects to cover. I was focusing yesteray on what was happeniong in Lebanon when it highlighted a very important Question. Lebanon right now is battling what is being called an Alqeda group with links to Syria, Fatah Al-Islam.
There's the sense here that both sides are hunkering down, they're re-arming, stockpiling weapons, and that there is going to be quite a nasty fight. "The Lebanese army is under orders to finish off Fatah Islam and there is no expectation that Fatah Islam is not going to put up a fight. This is a force that is well equipped and obviously well trained," said CTV's Middle East Bureau Chief Janis Mackey who has been reporting from Nahr el-Bared refugee camp in Lebanon. The camp was originally set up to house Palestinians escaping violence and the violence it seems has followed them. Members of Fatah Al Islam has been holed up there since Sunday and insist on fighting to the death. The Lebanese Army seems morte than willing to give them that opportunity.
http://www.ctv.ca/...
Lebanon is requesting additional military help from the U.S. and I as of yet do not know what that entails. My question is that we have little Lebanon willing to take on Al Qaeda interests in order to wipe them out and have peace so they hope. If unity was Iraq's goal they would be doing the same thing. Especially since they have U.S. forces there right now to help do the job if that was the real issue. With the supposed threat os a possible U.S. withdrawal you would expect them to hurry up and get the job done.
http://www.voanews.com/...
Iraq has been preparing for a possible withdrawal but there is no way that will happen under Bush. You also have to wonder what that preapration is?
http://www.smh.com.au/...
I understand this morning that one of the 3 captured U.S. soldiers has been found floating in the Euphrates in the Triangle of Death.
http://online.wsj.com/...
I always thought the triangle of Death was called that because of all the American deaths that occur there. I heard on the radio this morning that it is primarily because the Sunni remnants "as they are called" of Saadam's loyalists kill Shiite who are the primary farm owners whenever possible. We constantly hear of the Al Qqaeda insurgency being responsible for the worst violence in Iraq while we watch civilian and American deaths climbing daily because of Sectarian violence.
If getting rid of Al Qaeda was the Iraqi's goal I think that would be done already. As we watch Lebanon deal with AlQaeda and sectarian violence in Iraq steadily worsening as many of us knew would happen you really have to wonder how Bush can routinely mistate what is happening there, get away with it, and what hell Iraqi's will have in their future amidst the hell on earth Bush gave them?

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com