In a televised interview with CNN, Saad Hariri spoke from his hometown Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Specifically asked who had the capability in Lebanon to organize such a carbomb attack, Saad did not give an answer. Later in the program a Lebanese did answer the question and quickly named five political (militant) organizations.
Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan have provided safe havens for foreign militants crossing the border with arms, munition and anti-tank grenades. When there were many ugly and devastating car bomb attacks in Damascus and Aleppo, the US ambassador to the UN blocked an attempt to discuss a resolution condemning these acts. The region is on fire and the western powers including and especially the US have exacerbated the violence by advocating a violent overthrow of the Assad regime. Two permanent members of the Security Council have been clear a regime change by military action was not acceptable. Turkey, France, U.S. and GCC nations are responsible for this policy and led to the failure of the UN mission by Kofi Annan. There are 32,000 deaths (militants, civilians and Assad forces) and as I understand 28,000 persons have gone missing according to Syrian activists group Avaaz. The region is on fire. Turkey may be inclined to support a temporary cease-fire during the Eid al-Adha next week. Let’s hope wisdom and humanity prevails after 19 months of destruction.
- A revenge for the Assef Shawkat assassination?
- Lebanese cabinet in emergency talks after Beirut bomb
Hillary Clinton policy speech on Syria – August 2011
The Asad government has now been condemned by countries in all parts of the world and can look only to Iran for support for its brutal and unjust crackdown.
This morning, President Obama called on Asad to step aside and announced the strongest set of sanctions to date targeting the Syrian Government. These sanctions include the energy sector to increase pressure on the regime. The transition to democracy in Syria has begun, and it’s time for Asad to get out of the way.
As President Obama said this morning, no outside power can or should impose on this transition. It is up to the Syrian people to choose their own leaders in a democratic system based on the rule of law and dedicated to protecting the rights of all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, religion, sect, or gender.
We understand the strong desire of the Syrian people that no foreign country should intervene in their struggle, and we respect their wishes. At the same time, we will do our part to support their aspirations for a Syria that is democratic, just, and inclusive. And we will stand up for their universal rights and dignity by pressuring the regime and Asad personally to get out of the way of this transition.
Western policy to silence dissident voices in time of war by targeting correspondents in the field reporting their story. From Belgrade to Kabul to Baghdad to Iraq to Damascus. Silence through assassination. More below the fold …
Bush proposed U.S. bombing raid on Al Jazeera HQ in the Qatari capital Doha
The Al Jazeera bombing memo is an unpublished memorandum made within the British government which purports to be the minutes of a discussion between United States President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Daily Mirror published a story on its front page on 22 November 2005 claiming that the memo quotes Bush speculating about a U.S. bombing raid on Al Jazeera world headquarters in the Qatari capital Doha and other locations. The story claims that Blair persuaded Bush to take no action.
Press TV correspondent Maya Naser killed by sniper in Damascus, Syria
(Huffington Post) Sept. 26, 2012 – Maya Naser, a correspondent for Iran’s Press TV network, was killed while reporting on-air in Syria, the network reported.
Al Jazeera reported that Naser was shot through the neck by snipers when he and Hossein Mortada, Press TV’s Damascus bureau chief, were covering recent explosions at the army’s headquarters in Umayyad Square. Mortada, who is wounded, was shot in the leg.
A statement from Press TV said that “armed terrorists” drove up in cars, while additional snipers shot at the square from the roofs of surrounding buildings. The network spoke out about the tragedy, promising action against Naser’s killers.
Speaking on-air, news director Hamid Reza Emadi said that Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were “responsible for the killing of Maya” because they “provide militants weapons to kill civilians, military personnel and journalists.”