Another ugly day of crackdowns was reported in Syria today, as at least 40 civilians were reported killed in attacks by security forces, and protesters in the cities of Homs and Hama called for a ‘no-fly zone’ against the Assad regime.
This is particularly interesting because the Syrian government hasn’t used warplanes in their crackdowns, relying on military ground forces and tanks in particular attacking civilian protesters for most of their death count.
Rather the call seems to be an effort to insinuate international forces into the conflict, at a time when a growing number of defectors from the Syrian military are raising fears of a full-scale Libya-style civil war.
According to one opposition spokesman at least 50 soldiers and a general defected from the military in Homs again today, protesting the violence against civilians. Defectors have launched several attacks against regime security forces over the past few weeks.
I do not think we know what we are talking about. This is starting just like Libya. "Protect civilians", come the screams. And all the while, we seem to have a bunch of armed thugs attacking civilians, and forcing army to respond. The same thugs, that call themselves "civilians", have just fired some rocket propelled grenades on police. Some civilians!
Just like in Libya, this is having a malodorous whiff of some "rebels" with unknown quantity, unknown source of weaponry, and unknown agenda. And they have a "civilian" front, that pretends to be democrats. Haven't we seen this movie before? Do we have to watch RT again to get some information?
Exactly right. Please read the following which explains the imperative for an intervention. http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2011/10/28/th…
Any Syrian seeking a no fly zone after watching what happened in Libya is an unspeakable butcher with no concern for his people or country.
I understand these people are Sunni muslims set on the kind of sectarian strife we have seen in Iraq and in Libya and to which NATO leaches o to for its own bloody purposes.
I support Assad although clearly no angel.
I presume those opposing him are of the kind who will sodomise him first before cold blooded brutal murder.
We people in the west have a saying 'once bitten, twice shy'.
Fortunately we have to hope that Russia and China understand that little saying too.
Very good observation Emilyrose.
Notice that while we can witness the tens of thousands, including Sunnis, Shiites, Catholic Archbishop etc.., that regularly take to the streets in support of Assad, the numbers of dead demonstrators are unsubstantiated and coming from nebulous groups in London and Turkey that are most certainly Western Intelligence fronts.
Both your report of atrocities and your report of defections in this piece are uncorroborated and based SOLELY on opposition sources. Yet you never mention this fact in any of your pieces. Who is creating propaganda for war on Syria? Jason Ditz is. Daily.
AIPAC's think tank, WINEP, also wants to protect the Syrian people…
http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC06.ph…
What next? A no-fly zone over Gaza?