Syria bomb kills 9, Damascus blames foreign plot

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

By Joseph Logan

BEIRUT | Sat May 19, 2012 9:02am EDT

(Reuters) - A car bomb blew up at a Syrian intelligence post in the eastern city of Deir al-Zor on Saturday, killing up to nine people, activists and state media said.

State television said the attack was the latest evidence that Syria is facing a foreign-sponsored Sunni Islamist conspiracy rather than a broad popular uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

The official SANA news agency said the blast had killed nine and wounded about 100, including guards, at what it called military installations. It said residences had been damaged. An activist said one man had been killed when the blast brought the roof of his house down.

State television broadcast footage of smoke rising over the city, pools of blood amid rubble, the damaged facades of buildings and twisted, smoking vehicles.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/19/us-syria-carbomb-idUSBRE84I04F20120519

[tabatha]

1. Assad is very good at lying.

Military defectors in northern Syria have denounced claims that al-Qaida was behind a series of deadly bombings in Damascus, contradicting the UN secretary general’s assessment that the terror group is taking a lead in the insurgency. The defectors were speaking before Ban Ki-moon’s claim on Thursday that al-Qaida was responsible for a deadly blast outside one of Syria’s top intelligence services on 10 May, which reportedly killed 55 people and wounded 372.

“A few days ago there was a huge, serious, massive terrorist attack. I believe that there must be al-Qaida behind it,” Ban said at the UN headquarters in New York. “This has created again very serious problems.”

The defectors, interviewed by the Guardian in villages in the Jisr al-Shughour and Jabal al-Zawiya areas this week, alleged that Syrian security forces had caused many of the blasts. Nine defectors, some of them officers who had fled recently, relayed first-hand accounts of plots they had witnessed being planned or executed that were later blamed on “armed gangs” or al-Qaida.

All have provided details of the plots they say took place and are willing to provide testimonies to international investigators. They say they are reluctant to put their names to their allegations, fearing reprisals against their families.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/18/syrian-military-defectors-damascus-blasts?newsfeed=true

[may3rd]

3. I've hear rumors that the NATO member,Turkey will be presenting plans

for an invasion of Syria.
To secure their border,
of course, the media spoke of it and buried it under the radar carpet

[tabatha]

9. Yep, I'll wait for something more than rumors.

If Turkey had wanted to call upon NATO, they would have done so by now.

Of course, there are contingency plans for Syria. There are for every hot spot in the world.

However, Obama does NOT want to get involved in Syria.

NATO countries other than the US, do not want to get involved in Syria.

Neither do the Arab League or the GCC.

They are hoping that sanctions work.

[may3rd]

17. gulf of Tonkin II

In what would amount to an admission of guilt by the Assad regime, Turkish newspapers claimed that Mr Erdogan had received an apology from Syria

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9350341/Downed-Turkish-jet-prompts-fears-of-Syrian-confrontation.html

[may3rd]

20. Turkey calls for NATO meeting over Syria ( not a rumor )

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the jet was on a training flight to test Turkey’s radar capabilities, not spying on Syria. He said the plane mistakenly strayed into Syrian airspace Friday, but was quickly warned to leave by Turkish authorities

and was a mile inside international airspace when it was shot down off the coast of Latakia.

http://www.yalibnan.com/2012/06/24/turkey-calls-for-nato-meeting-over-syria/



Ankara...rise

Atatürk ~ rise

[leveymg]

4. Director of US Intelligence Clapper also says al-Qaeda has been carrying out bombings in Syria.

I'll believe Clapper and the UN Sec. Gen'l Moon rather than anonymous defectors and FSA sources.

FYI: This is not effective plausible deniability for Saudi and GCC-supported terrorism that is now openly tolerated by some in Washington. That makes us complicit in terrorist bombings with mass casualties, and that is a crime under US and int'l law.

[tabatha]

6. On what evidence?

Because the bombs were similar to Al Qaeda's? When the Syrian regime supported Al Qaeda in Iraq?

Sorry, the Syrian defectors have more credibility.

[leveymg]

10. That statement is delusional.

You really think that if US intelligence had evidence the Assad regime was setting off false-flag bombs in Damascus and blaming it on al-Qaeda, that the Obama Administration wouldn't reveal that?

[tabatha]

12. So, then is the statment from Ban Ki-moon

UN leader Ban Ki-moon has no "hard" proof that Al-Qaeda was behind bomb attacks in Syria, but is very concerned that terrorist groups are taking advantage of strife in the country, his spokesperson said Friday.

Ban said on Thursday that he believed the group founded by the late Osama bin Laden carried out suicide bomb attacks in Damascus on May 10 which left at least 55 dead and nearly 400 wounded.

US and Russian officials have also said they believe al-Qaeda has moved into the country where President Bashar al-Assad has been battling an uprising for 15 months.

"Do we have hard conclusive evidence at this point, no we don't," UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky told reporters when asked about Ban's statement.


http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=398040

[Arctic Dave]

5. Considering outside forces have admitted to funding, arming and training

rebels, I would say your statements are bullshit too.

[tabatha]

8. Do you know what you are talking about?

I don't believe you do.

Provide some links.


Btw, the Syrian defectors do not need training - they received plenty when they were part of Assad's military.

Please read Juan Cole's article from today.

[Arctic Dave]

14. Google, "arming Syrian rebels"

Feel free to choose your own link

[may3rd]

2. just another domino to fall

But what will truly be replacing the Assad baathist party ?

be careful what you wish for

[tabatha]

7. How can it possibly be worse?

And the thousands of demonstrators who come out every Friday (for over a year) do so peacefully.

The Syrians should decide their own fate.

[leveymg]

11. It could get MUCH worse for the Shi'ia minority if the regime were overthrown.

Genocide isn't anything new in that region. You should know that.

[tabatha]

13. How do you know?

Do not broad brush, and label one group of people by the actions of another.

I cannot stand that. Judge each individual, not the group - and certainly not a different group. That is how racism, sexism, and and phobism starts, by broad-brushing a group of people without even asking them their opinions.

And, btw, many Alawites have joined the opposition. A well-known Alawite actress has been at the forefront of the revolution since the beginning.

You are basically saying that all movements for freedom should be condemned because a forced freedom in Iraq failed. How hypocritical and holier-than-thou, judgmental and condemnationary. Very right-wing, in my opinion.

You may also have missed Juan Cole's statement about peaceful protests. For over a year, Friday after Friday, Syrians from ALL sects have been protesting peacefully. I doubt that if Assad is removed that there will be genocide in Syria.

Fail.

[leveymg]

16. Those who do not learn . . .

Syria: Sunnis Threatening to Massacre Minority Alawites
As the ethnic tension in Syria rises, the Sunnis are threatening to massacre the minority Alawites
By Elad Benari
First Publish: 12/23/2011, 1:11 AM
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/151013#.T7fbhFK_7VA

As the civil war in Syria continues and the ethnic tension is rising, the country’s Sunnis are threatening the Alawite minority against their continued support of President Bashar Assad, who is an Alawite himself.

Mamoun al-Homsy, a former Syrian MP and one of the country’s opposition leaders, has reportedly recently distributed a recorded message to the Alawite community in Syria, in which he warns its members against supporting Assad. In the message, al-Homsy called on the Alawites to immediately renounce Assad, warning them that if they do not do so, “Syria will become the graveyard of the Alawites.”

He also stressed that Syria’s Sunni Muslims “will not remain silent” over Assad’s crimes, adding that they intend to abide by the rule of “an eye for an eye” and will “teach you (Alawites) a lesson that you will not forget.”

Meanwhile, the Lebanese-based As-Safir newspaper has reported that the U.S. government is well aware of the danger of widespread revenge against the Alawite minority in Syria after the expected downfall of the Assad regime. According to the newspaper, this issue was the focus of the talks that were held between U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, and Syrian opposition leaders in Switzerland on December 6.

The report, which published the protocol of the talks, said that Clinton urged the Syrian National Council, which the U.S. recognizes as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people, to work for unity and promise to act to protect minorities after the overthrow of the Assad government.

[Alamuti Lotus]

19. well, just listen to the slogans of the so-called "rebels"

for example, "Christians to Beirut, Alawites to the grave" -- they're making this stuff pretty clear, actually..

[may3rd]

21. Even Russia sees Assad "slipping" in the polls

Russia has doubts about Syria president's ability to hold on




http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-russia-syria-20120729,0,2680215.story

Damascus chaos strikes fear in Assad's Alawite bastion



http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014172948#post3

[Comrade Grumpy]

15. Barring actual evidence of regime complicity in bombing itself...

...I'm going to have to go with the obvious: Foes of the regime did it.

[tawadi]

18. Maybe. We may never know. eom