More than 160 killed as Syrian rebels try to break siege

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

AP 12:24 p.m. EST November 24, 2013

BEIRUT (AP) — Heavy clashes between Syrian troops and rebels trying to break a government siege in the suburbs of Damascus have killed at least 160 fighters over two days, activists said Sunday.

Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad have laid siege for months to rebel strongholds in the Ghouta area east of Damascus, preventing food, clean water, medicine and other supplies from entering in a bid to crush resistance.

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The intense fighting in the eastern Ghouta area began on Friday when several rebel groups attacked government forces, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and an activist based in Qalamoun. The activist spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisals.

There was no word on the battle from government media.

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Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/11/24/160-killed-syria-siege/3691503/

[Comrade Grumpy]

1. I wonder how many Syrians wish they had gone a different direction three years ago.

[Sand Wind]

2. I wish that the rebel will win this battle with 0 killing from both side, because killing

is bad.

I hope the "terrorrissts", who lost their families in the bombardments, will succeed by gently discussing with the unarmed's pilgrims that Iran send to them.

[Comrade Grumpy]

3. How's that ginned up "revolution" going, anyway?

Are you pleased with the results?

How many Syrians have to die to make the Middle East safe for medieval Saudi monarchs? And their propagandists.

[Sand Wind]

4. More than 600000 where killed in your civil war...the north should have discussed with the

south, because killing is bad.

[Jesus Malverde]

6. This ongoing operation is so poorly run that people might come to the conclusion

that one big goal of the Syrian revolution is to deal with the radical surplus populations of the middle east and the world.

We know Saudi Arabia has emptied it's prisons and sent them to Syria to wage Jihad. It's unlikely the princes living in their european hotels would care for them to return home. All across Europe, and apparently even the US, the most radical have travelled to Syria to wage jihad exposing themselves to the security services.

American media companies whether, the NYT embedded with the tawid brigades on suicide bombings, Youtube hosting thousands of Jihadist videos and Facebook promoting these groups seem to encourage this phenomena.

Once there, these poorly educated, mostly unemployed recruits are lightly armed like guerrilla fighters. Their commanders then use tactics of holding ground as if they were a conventional army. This tactic has led to their annihilation time and time again as battalions of confused committed religious zealots are wiped out with tanks, attacks from the air and artillery in the most brutal fashion. One battalion was dressed in bright yellow as they were sent into battle.

If this wasn't about death, the destruction of a nation and cynical realpolitik, it might be fit for a comedy. Sadly, somewhere, people are laughing..

How many Saudi's have to die to make the Middle East safe for medieval Saudi monarchs? And their propagandists.

It's never been clear to me that Saudi Arabia has been threatened by Assad. The biggest threat to the Saudi monarchy is that some day it's own people might demand economic and social justice. Bahrain was a wake up call to these tired and irrelevant monarchies.

[Sand Wind]

5. FSA are now intercepting Hezbollah appeals for help after heavy defeat in the Damascus suburbs nt