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FarCenter

(19,429 posts) Tue Jul 17, 2012, 07:28 PM Jul 2012

Syrian rebels set sights on ‘liberating’ capital [View all]

DAMASCUS/PARIS: Rebels declared that the campaign to “liberate” Damascus has begun as heavy fighting raged across the city Tuesday and Russia said an agreement is possible for a U.N. resolution on the Syria crisis.

The proclamation by the Free Syrian Army, which also claimed it had shot down a helicopter in the capital, came as peace envoy Kofi Annan said the 16-month crisis increasingly described as a civil war was at a “critical time.”

Heavy machine-gun fire was reported in Damascus’ Sabaa Bahrat Square, where President Bashar Assad’s regime has staged rallies to counter anti-regime protests that erupted in March 2011.

At least eight people were killed as tanks and helicopter gunships were deployed in Qaboon district, while battles were fought in Al-Midan and Al-Hajar Al-Aswad, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

As the fighting inched closer to the regime’s nerve center, FSA spokesman Colonel Kassem Saadeddine said “victory is nigh” and the struggle would go on until the city was conquered.

“We have transferred the battle from Damascus province to the capital. We have a clear plan to control the whole of Damascus. We only have light weapons, but it’s enough.”

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Syrian rebels set sights on ‘liberating’ capital [View all] FarCenter Jul 2012 OP

This regime change narrative is getting many months ahead of itself, and may not come to pass. leveymg Jul 2012 #1

It has gone from Arab Springy peaceful regime change to all out civil war FarCenter Jul 2012 #2

That is exactly why we should be doing everything to disengage ourselves and prevent escalation. leveymg Jul 2012 #3

It is not clear whether the sectarian war can be confined to Syria FarCenter Jul 2012 #5

There is only one clear beneficiary of the conflict. Read leveymg Jul 2012 #6

But ultimately Israel will be surrounded by Sunni theocracies FarCenter Jul 2012 #8

Israel reached an accomodation with KSA and Egypt decades ago. leveymg Jul 2012 #9

It's doubtful that a decades old accommodation will hold going forward FarCenter Jul 2012 #10

I think we largely agree about the "big picture" for peace and stability in the region. leveymg Jul 2012 #11

But the "this is purely defensive" narrative is right on track. Igel Jul 2012 #4

The dissociation between calling foreign-armed militia "protestors" and fact is glaring. leveymg Jul 2012 #7