Assad forces advance; West, Russia exchange barbs ahead of talks

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad tightened their siege of rebels in a strategic town on Friday, in a counter-offensive that is shifting the balance of the Syrian war ahead of a peace conference next month.

Rebels said they had managed to infiltrate new fighters into the town of Qusair on the Lebanese frontier, where they are encircled by Assad's army and his allies in Lebanon's Hezbollah militia who have openly joined the war on his behalf.

The battle comes amid a blizzard of diplomacy ahead of the conference called by the United States and Russia, the first time in a year that the global powers ranged on opposing sides in Syria's civil war have agreed to talk about a way to end it.

If the summons to peace talks in Geneva was intended to calm rhetoric it has had the opposite effect, with Russia and the West issuing tit-for-tat threats to escalate the conflict by sending arms to the warring sides.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/06/01/uk-syria-crisis-idUKBRE94U14L20130601

[Crowman1979]

1. Comedian David Cross predicted the US involvement in Syria years ago.

He referred to it as "Operation Rest Of The Brown Ones" and said: SYRIA'S NEXT MOTHERF***ER!

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[John2]

2. All you had to

do was monitor the Republican rightwing Party. It is all part of the overall neocon strategy regarding regime change and this New World Order. I've been on to it for years just listening to their organizations. The whole premise was Israel shouldn't give anything to the Arabs because they are the rightful heirs to the land. The most intolerence for Arabs, comes from the Republican Party and the Rightwing extremists. Especially their religious factions. Their last Presidential candidate completely not only ignored the Palestinians but the entire Arab World. Syria is just a stepping stone for their invasion of Iran.

[SkyDaddy7]

3. Russia is covering for the Assad regime!!

They are simply buying time for the Assad regime & Hezzbola to crush the Rebels & then come to the "peace talks"...Which are never meant to be for "peace" just delay so that the Assad regime can continue living. SAD!!

[John2]

4. Russia is protecting

their own security. They have intelligence forces too that analyze potential threats and in their minds, the U.S. and NATO are the bigger threats than Assad and Syria. Assad gives them clear access to the Mediterranean Sea and they have good relations with Iran. China sees this the same way, even though they are silent at the moment. Both countries have already communicated to the U.S. that they see the division of Syria as a threat to their National Security. There are reports in the Media, floating around, that the Russians will go ahead and approve not only the sell of this missile system but advanced MIG fighters in the pipe line to Syria. I think you need to expand your view pass just Assad, about Russia's intentions regarding their own interests.

[SkyDaddy7]

7. OF COURSE!!!!

Iran protects Hezbollah for the same reasons...Pakistan protects the Taliban for the same reasons...China protects North Korea for the same reasons!!!

I will refrain from chastising you to "expand your views" like you did me & talk to you in hopes that you are not so incredibly cynical that you feel the need to support any & all tyrannical regimes regardless of the how they treat their own citizens...Simply because they oppose the USA &/or they do not want the US to help anyone achieve the same right to pick their own leaders like we enjoy here in the USA like so many here on DU does...Which to me is really SAD!!!

You are wrong about what Russian & China see as the most pressing threat. Russia & China do not fear the US & NATO near as much as they would fear a Democracy in Syria. Both Russia & China fear their own citizens as much as they fear anything else. This is why both countries imprison, torture & kill journalist who report the facts about the regimes & others who oppose the regimes politically. This is the MAIN reason why they oppose any intervention on the side of the Syrian people who have been slaughtered in mass.

And NO, please do not use the BS Russian/Assad excuse that the Syrian people are terrorist...I doubt the parents of the the little kids who the Assad regime tortured, killed & shipped their little battered, broken & bruised bodies back to their parents as a warning to the rest of the population not to challenge the regime! This incident & decades of oppression by the Assad regime is what set off the protest then the violence in Syria, NOT Al Qaeda or any other radical Islamic group within Syria.

It SHOCKS me that so many of my fellow Liberals here on DU automatically take the side of Russia & the Assad regime (Or Iran, Hezbollah, China, etc.) simply because they do not want the US to get involved...If this is not the reason why so many Liberals are backing Russia & the Assad regime then WHY? For decades Liberals cursed the US for supporting dictators who treated their citizens worse than garbage but as soon as that began to change all of a sudden dictators & dictatorial regimes are the good guys because they oppose the US?!?!?

I know we cannot change history but I swear had George Bush not gone into Iraq illegally & screwed so much up in the Middle East we would not be having this conversation...There would be overwhelming Liberal support for the Syrian people & harsh opposition to how Russia is blocking any support for the Syrian people to be able to elect there own leaders.

Seriously, why else would anyone who supports HUMAN RIGHTS & Democracy not support the Syrian people's right to live at peace & elect their own leaders?

Or am I wrong about what Liberals support in the 21st century? Do we still support every human rights & Democracy for all? If so, then what am I missing?

We Liberals either support EVERYONE'S Human Rights or we don't...Regardless of the fact the US might get involved to help the Syrian people that should NEVER EVER change what we believe, right?

[quadrature]

5. give everybody a gun and let them shoot it out.

just my 2 cents

[pampango]

6. That applies just to foreigners, not to our society, right? n/t