Syria defiant in face of Arab League warnings over crackdown

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

Syria ignored condemnation from other Arab countries as repression continued, with reports of at least 13 people killed by the security forces amid international divisions over a way out of the crisis.

Opposition local co-ordination committees said three of the latest dead were from Homs, the focus of recent heavy clashes, and from where video clips appeared to show soldiers digging trenches and tanks deploying in residential neighbourhoods.

The Damascus government did not respond to Wednesday's warning by the Arab League to halt the bloodshed within three days or face economic sanctions. But state media set a defiant tone and defended Syrian "national sovereignty".

Burhan Ghalioun, the exiled head of the opposition Syrian National Council, said the regime was responsible for sectarian killings but he also urged supporters to halt attacks, warning that they offered "a big service to the regime".

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/17/syria-defiant-arab-league-turkey

[CJvR]

1. Well...

...it isn't as if the Arab League will do anything but whine about the west not doing anything, and then whine if the west do do something.

[ellisonz]

2. Still...

At least the Syrians are just about out of friends except for Iran, Russia, and China and we'll see how long the last two hang on before deciding Assad is bad for business:shrug:

[pampango]

3. Assad knows that the Arab League has no power, but that alienating it carries risks.

The UN may never do anything about Assad and the killing of thousands of protesters, but it will certainly not do anything until the Arab League backs his removal. Even then any UN action may not happen (Russia and China may still protect him on the Security Council) or be effective, but that is all that the Arab League really means to him.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/8897816/Turkey-urged-to-take-military-action-on-Syria.html

"Turkey is considering the request ("for troops to be sent across the border to create a haven for civilians and rebels fighting Mr Assad's regime") and could take action if it received backing from the United Nations and the Arab League..."