Syrian armed rebels take fight to government troops in Damascus

The Guardian ^ | Tuesday 17 July 2012 | Ian Black and Julian Borger

[MinorityRepublican]

Syrian government troops backed by helicopter gunships fought armed rebels across Damascus on Tuesday in some of the fiercest fighting since the start of the uprising, as Russia made clear it would veto a new western-backed UN resolution calling for punitive action against the Assad regime.

Witnesses described explosions and shooting in several areas just a few miles from the centre of the capital, but there was no sign that the army was losing control in what observers described as "serious but still localised" clashes.

Streets leading to Arnous and Saba Baharat squares, respectively a popular shopping area and the site of the Syrian Central Bank, were closed off, it was reported on social media sites. "Damascus is under heavy shooting, shelling by tanks and aircraft, siege," tweeted one activist from the suburbs of Damascus. Rebels also claimed to have shot down a helicopter over al-Qabun, scene of an attack on an electricity substation.

Sana, Syria's official news agency and the sole regular source of information from the government, said that security forces were "dealing with armed terrorist groups" in several areas of Damascus.

The rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA), the largest of the opposition armed groups, said it had launched "Operation Damascus Volcano" and called for an escalation of attacks on regime targets and the blocking of main roads around the country.

Colonel Qassim Saadeddine, the Homs-based spokesman for the FSA's joint command, said the fighting would not stop until the whole of the capital had been conquered, a Lebanese website said. "We have transferred the battle from Damascus province to the capital," he was quoted as saying. "We have a clear plan to control the whole of Damascus. We only have light weapons, but it's enough."

[PapaBear3625]

I still think we need to stay out of it. Muslim-against-Muslim fighting should not be interrupted.

[AU72]

Will Assad use his WMDs against the rebels?

[MinorityRepublican]

[concerned about politics]

I still think we need to stay out of it.

My husband and I were just talking about this last night. The Oboma Regime needs a major distraction right now - a big one - to get the American people thinking about something other than Obomas record over the last 3.5 yrs.. They're using every trick in the book to try to get Americans to demand we "Do something to help those poor people. " Oboma needs to become a superhero, a strong leader, a God somehow, before November.

So far, Americans aren't buying it. I hope it stays that way. Syria is fighting a civil war. It's none of our business. IF the UN decides "something must be done" - let them deal with it. I'd say we've done way more than our fair share already.

[Cementjungle]

Let’s hope not, because I’m pretty sure we have American “advisers” on the ground there helping the rebels (Muslim Brotherhood).

[MinorityRepublican]

Rebels start ops to free Damascus, Assad sends in helicopters, tanks

[RedMDer]

Click the link. The Republic you save may be your own.

[rmlew]

If American advisors lack the patriotism to resign rather than to aid Al Qaeda, then they are fair game. They are willing tools of treason.

[justa-hairyape]

Will Assad use his WMDs against the rebels?

We are putting Assad into the Use Them or Lose Them Gambit. The worse possible scenario. We mostly avoided that with Saddam. Before Gulf War #1, Saddam had plenty of chemical WMD. He used them to help stalemate the Iran/Iraq war. The US bombed all known Iraq Chemical WMD sites in the early stages of Gulf War 1.

Afterward, investigations showed that bombing the Chemical WMD sites, was not the best approach. The sites got extremely contaminated and affected nearby populations. But that did mean Saddam's WMD capabilities were in shambles by the time of Gulf War 2 and Saddam's ouster. Still even with all the prior bombing, we still used thousands of US troops and some were assigned just to control the WMD components. They ended up finding tons of yellow cake. Still, the insane left went nuts as usual, claiming that we should have not used all those troops since the WMD was not a major factor

Okay fine. Leftists are idiots. We all know that. So now that we know we have an enemy with the largest stockpile of chemical WMD in the world, our leftist leaders end up not using thousands of US troops to secure the WMD components. No. Now they use Sunni Insurgents. Yeah. Great plan, you idiots.

So, now Assad has to worry about Sunni Insurgent Terrorist getting their hands on some of his Chemical WMD. The longer he does not use them, the greater the risks they will be lost to terrorist insurgents. So Obama/Hillary, have setup the absolute worse nightmare scenario. If Assad knows he is going down or his chemical WMD are seriously threatened, why not fire at all his enemies. Use Them or Lose Them.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

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[PapaBear3625]

So, now Assad has to worry about Sunni Insurgent Terrorist getting their hands on some of his Chemical WMD. The longer he does not use them, the greater the risks they will be lost to terrorist insurgents. So Obama/Hillary, have setup the absolute worse nightmare scenario. If Assad knows he is going down or his chemical WMD are seriously threatened, why not fire at all his enemies. Use Them or Lose Them.

The lesson of Libya, Egypt, and Iraq: if you lose, you die, so don't lose. By whatever means necessary. The Shiite minority currently governing Syria know that they are toast if the Sunni insurgents get control, so they have every incentive to use chemical weapons, if that allows them to win.

[gleeaikin]

Here is a link to additional trouble for the Assad regime. In what was apparently a well planned and part of the coordinated attacks in Damascus, a bomb exploded at a major military meeting killing 3 top people and putting at least 2 other major ones in the hospital. Kind of like the bomb plot against Hitler. Also reports 20 Syrian Generals are now fled to Turkey.

http://news.yahoo.com/bomb-kills-syrian-defense-minister-damascus-battle-rages-104736393.html

[ZX12R]

Will Assad use his WMDs against the rebels?

Maybe that's why they were ordered out of storage. He saw the advancement on the capital and intends to gas them like the rats they are. Maybe the rebels can steal some and gas the government back. Repeat to infinity.

[bert]

More likely the special forces are from the Gulf States of Qatar and UAE and possibly Saudi Arabia. They are US trained and being Arab are better received than would be Americans.

These are the forefront of the Arab League from whence flows money and arms.

There are probably a few Americans keeping a low profile and out of the capture zone but able to provide advice if called on.

[marygonzo]

I’m with you. What if roving bands of welfare parasites used body bombs to blow up our government officials. Does a government have a right to defend itself or should we just bomb?

[Marine_Uncle]

Looks like the Islamist will be running the country within a year or so. I'm surprised the little lion and his wife have not had the Russian SOPS troops sneak them out of the country and sent to some nice country resort somewhere in Russia.
Perhaps next week.

[justa-hairyape]

And then you add the fact that our government is saying Assad’s days are numbered. Is DC completely insane ? You do not tell someone who has the largest illegal stash of chemical weapons, his days are numbered. Has DC ever heard of diplomacy ?