Bomb kills Assad army chiefs; "decisive" Damascus battle

Reuters ^ | July 18, 2012 | By Dominic Evans and Khaled Yacoub Oweis

[robowombat]

BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - A bomber killed three of Bashar al-Assad's top military officials on Wednesday - including his powerful brother-in-law - in a devastating blow to the Syrian leader's inner circle as rebels closed in, vowing to "liberate" the capital.

Assad's brother-in-law, Assef Shawkat, was one of the principal figures in the tight, clan-based ruling elite that has been battling to put down a 16-month rebellion against four decades of rule by Assad and his father. The defense minister and a senior general were also killed and two other top security officials wounded in the attack on a crisis meeting of Assad's closest security aides that took place as battles raged within sight of the nearby presidential palace. Late into the night on Wednesday there was no sign of a letup in fighting in the capital, the worst since the uprising began, a resident reached by telephone said. Intense clashes were reported in the central districts of Mezze and Kafar Souseh, while a police station in the Hajar al-Aswad district was in flames. Army artillery was shelling the capital from the surrounding mountains as night fell. A security source said the bomber who struck inside the security headquarters was a bodyguard entrusted with protecting the closest members of Assad's circle. State television said it was a suicide bomb. Anti-Assad groups claimed responsibility.

[robowombat]

Obviously an inside job. My guess is that the Assad regime will now become totally uninhibited in its operations against the rebels. I am sure there are more and even more ruthless officers waiting in the wings to be promoted into these now vacant positions.

The big question is whether our regime with the help of useful idiots such as McLame will want to push ahead with another intervention.

[Gay State Conservative]

We're finding out what a bad thing (for the civilized world) the Egyptian revolution was...will the same thing prove true in Syria????

[tet68]

Time to send Hillery! in to negociate.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Completely agree w/you.

The US should not go anywhere near this. It’s too bad that innocents are being slaughtered, but we are not capable of stopping it. If we were to get embroiled in a civil war where we furthermore have troops subject to gas, we would have no choice but to retaliate with extreme viciousness, and we’d be where, then?

[Frank_2001]

“Time to send Hillery! in to negociate.”

Dressed in a miniskirt and 5” heels!
(That should finish off the rest of the Syrian regime;)

[vbmoneyspender]

State television said it was a suicide bomb.

Matthew 26:52

[gandalftb]

Deputy Defense Minister Assef Shawkat and Security Chief General Hisham Ikhtiyar were both killed.

Al-Assad appointed General Fahd al-Jassem al-Freij, Chief of Staff of Syrian armed forces, to replace Rajiha.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

Just waiting for the chemical weapons to be released

[Zhang Fei]

I expect that if the bomber’s family hasn’t left the country, they will shortly be joining the bomber in paradise.

[gandalftb]

Another top official died of injuries from the blast: Assistance Vice President Hassan Turkmani.

The Free Syrian Army planted the bomb a month ago and just waited for the meeting to happen.

[Future Snake Eater]

If we were to get embroiled in a civil war where we furthermore have troops subject to gas, we would have no choice but to retaliate with extreme viciousness, and we’d be where, then?

Nowhere, that's where.

Honestly, though, I wonder if we'd retaliate as you say. I seriously doubt it anymore.

Regardless, you're 100% correct. We need to stay far, far away from this thing.

[Dogbert41]

Where's Nancy Pelosi? Doesn't she have her own seperate Department of State with contacts in Syria?

[freedommom]

A gruesome new video which appears to show Muammar Gaddafi’s dead body being abused by rebels has surfaced online.

In the shocking clip, which was posted to YouTube on Monday, high-spirited demonstrators apparently use the Libyan dictator’s corpse as a ventriloquist’s doll.

The footage came to light after a Syrian activist linked to it on Twitter, aiming a threat at Syria’s leader Bashar Al Assad..........

the rebels are the same bad guys we are fighting in Iraq..

the video is on you tube and dailymail..
I won’t post the pictures

[peeps36]

I knew O’Blamer was a traitor when he stabbed the Iranian people in the back and supported the corrupt election of the mental midget. He gave Egypt to the brotherhood and he gave Libya to al quada but he refused to lift a finger (except the middle one) to help the opposition in Iran. He's either a pathetic imbecile or a traitor.

[Chode]

like it just finished off my appetite, so much for dinner...

[Chode]

i saw the video but they shoulda posted captions...

[dalereed]

Probably trained and paid for by obama!

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

The only lesson I would hope we might learn from our involvement with Mideast Islamist types is that there is utterly no way to come out without stinking up the joint, big time. They’re not used to our ways. In contrast, they ARE used to animalistic, mass-slaughter like they tend to inflict upon each other from time to time. Nothing is going to change that for minimally 2-3 more generations. Let us confine our participation to wringing our hands and expressing our grief from afar.

[freedommom]

I thought I heard english spoken at 15 second mark..
put it down put it down and at the last of tape f word

[publius911]

We're finding out what a bad thing (for the civilized world) the Egyptian revolution was...will the same thing prove true in Syria????

I got my Nomex suit on, so I can say it.
I can't afford to watch Glenn Beck any more, but is seems to me that he was saying that, and explaining why, over a year ago.

And the establishment, and the ignorant, laughed...