Going to war for the eu and big oil?

[shock]

(Moderator-I'm trying to comply--if I err, iplease instruct me and please don't bar me.)

Panetta: Syria Clash With Turkey May Escalate

ABC NEWS
October 7, 2012

"The continued exchange of artillery fire between Syria and Turkey raises additional concerns that the conflict may escalate and spread to neighboring countries, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Saturday.

Panetta said the U.S. is using its diplomatic channels to relay worries about the fighting in the hopes that it will not broaden.

His comments came on the heels of warnings from Turkey's prime minister that his country is not far from war with Syria.


+++"


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Turkey alleges Syria is firing mortars into Turkey
thereby giving Turkey the right to retaliate by firing artillery into Syria.

Mortar rounds fired from Syria have struck Turkey and have killed people.

The question is:


"WHO IN SYRIA IS FIRING MORTAR ROUNDS INTO TURKEY"


Whoever is doing so it is not authorized by Syria's government to do so for it has much to lose and nothing to gain by doing so.

What is most likely, and what to me appears a near certainty, is that operatives of the West are firing mortar rounds into Turkey seeking to thereby provide Turkey an excuse for going to war with Syria
so as to overthrow Assad
and thus enable the West to take control of Syria
so as to control the flow of oil and gas from the Gulf to the EU,
just as the West has tried to do in respect to Afghanistan
in its failed effort to control the flow of oil and gas from Central Asia and the Mid East.

Look at A MAP of the Mid-East and remember that the countries of the European Union (think NATO) are desperate for oil and gas
and largely dependent upon Russia for their supplies of oil and gas,
and recall that Quatar and other Gulf areas have immense stores of natural gas that to reach market in the EU must do so via pipelines.

The US has no vital interest in providing the EU with natural gas, although money interests that control our elections do have an interest. The money to be made from portal to portal control of and passage of natural gas from the Gulf to the EU is almost unimaginable, but the US and the people of the US will-would not benefit from such money.

We need to do what we can to end the possibility of a Mid East War, not promote one, for if push comes to shove, feckless America will be the loser,
but by following the American age-long process of provoking war,
those who control us via our ruling establishment
are gambling our lives and possibly our future
upon behalf of corporations and the European Union
by attempting to provoke the start of a war
that could end with the destruction of the ability of the West to compete with the East.

But how can we end the war when Obama and Romney are but flip sides of the same coin?

SHOCKLEY

 

[BecauseIKnow]

We don't know yet. But I can tell you they want Syria completely destroyed and weak. That's why Saudi Arabia is slowly giving light and few weapons to the rebels. They want Syria to depend on them for the next decades after that. Just like Libya. It's politics. And they don't want the Muslim brotherhood to find a way to fix things fast.

 

[waltky]

Syria usin' cluster bombs on civilians...

Assad forces using cluster bombs in Syria war: Human Rights Watch
14 Oct.`12 - Syrian government forces have dropped Russian-made cluster bombs over civilian areas in the past week as they battle to push back rebel gains, Human Rights Watch said on Sunday.

The bombs were dropped from planes and helicopters, with many of the strikes taking place near the main north-south highway running through the northwestern town of Maarat al-Numan, HRW said in a report. Rebels seized Maarat al-Numan from President Bashar al-Assad's troops last week, cutting the route from the capital Damascus to Aleppo, Syria's biggest city. Government forces have been trying to retake the area since then. HRW previously reported Syrian use of cluster bombs, which have been banned by most countries, in July and August but the renewed strikes indicate the government's determination to regain strategic control in the northwest.

Towns targeted included Maarat, Tamanea, Taftanaz and al-Tah. Cluster bombs were also used in other areas in Homs, Aleppo and Lattakia provinces as well as near Damascus, the rights group said. "Syria's disregard for its civilian population is all too evident in its air campaign, which now apparently includes dropping these deadly cluster bombs into populated areas," said Steve Goose, arms director at HRW. Initial information about the use of the explosives came from videos posted online by opposition activists although HRW investigators said it had confirmed the incidents in interviews with resident in two towns.

It had no information on casualties. The cluster bombs were Russian-made but it was not known how or when Syria acquired them, New York-based HRW said. Residents from Taftanaz and Tamanea - both near Maarat al-Numan - told HRW interviewers that helicopters dropped cluster munitions on or near their towns last Tuesday. One that hit Tamanea released smaller bomblets in an area between two schools, a resident was quoted as saying in the HRW report. "The bomblets that exploded were the ones that hit the ground on the tip, we collected the ones that didn't explode, their tip didn't touch the ground," the resident said.

People were taking away unexploded bomblets as souvenirs, a highly dangerous action as they can still explode at the slightest touch or movement. Video showed some civilians carrying the bomblets around and throwing them on the ground. "The cluster munition strikes and unexploded ordnance they leave behind pose a huge danger to civilian populations, who often seem unaware how easily these submunitions could still explode," Goose said. Cluster bombs explode in the air, scattering dozens of smaller bomblets over an area the size of a sports field. Most nations have banned their use under a convention which became international law in 2010, but Syria has not signed it. Syrian government officials were not immediately available to comment on the HRW report.

Assad forces using cluster bombs in Syria war: Human Rights Watch - Yahoo! News

See also:

Rights group says Syria using cluster bombs
Oct 14,`12 -- An international human rights group said Sunday it has obtained new evidence that Syrian troops are using cluster bombs - widely banned munitions that pose a grave risk to civilians because they burst into bomblets over large areas and often linger on the ground, detonating only when touched.

Steve Goose of U.S.-based Human Right Watch said cluster bombs "have been comprehensively banned by most nations, and Syria should immediately stop all use of these indiscriminate weapons that continue to kill and maim for years." HRW had previously reported cluster bomb remnants found in Homs and nearby Hama this summer. "Syria's disregard for its civilian population is all too evident in its air campaign, which now apparently includes dropping these deadly cluster bombs into populated areas," said Goose, who is HRW's arms director. Syrian government officials had no immediate comment. There were also new signs of the mounting tensions between Turkey and Syria, two former allies who have become bitter foes since the outbreak of the 19-month-old rebellion against President Bashar Assad. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced that Turkey is barring Syrian civilian flights from Turkey's airspace, a day after Syria issued such a ban for Turkish commercial aircraft. Davutoglu said Syria is "abusing" civilian flights by using them to transport military equipment.

Last week, Turkey forced a Syrian plane coming from Russia to land and confiscated what it said was military equipment on board. Russia said the plane was carrying spare radar parts, while Syria accused Turkey of piracy. After a week of exchanges of fire across the volatile border, a Turkish newspaper reported that Turkey has reinforced four naval bases along its Mediterranean coast north of Syria. In an unattributed report, the Hurriyet daily said Turkey sent frigates with cannons, as well as anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles to the naval bases. Turkey has been retaliating for Syrian shells and mortar rounds hitting Turkish soil.

Despite Turkey's recent measures, Syrian opposition leaders say Ankara and other foreign backers of the rebels are not doing enough to help them break the battlefield stalemate. Abdelbaset Sieda, head of the largest opposition group, the Syrian National Council, said the international community is doing nothing more than managing the Syrian conflict. The international community must establish safe havens in Syria and enforce no-fly zones to help the rebels counter the regime's airstrikes on rebel-held areas, Sieda told reporters in Istanbul, Turkey. This would also cut down on the number of Syrians seeking refuge abroad and "resolve the humanitarian crisis, especially with winter approaching," he said. The idea of safe havens has found little international support. Foreign backers of the rebels fear being dragged deeper into the conflict. Over the summer, the Assad regime stepped up airstrikes in an attempt to dislodge rebel fighters from urban strongholds, sharply driving up daily casualty tolls.

In its report on cluster bombs, Human Rights Watch said Syrian activists posted at least 18 videos from Oct. 9-12 showing remnants of the bombs in or near several towns, which included the central city of Homs, the northern cities of Idlib and Aleppo, the countryside in Latakia, and the eastern Ghouta district near the capital Damascus. Many were on a north-south highway that has been the scene of fighting in recent days. Cluster bombs are of particular concern because they scatter small bomblets over a wide area. Many of the bomblets do not immediately explode, posing a threat to civilians long afterward. Human Rights Watch said the munitions in the video were Soviet-made. Before its collapse, the Soviet Union was a major arms supplier to Syria.

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[BecauseIKnow]

Dependence leash is power.

 

[waltky]

Tallyin' up the war crimes - on both sides...

A look at atrocities in Syria's civil war
Nov 2,`12 -- International human rights groups say the vast majority of atrocities in Syria's civil war have been committed by the regime, but violations by those fighting to topple President Bashar Assad are on the rise as rebels gain more territory and a multitude of militias, jihadists and criminals join the armed opposition. Over 36,000 people have been killed since the uprising began in March 2011. The following are some of the atrocities committed over the course of the conflict.

MAJOR ATROCITIES ON THE REGIME SIDE:

- Late August, 2012: Activists reported that between 300 and 600 people were killed in the Damascus suburb of Daraya over several days in a killing spree by troops and pro-regime militiamen who stormed the town after heavy fighting and days of shelling.

- June 14, 2012: Dozens of people were killed in the town of Haffa after Assad's forces overran it as part of a major offensive to recover rebel-controlled territories, activists said. U.N. observers who visited the site a day after fighting ended said they were greeted by smoldering buildings, looted shops, smashed cars and the stench of death. The U.N. said bodies appeared to have been removed or buried before the U.N. mission arrived.

- June 6, 2012: At least 78 people were shot, hacked, or burned to death in the central Syrian village of Mazraat al-Qubair. Activists said pro-government militiamen known as "shabiha" were responsible. A U.N. spokesman called it a "horrific crime."

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Gruesome video raises concerns about Syria rebels
Nov 2,`12 -- A video that appears to show a unit of Syrian rebels kicking terrified, captured soldiers and then executing them with machine guns raised concerns Friday about rebel brutality at a time when the United States is making its strongest push yet to forge an opposition movement it can work with.

U.N. officials and human rights groups believe President Bashar Assad's regime is responsible for the bulk of suspected war crimes in Syria's 19-month-old conflict, which began as a largely peaceful uprising but has transformed into a brutal civil war. But investigators of human rights abuses say rebel atrocities are on the rise. At this stage "there may not be anybody with entirely clean hands," Suzanne Nossel, head of the rights group Amnesty International, told The Associated Press.

The U.S. has called for a major leadership shakeup of Syria's political opposition during a crucial conference next week in Qatar. Washington and its allies have been reluctant to give stronger backing to the largely Turkey-based opposition, viewing it as ineffective, fractured and out of touch with fighters trying to topple Assad. But the new video adds to growing concerns about those fighters and could complicate Washington's efforts to decide which of the myriad of opposition groups to support. The video can be seen at Syria Rebels Said to Kill Captured Troops - YouTube . "We condemn human rights violations by any party," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, commenting on the video. "Anyone committing atrocities should be held to account."

She said the Free Syrian Army has urged its fighters to adhere to a code of conduct it established in August, reflecting international rules of war. The summary execution of the captured soldiers, purportedly shown in an amateur video, took place Thursday during a rebel assault on the strategic northern town of Saraqeb, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an activist group. It was unclear which rebel faction was involved, though the al-Qaida-inspired Jabhat al-Nusra was among those fighting in the area, the Observatory said.

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[waltky]

Granny says Israel not gonna be able to strike Iran `cause dey gonna be fightin' Syria...

Israel drawn into Syria fighting for first time
Nov 11,`12 -- Israel was drawn into the fighting in neighboring Syria for the first time Sunday, firing warning shots across the border after an errant mortar shell landed near an Israeli military installation in the Golan Heights.

While Israel appeared eager to calm the situation, its response was a potent reminder of how easily the Syrian civil war - already spilling across borders with Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan - could explode into a wider regional conflagration. Israeli officials threatened even tougher retaliation if attacks persist. They have feared that the instability in Syria over the past 19 months could spill across the border into Israel, particularly as President Bashar Assad's grip on power grows increasingly precarious.

Israel has little love for Assad, who has provided refuge and support to Israel's bitterest enemies through the years. But the Syrian leader - and his father before him - have kept the frontier quiet for nearly four decades, providing a rare source of stability in the volatile region. The Israeli military said the mortar fire caused no injuries or damage at the post in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and then annexed.

In recent weeks, incidents of errant fire from Syria have multiplied, leading Israel to warn that it holds Syria responsible. Israeli officials believe most of the fire has come from Syrian government forces, although they think it has been inadvertent and not been aimed at Israel. After responding to Sunday's mortar strike, the Israeli military moved quickly to defuse tensions.

"We understand this was a mistake and was not meant to target Israel, and then that is why we fired a warning shot in retaliation," said Lt. Col. Avital Leibovich, a military spokeswoman. Defense officials said an anti-tank missile was fired, and there were no reports of casualties in Syria.

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Israel says it will follow U.S. lead on Iran
November 8th, 2012 - Israel is signaling a major change in tone toward U.S. President Barack Obama now that he has won reelection.

In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Thursday, Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, gave what could only be described as a ringing endorsement of the Obama administration’s handling of Iran’s nuclear program. It has been a very contentious issue between the two allies, with the U.S. fearing Israel might unilaterally strike Iran’s nuclear sites and drag the U.S. into an regional war. But Ayalon told Amanpour that despite past differences with the Obama administration over Iran, “I think today we can safely say that we are very much on the same page and will continue to follow the lead of the U.S.” Over the course of his first term in office, Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have had a fraught relationship. They have disagreed on major issues, ranging from the Iranian nuclear program to a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

Netanyahu’s relationship with Obama’s challenger, Mitt Romney, dates back to the 1970s, when they worked at the same company in the United States - Netanyahu’s preference for a President Romney had been an open secret. Ayalon admitted “there was a special kinship between Mr. Romney and Mr. Netanyahu,” but said Israel cannot afford to be meddling in U.S. politics. Still, many Israelis are worried about payback against their leader for backing the wrong horse in the U.S. presidential sweepstakes. On Thursday, the leading Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth even carried the headline "Bibi gambled. We'll pay." But Ayalon expressed no doubts that the relationship would get back on track. “I have full confidence knowing not only the president’s commitment, but also his team” he said. “In a way I see an advantage by the continuity of the administration being very seasoned, knowing very well the Iran file and portfolio, to continue and make sure Iran won’t become nuclear.”

But Israel has not always said it would follow Obama’s lead. Israeli Journalist Ilana Dayan told Amanpour that Ayalon’s comments are in stark contrast to what Netanyahu told her just last Friday. “[Netanyahu] very, very strongly said if the United States doesn’t do it, we’ll have to do it ourselves.” Has the U.S. election made the difference? Ayalon repeatedly told Amanpour, “We very much trust the leadership of the U.S., the leadership of President Obama,” he told Amanpour. “We have no better friend than President Obama.” He then outlined the differences the U.S. and Israel has had over “timelines” for dealing with Iran’s nuclear program and their differences over whether the goal was to prevent Iran acquiring “nuclear capabilities” or “the bomb itself.” Now he says, “We know that we will continue the consultations because we cannot afford not to work together because the issues are too big, too immense.” On Thursday, Prime Minister Netanyahu called Obama to congratulate him on his win. Netanyahu's office said he told Obama that the re-election "was a vote of confidence in your leadership."

Source

 

[waltky]

Syrian civil war spreads to Lebanon...

Syria's civil war spills into Lebanon, 4 dead
Dec 9,`12: Syria's civil war spilled over into neighboring Lebanon once again on Sunday, with gun battles in the northern city of Tripoli between supporters and opponents of President Bashar Assad's regime that left four dead.

Nine Syrian judges and prosecutors also defected to the opposition. It was the latest setback for the regime which in recent weeks has seen a tough rebel challenge in its seat of power, Damascus, and has lost two airbases to opposition fighters. In Lebanon, fighting between pro-and anti-Assad gunmen flared as bodies of three Lebanese who fought in Syria's civil war were brought back home for burial, the state-run National News Agency said. Four people were killed and 12 were wounded in the gunfights, the agency said. Syria's civil war has often spilled into neighboring countries including Turkey, Lebanon and Israel, raising concerns of a wider war in the volatile region.

Lebanon, which Syria dominated for decades, is particularly vulnerable to getting sucked into the crisis. The two countries share a porous border and a complex web of political and sectarian ties. Syria's opposition is dominated by members of the Sunni Muslim minority. Assad's regime is predominantly Alawite, an offshoot of Shiite Islam. Tripoli has been the scene of frequent sectarian clashes between the Alawite and Sunni Muslim communities. Last week, the Lebanese army sent additional troops to Tripoli to try to prevent clashes that broke out over reports that 17 Lebanese men were killed after entering Syria to fight alongside the rebels.

In Syria, fighting between opposition fighters and regime troops was concentrated in northern Idlib province, in the Damascus suburbs and in Aleppo, Syria's largest city, according to the Britain-based opposition activist group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. At least 21 people were killed in fighting Sunday, said the group, which relies on reports from activists on the ground. The defecting judges posted a joint statement online urging others to join them and break ranks with Assad's regime. There have been a series of high-level defections over the past year, including Assad's former prime minister. The Observatory said the latest defectors came from the northern city of Idlib.

Source

 

[waltky]

Syrian regime on the ropes; finally admits they can't win...

Syrian vice president says army can't win
Dec 17,`12 -- Syria's vice president has acknowledged that the army cannot defeat the rebel forces trying to topple the regime and called for a negotiated settlement to save the country from ruin.

The rare, candid comments by Farouk al-Sharaa, a longtime close aide to President Bashar Assad's family, suggested his embattled regime may be contemplating an exit strategy as rebel forces move closer to the capital Damascus. He spoke in an interview published Monday by Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar. "I don't see that what the security forces and army units are doing will lead to a definitive victory," al-Sharaa was quoted as saying in the interview conducted in Damascus. "All these opposition forces can only conclude the battle to topple the regime if their goal is to push the country into chaos and a cycle of violence that has no end," he added.

Al-Sharaa pushed for a negotiated political settlement that includes the formation of a national unity government with wide jurisdiction. His comments coincided with a step-by-step peace plan for Syria outlined by Iranian officials on Sunday. It would be capped by Syrian elections that presumably could usher in a new leader in Damascus. Tehran is Assad's closest and perhaps only remaining regional ally and the initiative suggests its embrace of the Syrian president could be cooling.

The initiative - while almost certain to be rejected by Syrian rebel factions - marks one of the clearest signals yet that Iran's leadership is looking to hedge its bets and remain a player in Syrian affairs if Assad is toppled. It was unclear whether al-Sharaa's comments were timed to coordinate with the Iranian initiative. "Despite his rhetoric, Bashar Assad may now be contemplating an exit strategy - one which would allow him to seek refuge abroad with his neck intact," said Anthony Skinner, an analyst at Maplecroft, a British risk analysis company.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said the statement by al-Sharaa "speaks to the pressure that the Syrian regime is under." "Regrettably, however, it hasn't changed the regime's behavior, including the brutality it's inflicting on its own people," she added. Al-Sharaa, 73, a longtime loyalist to the Assad family, has been a controversial figure since the start of the uprising. He appeared in public in late August for the first time in weeks, ending repeated rumors that he had defected. The regime has suffered a string of prominent defections in recent months, though Assad's inner circle and military have largely kept their cohesive stance behind him. Assad and his inner circle are predominantly Alawites, a minority sect that is an offshoot of Shiite Islam. The opposition is dominated by the majority Sunni Muslims.

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Iran cautiously ponders Syria after Assad
Dec 17,`12 -- It wasn't exactly a break-up moment between Iran and ally Bashar Assad. But Tehran's whiplash diplomacy over the weekend suggested its embrace of the Syrian president could be cooling.

Just a day after Iran's foreign minister pledged unwavering support for the embattled Assad, officials in Tehran outlined on Sunday a step-by-step peace plan for Syria capped by elections that presumably could usher in a new leader in Damascus. It was another possible sign of Assad's fraying alliances after similar mixed messages last week from Russia, which tried to backpedal after a top diplomat said Assad is losing control of his country.

Yet it also highlights the limited options available to Iran to try to preserve perhaps its most critical alliance in the Middle East, where Tehran has far more rivals than friends. The Iranian initiative proposed Sunday - while almost certain to be rejected by Syrian rebel factions - marks some of the clearest signals that Tehran's leadership is looking to hedge its bets and remain a player in Syrian affairs if Assad is toppled. "When it comes to keeping Assad in power, Iran does not have many options," said Meir Javedanfar, an Iranian-born political analyst based in Israel. "As the situation gets worse for Assad, Iran may consider sending more weapons to him and a few senior advisers. However, these are unlikely to be game changers."

Just as the Syrian initiative was announced in Tehran - during a gathering that included more than 200 Syrian political and religious figures - rebel fighters allied with an Islamist faction announced they had captured an infantry base in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. It was the second Syrian military site overrun in a week. There are also signs of increasing Western support and aid for the rebel side. Syria's Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa acknowledged in a newspaper interview published Monday that neither side could "decide the battle militarily" and called for a negotiated settlement to save the country from ruin. It was a rare and candid assessment from a top official that Syria's powerful military appears unable to crush the uprising and suggested the Assad regime may be contemplating an exit strategy as rebel forces move closer to the capital Damascus.

A rebel victory would be a particularly stinging blow to Iran, which has so far been able to leverage some gains in the Arab Spring upheavals such as the fall of pro-Western Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and more Arab pressure on Israel. Iran counts on Syria as a bridge to its proxy Hezbollah - a dominant political force in Lebanon - and an important foothold for the Revolutionary Guard. Iran's proposals to end the 21-month civil war appear intentionally vague on the endgame. It supports a transitional government and elections for parliament and president, but does not spell out whether it hopes Assad - or at least the core of his regime - can hang on. The overall message, though, seems to be that Tehran acknowledges it cannot hang its entire strategy on Assad's survival and needs to build new alliances as contingencies.

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[g5000]

The question is:


"WHO IN SYRIA IS FIRING MORTAR ROUNDS INTO TURKEY"


Whoever is doing so it is not authorized by Syria's government to do so for it has much to lose and nothing to gain by doing so.

Says you. According to all reports, the Syrian regime has been firing mortars and Scud missiles at the rebels, some of which have landed in Turkey.

Has Syria denied this?


Don't be manufacturing bullshit about our country being behind the mortars and Scuds landing in Turkey, dipshit.

.

 

[waltky]

Will Assad take the hint and step down?...

Putin: Russia recognizes need for change in Syria
Dec 20,`12 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin distanced himself further than ever before from his longtime ally in Syria on Thursday, saying he understands Syria needs change and that he is not protecting its president.

Putin, however, warned that efforts to unseat Bashar Assad could plunge Syria even deeper into violence. He insisted that Russia has not changed its stance and believes that only a negotiated settlement can end the civil war. Putin's assessment came a week after Russia's top envoy for Syria was quoted as saying Assad's forces were losing control of the country. Although the Foreign Ministry backpedaled on that statement, analysts have suggested for months that the Kremlin is resigned to Assad's fall. Russia has blocked international attempts to step up pressure on the Assad regime, leading to accusations that it is supporting Assad.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has long stated that Russia is not propping up Assad, as did Putin in strong words on Thursday. "We are not preoccupied that much with the fate of the Assad regime; we realize what's going on there and that the family has been in power for 40 years," Putin said during his annual hours-long news conference. "Undoubtedly, there is a call for changes." "We are worried about another thing: what happens next," he said. "We don't want to see the opposition come to power and start fighting the government that becomes the opposition, so that it goes on forever."

Fyodor Lukyanov, the editor of the Russia in Global Affairs journal, said Moscow's stance has been consistent and Putin's statements do not signal a change. "Russia has always said it did not support Assad personally, that it wanted a political dialogue" between Assad's government and the opposition, Lukyanov said.

Putin said Russia's position "is not to keep Assad and his regime in power at any cost, but to allow the people to come to an agreement on how they will live further and how they will ensure their safety and their participation in governing the country and then start changing the current order based on those agreements." Only a negotiated settlement, he said, would "prevent a breakup of the country and an endless civil war." "Agreements based on a military victory cannot be effective," Putin said.

Source

 

[waltky]

Syrian death toll keeps rising, American journalist missing...

UN says more than 60,000 dead in Syrian civil war
Jan 2,`13 -- The United Nations gave a grim new count Wednesday of the human cost of Syria's civil war, saying the death toll has exceeded 60,000 in 21 months - far higher than recent estimates by anti-regime activists.

The day's events illustrated the escalating violence that has made recent months the deadliest of the conflict: As rebels pressed a strategy of attacking airports and pushing the fight closer to President Bashar Assad's stronghold in Damascus, the government responded with deadly airstrikes on restive areas around the capital. A missile from a fighter jet hit a gas station in the suburb of Mleiha, killing or wounding dozens of people who were trapped in burning piles of debris, activists said. Gruesome online video showed incinerated victims - one still sitting astride a motorcycle - or bodies torn apart. "He's burning! The guy is burning!" an off-camera voice screamed in one video over a flaming corpse.

It was unclear if the government had a military strategy for attacking the gas station. At least one of the wounded wore a military-style vest often used by rebel fighters. Human rights groups and anti-regime activists say Assad's forces often make little effort to avoid civilian casualties when bombing rebel areas. Syria's conflict began in March 2011 with protests calling for political change but has evolved into a full-scale civil war. As the rebels have grown more organized and effective, seizing territory in the north and establishing footholds around Damascus, the government has stepped up its use of airpower, launching daily airstrikes. The escalating violence has sent the death toll soaring.

The U.N.'s new count of more than 60,000 deaths since the start of the conflict is a third higher than recent estimates by anti-regime activists. One group, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, says more than 45,000 people have been killed. Other groups have given similar tolls. "The number of casualties is much higher than we expected, and is truly shocking," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in a statement. She criticized the government for inflaming the conflict by cracking down on peaceful protests and said rebel groups, too, have killed unjustifiably. Acts by both sides could be considered war crimes, she said.

She also faulted world powers for not finding a way to stop the violence. "The failure of the international community, in particular the Security Council, to take concrete actions to stop the bloodletting shames us all," Pillay said. "Collectively, we have fiddled at the edges while Syria burns." The U.S. and many European and Arab nations have demanded that Assad step down, while Russia, China and Iran have criticized calls for regime change. The new death toll was compiled by independent experts commissioned by the U.N. human rights office who compared 147,349 killings reported by seven different sources, including the Syrian government.

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American journalist missing in Syria
Jan 2,`13 -- An American journalist has been missing in Syria since he was kidnapped more than one month ago, his family said Wednesday, less than two years after he was held by government forces in Libya while covering that country's civil war.

The family of James Foley, of Rochester, N.H., said he was kidnapped in northwest Syria by unknown gunmen on Thanksgiving day. Foley, 39, has worked in a number of conflict zones around the Middle East, including Syria, Libya and Iraq. He was contributing videos to Agence France-Press while in Syria. Foley's disappearance highlights the risks to reporters seeking to cover the civil war from inside Syria. The Syrian government rarely gives visas to journalists and often limits the movements of those it allows in. This has prompted a number of reporters to sneak into the country with the rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad. Some have been killed or wounded while others have disappeared.

Foley and another journalist were working in the northern province of Idlib when they were kidnapped near the village of Taftanaz on November 22. He had entered Syria a short time earlier. Media outlets refrained from reporting on Foley's kidnapping until his family released its statement. The other reporter's family has requested that that reporter's name not be made public. Foley's family said they have not heard from him since. "We want Jim to come safely home, or at least we need to speak with him to know he's OK," said his father, John Foley, in the online statement. "Jim is an objective journalist and we appeal for the release of Jim unharmed. To the people who have Jim, please contact us so we can work together toward his release."

The Chairman of Agence France-Press, Emmanuel Hoog, said in a statement that the news agency was doing all it could to get Foley released. "James is a professional journalist who has remained totally neutral in this conflict," Hoog said. "His captors, whoever they may be, must release him immediately." In April 2011, Foley and two other reporters were detained by government forces in Libya while covering that country's civil war. They were released six weeks later. South African photographer Anton Hammerl was shot during their capture and left to die in the desert. "I'll regret that day for the rest of my life. I'll regret what happened to Anton," Foley told The Associated Press at the time. "I will constantly analyze that." The U.N. said Wednesday that more than 60,000 people have been killed since the start of Syria's conflict in March 2011. This number represents a large jump from death tolls previously given by anti-regime activists.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said that Syria was the most dangerous country in the world for journalists in 2012, when 28 reporters were killed. Those who lost their lives include award-winning French TV reporter Gilles Jacquier, photographer Remi Ochlik and Britain's Sunday Times correspondent Marie Colvin. Also, Anthony Shadid, a correspondent for The New York Times, died after an apparent asthma attack while on assignment in Syria. Last month, NBC correspondent Richard Engel and his crew were detained by pro-regime gunmen near where Foley was kidnapped. After his release, Engels said they escaped unharmed during a firefight between their captors and anti-regime rebels.

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