"President Barack Obama has signed a secret order authorizing U.S. support for
rebels seeking to depose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his government,
sources familiar with the matter said.
Obama's order, approved earlier this year and known as an intelligence "finding," broadly permits the CIA and other U.S. agencies to provide support that could help the rebels oust Assad.
This and other developments signal a shift toward growing, albeit still circumscribed, support for Assad's armed opponents - a shift that intensified following last month's failure of the U.N. Security Council to agree on tougher sanctions against the Damascus government." Yahoo News
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I haven't seen this in any other stories thus far. Can it be that an effort is being made to keep this quiet? I have no personal knowledge of this US government matter and so can comment. The story says that the "finding" involved" dealt with non-lethal assistance, but also that the rebels have reeceived a couple of dozen MANPAD shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles. Provenance? Who knows? It will take more than these missiles to even the odds.
It is widely, wildly, jubilantly reported today that the rebels used a captured tank to attack an airport inside Aleppo. whe it gets to be half a dozen tanks i will start to pay attention.
Rebel over-confidence led them to allow videos of their actions aginst prisoners to be put on the internet. Americans and Euros are highly sensitive to a lack of moral purity in their proteges.
Two things: 1. The rebels will be more careful. 2. An effort wil be made to keep such material off Western media.
pl
http://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-obama-authorizes-secret-support-syrian-rebels-010014457.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/02/syria-rebel-tank_n_1732100.html
This too:
"The Obama administration quietly has cleared the way for U.S. residents to buy weapons for the rebels who are fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad, granting a Washington-based advocacy group a rare license to collect money for arms and other equipment."
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/08/01/159311/us-eases-arms-purchases-for-syrian.html
McClatchy's Austin Tice makes it into Damascus in an ill-fitting burka:
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/07/31/159011/dash-to-enter-damascus-with-rebels.html
Posted by: Fitzhugh | 02 August 2012 at 12:43 PM
I was watching some news stations and according to several Pro-Damascus ones it seems that a very big offensive is about to take place in the next few days.
Posted by: fatsamurai | 02 August 2012 at 03:04 PM
Perhaps Russia or China will respond by making cluster munitions available to Assad if he doesn't already possess them.
Ain't escalation grand?
Posted by: Walrus | 02 August 2012 at 04:30 PM
I guess this is "tawhid" as it would appear in the Q'uran? All the diacriticals almost threw me.
Posted by: Basilisk | 02 August 2012 at 05:01 PM
Focus on language. It's an "offensive" if the rebels do it. It's a "massacre" if Assad does it. Indeed, Assad is so evil he "massacres" men who are actually firing rocket-propelled grenades at his soldiers. Imagine that.
Posted by: Matthew | 02 August 2012 at 06:14 PM
Basilisk
"Tawhiid" in this context should be taken as emblematic of the central belief of the Wahhabi sect. They call themselves "Muwahhidun" i.e., those who identify themselves with the belief in the essential unity of God. This is a forthright declaration of hostility toward those within Islam who think that both Christians and those judged to be insufficiently fervently monotheistc Muslims. An emphasis on Tawhiid" IMO shows and inclination to indulge in hostility to Christians and a further inclination to declare other Muslims "kuffar" if they do not share the obsessions of the "Muwahhidun." Such Muslims are often accused by the "Muwahhidun" of "shirk" or acceptance of the importance of things other than "tawhiid." Throughout Islamic history the name "Muwahhidun" has been claimed with pride by the most intolerant. It still ispl
Posted by: turcopolier | 02 August 2012 at 06:29 PM
Abu Musab al Zarqawi really got into the spirit of this thing. Before he allied with Al Qa'ida in the land of the Two Rivers his little merry band was called "al-Tawhid wa al-jihad." He had it all when it came to hatred, and he was just as happy killing Shi'a or insufficiently devout Sunnis as Iraqi Christians or Crusaders.
Posted by: Basilisk | 03 August 2012 at 05:29 AM
Colonel it seems that the Syrian army is planning on an assault on Halab, several videos show the army sending in reinforcements and armour towards the city.
Posted by: fatsamurai | 03 August 2012 at 03:50 PM
This is a video from a Pro-Damascus channel showing a sizeable convoy? heading towards Halab
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut27kodHx_k&feature=player_detailpage
you can find a couple more videos on this channel showing reinforcements moving towards Halab from different cities
Posted by: fatsamurai | 03 August 2012 at 04:00 PM