5 August 2011 — williambowles.info

Syrian unrest charges Lebanese tinderbox
Asia Times Online Today at Noon
The protests and violent counter-protests in Syria are echoed in Tripoli, the second-largest city in Lebanon and a microcosm of the treacherous field of Lebanese politics. Recent clashes in the city show that sectarianism remains a tinderbox, with the specter of competing factions in the country and beyond keen to enter the fray. – Chris Zambelis (Aug 5, ’11)

US steps up pressure on Syria
Asia Times OnlineToday at Noon
The United States is edging towards openly calling for regime change in Syria, saying that President Bashar al-Assad is the cause of the instability in which more than 1,600 people have been killed in a government crackdown. At the same time, new sanctions coordinated with the European Union against the regime and its supporters are being prepared. – Jim Lobe (Aug 5, ’11)

NATO readies for military operation in Syria – envoy
Russiatoday.ru Today at 08:53 RT
The North-Atlantic alliance is already planning a military operation in Syria, Russia’s envoy to the organization, Dmitry Rogozin has stated, adding that Moscow is going to oppose the move.

US says Syria dead ‘exceed 2,000’
BBC News Today at 07:00
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the Syrian government has killed at least 2,000 people in its attempts to crush opposition protests.

NATO plans campaign in Syria, tightens noose around Iran – Rogozin
Strategic Culture Foundation Today at 05:25

“Sweeping sanctions or military intervention against Syria unlikely”
Russiatoday.ru Today at 01:04 RT
The Syrian opposition dismissed a decree from President Bashar Assad allowing for a multiparty government system. Meanwhile, international players do not seem to be in a hurry to intervene in yet another conflict in the…

VIDEO: ‘Civilians targeted’ on Syrian streets
BBC News Today at 00:25
As many as 45 civilians have been killed after the government launched a tank-led assault on the Syrian city of Hama.

Syria’s Assault on Hama Unhindered by Criticism of Assad
BusinessWeek
About 2200 protesters have been killed in Syria since March, according to Merhi and Qurabi. More than 500 members of the security forces have been killed, Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad told India’s News X channel this week. …
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-08-05/syria-s-assault-on-hama-unhindered-by-criticism-of-assad.html

Syria, Libya, Egypt and Middle East unrest – live updates
The Guardian (blog)
Most journalists are barred from Syria and it is very hard to independently verify reports. Hama is a city of 800000 people around 130 miles (210km) north of Damascus. It had fallen out of government hands and been free of security forces since June as …
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2011/aug/05/syria-libya-egypt-and-middle-east-unrest-live-updates

Inaction by West Increases the Danger in Libya and Syria: View
Bloomberg
For Bashar Assad in Syria and Muammar Qaddafi in Libya, the sight of Egypt’s disgraced former President Hosni Mubarak on a gurney inside a cage in a Cairo courtroom, with his sons in prison clothes seated behind him, is now embedded deep in their …
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-05/inaction-by-west-increases-the-danger-in-libya-and-syria-view.html

Clinton & Baird on Keystone, Syria and Somalia
Macleans.ca
On Syria, Clinton said the US government believes some 2000 people have been killed by the Syrian regime and expressed some frustration with the difficulty of raising international outrage at the sight of the Syrian regime killing its own citizens….
http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/08/04/clinton-baird-on-keystone-syria-and-somalia/

Report Says Turkey Stops Suspected Iranian Arms Shipment to Syria
Voice of America
August 04, 2011 Report Says Turkey Stops Suspected Iranian Arms Shipment to Syria VOA News A German report says Turkey has again intercepted an arms shipment from Iran that was destined for Syria. The Munich-based Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper quotes …
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Report-Says-Turkey-Stops-Suspected-Iranian-Arms-Shipment-to-Syria-126780913.html

Treasury Department Slaps New Sanctions on Syria
ABC News
(AP Photo/APTN) The Obama administration slapped new sanctions on Syria today, part of an effort to ratchet up the pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to allow reforms and halt a brutal crackdown on protestors seeking his ouster. …
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/treasury-department-slapped-sanctions-syria/story?id=14232014

US to press Europeans, Arabs to do more on Syria
Emirates 24/7
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday the United States will urge the Europeans, Arabs and others to do more to press Syria to stop its deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. Clinton said President Bashar al-Assad’s regime was …
http://www.emirates247.com/news/region/us-to-press-europeans-arabs-to-do-more-on-syria-2011-08-05-1.411472

With India at helm, UNSC to push for Libya, Syria peace
Hindustan Times
“The security council expresses its grave concern at the deteriorating situation in Syria, and expresses profound regret at the death of many hundreds of people. The council condemns the widespread violations of human rights and the use of force …
http://www.hindustantimes.com/With-India-at-helm-UNSC-to-push-for-Libya-Syria-peace/Article1-729033.aspx

US steps up pressure on Syria’s President Assad – video
The Guardian
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton says Washington strongly condemns the regime of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad for its continued violence against its own people. Following Wednesday’s statement by the UN security council, the US government hopes to …
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2011/aug/05/us-syria-assad-video

Joint Letter to IBSA Delegation to Syria on Human Rights …
By Human Rights Watch
Antonio Patriota Foreign Minister of Brazil Shri Ranjan Mathai Foreign Secretary of India Maite Nkoana-Mashabane Minister, Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Dear Excellencies,
http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/08/04/joint-letter-ibsa-delegation-syria-human-rights-protection

UN Security Council Syria statement ‘completely inadequate …
By Amnesty International
The UN’s response to the crackdown in Syria is disappointing and weak, and does not take any decisive action.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/un-security-council-syria-statement-%E2%80%98completely-inadequate%E2%80%99-2011-08-04

Grim fate awaits Assad if no reforms – Medvedev to RT — RT
By RT
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told his Syrian counterpart, Bashar Assad, that he needs to carry out reforms and talk to the opposition – and that if both sides cannot find common ground, a sad future awaits Syrians.
http://rt.com/news/syria-reforms-medvedev-interview/

Evelyn Leopold: Deaths in Syria Too Brutal for UN Council to Stay …
By Evelyn Leopold
As the Syrian military killed more and more people, all 15 members of the U.N. Security Council for the first time condemned the government’s use of force against civilians and its gross violations of human rights.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/evelyn-leopold/deaths-in-syria-too-bruta_b_918906.html

EU welcomes Syria condemnation | European Voice
eu welcomes syria condemnation un security council adopts statement condemning violence after months of silence.
http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2011/august/eu-welcomes-syria-condemnation/71820.aspx

Syria: Security Council condemns rights abuses and use of force …
The Security Council today condemned the widespread violation of human rights in Syria and the use of force against civilians by the country’s security …
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39229&Cr=Syria&Cr1