Despite the likely delay of an imminent Western-backed military action, Bashar Assad’s regime is geared up for US assault. Reportedly there are signs of military preparedness and civilian evacuations amid airing of new threats of retaliation.
“The Assad government's preparations continued despite President Barack Obama's move last week to seek congressional authorization to attack,” the Wall Street Journal reported.
Assad’s government warned residents to relocate to safer places, especially away from military bases. Reportedly, Syrian troops positioned themselves in residential neighborhoods within Damascus closer to military and security installations and government offices.
Assad’s government warned residents to relocate to safer places, especially away from military bases. Reportedly, Syrian troops positioned themselves in residential neighborhoods within Damascus closer to military and security installations and government offices.
Apart from the Syrian troops, Assad has the support of one of its staunchest ally— the Lebanese militant Hezbollah army, which has remained a strong bulwark against Sunni revolt in Syria so far.
Hezbollah militants played a key role this year in helping Assad regain some of lost territories from Syrian rebels in central Syria, especially around the capital Damascus and the territory of Homs to the north.
Meanwhile, US warships are in the Mediterranean; five destroyers with cruise missiles are ready to hit Damascus in response to the alleged chemical gas attacks by Assad’s forces.
Meanwhile, US warships are in the Mediterranean; five destroyers with cruise missiles are ready to hit Damascus in response to the alleged chemical gas attacks by Assad’s forces.
Amid dismissing Western evidence on the use of chemical weapons as "unconvincing," Russia too has assumed an antagonistic stand against the use of force in Syria, furtherreinforcing its naval presence in the region, especially in the Syrian port of Tartus.
Opinion
After almost two years of brutal bloodshed, the United States has finally decided to fight for an act of war that has no basis in international law.
With the NATO, England and other Western allies refusing to put their feet in the Syrian cauldron, the US has been forced to cherry-pick allies for a punitive action against Syria that might not go beyond a missile strike, probably leaving Assad’s regime intact.
Moreover, an imminent US strike on Damascus does not set a time limit on the military action or spell out other limits clearly enough to envisage a desirable outcome from this development.
At the same time, if the US aim is to strike Assad’s regime, without dramatically altering Syria’s balance of power, what purpose does it serve in Syria’s crisis?
Amid all the confusion and bloodshed, the failure of Western powers and the UN to resolve the crisis has produced one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern times.
Opinion
After almost two years of brutal bloodshed, the United States has finally decided to fight for an act of war that has no basis in international law.
With the NATO, England and other Western allies refusing to put their feet in the Syrian cauldron, the US has been forced to cherry-pick allies for a punitive action against Syria that might not go beyond a missile strike, probably leaving Assad’s regime intact.
Moreover, an imminent US strike on Damascus does not set a time limit on the military action or spell out other limits clearly enough to envisage a desirable outcome from this development.
At the same time, if the US aim is to strike Assad’s regime, without dramatically altering Syria’s balance of power, what purpose does it serve in Syria’s crisis?
Amid all the confusion and bloodshed, the failure of Western powers and the UN to resolve the crisis has produced one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern times.
According to the latest estimates released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Tuesday, number of displaced Syrians has cross the 2 million mark and is counting.
Reportedly, the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon alone is expected to cross 1 million by the end of 2013.
So what exactly is the world doing? After witnessing countless thousands dead and after almost three years of fiddling, why are we getting upset about a few hundred deaths?
No doubt the images of dead innocent children were heart-rending. Shouldn’t we have been traumatized into action by this war in 2011? Why now?
Reportedly, the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon alone is expected to cross 1 million by the end of 2013.
So what exactly is the world doing? After witnessing countless thousands dead and after almost three years of fiddling, why are we getting upset about a few hundred deaths?
No doubt the images of dead innocent children were heart-rending. Shouldn’t we have been traumatized into action by this war in 2011? Why now?
At the same time, it is shameful to observe the leadership of the rest of the Arab world applauding this destruction. No doubt, US strike will damage a Shiite nation to the benefit of Sunni states like Saudi Arabia.
At the end, what will all these all lead to? More insecurity, more bloodshed, instability and an unending civil war in Middle East.
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