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Subscribe to RSSThirteen men were shot dead at close range in Syria. Activists claim the killers were government militia. The government blames the rebels. NBC's John Ray reports. Some of the images in this report may be disturbing.
Syria has agreed to allow the United Nations and international agencies to expand humanitarian operations in the country, where at least 1 million people need assistance after 14 months of bloody conflict, a senior U.N. aid official said on Tuesday.
"This agreement was secured in Damascus with the government there, in writing," John Ging, who chaired the closed-door Syrian Humanitarian Forum, told reporters in Geneva.
"Freedom of movement, unimpeded access for humanitarian action within Syria, is what it's all about now. The good faith of the (Syrian) government will be tested on this issue today, tomorrow and every day," he said.
However, the announcement came as Syria labeled 17 diplomats, most of them American or European, as "persona non grata" (unwelcome) in response to a mass expulsion of Syrian envoys by Western capitals last week.
Almost all of those listed have already been recalled by their governments.
"The Syrian Arab Republic still believes in the importance of dialogue based on principles of equality and mutual respect," a ministry statement said. "We hope the countries that initiated these steps will adopt those principles, which would allow relations to return to normal again."
Among those listed were diplomats from former ally Turkey, which has become an outspoken critic of Assad's crackdown and has given haven to army defectors. The foreign ministry said the ambassador and all the staff at Turkey's embassy in Damascus were unwelcome.
Despite the discovery of another atrocity following the recent massacre in Huola, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad showed no sign of relinquishing his power. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
The United States, France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Bulgaria and Switzerland coordinated a move to expel Syrian diplomats in response to a massacre of 108 people in the city of Houla. Nearly half those killed were children.
The BBC reported that US ambassador Robert Ford was called back to Washington in October over fears for his safety, while all British embassy staff were withdrawn in March on security grounds.
France also closed its embassy that month in protest at the "scandalous" repression of dissent by the government, it said.
Syrian security forces are trying to crush a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.
The London-based Syria Observatory for Human Rights said government forces backed by helicopters clashed on Tuesday with rebels in several towns in the coastal province of Latakia.
"These are the heaviest clashes so far in the area sincethe beginning of the revolution (in March 2011)," Rami Abdelrahman, the head of the Observatory, told Reuters.
Reuters and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
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All this fuss about Assad and his efforts to put down terrorism is just right wing propaganda.
In the spring of 2007, Nancy Pelosi went to Syria, had a meeting with Assad and came back to assure Americans that Assad was a true reformer. Later, Hillary Clinton, after a visit with Assad, gave the same assurances.
What's changed??
Either Assad is a great liar or both Nancy Pelosi and Hilary Clinton are are bad judge of character.
It is not right wing propaganda. I feel the West should stay out, but keep Iran and Russia out too. Keep Russia and Iran from supplying weapons and supplies to Assad.
Very little, if any, of this aid will get to the people who actually need it. It will be redirected to the populous that is propping up the regime and keeping Assad in power. With Western diplomats soon to be out of the country, the bloodbath will be elevated to a new level as Assad concludes that he now has a window of time in which to conduct his massive crack down and crush this rebellion. It looks like the West rolled the dice and crapped out.
Exactly !
Everyone knows that Assad is one of the best ME Muslim leader.
UN and its agencies are highly partisan, biased and act and dance as Saudis, Israel, oil companies and their lobbyists dance.
They did similar dramas on Iraq each time before Iraqi wars during Saddam's time. Where are UN and its agencies in battered Iraq? Millions are affected by Iraqi wars.
"The good faith of the (Syrian) government will be tested on this issue today, tomorrow and every day,"
This should apply to Syrian rebels supported by al-Qaida, MB, most of barbaric and beastly seventh century bigoted Sunni rulers starting from Saudi Arabia and co and their puppets, Turkey and others.
If any rulers in the world qualify to be thrown out, they are the most despotic, autocratic and bigoted Sunni Saudi (a ruler with 5000 princes and princesses and more captive slave girls and women to enjoy), Kuwaiti, UAE and other Arab League Sunni rulers.
They invented Iraqi wars, high oil price manipulations and made themselves rich.
They gave back their Sunni extremist versions of hate preaching and killers training centers, mosques all over the world and worst economic mess in the US, Europe (PIIGS) and some more nations. They are backers of the Islamic killers, al-Qaeda and other label terrorist organizations.
These barbarians and beasts are responsible for 80 percent of world problems.
Now Saudis, oil companies and their lobbyists again are outsourcing their dirty jobs in Syria and Iran to the US, Britain and European nations.
So there are sanctions on Iranian oil! Back to square one like during Iraqi wars!!!!
If anyone believes that Aasad is genuine I have a bridge I'd like to sell you in fact make it 3 bridges. These are Muslims be they Alawite, Shia or Sunni they all lie to try and get their way, they even have a word for it, "taquia" meaning it's OK to lie to the "infidel" to get your way. Eventually the rest of the world will awaken to understand that they have only one aim and that is world domination.
All this accomplishes is to allow Assad to continue with his mayhem against the Syrian people while leaving it to the UN and others to clean up the mess he creates.
The best aid Syria could receive would be a bullet in Assads entire familys heads, and a total blockade of Iranian intervention.
Yes Mickey-19-- and William-36-- William , What the hell you are talking about World domination buddy . Assad never bothered anybody , Even when the Israeli's attacked his power reactor in Lattakia , No body in the UN SAID ANY THING , No body condemned Israel , Because of our VETO , Now we are helping the Alqaeda rebels in Syria , Sending them arms and training them , off course by the orders of The Saudis and Qataris , And the Turks are smuggling these weapons and fighters through Turkey and Lebanon , Assad drought in the Arab monitors , And their report was , The rebels are the one who;s murdering Civilians and killing the Syrian people . ( But that's not what Mrs, Clinton , Lieberman , McCain want to hear ) So they put that report away and woul not let the Arab monitors showed to the UN countries , And Mr, Mickey Assad is the only leader in the whole ME That allow Christians to live in peace and practice their religion , ( But that's not what you and people like you want to hear , ) Do not worry if things do not work out like Mrs. Hillary and her Israel loving congress and Senate , And off course the Saudis and their clan the Gulf States , You will WMD in Syria , And children's being Murdered by Assad , I am sure they have a replacement for General , Collin Powell , To go to the UN and show them all kinds of video's about Syria and their Arsenal . What a time we have these days , Countries lie just to get rid of some body they do not like . and the BS keeps going . When are we going have the guts to ask these fing Saudis Saudis about their involvement in 9/11 . And their involvement in Hiding Bin Ladin , And how much money they still giving the Alqaeda . WOW Its Amazing how all of the sudden , We are caring So much about the Syrian people . We did not care too much when we Gave Israel all of these weapons to Attack Syria and Lebanon and kill Civilians and destroy their power plants and their water supplies . But now , We are helping these Alqaeda thugs in Syria to topple their government . You know that Assad more popular in Syria , Than Pres. Obama in the US . But who cares , We want out and we want him to step down and give up his country to bunch of thugs . I wonder if Russia and China ask Pres. Obama to step down . Because his popularity is blow 50% per. in the US . I wonder if he will do that , And hand it over to Romney and the Republicans . I think we need to Quit this Nations building BS . And to build our economy , And that does not means , We have to to China and every little country we do not like and bring their Activist over here , Hell they might turn on us and become Activist against the same country that brought them to freedom .
my turn,
"And Mr, Mickey Assad is the only leader in the whole ME That allow Christians to live in peace and practice their religion"
Is that all you care about? Is that what your minister tells you, that Assad is a good guy because he allows Christians to live in peace and practice their religion?
And where do you get the idea that all of the opposition in Syria is al-Qaeda? Do you get that from Assad or from your minister?
my turn: You are right.
For many, Saudis, oil companies and their lobbyists and Jewish lobbys determine what they see, how the speak and how to act!
Now Syria and Iran with WMDs are focal points.
Were there WMDs in Iraq? How many women and children are affected by the mess due to Iraqi wars?
In Iraq, millions are affected. Why no one even peeps there?
Do you really believe there were no WMD's in Iraq ? I see you bought that lie along with the rest of the world. Very few people believe that there were WMD's in Iraq. I am on of them.
Do some real research, not just sites that tell you what you want to hear, but genuine research. News articles, documentaries online encyclopedias. A good starting point might be Wikipedia.
There you will find that Polish troops found Chemical weapons buried in the desert left over from the Iran-Iraq war. You will also find that Saddam blocked UN inspectors for years even though there was an unconditional surrender which gave Saddam years to hide the evidence. You will also find that entire villages of Kurds of 5,000 have been found with chemical burns all dead, those who attempted to escape were shot. There were , despite a massive attempt to cover up any evidence, paper and E-mail trails documenting the development of both chemical, and biological weapons. Our intelligence agencies know they are out there buried somewhere, and many we know have been smuggled into Iran.
Just say there were no chemical weapons does not make it true. Do not believe everything you hear.
Besides, the reason we invaded Iraq was not to find chemical weapons, it was because Saddam and his thugs were invading with great malice, rape and more rape, theft, murder and destruction their tiny neighbor Kuwait.
looks like the Mid East is on the precipice of a breakdown and with more of these crackdowns happening, only God knows how it can be handled
Good 'Ol Great Satan, he destroyes the peace with 'hired guns' (Rebel's) and his Jewish hemmorhoid side-kick works with him 24/7 to make death and destruction caused by the UNITED SNAKES appear to be the fault of the (under siege) government (Yup, one more enemy to be 'vanquished' - who will it be next week?) they are trying to destroy to help make the Middle East safer for US imperialism and Jewish terrorism and here we are in the Tiajuana jail with Assad conceding and receding hoping against hope that he will get out of this scrape with his ass intact (Good luck, Kimosabe!). Oh, but DON'T WORRY - BE HAPPY, the Great Satan and his bankrupt colonist hyena's at the NATO hideout in Brussels have now already decided that the Great Dragon of China will be their next (impossible deam) victim 'and the Russians and Chinese, knowing this' are preparing for a feast where '(((stuffed))) Satan will be on the menu. So, I say to you United Snakes (US/Israel/NATO). Please be carefull, 'the life you save may be your own.' Remember, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight.' Rather, 'It's the size of the fight in the dog!' And, guess what, after all the murder and mayhem the Great Satan has been visiting on so many small impotent nations around the world. Some of the BIG boyze are already taking a number to see who get's a chance to earn the bulls tail and maybe two ears, in this classical bull fight. And, with a little luck, maybe his 'whole pale white ass' in the blazing sun under the Matadors cape, Ole! To be continued.
Tin foil hat on a bit too tight today? Go refill your perscription, pronto!
It appears that the rattlesnake venom has finally penetrated all the dead brain cells and found some mental activity....which would explain the verbal incoherency.
Muslims love killing each other or else they will be on us.
Let Shiites and Sunnis keep busy killing each other such that we can get a breather.
Assad should eliminate each and everyone of Saudi supported Syrian rebels.
What's up Grumpy Bob?
Have these areas become a soapbox for any personal crusade?
Mickey That's one thing I do not listen to preacher about politics , And what your preachers should do , They need to quit telling you , That the Jews are God Chosen people and we should protects them , Even if we have to destroy our country , well That's crock of Bull , And then I did not say all the rebels are Alqaeda , Mind you Syria full of Muslim brother hood . Remember Assad dad bombed them back in the 80's . Because they were trying to destroy the country back then , But now they have thousands of Alqaeda fighter's come in from IRAQ , LIBYA , AND EVERY LITTLE HOLE THEY CRAWL OUT OF .And the Saudies and Qataris paying for them and we are supplying the arms and the Training , Ask our Intel. and Mr. Panatta , They already admitted that , and the Saudis and Qataris and the Turks already said that they are bringing them in and paying for it . So Assad was a good guy when he helped in the first Iraqi war . And off course Saddam was a good guy when he fought the Iranians , And Qaddafi was a good guy not too Long before he was attacked , Ask Mr. McCain , and Tony Blair , they were there couple of months before the Europeans and Qatar and the Saudis decided to take him out . He should been taken out years ago , But Pres. Reagan did not think so . Dirty politics , that's what's happining here , Just read what some of our generals said .
my turn,
So it seems to me that you believe that not a single one of these Syrian protesters has a legitimate gripe against the Assad government. Is that true? I don't think that is the case. I'm sure that both al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood are at work there trying to further their own agendas. In a situation of such social unrest, they would be fools not to take advantage of it for their own purposes. But that does not mean that everyone in the protest movement supports either one of them. I'm sure many of them are just sick and tired of Assad.
Mickey: Do they apply to Bahrain's case also?
Most of are sick and tired of our fate being determined by Saudis, oil companies their lobbyists and Jewish lobbys.
If atrocities and barbarism on girls, children and women are the criteria, then the most despotic, autocratic and bigoted Sunni Saudi ruler with his 5000 princes and princesses, Kuwaiti, UAE and other Arab League Sunni rulers and their rich sheiks are the biggest culprits in the history.
If anyone still support them, then even God can't save us.
The "good faith" of the Syrian government? How in the world can any right-thinking person conjure up such a notion regarding the Assad regime!??
Well Mickey I Take Assad any day and not these murders Alqaeda and their clowns , But you still Adid not answer My question about Mrs. Clinton , McCain and Lieberman and lots of our politicians that want arm and are arming these rebels knowing that they are Alqaeda . does Alqaeda changes back to freedom fighters when they go into Syria . Is that what the Saudis And Qataris feeding us , or paying or politicians to believe , I am having a problem understanding that , And I Am sure the FAMILIES OF OUR FALLEN HERO'S WILL HAVE PROBLEM WITH THAT , Or they are back to their tricks , They get paid by the gulf states and the support from AI PAC . AND THE STOREY OF DECEPTION CONTINUES . And again we , The American people pay for their deception with our kids lives and our money going to people that hate us and want the destruction of America , Where do these politicians fall . Traitors or Patriots ( to a different country than theirs )
my turn,
"But you still Adid not answer My question about Mrs. Clinton , McCain and Lieberman"
I did not answer your question about Mrs. Clinton, McCain and Lieberman because I was never talking about them to begin with.
OK Mickey One more time , Do you want us to arm these rebels even after all our Intel . telling us that Alqaeda is with them and bombing and terrorising that country's civilians ? Is that simple enough for you , And if you say yes , Just like our politicians are saying , ( Sorry , or paid to say ) , then I want you and them to stand in front all the families that lost their loved ones in 9/11 attack and try to explain to them how you can fund and arm these devils in Syria and then try to kill them in Yemen and Afghanistan and Pakistan , The head of Alqaeda Iman Alzwahiri came out with a Fatwa Just like all the Clergy's in our beloved Saudia Arabia, asking all the Alqaeda fighters to Syria and kill all the Infidel's and @!$%#es . Come on man , Its very simple , Remember Pres. Bush , You are with us or you are against us . Which side the isle are you on ? You can not be for both like our politicians now . Not unless you are one of them
my turn,
"Do you want us to arm these rebels even after all our Intel . telling us that Alqaeda is with them and bombing and terrorising that country's civilians?"
I never suggested we arm them. You're telling me our politicians are saying we should arm them. That depends on who you ask. There are differences of opinion about that. Actually, I believe the official position of the Obama administration at this point in time at least is that it would not be a good idea to arm them since the opposition is not organized, and it would only increase the violence with various factions fighting each other. At least that is what I have been hearing in the news. I don't know which news you listen to if you have been hearing otherwise. I'm just tired of seeing innocent people being killed there. I really don't know what the solution is. It's a tough problem.
Assad and his political, military, economic and family contacts/cohorts can not back off and offer a peaceful resolution. They will all be killed - probably in barbaric ways. They cannot flee as they cannot take any funds with them to survive. And even if they did, they would be turned over to the "New Government" or world courts. They have to win. If it means killing 2/3 of the population, so be it. Ask the leaders of Egypt, Libya, Iraq, etc.
All this uprising is bringing, is another Islamist state.
And that's all what we need , another Islamist state . Assad will not leave , He has the support of most the people in Syria , And he is not stepping down simply because Mr. Obama asked too. Amazing some of the people , Listen to Mitt Romney top Adviser and he said that Assad did not step down , not even when Mr . Obama asked , And he went to say , That shows that nobody respect Mr . Obama . Is that what we looking forward to have if Romney wins . I thought Sara Palin was bad , Romney needs to find him new Advisers in a hurry .
Romney, Bushes, Khomenis there are not much different.
Some are driven by blind greed for monies and some are driven by mad Islamic religion!
Jonathan, How come Clinton left office a billionaire ?
The job didn't pay that much. He came out about $700,000,000 richer than when he entered office. I did not realize the job paid nearly $100,000,000 a year.
If I may, whose watch were the 9/11 attacks developed, trained, and put into place under ? Somebody was too busy playing with his "cigar" to attend to the job of defending this country. In English, he was "screwing the pooch" for 8 years.
Assad needs to go into exile. He's done and won't accept it. He needs help out.