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Subscribe to RSSFighting continued for a fifth day near key government installations, indicating that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's control is faltering. As the opposition advances, Russia and China still refuse to support a resolution calling for tougher sanctions. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
Updated at 2:00 p.m. ET: As more Syrian rebels flooded into the country's capital, President Bashar Assad had reportedly left Damascus and was directing the response to the assassination of three top lieutenants on Thursday.
A day after a bombing killed his brother-in-law and two other key military figures, Assad was in the coastal city of Latakia, opposition sources and a Western diplomat told Reuters.
"Our information is that he is at his palace in Latakia and that he may have been there for days," said a senior opposition figure, who declined to be named, according to Reuters.
Latakia province is home to several towns inhabited by members of Assad's minority Alawite sect.
NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports on the escalating crisis in Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad is reportedly planning his response to Wednesday's bombing, which struck the heart of his regime.
On Thursday evening, Syrian television showed Assad swearing in Brig. Gen. Fahed Jassim el Friej as defense minister, the president's first public appearance since the stunning bomb attack on a crisis meeting of defense and security chiefs.
U.S. State Department officials said Thursday afterthey were not sure
A diplomat, who is following events in Syria, told Reuters: "Everyone is looking now at how well Assad can maintain the command structure. The killings yesterday were a huge blow, but not fatal."
NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin answers your questions about Syria
Ghazi Balkiz / NBC News
Ali Bakran is a commander of a Free Syrian Army brigade that operates out Jabal al-Zawiya.
Meanwhile, rebel fighters streamed into Damascus convinced that they could take over the capital and isolate the government.
"Taking Damascus will be a morale blow to Assad's regime," Ali Bakran, a commander of a Free Syrian Army brigade that operates out Jabal al-Zawiya, told NBC News.
Rebels from his region has sent about 1,000 fighters to Damascus over the last two days, he said.
Bakran said that once the rebels had taken control of the capital, they planned seize state radio and television stations -- a huge symbolic and tactical victory for anti-Assad forces.
PhotoBlog: Who are the Syrian rebels?
"Once we take over the TV and radio stations, the army will collapse," Bakran said.
'We will not stop'
And after Damascus, the rebels planned to march to Latakia, where Assad was reportedly staying, to "finish the job," Bakran added.
"We will continue our work, we will not stop, not after all this blood has been shed, not after all those innocents' deaths," he told NBC News.
Syrian rebels have kept up pressure following Wednesday's assassinations in Damascus, fighting loyalist troops within sight of the presidential palace and near government headquarters, residents said.
Residents said there was no let-up in the heaviest fighting -- now in its fifth day -- to hit the Syrian capital in a 16-month revolt against Assad, whose family has dominated the pivotal Arab country for 42 years.
The battles encroached within sight of the presidential palace, near the security headquarters where Wednesday's emergency meeting was held, with videos showing clouds of smoke rising over the skyline.
The defense minister, his deputy and a vice president were all killed in the blast but it is unclear if Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was nearby. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
The U.N. Security Council put off a scheduled vote on a Syria resolution until Thursday and President Barack Obama telephoned President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Assad's main ally, to try to persuade Moscow to drop support for him.
Nevertheless, Russia and China vetoed the resolution threatening sanctions against Syria.
The bombing that killed Assad's brother-in-law, defense minister and a top general triggered fierce army retaliation with artillery unleashed on rebels massed in several districts and armed mostly with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.
A video from overnight in Damascus' neighborhood of Sayed Zainab shows a makeshift clinic in a house, with blankets and medical supplies strewn all over the floor and a man shouting directions on a megaphone as men carry in mutilated bodies on sheets.
Some of the bodies were blackened, perhaps from a blast or a fire. Others were blown apart apparently by high explosive.
Residents in the Midan and Kafr Souseh districts reported constant blasts and heavy gunfire as helicopter gunships buzzed overhead.
"The shelling did not stop all night. Shelling could be heard in all the city. It was loud. There were also sounds of clashes. Not many people are venturing out. I can't even find a taxi, so I'm waiting for somebody to pick us up," a resident in Damascus told Reuters, speaking by telephone.
PhotoBlog: Behind Syrian rebel lines
"Everyone in the neighborhood is arming themselves. Some with machineguns, some with shotguns. Some even just with knives. And whoever doesn't have anything just tries to stay awake and stay alert as much as they can," said another resident, speaking by phone from the Midan area.
For a third straight day, Syrian military fought rebels in the capital where activists say government tanks are fighting back. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
"I can't even tell you what is going on outside because I've shuttered the windows and locked the doors. I just hear every now and then the gunfire, it's like it's in the room."
Many Damascenes were reported fleeing pockets of fighting.
"We've had a lot of people come in from last evening, from other neighborhoods like refugees, and people gather around them to hear what they've seen. My neighbor tries to see if they have relatives here or see if there is someone that can host them for a while," said a woman contacted by telephone.
Checkpoints around Midan and the ancient walled Old City of Damascus had been removed, residents said. It was unclear if security forces had changed tactics to stop rebels targeting soldiers, or if it was a temporary move in the heat of battle.
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- NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin answers your questions on Syria
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Leave a Comment:
Funny how so many of these 21st century potentates have "tribal lands" to run back to. Rebels will probably eventually find Assad hiding in a culvert. His suffering the same fate as Ghadafi though, remains to be seen.
Assad has lost his opportunity to exit with dignity, which is now goanna be bloody but G-R-E-A-T.
His tribal heartland is a coastal city. It will make it much easier to hop onto a boat when his counterattack fails.
Yup, and the Russians have boats right off the coast.
I bet his Alawite sect just got a bunch of brand spanking new shiny weapons.
Russians probably have marines to help Assad "get aboard" also.....
Isn't the situation just filled with odd coincidences?
Quote a bit of speculation on your part, Chief Shark. We've been cozy with Assad for decades and have turned our back as he slaughtered his own people. With that, it sounds as if you desire a "new Cold War."
In the scheme of things I woould place Assad a couple cuts above Ghadaffi. Assad is an intelligent and able man. His Alawite power base is unpopular so his days were numbered long before the civil war. It's time now for him to kiss his wife and child, then send them by plane to relatives in London. Assad would not be allowed in any country except Russia. If he leaves, that's where he will need to make a new life. Perhaps he can start an Opthomology practice there. If he goes to Russia, they will experience the same hatred that America received for giving assylum to the Shah of Iran back in the 70's.
We are without heroes in this age. Leading from the rear until all of your defenders are dead and then peacefully surrendering so as not to be hurt yourself seems to be the norm.
What would the USA do if the defense general was killed in his office by Rebels that also consist of Al Queda which the USA and Saudis are arming?
Is this a civil war that includes criminal elements from the outside?
Hard to discern what truth is.
Stop pretending we haven't been there ourselves.
Well Sandtrich.....
As you pointed out, we haven't exaclty stepped in and stopped him from killing his own people, so why would we oppose the Russians providing his Alawite sect with weapons, in addition to repairing his attack helicopters, and any other support they've been providing Assad for the last year or so.
Hasn't been lethal to US-Russian relations so far.
Actually, kinda convenient if Assad and his advisors end up boarding a Russian ship and leaving Syria. The weapons would be his negotiating to save face for his Alawites.
Remeber, after the US won the second Iraq war, Saddam's Revolutionary Guard (Sunni's) didn't disarm out of fear of Shiite retribution.
The russians are coming! the russians are coming....Ass-ad will be living in his "dacha" before its all over....Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war....
The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being
a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
Concerning Damascus. Hamath(Today Hama) is
confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings:they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.
Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized
on her: anguish and sorrows have taken
her, as a woman in travail.
How is the city of praise not left, the city of
my joy!
Therefore her young men shall fall in her
streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of
hosts.
And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume
the palaces of Benhadad.
What will Putin do when his Buddies country is in Ruin? Will he allow it to be taken over by Rebels and loose his investment? Or as a kind gesture Putin Style police the country to prepare for something much worse.
Watch..... Russia and the gathering of nations to Armageddon
Syrian rebels are supported by Sunni Islamic extremist al-Qaida, MB and other Sunni Saudi militants.
If he is overthrown, then it will be another Saudi Arabia like rule. Examine what is going on in Mali.
In mad Islamic ME hell hole, it will be worse!
Which ME Muslim ruler is better than Assad?
Since the vast majority of Syrians are Sunni, it will not sit well with the Shiites in Iran if Assad is overthrown - as appears imminent. If the rebels take over the radio and TV stations, it's over.
What's unknown is how anti-American the new leaders will be.
I have said it a million times on here if I have said it once. Still it is coming true. The World has become too small for the likes of Dictators. Their time is over, they just don't know it yet. Everyone can see how it is when you can pick your leaders and they want that privilege as well. Soon we will live under one nation, not many. Everyone will have the same rights. In the mean time, we will soon find Assad in some hole or culvert somewhere begging for his pathetic life after killing thousands just to hold a position he should never have had.
It is instructive to go back just 1 month to Romney attacks on Obama's Syrian policy, when Romney was saying we needed to enter the fight. McCain was also saying things like this. Thank goodness Obama and Hilary were in charge.
True, all republicans want to do is shoot people. They live for wars. And they call themselves Christians. Hmm..
I imagine that if we stopped the anti-Arab rhetoric, stayed out of their business and stop kissing Israel's ass we'd get along with the Middle Eastern countries. We need to step aside and stop urinating away money on that bloated military of ours and let the world find their own way---without US tax dollars.
Asad is getting ready to hop onto a Russian ship in the Russian naval base.
Brenda and scientist...
Interesting, with obama showing a propensity to pull the trigger it would seem that obama has now become a republican.
Looks like obama will leave no group of people alone in his attempt to garner votes.
sandtrich,
"Quote a bit of speculation on your part, Chief Shark."
I don't see that much speculation on CPO Sharkey's part. Russia did just dispatch 11 war ships, including marine landing craft, from their northern fleets to the eastern Mediterranean on 10 July, and the U.S. relationship with the Assads has actually been a rather rocky one over the past several decades. Nothing all that cosy about it.
Dennis, another example of a fool quoting a slave owner about liberty.
Abraham Lincoln
It's hard to believe that he was a Republican
sandtrich "I imagine that if we stopped the anti-Arab rhetoric, stayed out of their business and stop kissing Israel's ass we'd get along with the Middle Eastern countries."
The only way that we could 'get along with the Middle Eastern countries' is to abandon Israel to destruction by the Islamic extremists in charge there who have vowed to 'wipe Israel from the map'. Not only is that very unlikely to happen, but it would be devastating for the area since Israel would not go down without using their estimated 200 nuclear weapons. Israelis are not about to endure another 'Holocaust' without a fight.
Do what the USA would do use overwhelming military force against the rebel soldiers spare the citizens and chase the Al Queda rebels into Turkey!
Hold elections and get the same results as Libya, Egypt, Iraq and Afghanistan. declare all is well, sign financial agreements, install a central bank and go home.
10 Russian ships are leaving Cyprus and doing training exercises off the coast of Syria. Meanwhile, the US has approximately 75 ships off the coast of Iran with the full intent of firing at anything that moves. Which country sounds more aggressive?
Jonathan-1982062
Turkey, for one, is perhaps the best ruler in that region. And I'm pretty sure a majority of them are, since they don't order their troops to torture children.
Assad was a sectarian ruler, but he lost his credibility when his troops started massacring entire districts in Homs and Houla. We can't write off every Islamist group as violent, radical jihads like Hezbollah or al Qaeda. Let the Syrian people overthrow their tyrant, then look towards the future.
The word Republican meant something allot different back then from now. Now it's almost considered like using other words that are shunned on here.
Sandtrich,
"10 Russian ships are leaving Cyprus and doing training exercises off the coast of Syria. Meanwhile, the US has approximately 75 ships off the coast of Iran with the full intent of firing at anything that moves. Which country sounds more aggressive?"
That's interesting, but I don't think it is what I was talking about. The 11 ships I mentioned are from Russia's Northern, Baltic and Black Sea fleets; not Cyprus. They just left port Tuesday of last week (10 July) heading for Syria, so I doubt they would have arrived yet, especially not the ones from the Northern Fleet. If you buy Russia's claim that they are just going to take part in an exercise, fine. But it's quite a coincidence that they would do this just when the situation in Syria is reaching a critical point. Many suspect they are doing it at the very least as a show of force, and perhaps also to break any blockade of Syria.
Leave the poor guy alone!
Princess Celestia: Do you include Turkey in ME or outside ME?
About Turkey also, hope you know from the fast backwards march from Kemal Ataturk's to Islamic fundamentalist Ergodan's rule.
In Turkey, they have been doing worse to Kurds than Assad. Do you people see only in one direction?
Hope you know about the genocides of Armenians in Turkey in 1900s.
He is already running and hiding. In the end they show they are wimps at heart.
I agree, they are all little cowards in the end.
Followers of Islamic cult operate in groups. They are most bold when it comes to unarmed people, women, minorities including their own sects.
Then these brave start their genocides.
When 500 Shiites took over Mecca/Medina, the brave Sunni Saudis soldiers of different labels, could not do much. They took Jordanian and Paki help.
In Bahrain, brave Saudis, Kuwaiti, UAE and others sent their forces to put down Shiites protestors.
Followers of Islamic cult, especially Sunni Saudi inspired Islamic radicals and militants (al-Qaida, Salaffi, Wahhabi, MB and other label ones), are fast marching backwards to their seventh century desert tribal days of rapings, lootings, killings and genocides of non-Muslims (S. Sudan, Nigeria, Darfur, Mali and other places) and Muslims (Syria, Pakistan and other places).
Sunni Saudi Islamic religious madness is going beyond tolerable limits.
See how the Sunni Islamic extremist Salaffi, MB are getting entrenched in Egypt. Then watch their braveness against Christians, women and Jews!
On the run already. It will end badly for Assad and his trophy wife, I'm afraid, unless he can get out of the country to someplace safe -- like Iran. LOL.
We are so lucky stuff like this is not happening here. Remember to cast a vote this November so our children do not have to cast a bullet in the future.
you must live in either iran or a mental institute
And you say you're not a troll for saying we shouldn't vote?
Troll- stonepipe 6 troll 0. Blow me.
For some more in-depth understanding of the current situation in Syria, I'd recommend checking out Democracy Now! today - they're talking with journalist David Enders based in Beirut; a Damascus-based activist and Assad biographer David Lesch. Check it out:
Their hubris is so great, the al Assads couldn't see this coming?
They're as shameful a couple as the Ceaucescus.
Ah yes, the Ceaucescus, with Mrs. Ceaucescus screaming at her captors moments before being shot, "You can't shoot me! I'm your (F-word) mother, you (F-word) bastards!"
The probably of this happening in the U.S. is 0-nil. We already had our civil war, this is the greatest country of earth and I don't think the majority of Americans had never had that thought of an uprising. I do know there are militant people in America but there CAN be. Assad is on his very last string. I can never understand "WHY ANYONE" in control of government could want to kill and murder innocent people because they don't believe in his cause. GOOD BYE ASSAD. he's going down the road the rest have-to hell
It could happen here in the great USA!!... If the gap between the 1% and the 99% gets wider and wider!
Fergieo,
"We already had our civil war"
The fact that we have already had one civil war proves only that we are capable of having a civil war. It does not mean we will not have one again. There is no limit on the number of civil wars a nation is allowed to have.
Many are asking "Could this happen here in the USA". Maybe Obama is correct we need to take all the guns away from those that cling to them. Before it is too late.
Whaaaat? Or is this sarcasm so great and ingenious that I stonepipe am thoroughly confused? Help!
Where and when did Obama say this about guns? I have never seen this in any news cast. It surely would make prime time news if he did...or is this just a rumor that is being perpetuated as truth?
wow...dude are you for real? its too early to take you serious. lol
Pres Obama said he would sign the UN treaty that would prohibit private gun ownership in all countries, including ours. It would reduce Chicago firefights and deaths from guns.
The BIG LIE still works on the stupid and undereducated.
that's a new one ...
whom will enforce it??
With all the twitter from the leftist crowd on here, it must be true. Keep it quiet yall....
conservatives see a conspriracy at every turn, just ask Rush.......he even says comic book characters in Batman are portraying Romney .....wtf???
Romney be a sick joke, anyway.
I must have missed something here!
Just when did Obama say that we should not have guns to protect ourselves?
Is this something you heard from Rush Limbaugh?
Forget the politics, the people in this country will never give up the right to own guns.
We have the right to own guns and to protect ourselves from freaks that want to rule or that our freedom away.
wakani you need to grow up. If the government told us we had to turn in our guns the only ones that would would be the honest citizens leaving thugs and criminals with the guns who would come rob or rape your a$$. Oh and can't you just see all those Chicago gang bangers turning in their guns. Its illegal to take or sell drugs in this country. How well is that working?
You must be smoking crack! Fear the government that fears your guns!
Wakani....if you do want our guns, bring lots of body bags.
wakani: the way our laws work is when you are caught with a gun while committing a felony, that's the end of guns for you. Our laws cannot be carried through afterwards, however. There are not enough police in the entire world to prevent a felon from getting another gun illegally. And I agree with other posters who question your sources for what Obama said or didn't say. When you make declarations, please cite a "credible" source. Otherwise, we just have to figure that you are repeating a charge made in an authorless viral caustic email, by Rush Limbaugh, or Fox Cable News. None of those are credible. Their purpose seems to be, "All the news that fits, we print or broadcast." Sad and irresponsible.
If someone try's to come and take my guns, they're not going to like the outcome!!
I hope your kidding!I dont own a gun but its our right to own a gun if you want.I want less not more goverment controll.When the goverment gets involved how does that usually work out!?
That's a lie, our Constitution was built stating that we have the "RIGHT" to bear arms. Barack is smart enough to know we can't change that nor ever will. Wakani-I bet your eyes were wiggling while reading that paragraph and you really didn't put pen to paper with that as a believeable truth but your own words. I live in Arizona where we can wear guns in public-but not into bars. My son has a gun, I own a gun and I have friends with guns. I don't believe anyone has been shot by weapons that is not conducive with any stats from States who don't allow you to wear arms in public. In other words murders and shootings in other States are'nt any more or less just because we own guns. But this is about ASSAD who is about to meet his maker
Ironically, all of you people think it takes guns and governments to take away people's freedom, but we the ignorant people have proven time and again that we are capable of voting our own rights away, while maintaining the delusion that we are indeed free because they let us vote. We just keep letting politicians, lobbyists, and corporations write new laws and regulations for us everyday that are not only impossible to enforce, but make everybody a criminal and broke in the process. Government only works when people respect it. Fear wears off after a while and so does success if you get too complacent. No repubs, I am not voting for another country club brat turned "job creator."
This is the perfect strategy!!! Go after him and ALL his cronies... Keep the pressure on him... Make him run form one hideout to the next, just like Gadafi and Saddam... Now that a major portion of his troops are in Damascus move quickly to take the fight to his new hideout... Bring it with as much force and fire power as you can muster... Hopefully a smaller, lighter armed force can get there before he can get his reinforcements to move all their heavy armor... At the same time, keep going after his thugs, the so-called civilian gangs he uses to support his rule... Take them AND their families out of the picture... Good luck and God's speed to your fight for freedom...
Yes, and hurry up getting those elections done and voting in some scumbag Islamic fundamentalist. That was the biggest mistake we made in Iraq - Saddam was doing a great job killing off the Islamic fundamentalists. We should have helped him. So what if he threatened Israel.
Remember that by saying "we" you really mean Bush and his cronies. Let's not forget that most Americans did support the war in Afghanistan but opposed the war in Iraq. It was Bush who pandered to the Israelis, evangelicals, big oil, and defense contractors and got us involved on the basis of falsified intel. And before any of the Bush cult members here starts whining "But... but...but we got the intel from Clinton and he believed it was true, too!", let me point out that Clinton did believe the intel was true but didn't act on it since he couldn't drum up enough international support. Bush, on the other hand, knew it was false because in February 2003 his former CIA director George Tenet approached him with evidence showing the intel on the WMD's were false, and Bush's response (according to both Tenet and Powell, who was also present at the briefing) was "F*ck it, we're going in anyway." That led to Tenet resigned from the CIA
This is what I like to see, Syrians working this conflict out on their own. I'm feel proud for these people that are freeing themselves from an evil dictator, this is how it is supposed to be. When the Syrians win this for themselves it is much sweeter than a huge super power coming in and winning it for them. They will respect this win and hopefully do something positive with it.
Geez, I wonder where they are getting all those weapons and intelligence? They must have a secret weapons factory , intelligence headquarters and spy training center somewhere inside Syria. Amazing how they have been able to hide it from Assad.
The rebels' weapons are Russian in origin, so unless the Russians are backing a coup to overthrow the only friend they have in the Middle East, the rebels are most likely capturing the weapons from the government forces or raiding the government armories as they did in Libya.
Great strategy on our part. Stay out when you can, keep an eye, let nature take its course and the rebels will be able to thank themselves, feel proud of what they have accomplished. I just wish all those innocent people didn't have to be in that ugly path. OH YES-Thank you Michael-412302 for your common sense
We have never learned our lessons from history regarding the Middle East. There is no seperation of Church and State, only their seperation of Church. When these people don't have a common enemy, they fight each other, and sadly they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. We should always stay out of places where we are not welcomed. Occupation and Nation Building never work because there simply is never enough manpower to occupy or enough money to build; and why build something they want to blow up?
separation
R. Reyna: I agree. The mideast has always been a hotspot. They have been composed of warring tribes since biblical times. They've never been capable of getting along with each other and that makes them a tinderbox ready to blow in a nano-second all the time. The best way to handle territories like that is to realize their need to fight and kill in order to come out on top... Syria today, Iraq and Lybia yesterday. Today it is Syria... in the coming years it will be another mideast country. All it takes to touch off a tinderbox are the people with a match and a grudge.
Our biggest mistake in the 21st century so far was Bush invading Irag ( to get praise from Daddy Bush) ! 3,000 US kids died for nothing, 100,000 Iraq civilians killed, hatred of the US for decades by most Iragis.
Stay out of the Middle East ! If Israel gets attacked --start of WW III ?
It was Wolfowitz, an Israeli- American and trusted adviser of Bush who engineered the Iraq war.
Assad is now put in a position of having to constantly try and figure out who he can and can not trust. It is obvious that the bombing of his Defense Minister, Interior Minister and other top level officials was an inside job. And others inside of his corrupt government will be taking the opportunity to bail or turn on him. The people will see this and rise up even more in opposition to Assad. He should have implemented reforms, like he said he would (read lied) when he had the chance. Bye, bye power monger.
I do not believe any of this information. I have learned how the propaganda is being used. We are being deceived by the media, who is now creating the narrative, and staging the scenes.
Yes, you win a new tinfoil hat! Congratulations!
Better a tin-foil hat than a bilindfold.
Keep on swollowing grap, sooner or later you will wake-up with a belly ache.
Oddly enough during the final battle of the American liberation from Britain there were more French soldiers involved than Americans.
What is it with these dictators and putting their pictures all over town? He is going down real soon...
found this sucker and show him the rope!!
Assad = toast
Off topic, but has anyone noticed that everywhere in the world most politicians are freaking ugly?
Bleh: Most people are ugly, that's why. So it stands to reason most politicians are ugly too. Being hott is rare. Maybe only like 1% of the population is hott, and that 1% are all in Hollywood. LOL.
and so what in store for these people after Assad? let see if they are rejoicing a few months from now ! or will MSN post pictures of despair for theses people ?
Maybe if Assad came out and said he was gay, Obama would support him. Otherwise, the dirtbag will wind up like Kadaffi, and like his own father should have.
oh put a sock in it dale-stinker.
silly comment. Should obama support a brutal dictator? if not, what is your point, if any? Or are you just posting random obama hate nonsense because you are bored?
Maybe Dale forgot that most of the Middle East and North African dictators and terrorists (Hussein, Khadafi, Mubarak, Bin Laden) were actually supported by Republican presidents Reagon and Bush before they turned on us.
Oh heck, they all use us and then turn on us. History repeating itself, will we ever learn?
sharriannie-I totally agree with your comment.
dale, as ovomit has already had at least a few of his sodomite partners murdered, it would not matter.
And "all that is" is a God-less Wanker.
He believes (in typical libtard fashion), that free speech is only for him.
Why don't you go ask the flood of people fleeing Timbuctu and the rest of Mali if they are glad they had nothing to protect themselve's with as the muslim's impossed sharia law on them?
Oh I know having gun's and defending themselves would have only made the radical's mad to the point of abuseing everyone, right. A nice peaceful takeover and their all friend's now... Give me a friggin break, take away the gun's and no one get's hurt is that how it work's?
Does Assad not realize that there are many, MANY more people that can storm his palace than all the weapons and guards he has? whats with this guy? tick-tock.
All that is: I agree. Assad somehow got the impression that he owned Syria. When his countrymen were held down, mistreated and killed, they revolted. There have been many revolts in world history. Any leader should study up on world history revolts when they do what Assad has done to his own people. There is a seething resentment for Assad by his people and they will track him down like hounds and deal with him appropriately... no matter what country he may flee to.
Hold on folks, i wouldn't count Assad out. You are getting a slant on the news. Let's see what develops next. This whole thing looks ripe to escalate to a regional conflict, very soon!
Assad (on cell phone): Hello, is Doctor Ben Dover in?
Doctor: Yes Assad, this is me.
Assad: Doc, I've got this huge fork sticking out of my azz, what should I do?
Doctor: Oy Vey... Assad, it simply means that you're done! Shalom.
(Click)
times up assad! get ready to meet your virgins...hope you did your research because they aint women...
what rebel take over in the Middle East has benefited there people ?