E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSAs fighting rages in Syria with heavy air raids, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. would push for a major revamp in Syria's opposition leadership. NBC's Keith Miller reports.
Members of Syria's opposition-in-exile bristled Thursday at the Obama administration's suggestion that Washington will handpick more representative leaders at a crucial conference in Qatar next week.
The new U.S. push appears aimed at creating a unified leadership that could work more closely with the West. But there are signs of resistance among deeply fractured opposition groups wary of attempts by foreign backers to dictate strategy in the civil war against President Bashar Assad.
"This direct tutelage and these dictates are not acceptable to the Syrian people anymore," Zuhair Salem, the London-based spokesman for Syria's banned Muslim Brotherhood opposition group, told The Associated Press. The Brotherhood is part of the main political opposition group, the Syrian National Council, which is dominated by exiles.
Syrians and the U.S. administration have grown increasingly frustrated as the opposition proved unwilling or unable to coalesce. The U.S. and its allies have long bemoaned the lack of a cohesive leadership, and there is little doubt that this has held back more robust foreign aid and involvement to bolster the opposition in its fight.
With the battle for control of Syria almost certainly to be decided on the battlefield, the political opposition led by exiles is being further sidelined.
Syria warplanes pound rebel strongholds
On Wednesday, the Obama administration said it would push for a major shakeup in the opposition leadership so that it better represents the fighters risking their lives on the frontlines. At least 36,000 people have been killed since the uprising began 19 months ago, according to anti-regime activists.
It was a signal that Syria's political opposition is increasingly irrelevant, as it's become clearer that the conflict will be decided by fighters.
In the latest violence, anti-government rebels killed 28 soldiers on Thursday in attacks on three army checkpoints around Saraqeb, a town on Syria's main north-south highway, a monitoring group said.
Some of the dead were shot after they had surrendered, according to video footage. Rebels berated them, calling them "Assad's Dogs," before firing round after round into their bodies as they lay on the ground.
The highway linking the capital Damascus to the contested city of Aleppo, Syria's commercial center, has been the scene of heavy fighting since rebels cut the road last month. Saraqeb lies just south of Aleppo.
Watch World News videos on NBCNews.com
‘Own agendas’
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the administration was suggesting names and organizations that should feature prominently in any new rebel leadership that is to emerge from a four-day conference starting Sunday in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
The U.S. said a revamped leadership could rally wider international support and help buffer against attempts by extremists among the rebels to hijack the uprising.
Syrian opposition figures have called on the U.S. and other Western supporters to provide the rebels with strategic weapons, such as anti-aircraft missiles, to counter the Assad regime's military superiority and help the rebels break the battlefield stalemate. However, the U.S. has been cool to the idea. It fears that such weapons could fall into the hands of radical Islamists fighting on the rebel side who might one day use them against the U.S. and its allies.
The SNC is widely seen as ineffective and cut off from those fighting on the ground. It has been plagued by infighting and defections. Still Clinton's portrayal of the SNC leadership as out-of-touch exiles kicked up a storm of disapproval inside and outside Syria.
Salem said Clinton's remarks show the U.S. wishes to "tailor the Syrian opposition to specific demands."
The U.S is pushing for a greater role for the rebel Free Syrian Army, the main fighting force on the ground, among other groups. However, the FSA and the Syria-based National Coordination Body, made up of veteran opposition figures, appear skeptical that the disparate opposition groups can fit under one umbrella.
Air raids, car bomb hit Damascus on last day of failed truce
Faiz Amru, a Syrian army general who defected earlier this year, said any transitional government or body created abroad cannot possibly represent those dying in Syria.
"Everyone is trying to push their own agendas," he said dejectedly by phone from the Turkish Syrian border. "The big powers have hijacked the Syrian revolution."
Amru said he does not support any opposition group, saying that none of them care about fighters on the ground.
The U.S. administration responded to the criticism by saying it was not issuing dictates.
Car bomb in Damascus shatters feeble Syria cease-fire
"We're not giving them a list," said State Department spokesman Mark Toner. "Ultimately it's up to the Syrians themselves to make those choices. This is in no way telling them what to do."
But Clinton's remarks were seen as damaging by opposition leaders and ordinary Syrians long wary of U.S. meddling in the region. The opposition has been increasingly frustrated by what it perceives as the lack of a coherent U.S. plan to help the rebels.
Muhydin Lazikani, a London-based writer and SNC member, said Clinton had no business criticizing the SNC at a time when the Obama administration has not charted a path for Syria.
"All they try to do is blame the SNC," said Lazikani.
Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter
Mohammad Sarmini, a Turkey-based SNC spokesman, said the U.S., through this new push, is "trying to make up for its shortcomings and impotence to stop the killings and massacres in Syria."
Shadi Hamid of the Brookings Doha Center was also critical of the U.S. approach.
"The U.S. does not seem to have a real end game here," he said. "Where does this lead? What happens after you have a unified opposition? It will still have to be fought out between armed groups."
The shift in the U.S. position came after months of fruitless attempts by the Obama administration and its allies to cajole the notoriously fractious SNC to broaden its base, according to two American officials.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
More world stories from NBC News:
- Analysis: Israel, Iran name checks illustrate America's twin obsessions
- China opposition party lasts a day, founder gets 8 years in prison
- Meet Afghan female rapper, colonel who defy the odds
- Analysis: Should next president treat Russia as friend or foe?
- Expert: Tourists threaten Sistine Chapel's famous paintings
Leave a Comment:
We must stay out of this. Hillary needs to shut up. The new leadership in Syria, if there will be one, will hate the US no matter what we do. We must learn from history, for once for heaven sake, and stop picking leaders for other countries. Stay out of this.
I want you to read this from the article again:
and, also:
This should tell you EVERYTHING you need to know about where this three ring circus is going to go and about how stupid our government is for taking the bait - again. Three hundred twenty plus million of us and this is the best we can come up with for leadership? Christ - we REALLY ARE doomed!
100% Correct. Darned if we do, darned if we don't.
I have had Arabs, Persians (Iranians), Indo Europeans (Kurdistanis), Afghans, etc. start wagging an accusatory finger at me, working themselves up to kill me before. Silly (Stup!d) unarmed me, trying to calm them down (note: I don't use that name, david-475776, so that they just don't shoot me outright.).
The sad thing is that we (US) are involved indirectly and directly, overt and covert.
This is a lose lose situation for the US and US Allies no matter what happens.
I fully agree.
If we intervene in Syria and Iran, it will be losses from all sides plus more hatred from ungrateful and backstabbing Sunni Saudis, Qataris, Kuwaiti and other Muslims!
US and allies have not won a major war since WWII.
Iriaqi wars, Afghan war and intervention in Libya were disasters from all sides inventing more Muslim hatred against the US, British and West.
""This direct tutelage and these dictates are not acceptable to the Syrian people anymore," Zuhair Salem, the London-based spokesman for Syria's banned Muslim Brotherhood opposition group"
Why should British cut their own legs by sheltering and giving publicity to these Islamic haters and killers like MB, Syrian Observatory for human rights?
British never learn!
Lastly, war mongers like davids can't even fight battles properly!
If you are attacking me, WRONG, I would like nothing better than being at home, enjoying a barbeque, instead of living for years of consecutive tours with the locals.
The people that hate War the most, are those that have had to do it for so long. Of the almost thousand that started out during the US Military Training Teams attached to the CIA's SAD/SOG to US Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars, rotated to Operation Cyclone; there are only a Redacted % of us left as Redacted dozen, with us training our replacements that went thru their US Military Asymmetric Warfare (aka "Special Warfare") Schools (minimum of 10.5 years after being selected after 2-6 years of service with the US Military Conventional Warfare Forces) and after they learned college level Arabic, Farsi, Pashtu and of course Islam.
As far as "fighting wars properly", too bad, losing means being dead; so unlike the US Military Conventional Warfare Forces we use US Military Asymmetric Warfare. As Historically, Asymmetric Warfare automatically wins against Conventional Warfare (Civilian attempts to make War "Civilized" with Civilian Rules of Warfare.).
If you are talking about Israel, you have to admit that even with the US, UN, Arms Embargoes against Israel they did kick the arses of the Fundamentalist Islamic Arab League of Nations (Amin Al Husseini's original charter the extermination of the Jews) repeatedly. And the Fundamentalist Islamic Arab League of Nations members losing all that land, Gaza, Palestine, West Bank, Golan Heights, Sinai, etc.; that is when the US needed to butt out. Then the people of the Nations of the Fundamentalist Islamic Arab League of Nations would have Overthrown their Fundamentalist Islamic Governments for spending all their Nation's Wealth on USSR Weapons (that got destroyed) instead of building up their own Nations like Israel.
It is Fundamentalist Islam that prevents these Islamic Nations from "Modernization", "Westernization", etc.; so instead of being happy with their own Nations they want what has been "Modernized", "Westernized" at another Nation, that is why they are not happy with all this land:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vEmtA6Odvf0/TZWJkE1NnKI/AAAAAAAABFY/9e_tCYT8G-0/s1600/arab-league-.jpg
And then there is Fundamentalist Islamic Amin Al Husseini's as the Representative to the "Islamic World" 1933 Forever Alliance with Chancellor Hitler, mutual goal of the extermination of the Jews. As part of the Fundamentalist Islamic Interpretation of the 109 Suras of the 114 Suras of the Holy Koran (Quran) Calls to All Islamic Believers to War Against the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers.
I have some sympathy for the rebel leaders on the ground in Syria. But it is harder to listen to some former university professor who has become a talking head in London, Paris, or Ankara, especially when they wear nice suits and live in fancy hotels with magical funding from heavens knows where. It is tough, but the only people worth talking to are those guys and gals who don't sleep or bathe too much because they are busy dodging bullets. And those at the sharp-end aren't the types that our 'photo op' only SOS is likely to meet.
LOL, they're surprised the US wants to pick their leaders? They must not have been paying attention to what happened in...Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya. In Caucasia, Eastern Europe, Asia, Latin America, help from the US does not translate into democracy.
In fact, in all of history, no foreign power has ever helped other people to "liberate them" (only ignorant people believe that propaganda). Countries only act in their own interests and not for humanitarian reasons.
The only difference between now and say 100+ years ago, countries would overtly say they are invading for resources/geopolitics. Now, the aims are the exact same, but the "reasoning" is humanitarian missions, or Humanitarian Imperialism.
that gives it the "kind and caring freedom loving" spin on it that they put on everything.the reason they do it is some idiots still beleive in human rights and democracy as cornerstones of america.they refuse to see that its nothing of the sort.
I'm sure there is a Syrian-born guy that's been in Atlanta for a few decades that can jump right in!
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/29/14142378-after-decades-in-exile-libyan-president-magarief-ready-to-die-for-democracy?lite
Hillary, agent of Jewish lobby, has been a disaster!
She does not have a clue of what is going. Where was she when embassy staff were attacked badly in Benghazi?
See the jokes going in Syria with Sunni Saudi rebels, al-Qaida, MB on one side and the Assad’s forces on the other sides!
Just check all languages of the media, UN Security council, human rights groups, Erdogan’s, and others! These are paid pipers of Sunni Saudis, oil companies and their lobbyists.
Shiites and Sunnis are busy battling whose Allah is greater.
What roles Hillarys, McCains, Netanyahos, Libernanns, Romneys have in Syria and Iran?
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.
Through the Muslim immoral trafficking gangs, these barbarians have assembled all varieties of poor and helpless girls and women from all over the world in their harems and brothels.
In killing of opponents again, these people have established world records in religious battles.
If the US, Britain and others support such Sunni barbarians and beasts who treat girls and women as cheap sex slaves, then one can only conclude that Saudis, oil companies and their lobbyists determine what to see, how to lecture and where and when to act.
Rest like “human rights”, “killing of children and women”, “militants”, “terrorists”, “WMDs”, “chemical weapons” and so on are a pure hoax.
Similar hoaxes were played each time before Iraqi wars on directions of Saudi, oil companies and their lobbyists.
Now none of them are looking into Iraq, where at least a million have been killed and devastated.
Twice are too much to tolerate.
Sometimes I cannot figure out where you are coming from. Some of your comments make sense and some are delirious. I think you post them some before and some after you take your medications.
farideh kashanian: I don't take medications.
I feel same about you.
May be: you are ignoring history of followers of Islamic cult.
As an Armenian descent, I thought you knew the pains and look to whole picture.
I had posted my comments on your "amazing" posts, which did not make sense to me. You have ignored them.
We need to stay out of this and let these Muslims kill each other as long as they are willing to. The more the better, maybe it will spill over into Iran. One can only hope. We need to back away from this and keep out of it.
The Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran's Special Forces, Quds, were previously training, arming, funding them so why should they care.
The Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran actually wants the Syrian Mediterranean Port of Tartus; currently occupied by their Ally the Russian Federation (also their only Mediterranean Port).
You have posted 200 percent right thing.
By the by, if losers like davids want to fight let them go and fight there instead of sending poor soldiers to do the dirty work for them.
Followers of Islamic cult, especially Sunni Saudi inspired Islamic radicals and militants (al-Qaida, Salaffi, Wahhabi, MB, Taliban and other label ones), are fast marching backwards to their seventh century desert tribal days.
They are indulging in rapings, lootings, killings and genocides of non-Muslims (Darfur, S. Sudan, Nigeria and spreading like wild fire in many regions and Muslims (Libya, Yemen, Mali, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other places).
Sunni Saudi backed Salaffi and MB new chapters are opening up in Egypt. Just watch the fate of Christians, women and Israel as the time goes by.
Even in Syria, if Assad is overthrown by Sunni Islamic religious Nazis like al-Qaida, MB, the conditions of Christians will be unbearable just like Iraq.
Iran can get nukes from Pakis. Just like before Iraqi wars, war mongers are inventing all sorts of stories!
Pakis and Sunni Saudis and co are responsible for 80 percent of world problems including economic ones. Examine the devastations with Iraqi wars and now sanctions on Iranian oil and the resultant oil price manipulations.
They are making the lives of their own people also miserable by their Islamic religious madness to the intolerable levels.
david-475776
David, I don't much care who is behind the revolt as long as it is Muslims killing Muslims. I don't see anything but good coming from that as long as we keep our distance and stay out of it. I hope they pretty much massacre each other. Islam is a pestilence much like Nazism, the only real difference is that Islam is a political system that has its own built in pseudo religion or cult. The Nazis were a political system, but with no religion component. The Islamics get their political correctness from their built in religion. They should be reduced in political stature to cult status and dealt with from that level like the Nazis were.
The OBAMA administration is AFRAID to give the FREE SYRIAN ARMY and the OPPOSITION "advanced weapons", for FEAR that these weapons will fall into the wrong hands, where it could be used against us in the future.
I AGREE. Case in point: LIBYA. After the REBELS won their fight against their dictator, Moamar Quadaffi even our representative AMBASSADOR wasn't SAFE from an AMBUSH. NOW, Libya is AWASH in DEADLY WEAPONS of WAR.
ANY OPPOSITION...will always remain........FRACTIOUS, without ANY of them truly REPRESENTING their country.
It's like a "free for all" situation after any conflict.
To be honest the whole Libya argument doesn't hold water. The rebels at that time no longer were rebels and instead government forces. The ambassador was attacked by those groups that don't wish to join the new government. So, I don't see it as a failure, when the Libyan people have been very apologetic and are still cooperating with the US in getting the groups responsible.
Saying that, I agree with the current stance of the administration. No weapons or support if you guys don't join together with a positive cause. Seems Syria can't even join together to fight one adversary.
Josh-1114172,
The "Libyan Rebels" were:
The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group were those Islamic Jihadist Foreign Fighters that were killing US Military at Iraq, they become the Government of Libya.
The Fundamentalist Islamic Al Quada Saudi Arabia (AQ), Al Quada Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al Quada Syria (AQS), Al Quada Yemen (AQY), Hezbollah, Al Quada Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), etc. at Libya become Ansar Al Shariah to protect and instate Fundamentalist Islamic Shia (Sharia) Laws as the Rule of Law for Libya.
Ansar Al Shariah starts planning their attacks against the US And US Allies, and eliminations of Pro President Gaddaffi Supporters as Collaborators to the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers.
I think theAdministration's message is loud and clear. We are wary of the Muslim Brotherhood, we are hesitant to provide them with weapons that can later be turned against us. Rightfully so.
What the West is saying is if you want to negotiate a new government and you want our support, we have a right to prevent extremist regimes like the Muslim Brotherhood, from taking complete control. We must leverage our support against that.
If we ignore what's going on, extremist Islamists will gain more footage in the ME.
Pretty funny!
WE are an "extremist group" also. Zionists are an "extremist group" also.
Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan, Lebanon, Palistine, Iran... how many places are we bombing, cruise missle attacking, drone straffing, assassinating, invading, blockading, economy chocking, sabotaging...?
How many?
But, hey, just call it "defense" or "democracy promoting", but don't call it "extreme", or heavens!, "terrorism".
We have to be careful not to fund a bunch of Sunni Al Qaeda extremists instead of a broadly based government. The only lasting solution should be a Lebanese type government with every major group represented, including those that are currently supporting Assad ( who obviously must go).
Probably we should stay out of any military help and just offer humanitarian assistance in the refugee camps in Turkey and in Syria to the extent possible.
Tompom,
You and Jonathan-1982062 need to get things straight.
Shia: Fundamentalist Islamic Interpretation of the Holy Koran Only. Fundamentalist Islamic Shia (Sharia) Laws, Holy Koran as Law and Ancient Islamic Customs (Hadith) as Law. Belief in the Holy Koran (Quran) Calls to All Islamic Believers to War Against the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers. The majority of Islam is Fundamentalist Islamic Believers, as they kill off all others.
example: The Fundamentalist Islamic Al Quada was originally created by Fundamentalist Islamic Osama Bin Laden to Overthrow the Sunnis US Ally Saudi Arabian Government.
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/01/14846800-22-killed-135-hurt-by-explosion-in-saudi-arabias-capital?lite
Sunnis: Moderate Liberal Interpretation of the Holy Koran. Fiqh (Logic) as Law. Belief in negotiations, political solutions, the use of armed force last. Usually, Sunnis are killed by the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia as shot in the face during Sunnis negotiations ("empty words"), as the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia believe in "The Dead Do Not Complain". The minority of Islamic Believers after centuries of being killed off by the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia.
The Current Problem in this area, the Fundamentalist Islamic Autonomous Kurdistanis Region of Southern Turkey, Syria, Northern Iraq, Northwestern Iran, is that the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran's Special Forces, Quds, has been training, funding, arming hundreds of thousands of "Holy Warriors of Islam". Like the Fundamentalist Islamic Muslim Brotherhood;Fundamentalist Islamic Kurdistanis PKK, HPG, KGK; Fundamentalist Islamic Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, Fundamentalist Islamic Al Quada International Franchises; Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban; Fundamentalist Islamic Hamas Foreign Fighters; Fundamentalist Islamic Army of Islam Gaza; Fundamentalist Islamic Hezbollah; Fundamentalist Islamic Chechen Foreign Fighters; Fundamentalist Islamic Al Sheebah; Fundamentalist Islamic Pakistanis Taliban; very long list of etc..
If you are wondering why this happened, it was because in 2009 President Obama's Policies were seen by the Ayatollahs of Iran as President Obama negotiating from a position of US Defeat. So to secure the Fundamentalist Islamic Autonomous Kurdistanis Region for this purpose, they had to get the Islamic Shia Nation of Iraq to KICKOUT the US from Iraq. The Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran used two approaches, one as Fundamentalist Islamic Shia as a commonality, and two if they did not Kick the US out, the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran would eliminate the Iraqis Government.
Iraq is Strategically Important to the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran, due to the Iraqis Oil Wealth. Location closer to obtaining the Syrian Mediterranean Ports (to attack the US European Allies, aka the Crusaders). Expansion against the size of the Borders against US Ally Turkey. Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran no longer stuck between two US and US Allies Military Forces (Iraq and Afghanistan, two fronts), so that they can concentrate on Afghanistan.
The problem with Syria is that the Fundamentalist Islamic Jihadists from the Fundamentalist Islamic Autononomous Kurdistanis Region spilled over into Syria, especially the Kurdistanis PKK, HPG, KGK, that want part of Syria as the Nation of Kurdistan; and mixed in with them are the Fundamentalist Islamic Al Quada Franchise of Syria (AQS). Then there is the problem of the Fundamentalist Islamic Hezbollah.
Not even "humanitarian assistance", as stated in the President Obama January 21, 2009 Patriot Acts, the Section on (NO) Material Support to Terrorist Organizations, in that providing "Material Support" of any kind (including, building materials, medical supplies, food, etc.) allows the "Terrorist Organizations" to use their finite funds to buy weapons, ammunition, etc. instead of spending their funds to purchase those items provided as Humanitarian Assistance. 2010 US Supreme Court upheld that decision.
From firsthand experience, at Pakistan; it is common for the Fundamentalist Islamic Pakistanis Taliban to "Rebrand" Foreign Assistance to Fundamentalist Islamic Pakistanis Taliban, as if they and not the International Community is providing the Humanitarian Assistance. This is to get the Pakistanis People on their side and against the US Ally Pakistanis Government. This is why they almost got caught, and threatened to kill any International Assistance Workers after the Pakistanis Flood. I have seen this before, the use of Starvation as an Islamic Weapon, at Sudan, Somalia, Redacted, Palestine, Redacted, etc..
Why on earth would the Syrian leadership want to take any advice from Hilary and the Obama administration after seeing the fiasco they have created in Libya? Far from being "on the run" as Obama claims, Al-Quaeda now seems to rule the roost in Libya (at least in the region of Benghazi). Maybe if Obama goes over to Syria and apologizes for sending a woman to speak to them, then if he does a really deep bow for them they might be our friends.
Al Qaeda doesn't rule Benghazi. They are just blending with the people since they arrived in order to support the revolution. They are angry that the Libyan people made a deal with the US, which is their arch enemy.
In Syria, Al Qaeda has also arrived and is offering support to the Syrians. The US is offering support with the same agreement that they made with the Libya, to form a unified government. However, Syria in general has been brainwashed to hate the US and its allies, and is more divided than Libya with different sanctions. Meaning it will be almost impossible to join and make a government.
Josh-1114172,
Nice attempt, but wrong.
Without disclosing Classified (information withheld from US Public):
Life during President Gaddaffi, contract with Libyan Citizens in his "Green Book": Loans to Libyan citizens were given with "NO interest". Students would get paid the average salary for the profession they are studying for. If you’d be unable to get the employment the state would pay the full salary as if you were employed. When you got married the couple got an apartment or house for free. You could go to college anywhere in the world, the state paid 2,500 euros plus for accommodation and a car. The cars were sold at factory cost. Libya does not owe money, (not a cent) to anyone, No credits. Free education and health care. 25% of population with a university degree. No beggars on the streets and no homeless. Bread costs $0.15. Gasoline $0.33 per liter, during the attacks $0.66 per liter. Human Rights and Libyan Citizen's Rights as praised by the UN and UA (African Union). All this disappeared after the Overthrow of President Gaddaffi.
President Gaddaffi and Libya as a US Ally, to get the President Bush US and UN Sanctions and Embargoes lifted so he would ship Libyan Oil to the US European Allies: Collaborated with the CIA. President Gaddaffi had his Libyan Military hunting the Islamic Jihadists at Libya. Stopped his pursuit of Nuclear Power. Turned over his Chemical Weapons to the US. Transfer of US Islamic Jihadists Prisoners from Guantanamo to President Gaddaffi's Prisons (including later President Obama's). Human Rights and Libyan Citizen's Rights as praised by the UN and UA (African Union).
The Fundamentalist Islamic Arab League of Nations is demanding President Gaddaffi's Death for Collaborating with the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers, a Death Penalty Fatawa is issued.
Most of the work that the Libyan Citizens do not want to do are done by Foreigners brought into Libya, and have no Libyan Citizens Rights nor the Libyan Citizens Entitlements listed in President Gaddaffi's Green Book.
The Holy Warriors of Islam (aka Islamic Jihadists) are gathering at Libya, after the Overthrow of US Ally Egypt. Many Intelligence Agencies are stating that these Islamic Jihadists are the Fundamentalist Islamic Al Quada Saudi Arabia (AQ), Al Quada Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al Quada Syria (AQS), Al Quada Yemen (AQY), Hezbollah, Al Quada Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), etc. as trained by the Quds Special Forces of the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran at the Fundamentalist Islamic Autonomous Kurdistanis Region of Northern Iraq, Syria, Southern Turkey, and Northwestern Iran to Overthrow the Established Governments of US Allies.
President Gaddaffi warns everyone about the Fundamentalist Islamic Jihadists gathering at Libya, President Gaddaffi's Military starts to fight them, the Islamic Jihadists go back and forth between Libya and Egypt, so President Gaddaffi's Libyan Military cannot eliminate the Islamic Jihadists without violating Egypt's Sovereignty. President Obama ignores this just like he ignored US Ally Iraq, US Ally Egypt, US Ally Saudi Arabia, US Ally Turkey, US Ally Pakistan, President of Syria, etc. until it was too late.
President Gaddaffi f**ks up, declares Libyan Oil Nationalization. Due to President Obama's Policies the US and US Allies have lost the Iraqis Oil, this makes the Libyan Oil of Strategic Importance to the US European Allies. Other Governments that previously declared Oil Nationalization, with them being Overthrown, Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh of Iran (1953), President Hussein of Iraq "Modernization of the Arab World" (Iraqis Oil Nationalization). Failed US Overthrow attempt President Chavez of Venezuela (1999-2000).
Why Benghazi: Thousands of Islamic Jihadists flood into Benghazi with the Asymmetric Warfare intent of killing the Libyan Military Guards, seizing the weapons, ammunition at the the 60 bunker Hight Razma facility on the eastern outskirts of Benghazi and a 35 bunker facility on the eastern outskirts of Ajdabiyah." The term "bunkers" is a misnomer as some of these "bunkers" were the size of warehouses. After the Libyan Military Guards were massacred at these Libyan Munitions Depots, the Facilities were left unguarded. This is how about 20,000 shoulder launched portable SA-7 anti aircraft missiles ended up "missing"; believed to be currently in the hands of Al Quada and the rest of the Islamic Terrorists (Jihadist, Worldwide Islamic Military), possible use shoot down US and US Ally Commercial Airlines (Aircraft) worldwide (after all the other publicly known failed attempts); most US Military and US Ally Military Aircraft have detection and countermeasures (some are still shot down by SA-7s, mistaken for RPGs (similar warhead). ). Then inciting the Foreign Workers brought into Libya to demand Libyan Citizens Rights and Entitlements.
President Gaddaffi sends his Libyan Military to fight the Islamic Jihadists and Foreign Worker Protesters and Demonstrators gone violent (murdered Libyan Military).
President Obama then claims that President Gaddaffi is a "Dictator Killing his own people" (not Gaddaffi's own Libyan Citizens but Islamic Jihadists).
President Gaddaffi orders the Foreign Workers to leave his Country, most do not and actively join the Islamic Jihad to Overthrow President Gaddaffi the Collaborator to the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers; again the Fundamentalist Islamic Arab League of Nations demands the Overthrow of President Gaddaffi.
The Libyan Oil:
During the "G" Meeting at France, that was attended by SOS Clinton, the European Oil Corporations Lobby the European Politicians to Overthrow President Gaddaffi to stop his Libyan Oil Nationalization (majority of Profits remain in Libya); the Fundamentalist Islamic Arab League of Nations (Original Charter the Elimination of the Jews) as a new Member, League of Arab States, aka Fundamentalist Islamic Arab League of Nations, demands the Overthrow of Former US Ally President Gaddaffi and February 22, 2011 remove President Gaddaffi from membership (President Gaddaffi's Military killing Holy Warriors of Islam originally went to Libya to Overthrow President Gaddaffi as previously demanded by the Fundamentalist Islamic League of Arab States.).
These European Oil Corporations demand President Gaddaffi's Overthrow to stop his Libyan Oil Nationalization: BP (Britain), Total, Elf (France), Eni (Italy), OMV (Austria), Statoil (Norway), etc.. So instead of these European Oil Corporations hiring cheap Libyan Labor then keeping all the Profits, with Gaddaffi's Resource Nationalization, they would get almost nothing and the majority of the profits would remain in Libya. So in anticipation of their Governments Military Actions to Overthrow Gaddaffi to stop his Resource Nationalization, "Non essential" personnel were evacuated February 21, 2011.
US Army Special Forces LTC Woods and his Specialized Security Teams are at Libya since February. It is Routine to attach US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces to the CIA's SAD/SOG to conduct Targeting and Target Damage Assessments to minimize Civilian Casualties during Airstrikes and Cruise Missile Attacks. The US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces Missions are routinely Special Reconnaissance, Special Surveillance, Foreign Internal Defense, Insurgency (training the locals to Overthrow a Established Government), Counter Insurgency (stop others from Overthrowing a US Ally's Established Government), etc..
President Obama as Commander In Chief Orders the US Military to attack Libya in violation of the US Law that Restricts or Limits the Presidential War Powers, US Law, 1973 War Powers Resolution (Act). President Obama failed to notify both Houses of US Congress 48 hours prior to ANY US Military Actions. US Congress does not have time to write a US Law with US Congressional Appropriations, like they did for President Clinton (42) and President Bush (43). President Obama uses not previously Budgeted for Discretionary Spending including to fund NATO's Bombs, Fuel, Cruise Missiles, etc.. Afterwards on behalf of President Obama SOS Clinton apologizes to US Congress, "I'm sorry".
The Results: President Gaddaffi is murdered. Most of the Libyan Citizens that benefited as President Gaddaffi Supporters flee Libya (See Life During President Gaddaffi above). The Islamic Jihadists get another Islamic Nation. Mediterranean Ports closer to attack the US European Allies aka Crusaders. US European Allies lose the Libyan Oil to the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran's Ally, the Chinese. 20,000 portable shoulder launched anti aircraft SA-7 missiles end up in the hands of the Islamic Jihadists with their stated goal of shooting down US Civilian Airlines "to cripple the US Economy". Strategic Location for the Islamic Jihadists to get the other African Nations, just like Egypt was key to get Libya.
The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group were those Islamic Jihadist Foreign Fighters that were killing US Military at Iraq, they become the Government of Libya.
The Fundamentalist Islamic Al Quada Saudi Arabia (AQ), Al Quada Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al Quada Syria (AQS), Al Quada Yemen (AQY), Hezbollah, Al Quada Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), etc. at Libya become Ansar Al Shariah to protect and instate Fundamentalist Islamic Shia (Sharia) Laws as the Rule of Law for Libya.
Ansar Al Shariah starts planning their attacks against the US And US Allies, and eliminations of Pro President Gaddaffi Supporters as Collaborators to the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers.
Update October 2012: As stated before Libya is Strategic to attack other African Nations, Ansar Al Shariah attacks Mali.
PRESIDENT OBAMA AND VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR POLITICAL GAIN INFLAMED THE 1.5 BILLION ISLAMIC BELIEVERS WORLDWIDE TO VIOLENCE AGAINST THE US WORLDWIDE AS RELAYED TO THE ISLAMIC BELIEVERS AT ALL THE MOSQUES WORLDWIDE.
Biden at DNC (as well as 6 months before): "Bin Laden is dead, General Motors is alive"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKCwQnIygcw
With the Islamic Believer Demonstators and Islamic Jihadists Worldwide chanting:
"OBAMA OBAMA WE ARE ALL OSAMA" DEMO IN TUNISIA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfaKSX3m7Tk
Cairo protesters- Obama we are all Osama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pJGX1JzyFc
President Obama then blames this on a video that most did not see because many do not have electricity, cell service, nor internet; and were told the video existed by the Imams at the Mosques.
Result DEAD US CITIZENS and the Islamic World's Increased Hatred of the US for the "Murder" (their word) of their "Holy Warrior of Islam" Superstar Osama Bin Laden. This is worse than going to Italy and Murdering the Pope and continually bragging Internationally. Most Pro US and Neutral Islamic Believers Worldwide then join the Holy Warriors of Islam against the US and US Allies. This becomes the Unifying Force for the over 1.5 Billion Islamic Believers Worldwide (Majority being Fundamentalist Islamic Believers).
And it was President Bush that kept GM alive with his: 2008 President Bush's GM and Chrysler Indicative Summary of Terms for Secured Term Loan Facility (Final Terms and Appendix).
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/sep/22/barack-obama/obama-says-bush-administration-put-no-conditions-a/
US Army Special Forces LTC Wood and his US Army Special Forces Specialized Support Teams writes up a Security Assessment for the US Embassy at Tripoli, and the US Consulate at Benghazi, as well as an "On the Ground" INSUM for Libya. This Security Assessment would have gone thru multiple channels, the President's Own Executive Intelligence Agency, the CIA, cc President Obama; SOS Clinton and the US Department of State, cc President Obama; Secretary of Defense and Pentagon, cc, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, cc President Obama; Redacted, cc President Obama; Commander US AFRICOM, cc Commander US SETAF, cc Commander US EUCOM, cc President Obama.
US Ambassador Stevens is a Presidential Appointee, with Direct Access to President Obama.
US Ambassador Stevens states his concerns, and requests that US Army Special Forces LTCWood and his US Army Special Forces Specialized Support Teams remain at Libya, and or addtional US Security Forces (not Libyan). Before any of you start saying what could the few of US Army Special Forces LTC Wood and his US Army Special Forces Specialized Support Teams could have done, go learn about the previous Historically Documented DA (Direct Action) Missions of the US Army Special Forces.
I got to see the entire Video that is more than likely going to be posted in the future as an Islamic Jihadist Training Video, that starts with Ansar Al Sharia driving up with pick up trucks with heavy machineguns, and mortars mounted to the pickup truck beds and ending with the guy in the white shirt being interviewed with looters in the background.
There are also the limited video surveillance cameras of the US Consulate Benghazi, the video recovery being one of the primary missions of US AFRICOM as coordinated thru US SETAF. Just because you don't have access, just like the mission cams, video conferences for the SR Mission that turned into a DA Mission (Raid) at Pakistan in accordance with President Bush's 2006 Amending the US No Assassination Policy and previously Presidential Delegated Authority Planned Mission; go right ahead, you can wait about 20 years and obtain the information about 20 years from now thru the FOIA (Freedom Of Information Act).
If you want to see the start to finish Islamic Jihadist videos attack on the US Consulate, learn to use the almost illegal means to circumvent the US Monitoring and Censorship that blocks the videos from the US based on IP Addresses, (learn Arabic and or Farsi also), this training (how to) video is like the Islamic Jihadist's Training Video for their attacks against USMC Leatherneck (British Camp Baston) at Afghanistan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT62cLdygZE&feature=relmfu;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOD2TbDlgVg&feature=relmfu )
I don't doubt that the US had its motives in sending in support during the Libya uprising, however, you're diverting from the argument that Al Qaeda rules Benghazi. Just because Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups and organizations have established home bases there, doesn't mean they rule the city. That's why there are still on going battles within the city by the new government forces vs those groups.
Here we go again.
The US picking the leaders of a puppet government.
Excellent way to antagonize the general population.
Doesn't anyone in government have a brain and think ahead?
GET THE HE** OUT ! ! !
Puppet governments? You mean the governments that have been chosen by the people in those countries? Seeing as how some of these new governments don't do what the US wants them to do and where our enemies even are part of the government.
Really, you never have been to Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.. Their version of "Voter Intimidation", is a bullet or collecting chopped off fingers with purple ink on them.
(Extreme Sarcasm) Sure the people chose those governments.
Right, so the US government has agents intimidating and murdering civilians all over the world to set puppet governments. I've actually been to a few of those countries, and believe it or not, they are selected by the people and intimidation and murders come from infighting for control not because the US sent in their agents to set up a puppet government. Maybe if you knew more people within those countries you would understand that multiple factions want power, and most likely the ones that do hate the US and its allies to the death.
Josh - People of Syria did not "choose" Bashir to take his father's place, just like in NK, its a dynasty.
Many younger women are looking to date older guys, mainly because older guys are relatively more successful in career and understand better how to treat their women. Many couples with age gap work out fine and get alone splendidly. ( MeetYounger dot com) is a focused community for older men dating younger women. If you are ready for a new adventure, give them a try!
Why on earth would the Syrian opposition leaders want anything to do with American leadership after seeing how badly the Obama administration has botched everything in Libya? Al-Qaeda now rules the roost in Libya! They are far from being "on the run" as Obama claimed in the campaign trail speeches days before they killed four Americans including our Ambassador in Behghazi. Perhaps if Obama went to Syria and apologized for having had a woman speak to them, and then if he offered them a very deep bow they might be our friends.
"the Obama administration said it would push"... Hahaha, that's pretty funny.
There are rebels believing in a cause and there are psychopath killers (Much like uncontrollable Rabid Dogs) according to television interviews where Libyan Fighters have gone to Syria chanting that Islam has no borders.......... Will the Muslim Brotherhood and Morsi through intimidation, end up in charge in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Syria, Jordan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc.. and then will they move towards Turkey and Southern Russia..... Or possibly towards Saudi Arabia................................... It seems Pandora's Box has been opened and literally anything can happen; bringing about a real catastrophic happening in this world.............. Time is the teller of all............ Good Luck to all...
March 28, 2011, "when people were being brutalized in Bosnia in the 1990s, it took the international community more than a year to intervene with air power to protect civilians." www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/03/28/president-obama-s-speech-libya
“To brush aside America’s responsibility as a leader and — more profoundly — our responsibilities to our fellow human beings under such circumstances would have been a betrayal of who we are,” (Except in an election year?)
“Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries. The United States of America is different,” (Except in an election year)
“And as president, I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action.”
I have been to Aleppo and never met a kinder people ..
President Clinton watched mass murder in Bosnia for a year .. waiting for the Kremlin to give him the OK to stop it .. finally he manned up to using force to stop the mass murder ..
Wasn't it someone named Obama who said "Never Again" ?
Let me see where did this come from.......
N on
B elieveable
C ow caca
So glad Hillary clarified our position on this matter. Syrian exiles in London shouldn't expect our unconditional support.
They need to be on the ground in Syria, chanting "Allahu Akbar" while mowing down captured Syrian soldiers.
We should be supporting Assad, not the opposition.
I'm not sure Obama learned much of anything from his wonderful Libyan misadventure.
Of course, Romney is even more clueless (in Israel's pocket).
If war mongers like Hillarys, McCains, Camerons, Hollandes, Netanyahus/davids, Romneys want our intervention in Syria or Iran, let them lead by example and send their children first to battles!
No intervention in Syria, Iran or any other Muslim nation.
Iran can get its nuke from Pakis. Let there be no more stories on Iranian nukes!
Just like before each Iraqi wars, autocratic, highly corrupt and despotic bigoted Sunni Sunni Saudi, UAE, Qatar, Kuwaiti and Sunni oil rich nations are stage managing their dances and actions through oil companies, extremist Jewish lobbys and their puppets in the US, Britain, EU and other nations on Syria and Iran.
In these bombings, Sunni Saudi proxy al-Qaida is involved. In Syria, Syrian rebels are backed by a-Qaida and MB. In Egypt, Islamic fundamentalist Morsi is a front cover for the Sunni Islamic extremist Salaffi, MB and others.
With sanctions on Iranian oil, oil prices which was around $40 in 2009 has crossed $110 now.
If Iraqi wars gave us PIIGS, there will more nations added to PIIGS.
As austerity measures wind up all UN and its agencies and partisan and most worthless IMF and WB.
ME is not our business. Just keep miles away.
IRAQ WARS
Net results of Saudi, Kuwait, UAE, oil companies and their lobbyists directed 1991 and 2003 Iraqi wars are
WINNERS
1. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and other rich ME sharks became richer by manipulating oil prices too high.
2. Oil companies and their lobbyists also benefitted. Oil prices, which were hardly $30 a barrel before 1991, shot up to $140 a barrel.
3. Since 2003, future traders, rating agencies, Wall Street and oil companies and their lobbyists transferred five trillion dollars from oil importing countries to oil exporting nations.
4. Rich Sunni ME sharks (Saudi Arabia in particular) funded Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques and Islamic radicals and terrorists all over the world. These Sunni Islamic radicals and terrorists are rampaging all over the world. World’s 80 percent of problems are due to them.
LOSERS
1. General US and European nations’ public. There have been high unemployment, cut in welfare measures, housing market collapse and more miseries. Since 2001, US spent three trillion dollars on Iraq and Afghan wars. Did the Saudis and co foot the bill?
2. Poor soldiers killed and injured and their families. In Iraq and Afghan wars 6300 soldiers were killed and 40000 injured.
3. High budget deficits and heavier borrowing. Many nations (PIIGS) and people are on line to bankruptcy!
4. Iraq will plunge into bloody sectarian civil wars leading to the creation of Shiastan, Sunnistan and Kurdistan. Here the losses are of Iraqis.
Do you keep these on file and re-post them over and over again? that is what they do in dictatorial countries - like your idol Iran. It is called Brainwashing.
The people fighting Assad are being supplied weapons by the USA and Israel not to mention strategies; the weapons certainly haven't been grown on trees. Many of the thugs/insurgents/mercenaries are the same ones used against Libya. The 1981 "Sharon Doctrine" dictates that Syria must be taken along with other countries such as Egypt, Lebenon, Iraq, etc. already taken and "no apologies given". How much longer will the majority in the world watch these atrocities without intervention to stop Israel and its puppet USA? Also needs to be mentioned is how much longer will the USA enable the Zionist holocaust against the Palestinian people.
This is just so ludicrous. The rebel opposition is despicable. When your enemy surrenders, you don't spray them will bullets! And we are going to continue to defend these animals who will not even honor basic rules of engagement?! No way. I personally want nothing to do with this civil war nor do I have any desire to support this hodge podge of radicals of which we will never be able to assimilate into a normal system of governing and social advancement. Let em all just die in their own self glorifed "martyr" complex. As far as I know, Assad never started this battle, never just opened fire on his people before these maniacal fundamentalists lost control and decided to overthrow their country's stability and peace. We, as a highly developed and rational nation, have no reason to put our seal of approval on this chaotic civil war. We have no reason to support a group of imbalanced, irrational, ignorant fighters who don't even have a valid and cohesive command structure in place. Now I can see why Syria's allies are working quietly in the background to aid him and attempt to prevent the complete overthrow and destruction of Syria by hyped up and crazed maniacs. Really, what ever happened to the days of bloodless coups?