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Smoke fills the sky after an air strike in Ras al-Ain, Syria. The town is on the border with Turkey and the close proximity of the raids have drawn condemnation from Ankara.
A Syrian warplane struck homes in the town of Ras al-Ain, which is within sight of the Turkish border, as it pursued an aerial bombardment designed to force out rebels. The attacks drew a new warning on Tuesday from Turkey, which has vowed to defend itself from any violation of its territory.
The second day of jet strikes sent Syrians scurrying through the flimsy barbed-wire fence that divides Ras al-Ain from the Turkish settlement of Ceylanpinar as thick plumes of smoke rose above the town.
Medical workers and refugees in Ceylanpinar said bombing on Monday and Tuesday struck residential areas in the town, which fell to rebels last week during an advance into Syria's mixed Arab and Kurdish northeast.
n jets and helicopters attacked a rebel-held town just feet from the Turkish border, sending scores of civilians fleeing into Turkey. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
The offensive has caused some of the biggest refugee movements since the armed revolt against President Bashar Assad began in March last year, and brought the war back perilously close to Turkish soil.
Turkey is reluctant to be drawn into a regional conflict but the proximity of the bombing raids to the border is testing its pledge to defend itself from any spillover of violence from Syria.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan stressed that Ankara would not hesitate to respond if threatened.
"We are giving the necessary response on the border and will not refrain from a much harsher response if necessary," he told deputies of his AK Party. "Nobody should play with fire or try to test Turkey's patience."
NATO will defend Turkey in conflict with Syria, says chief
Turkey has repeatedly fired back in retaliation for stray gunfire and mortar rounds flying across its 560-mile border with Syria, and is talking to NATO allies about the possible deployment of Patriot surface-to-air missiles.
‘This won’t stop’
A Turkish health official at the hospital in Ceylanpinar said rebel fighters were trying to pull the wounded from under the rubble of a house. Refugees say the fighters are taking cover in homes, many of them abandoned by residents who have fled for Turkey.
"As soon as we heard the jets, we knew they would bomb. It hit another house just 100 meters (yards) away," Mohammad Kahan, 49, a Kurd who fled Ras al-Ain with nine members of his family, said of Monday's bombardment. "This won't stop, Assad will not go until America and Britain come and stop him. Only these two can stop him."
Opposition activists say at least a dozen people died on Monday, the latest of an estimated 38,000 victims of the 19-month civil war. The casualty toll on Tuesday was not known.
In one 24-hour period last week, some 9,000 Syrians fled fighting during a rebel advance into Syria's northeast, swelling to over 120,000 the number of registered refugees in Turkish camps, with winter setting in.
Soft-spoken preacher Mouaz al-Khatib is chosen to lead new united Syrian opposition
Tens of thousands more are unregistered and living in Turkish homes.
NBC News
People resisting the army of President Bashar al-Assad in northern Syria cope with loss and prepare for fighting.
In total, at least 2.5 million Syrians are believed to have fled their homes because of civil war, aid groups said on Tuesday, more than double previous estimates. The figure comes from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.
"If anything, they believe it could be more, that this is a very conservative estimate," Melissa Fleming, chief spokeswoman of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told a news briefing. "So people are moving, people are really on the run, hiding. They are difficult to count and to access," she said.
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A look back at the violence that has overtaken the country
Analysis: US loses patience with Syria opposition group
Only 5 percent of the 2.5 million are believed to be living in public facilities, including warehouses and schools, said Fleming. The rest are staying with host families, making it more difficult to count them.
Also on Tuesday, Syrian jets and artillery hit the town of Albu Kamal on the frontier with Iraq, where rebels have seized some areas, according to the mayor of the Iraqi border town of Qaim.
Tension remained high in the Golan Heights, where Israeli gunners have retaliated against stray Syrian mortar fire landing on the occupied plateau in the previous two days.
Rebels press for recognition
The leader of Syria's new opposition coalition called on Tuesday on European states to recognize it as the legitimate government and provide it with funds to buy the weapons it needs to overthrow Assad.
But Britain and France appeared to set further conditions, notably for rallying support inside the country, before they grant full recognition to the Syrian National Coalition. And, like the United States, Europeans are still reluctant to arm rebel forces which include anti-Western Islamist militants.
"I request European states to grant political recognition to the coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people and to give it financial support," Mouaz al-Khatib, the Damascus preacher elected unopposed at a meeting in Doha, Qatar on Sunday to lead the new group.
France's defense minister and Britain's foreign minister both said on Tuesday that forming the new group under al-Khatib, a moderate noted for his embrace of Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, was an important step but not sufficient for full recognition as a government entitled to take over in Damascus.
Machine guns operated by motorcycle brakes? Get a glimpse at the rebels fighting against Assad's forces in Syria's mountainous Jabal al-Zawiya area.
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Personally, I hope Turkey just goes in and cleans house in Syria an does so all the way to Damascus! Assad needs to be taught some serious lessons by a real a army. The Turkish military are some serious customers as far armies go and Assad would be well advised to leave his neighbors alone or suffer some serious hurt.
Who does it benefit for Turkey to become involved? Does it make sense for Assad to antagonize Turkey? Doesn't it make more sense for the terrorist rebels to point their collective fingers at Assad while lobbing ordinance into Turkey?
Let Turkey handle this Syria's problem as they did in Cyprus!
Erdogan and Turkey have to act instead of dancing, weeping, chest beating and so on before the US, British, French, Germans and others!
If they are part of NATO, where were they during Iraqi wars and now Afghan war?
Jonathan-1982062 that was war on Muslims, it didn't feel right with the new Islamic Turkish government, also they were not convinced of the lies made by Bush about Iraq. However, this is Muslim on Muslim war and Assad is a secular, Erdogan's party wants Islamic governments all around.
Nevertheless, Turkish forces fought bravely along with the US during the Korean War and that is a fact.
Jonathan, you keep repeating the same thing over and over, and if you'd spend 2 minutes checking you'd see that there are Turkish troops in Afghanistan.
The Turks cannot go in an clean house. Only a mind frozen in the early 20th Century could come up with something like that. I am Syrian and I oppose Erdoghan's Islamist regime and efforts to intimidate the Syrian people. Our army is powerful and is backed by the Russian navy, not to mention Iran and Iraq. So go fly a kite, it's about all the Turks have anyways.
Indeed Mike, there are. Also, Turkey is one of our stongest European allies with the third largest military in the world I believe....and they are a very capable fighting force.
Well then, the time for Turkey to talk (pardon the pun) is over. They should put up, or shut up. If they are as well armed as people say they are, they should have no problem flattening the Assad regime troops. Ten thousand bucks says, however; they'll come to US all misty eyed pizzing and moaning that their little "military endeavor" with Syria was a little bit more than they could chew off and they need "a little bit" of our help. Call the waaaaaaahhhhhhbulance, please. NOT INTERESTED. PASS.
They are a secular, "peace loving" nation, supposedly - aren't they? Maybe they could hit up Netanyahu for a couple of pointers and nukes instead, to finish off the job.
"All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting." ~George Orwell
If Turkey England (and now France) want to attack Syria (and Russia) by all means "Let Them"....But NATO is a Defensive "Treaty" and they all have self admitted "They are the Aggressors" against Syria so "Our" NATO Treaty "Does Not Apply"!
If Americans truly believe in supporting the poor little "brown people" who are so "endangered" let US "prove it" by first starting to "clean house" in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE & Qatar!
The UN Globalist who control Wall Street and Bloody British & French Governments merely want to embroil US in another of their "Not Wars" to weaken US further and cause even more loss of our precious Blood & Treasure merely for THEIR Futher Fun & Profits!
Just say NO to another "Not War" and just say YES to "Impeachment" if Obama pulls another "Libya" on US!
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—for ever." ~George Orwell, 1984
HOTTICKET,
Turkey is part of a European Coalition that as a whole is armed with nuclear weapons. They do not need any from Isreal. And their military consists of the 2nd most capable military in the world outside of our own. They contribute the second largest contengent of military personel and hardware to NATO. And they are a valuable US ally.
They want no part of the conflict in Syria. They, like Isreal however, have every right to protect their citizens from the civil war that is bleeding over across the border.
It would be very arrogant to underestimate Turkey in any conflict. They will not be crying to anybody.
Who's side are you on, the Taliban and Al Qaeda ? That's just not right Navy Doc.
Taliban?
I think you meant Hezbollah. Not that it makes much difference.
Thorny, I am on the side of the innocent people caught in the middle getting injured, maimed, and killed every day for no good reason! If that is not right then I don't know what is, do you?
It benefits Turkey for one. Hello! The Syrian army, or the rebels started to and has continued to lob rockets and artillery shells onto Turkish soil. Either way, are you suggesting that Turkey sit back and do nothing but point stern fingers at Assad or the rebels and say, "Don't do that!" Turkey has a right to protect it's territory from aggression by it's neighbors. Besides, no one ever said Assad in a stable character to begin with. Look at how many of his own people he has already butchered to stay in power!
"Butchered"? Is that a word you might use to describe the American murder of over 300,000 Iraqi civilians? Dr. Assad must do what the constitution of our country requires: to protect the unity of Syria and its territorial integrity. I am Syrian and I support Dr. Bashar Al-Assad in his war to annihilate the Islamist murderers the U.S., NATO and your Saudi allies are supporting.
300,000 Iraqi civilians? I don't think so. If there has been that many deaths, the majority can be attributed the religious fanatics running around their own country. If you support Assad that is your choice and your problem. If you want to close your eyes to how many innocent people are dying and suffering in your country thanks to Assad, again that is your problem. I'm just calling it the way I see things from this side of the world. And by the way, they are not my allies. If it were up to me, I'd get all American out of the region,stop all aid, and leave you to your own devices to do whatever you want to do to yourselves and stay out it! That part of the world has cost too much in blood to my own people for little or no return. Sorry we disagree, but have a good day.
Palestine sucks....lol.
Ziad,
300,000 Iraqi civilians eh? Don't you mean 300,000 Iraqi soldiers?...I think you do...otherwise, you are lying...lol. Support "Dr. Assad" if you must. You should go over there, join the Syrian military and participate in the slaughter of your own people.....that is support.
ZIAD -
More muslims have been murdered in the hands of other muslims than they have in conflicts with all other nations and religions combined. And that includes Assad killing its own citizens, children, elderly, no descrimination there. Read the daily news, if not censored in Syria.
Syria, Iran, Bahrain are battles between seventh century bigoted Sunnis and tenth century less bigoted Shiites on whose Allah is greater!
"Turkey is reluctant to be drawn into a regional conflict"
These nations are always reluctant to act.
Turkey did not act when Saddam's forces invaded Kuwait and was about to attack Saudi Arabia.
Sunni Saudis, oil companies, extremist Jewish lobbys and their lobbyists outsourced the dirty jobs to NATO forces particularly the US! It led to 1991 Iraqi war!
Similar tricks were played by the same gang for 2003 Iraqi war!
When it came to Cyprus, Turkey was extra fast! For a change, let Turkey handle Syria's problem!
At least this time WE HAVE NO ROLES IN SYRIA AND IRAN.
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, 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.
To weaken Sunni Islamic haters and extremists, who are front covers for the most corrupt, despotic, highly bigoted Sunni Saudi, Qatari, Kuwaiti, UAE and other Sunni Arab Leage rulers, remove sanctions on Iranian oil.
This should crash the oil prices and also weaken our enemies, who are responsible for 80 percent of US, British and other world problems.
Mind you: for them (Sunnis, Shiites and other Muslim sects) the US, British, West, Jews, Christians and other non-Muslims are enemies No. 1 and so on in the order!
Jonathan, good post!
ASSAD has EVERY right to defend his country AND I would CAUTION believing anything coming from the SUPPOSED REBELS (they are MUSLIME TRASH from LIBYA,EGYPT and others )--CLITNOON--THE OABMANATION--UN or ANYONE else-----they will LIE ,cheat and steal for their own benifit!
I would like to say that the Turkish F4 was not used as a warplane but it was only a reconnaissance jet. Turkey produces and uses various updated versions of F16s for combat. They are also level-3 partners in the production of F35, the future warplanes. I also believe that it was a bait to have justification for Turkey and its NATO allies to take an action against the Assad regime. The Turkish jet was flying very low, it was not armed and the violation was for a very short time. It was to test Syrians and hoped they would bring it down. As a result, Turkey would make the case that Syrian regime is not only a threat for its own citizens but also for the neighboring Turkey, a sovereign nation.
We know Saudi Arabia, the Gulf nations and the U.S want to stop the expansion of Iran and its influence in the Arabian Peninsula. As long as Assad regime is in power, in the situation of a war with Israel, Iran would be able to use Syrian airspace. On the other hand, removing Syrian regime from the power will alienate Iran in the region as well as it will diminish the threat that may come from the Iranian air-force. Iran will not be able to aid Lebanon's Hezbollah with whom Iran having a proxy war on and off. As a result, Iran will be left to depend solely on its missile stockpile in a war against Israel or the U.S. targets in the region. The air defense shield of Israel and the NATO that was placed in Turkey recently will reduce or diminish the effectiveness of Iran's missile attack.
All I can say is---I HOPE that ASSAD can toss these MU-SLIME TERRORISTS out of his country---in case NO ONE listens to or pays attention to the NEWS---MOST of the REBELS are from either AL QUIDA,MUSLIME BROS,HEZZBOLLA OR THE TALLIWACKERS from AFGAN---in other words THEY are NOT native SYRIANS---SYRIAN CITIZENS are paying a price so the terrorists of the world can seize another M.EAST country!
AND the OBAMANATION his CLONES-CLITOON and others are and HAVE GIVEN MAJOR WEAPONS to the trash AGAIN--
IF you want to argue this GET your FACTS right first as I have mine from friends in the MILITARY--ours. OH and WE do have CIA/other agencies BOOTS on the ground there---as stated by the CLITOON!
"armed rebels he (ASSAD) says are terrorists."---NO DOUBT that they really are! Most of the "REBS" are outside parties associated with either the MU-SLIME BROS,Talliwackers,Al Quida etc---ALL have been and still are on the MAIN TERRORIST WATCH LIST.
Obamm has had the SLIME BROS in our white house several times--WONDER what HE promised them---THAT also says alot about the FOOLISH LIAR in CHIEFS thoughts--he as we know SWINGS toward the MUSLIMES.
EVERYONE in the M.EAST had better pray that ASSAD can wipe out these trash because if he can't then the SLIMES will have another HUGE hold in that area.
OH and YOUR little TIN GOD HUSSAIN OBAMM---WAS and more than likely still is a MUSLIME---
SHOUT to ALL you ABAMA KOOLAID DRINKERS---YOU WILL get what YOU PAID FOR---ya might even learn a lesson about RIGGING ELECTIONS--THEY DO HAVE CONSEQUENCES----YOUR little TIN GOD is NOT BLACK and WHITE---he is 40% ARAB and 10% AFRICAN NEGRO--all you have to do is READ up on the LIAR.
My Name is African Swahili - NOT EXACTLY, your name is Arabic and 'Baraka' (from which Barack came) means 'blessed' in that language. Hussein is also Arabic and so is Obama.
Barack Hussein Obama is not half black.
He is the first Arab-American President, not the first black President. Barack Hussein Obama is 50% Caucasian from his mother's side and 43.75% Arabic and 6.25% African Negro from his father's side. While Barack Hussein Obama's father was from Kenya , his father's family was mainly Arabs.. Barack Hussein Obama's father was only 12.5% African Negro and 87.5% Arab (his father's birth certificate even states he's Arab, not African Negro). Go to:
http://www.arcadeathome.com/newsboy.phtml?Barack_Hussein_Obama_...an%2c_only_6.25%25_African">http://www.arcadeathome.com/newsboy.phtml?Barack_Hussein_Obama_-_Arab-Americ<http://www.arcadeathome.com/newsboy.phtml?Barack_Hussein_Obama_...an%2c_only_6.25%25_African
OBAMA SAID--I Never Practiced Islam - NOT EXACTLY, you practiced it daily at school, where you were registered as a Muslim and kept that faith for 31 years, until your wife made you change, so you could run for office.
4-3-08 Article 'Obama was 'quite religious in Islam''
#HYPERLINK "http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view<http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view">http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view%22;;http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view<http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view>
<#HYPERLINK "http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=60559null">http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=60559";http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=60559<http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=60559> > &pageId=60559
GOOD luck to ALL you OBAMA-ZOMBIES!! YOU will need it to feed your family AND PAY the OBAMANATIONS TAXES!!
Are you for real? If you feel this way about the United States and President Obama.. Please practice Romney's approach on immigration... Self Deport.
jscusmc69,
Are you still crying about Romney losing the election? I think 69 is alittle ticked that one of us white boys didn't get the presidency back....lol. Get over it and move on...
Isn't their some political article somewhere you can go babble off and irritate some democrats instead of sharing your half baked theories you generate from a right wing propoganda web sites with us?
.
God, what nonsense!
@5.1-5.2-5.3----SPOKEN like TRUE OBAMANATION ZOMBIES!!! TRUTH really kills you clowns don't it!
SHAME that what YOU think is of NO VALUE!!
don't it?....lol. "Doesn't it" is what you mean I'm sure. Like I tell my children, if you are going to make fun of people for being stupid, you must sound intelligent yourself.
I am a conservative Republican who voted for Romney/Ryan if you must know jscusmc69. I didn't like the outcome any more than you. You have two choices though my right wing extremist friend;
1. Stop wining like a baby, learn to lose gracefully and be greatful you still live in the greatest nation on earth or,
2. Leave.
I'm sort of hoping you choose #2 since you have no pragmatism or ability to think in a subjective fashion whatsoever. That's one red vote I'm not concerned with losing. People like you with your racist babbling and extremist ideology is what has turned many good people away from the Republican party. Your unintelligent babbling and links to right wing propoganda websites do not give you any credibility at all....and your racist babbling about Obama makes you sound even more ignorant. Are you quoting a Klucker bible or something?
By the way, thinking about it, your 5.4 comment doesn't have any real value at all. Actually, it gives me insight really. It tells me you think you are the smartest guy in the room full of dumb people. That's like being the least rotten apple in the bag....it's still rotten.
Troy, well stated good post!
@ 5.5---YOU really are a fool---the only intelligent thing you said was you voted for Romney---
AS to my being a RIGHT WING extremist ---that's where you are so wrong that it is funny and a racist--NO WHERE is there anything racist---OBAMA is AN OBAMANATION that should a NEVER have been in our white house in the first place---SHOWS that MONEY can buy anything ---and as to the LAST time--well WE know that there was massive voter fraud and it will come out --just like the SELLING of our countries SECRETS by the OBAMANATION will--in case you don't know CHINA now has some of our hardware and plans--plans of some of our BEST ATTACK planes---but you wouldn't know that now would you. AS to your REPUBLICAN PARTY--GOOD LUCK--I'm a INDEPENDENT--and as to your other crap---PLEASE try and make sense your ignorance is showing----as to smarter than most---YUP NO DOUBT about that in my mind.
@ 5.6---ED I generally don't trash another ADVERTISED VETERAN so all I WILL SAY is WELCOME HOME--I see on your profile you were in NAM---wonder where YOU were as I was in I-CORP-- JOINED the CORPS in 65 -two trips to sunny S.EAST asia and to many other sandboxes until 2005--so Semper Fi and watch your 6--going to get dangerous down the road--OH and BTW --NEVER know when some fool might need a medic--ONLY MARINES call Navy medics a DOC and I know many GREAT ones.
Dear Turkey, it's time for you to talk turkey to the Syrians. Less saber rattling and more action. Let Syria know you don't mess with the Turkey military; one mean and tough bunch of troops, who will clean your clock muy pronto. Enough of what you say you'll do. Get on with it, and move on.
Assad, your kingdom is crumbling around you.
Turkey should keep playing goalie. Let them kill eachother and kick the ball back into the field when it comes in your back yard.
Assad is a reformer. we will be counting on him to help stabilize the region.
I'm sorry. that is what barack said 4 years ago.
Assad must go.That was last years message.
Today's message, I'm going golfing, fire up my private jet. Thailand, here I come.
Lol. Good one.
He is LISTENING to the AMERICAN people, not you dumb Muslims (I mean the minority dumb muslims...or is it the majority dumb muslims? Who the fuk knows...) Americans DON'T want to be embroiled in YOUR dumb muslim wars! Get it? Say what the hell you want.
Obama is the AMERICAN President, not Arab Countries or Muslims, PERIOD! You want the fight to stop? Stop shooting! Fuk your crazy wars! Americans have spoken and we decided NOT! Got our OWN problems.
Finish what YOU muslims started. Ask your Arab neighbors to intervene. BTW, why are they not protesting the killing of Arab on Arab? Why are they not forming an Arab Coalition to intervene? Huh?!
Fuk the FSA. Fuk Turkey and their medling and support for the FSA. Fuk Assad. Now, MOVE ON, fools!
Most Americans are tired of this sh!t. Clean your OWN house!
Let us hope the Thankgiving turkey will be fresh this year and not contaminated with salmonella.
Get Kosher or Hallal turkey. They may be safer.
Critical times hard to deal with, will be here.
The ENTIRE Middle-East is a waste.
If we don't take sides as we did with Iraqi wars, ME will be back to desert with few living!
Let Shiites and Sunnis kill each other to their hearts' conent!