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AMMAN -- Syrian rebels said on Sunday they had captured a helicopter base east of Damascus after an overnight assault, their latest gain in a costly battle to unseat President Bashar al-Assad that is drawing nearer to his seat of power.
The Marj al-Sultan base, 15 km (10 miles) from the capital, is the second military facility on the outskirts of the city reported to have fallen to Assad's opponents this month.
Activists said rebels had destroyed two helicopters and taken 15 prisoners.
"We are coming for you Bashar," a rebel shouted in an internet video of what activists said was Marj al-Sultan. Restrictions on non-state media meant it could not be verified.
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A look back at the violence that has overtaken the country.
The rebels have been tightening their hold on farmland and urban centers to the east and northeast of Damascus while a major battle has been underway for a week in the suburb of Daraya near the main highway south.
"We are seeing the starting signs of a rebel siege of Damascus," veteran opposition campaigner Fawaz Tello said from Berlin. "Marj al-Sultan is very near to the Damascus Airport road and to the airport itself. The rebels appear to be heading toward cutting this as well as the main northern artery to Aleppo."
Assad's core forces, drawn mainly from his minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam that has dominated power in Syria for nearly five decades, are entrenched in the capital.
They also have devastating air superiority although they have failed to prevent rebels increasing their presence on the edge of the capital and in neighborhoods on the periphery.
A Syrian government air strike on the rebel-held village of Deir al-Asafir, 12 km (8 miles) east of Damascus, killed 10 children on Sunday, opposition activists said.
Internet video footage also showed residents collecting young bodies hit by shrapnel. A sobbing woman picked up the lifeless body of a girl, while the bodies of two boys were shown in the back seat of a car.
"None of those killed were older than 15 years old. There are two women among 15 people wounded," said Abu Kassem, an activist in the village told Reuters.
A Western diplomat following the fighting said Assad still had the upper hand. "The army will allow positions to fall here and there, but it can still easily muster the strength to drive back the rebels where it sees a danger," the diplomat said.
"The rebels are very short of international support and they do not have the supplies to keep up a sustained fight, especially in Damascus."
Iran said Turkey's request to NATO to deploy Patriot defensive missiles near its border with Syria would add to problems in the region, where Iran is pitted against mostly Sunni Turkey and Gulf Sunni powers.
Iran's Shi'ite rulers have stepped up support for Assad while Sunni Arab powers helped forge a new opposition coalition this month recognised by France and Britain as the sole representative of the Syrians.
Syria has called the missile request "provocative", seeing it as a first step toward a no-fly zone over Syrian airspace which the opposition is seeking to help them hold territory against an enemy with overwhelming firepower from the air.
Most foreign powers are reluctant to go that far.
NATO has said the possible deployment of the missiles was purely defensive. The U.S.-led Western alliance has had some talks on the request but has yet to take a decision.
Turkey fears security on its border may crumble as the Syrian army fights harder against the rebels, some of whom have enjoyed sanctuary in Turkey in their 20-month-old revolt against Assad's rule.
Ankara has scrambled fighter jets and returned fire after stray Syrian shells and mortar bombs from heavy fighting along the border landed in its territory.
More than 120,000 Syrian refugees are sheltering in camps in southern Turkey and more are expected with winter setting in and millions of people estimated to be short of food inside Syria.
Abu Mussab, a rebel operative in the area of Hajar al-Aswad in south Damascus, said the opposition fighters had given up expecting a no-fly zone. "The bet is now on better organization and tactics," he said.
The video said by activists to have been filmed at the Marj al-Sultan base showed rebel fighters carrying AK-47 rifles.
An anti-aircraft gun was positioned on top of an empty bunker and a rebel commander from the Ansar al-Islam, a major Muslim rebel unit, was shown next to a helicopter.
"With God's help, the Marj al-Sultan airbase in eastern Ghouta has been liberated," the commander said in the video. Eastern Ghouta, a mix of agricultural land and built-up urban areas, has been a rebel stronghold for months.
Damaged mobile radar stations could be seen on hilltops, with rebels waiving as they walked around the compound.
Footage from Saturday evening showed rebels firing rocket-propelled grenades at the base, and what appeared to be a helicopter engulfed in flames.
Last week rebels briefly captured an air defence base near the southern Damascus district of Hajar al-Aswad, seizing weapons and equipment before pulling out to avoid retaliation from Assad's air force.
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I can only hope someone will intervene with a meaningful compromise to end this bloody conflict. Assad has back to the wall, and we all know what that will entail: with the blessing of Iran, the desperate Bashar will resort to chemical and biological weapons on a scale of madness. There will be no winners.
By now, who hasn't realised this is essentially a war of ideology between Saudia Arabia and Iran. If Bashar was a sunni monarch, the Saudis would be praising and supporting Bashar regardless of the bloodshed in Syria. Just look at Bahrain.
For Muslims (both Shiites, Sunnis and all Muslim sects and tribes) No. 1 enemy is the US, Britain, Europe and other non-Muslim nations, Jews, Christians and other non-Muslims.
See the shamelss Syrian rebels supported by the seventh century despotic, bigoted and barbaric Sunni Saudis and their killer fronts like al Qaida, Salaffi, MB and others.
These ungrateful and biggest backstabbers saved themselves from Saddam by oursourcing their dirty jobs to Bush and co.
Sunni Saudis and co used the Iraqi wars as an excuse to enrich themselves by manipulating high oil prices and funding their hating and killing Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques all over the world.
They again want the NATO assistance in Syria.
See this time another seventh century Sunni beast from Turkey Erdogan and his party leaders are pleading and dancing along with Saudis, Qataris, UAE and other Arab League Sunni bigoted barbaric rulers.
Turkey's dancing front is that they are NATO.
Just a few days before all these people were dancing along with Hamas in Gaza.
What do they people consider themselves and others?
These Sunni bigoted mad people are beyond repair and control!
WE HAVE NO ROLES IN SYRIA AND REMOVE SANCTIONS ON THE IRANIAN OIL.
LET THEIR GODS HELP THEM!!
My elderly mother broke her hip this morning. She already has signs of dementia. I am glad that she will not have to witness the long term implications that will affect this hemisphere because of this crap in the ME.
Sorry I am off topic.
Take care,
Jon
Sorry to hear about your mother. I hope she gets better.
Cases of many in the US, Britain, Europe and some others are similar or worse than your mothers. Our govts don't have much money for us. But they still have lots of money for all craps (sanctions, wars, no fly zones, supplying arms to Syrian rebels and so on) in ME.
Our problems started with Iraqi wars, Afghan war (mind you: 9/11 had Saudi, Paki, and UAE funding) and high oil price manipulations using Iraqi wars as excuse and now again with sanctions on Iranian oil!
Our biggest problems are that many politicians are on sale.
Some in France, Britain, Germany, Italy and many European nations appear to be on clearance sale!
These clearance sale politicians jumped and danced all around before each Iraqi wars. Forced Bushes and co to lead the wars. They sent their token forces too.
When the Iraqi wars got tough, their forces started hiding in tents (you see: they go for non-combatant roles) and then withdrew. Similar jokes are going on in Afghanistan.
In Libya, it was worse with these clearance sale polticians of France, Britain, Italy, Germany and some more. Then we have McCains, Romneys to jump and dance along with them in the US.
In Benghazi and during video violent protests again Cameron, Hollande and other clearance sale policians, McCains went into hiding!
Don't worry: we will have budget battles on health care, social security, unemployment allowance, benefits to veterans and others in the US soon!
You see: we need austerity measures!
I keep remembering my American history. In our Revolution, true victories were few and far between, and often fleeting. Washington was far better at defense, fight skirmish and retreat in an expected direction, than in head-on set-piece battles. A large part of that problem was that, like the Syrian rebels, American colonists lacked the same resources the the Syrian rebels lack, coordinated leadership, heavy battlefield-controlling weaponry, and foreign support. It took Franklin and Jefferson three years to really convince Britain's European enemies that we were serious and could take whatever George III could deliver.
Anyone who doubts that America owes its freedom in no small part to the Marquis de Lafayette denies Yorktown ever happened. He was the French CNN of the time to the French crown, resulting in a French army under Rochambeau (bigger than the Continental Army at the time, and with a full complement of drilled artillery) and the loan of nearly the whole French overseas navy (under deGrasse) which fortunately beat the British to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The sorts of favors being sought by the Syrian rebels and Turkey.
Turkey doesn't have to seek favors, as a sovereign nation it can go to war on any nation. But, to keep NATO support, it must ask, if not beg, to help. Maybe America (the USA) would not exist under a late 18th century NATO?
Bill Marvell..... Sorry but you seem to be a little confused once again. NATO is a "Defensive Treaty" and as Turkey has repeatedly been shown to be the Aggressors and have even self admitted to be by their own Parliamentary Proclamations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO
To attempt now to call in NATO to help "Defend" Turkey by invading Syria is nonsense. Please remember that Russia & China have warned against our getting involved in Syria.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/02/syria-russia-nato_n_1931707.html
So are you willing to put at Risk your Hometown over Assad or Erdogan? Well you probably are but I am not nor are most other "Americans"....Just say No to another "Not War" that benefits only the Military Industrial Complex!
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/07/cnn-poll-majority-of-americans-oppose-us-intervention-in-syria/
Obama may want help Al Qaeda for another Libyan "Victory" like Benghazi-Gate but any "Honest" American does not!
We've had enough Corporate "Not Wars" and "False Flag Operations" for Wall Street Banksters and UN Globalist Oligarchs financial benefit by Bleeding US Dry iwith their Endless War On America (oops Terror)!
Still don't believe? Watch this PBS Documentary and Learn The Horrible Truth......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l-8PFk8j5I
Afterwards if you still do not understand....You intentionally choose not too!
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—for ever." ~George Orwell, 1984
What role did Turkey play during Hamas rocket firing into Israel? They again backstabbed.
Times are changing fast with Turkey's Erdogan, Egypt's Morsi and Sunni Islamic extremism rampaging all over the world.
Keep away from Syria and Iran. Remove sanctions on Iranian oil to weaken our enemy No. 1: Sunni Saudis and co.
Let these Shiites and Sunni keep on battling on whose Allah is greater.
This is the right time for Netanyahus and Israel to clean up Gaza of Hamas once for all!
Send all Hamas members to their Islamic hell or wherever they want once for all!
So I was thinking about history, too... and I recalled that an Italian artist from the 1300's painted two frescoes titled something like "The Effects of Good and Bad Government". In the "Bad Government" version, he shows " TYRAMMIDES (Tyranny). He sits enthroned, resting his feet upon a goat (symbolic of luxury), and in his hand he sinisterly holds a dagger. Below him the captive figure of Justice lays bound, while the figures of Cruelty, Deceit, Fraud, Fury, Division, and War flank him, and above him float the figures of Avarice, Pride, and Vainglory. These figures, according to an advice book for city magistrates of the time, were considered to be the “leading enemies of human life” (from Wikipedia).
"Sigh"...when will we learn?
People get drunk or drugged so they don't have to think about their problems.
American politicians are drunk on power, engineering wars all over the world, so they can make money for their friends building the war machine, and don't have to think about the problems of the American people.
All the Middle East wars are failures. Iraq is threatening to cut off oil to USA ; Afghanistan gave the mining rights to one of the largest copper deposits in the world to China. The Afghanistan opium trade is booming. Israel is in more danger than ever before.
That old war cry, "they just want democracy", and "he's killing his own people", is just cover for brainwashing the American people into supporting the money making war machine.
"In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act." ~George Orwell
Once again America has No Business supporting Al Qaeda in Syria and in the UN Globalist Propaganda War Against Assad.
Don't believe? Watch this video.....http://www.infowars.com/leaked-video-showing-free-syrian-army-blowing-up-a-mosque-to-accuse-the-syrian-army-of-doing-it/
Now ask yourself how on earth can you still believe ANYTHING these UN Globalist Media Outlets claim?
The Wall Street Corporate Media Stories are the cause of this Latest "Not War" not the Solution and merely hope to start another "Not War for their Robber Baron Masters Fun & Profits!
Impeach Obama in 2012 for the Cover UP of his Secret CIA Prisons and Lies of Cover Up of Murder in Benghazi-Gate.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izYMklKUcpk&feature=player_embedded
Still not convinced? Watch BeTrayUS Main Squeeze speak out......Petraeus Mistress Suggests Benghazi Attack Was Aimed At Secret CIA Prison...http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33003.htm
At least Richard Nixon had the "Honor" to Resign when caught Red Handed in a "Cover-Up" but Bailout Barry won't even tell US the Truth about Benghazi-Gate and is still trying to cover it all up even after the Election!
"Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. " ~George Orwell
If Sunnis can’t tolerate a very good leader, like Assad, then Shiites should not accept Sunni rulers either. Sunni rulers have been treating girls, women, Shiites, Sufis, Ahemdias and minorities worse than slaves.
Time has come for all of us to stand up and battle for liberations from Sunni barbarians and beasts.
So this means Shiites should ask for their Shiastans wherever they form more than 10 percent.
They should start their liberation struggles from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan (20 percent), Qatar, Oman and other places which have Sunni rulers.
What a bunch of cowards Shiites are? They talk big, act big and show their bravery before unarmed minorities like Jews, women and others. Then they add their dances when they stone them.
Shiites of Iraq should side with Kurds and should stop oil supplies to Turkey for supporting the Sunni Islamic extremists like al-Qaida, MB in Syria.
Shiites of Bahrain should overthrow their autocratic, corrupt and despotic Sunni ruler.
As they have been taking blows and killings by Sunnis, these Sunnis are able to act as they like to Shiites.
Shiites of Iran should side with Assad and see that all the Sunni rebels are eliminated.
What are the brave Hezbollah doing?
They should do suicide bombings in Mecca and Medina. Or else Shiites genocides just like the genocides of non-Muslims by the Sunni Islamic religious Nazis will continue.
Hopefully when the conflict is finally over all these rebels and terrorist fighters are to war weary to continue and we can get a couple of years of peace in before they start back up again somewhere else. Or Assad will win and there will be none left to fight.