Syria - Opposition Organises against Assad

[C. Flower]

From here

Ah. Looking at that image across Google, it appears to mainly have been published across Russian media. It could be anywhere.

[C. Flower]

Interesting - who's who in the Syrian rebellion ?

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/cap...ls-560923.html

[riposte]

Captive photojournalists saved by Syrian rebels

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/cap...ls-560923.html

and they didn't blame Assad..... they are falling down on the job.

[Kev Bar]

You wouldn't be trusted Kev ....... there's a suspicion going around that you are honest.

I'm sure Sam Lord would rid you of that suspicion.

This rescued journo sounds like an impressive gent.

His captors bandaged his wounds but kept the two men handcuffed and blindfolded after that, he said.

"I was wounded, but the bullets missed all the vital parts, and I'm frisky as a puppy and enormously happy that I've survived it all, that it ended well," he said.

[C. Flower]

I'm sure Sam Lord would rid you of that suspicion.

This rescued journo sounds like an impressive gent.

A touch euphoric, I thought.

[People Korps]

A lot of military jets flying east over Paris quite low tonight

[C. Flower]

Battle on in Aleppo.

[riposte]

The rebels must be very well armed to declare war on Russia.

Syria Rebels May Attack Russia Naval Base

http://finance.townhall.com/columnis...sia_naval_base

[C. Flower]

Bashar al Assad not seen since the bomb of 18th July. Some rumours about.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...ad-seen-public

[C. Flower]

PM has "defected"

Carrot and stick / take the money or wait for the next "suicide bomb" ?

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/syr...ry-562013.html

[C. Flower]

Just came across this Sunday Times report from last January that gives a picture that is consistent with the youtubes coming out of Syria at that time.

http://milesamoore.com/2012/01/29/in...syrian-rebels/

At that stage, there were street protests going on an armed opposition was poorly equipped and mainly consisted of defectors from the Syrian army.

[C. Flower]

Here's the youtube of al-Harati

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UPKodVfjt0"]Al Mahdi Al Harati.mpg - YouTube[/ame]

And another.

As would be expected, comments on him are very much divided. He clearly has leadership capabilities.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNn2oNpHsYU&feature=related"]‫كيÙ� تمت السيطرة على طرابلس وإسقاط القذاÙ�ÙŠ ØŸ‬‎ - YouTube[/ame]

[Sam Lord]

Interesting article in the Sunday Times on how the US is stopping the importation of anti-tank weapons and surface to air misiles to the opposition in Syria. RPG's and AK's are fine but anything more sophisticated is being embargoed.

The US strategy appears to be to keep the conflict running as long as possible at its current level.

[Sam Lord]

Interesting bit of Syrian history from the Guardian. In 1957 the Brits and the Yanks planned to assassinate what they saw as the three "top men" in Damascus (including the head of the Communist Party) invade the country and install a "friendly" regime. They understood that this regime would be unpopular and acknowledged that it would "would probably need to rely first upon repressive measures and arbitrary exercise of power."

Making the world safe for "democracy".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...p/27/uk.syria1

[TotalMayhem]

Hollande calls on the rebels to form a provisional government which France would recognise, also threatens Assad with military strikes.