http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2013/02/21/267460.html
Qaddafi was apparently willing to spend tens of millions of dollars to undermine the Saudis, using hired mercenaries and Al-Qaeda elements.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
How Not to Employ Armor in Urban Areas
Syrian Al Qaeda Affiliate Hits Syrian Convoy with 50 IEDs!
There may not have been fifty, but there were a bunch and they detonated them simultaneously. Think maybe these jihadists had some experience gained elsewhere?
Fighting Inside Aleppo
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Feb-19/207064-troops-pour-into-syrias-aleppo-as-battle-rages-for-airport.ashx#axzz2LGMjtnko
As the battle rages for control of Aleppo's airport (see yesterday's post), this report suggests that there is fighting going on inside the city. If the Syrian military hit targets in the district, killing over 30 people, there must have been active rebels in the vicinity. And the photo that accompanies the story shows a badly damaged urban landscape, suggesting that the fighting has been going on for some time.
One can only wonder how much damage has been done to the Syrian infrastructure. I've seen estimates over $10 billion. But I think that it is obvious that when this civil war ends, Syria is going to be a mess physically, politically, and socially.
As the battle rages for control of Aleppo's airport (see yesterday's post), this report suggests that there is fighting going on inside the city. If the Syrian military hit targets in the district, killing over 30 people, there must have been active rebels in the vicinity. And the photo that accompanies the story shows a badly damaged urban landscape, suggesting that the fighting has been going on for some time.
One can only wonder how much damage has been done to the Syrian infrastructure. I've seen estimates over $10 billion. But I think that it is obvious that when this civil war ends, Syria is going to be a mess physically, politically, and socially.
Chechen Jihadists Fighting in Syria
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/02/chechen_commander_le.php
Assad may well be a scumbag and a lair, but not everything he and his regime claims is untrue. Foreign fighters are playing an ever larger role in Syria. And as that role increases, the prospects of an outcome in Syria that doesn't heighten regional instability decreases.
Assad may well be a scumbag and a lair, but not everything he and his regime claims is untrue. Foreign fighters are playing an ever larger role in Syria. And as that role increases, the prospects of an outcome in Syria that doesn't heighten regional instability decreases.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Tunisian PM Resigns: Crisis Deepens
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Feb-20/207166-tunisia-prime-minister-quits-office-as-crisis-deepens.ashx#axzz2LGMjtnko
Not looking good in Tunisia.
I said to my class two years ago during the start of the Arab Spring: revolution is a process, not an event. The American Revolution as a process took forty years before we could say we had come out with a system along the lines that we had sought going into that process. The Arab Spring has a long way to go if it is to fulfill the hopes of those people who began it. The only outcome that can occur quickly is the derailment of the revolutionary process. We may well be seeing that in Cairo, Tunis, and Tripoli.
Not looking good in Tunisia.
I said to my class two years ago during the start of the Arab Spring: revolution is a process, not an event. The American Revolution as a process took forty years before we could say we had come out with a system along the lines that we had sought going into that process. The Arab Spring has a long way to go if it is to fulfill the hopes of those people who began it. The only outcome that can occur quickly is the derailment of the revolutionary process. We may well be seeing that in Cairo, Tunis, and Tripoli.
Iran: "Leftists and Nasserists" Serve Western Interests
http://www.tehrantimes.com/opinion/105719-leftists-and-nasserists-making-a-strategic-mistake
This is an opinion piece in the Tehran Times. But the implications are clear: the anti-Salafist forces in the Arab awakening are tools of the West, in that they are serving Western interests. They are making a "mistake" and the religious parties should avoid playing their game. What does that mean? What did it mean in the Iranian revolution? Good-bye leftists and Nasserists!
This is an opinion piece in the Tehran Times. But the implications are clear: the anti-Salafist forces in the Arab awakening are tools of the West, in that they are serving Western interests. They are making a "mistake" and the religious parties should avoid playing their game. What does that mean? What did it mean in the Iranian revolution? Good-bye leftists and Nasserists!
Russians Fly People from Syria: Send Ships for Stage Two
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Feb-19/207028-two-russian-aid-planes-flying-to-syria-may-evacuate-citizens.ashx#axzz2LGMjtnko
And according to this Lebanese report, the Russians are also sending ships to Syria. There may be more than 30,000 Russian nationals in Syria, many of them women married to Syrian men. Add to that figure the husbands and children and other family members and you have a large population to evacuate. I doubt that they would be well treated if left behind to fall into the hands of the jihadists. Yes, the Russians will need ships to evacuate that many people.
The longer the Russians wait, the tougher it will be to pull off, and the bloodier. But if the Russians start evacuating on a large scale now, that will signal and hasten the end of the regime.
The end game in Syria may well be a total disaster on myriad fronts.
And according to this Lebanese report, the Russians are also sending ships to Syria. There may be more than 30,000 Russian nationals in Syria, many of them women married to Syrian men. Add to that figure the husbands and children and other family members and you have a large population to evacuate. I doubt that they would be well treated if left behind to fall into the hands of the jihadists. Yes, the Russians will need ships to evacuate that many people.
The longer the Russians wait, the tougher it will be to pull off, and the bloodier. But if the Russians start evacuating on a large scale now, that will signal and hasten the end of the regime.
The end game in Syria may well be a total disaster on myriad fronts.
Iranians Provide Loans for Syria
http://www.sana-syria.com/eng/21/2013/02/19/468169.htm
According to the report the amount is one billion, I assume Syrian pounds which amounts, I think, to something like $125,000,000.
According to the report the amount is one billion, I assume Syrian pounds which amounts, I think, to something like $125,000,000.
Heavy Fighting for Aleppo's Airport
http://www.arabnews.com/troops-pour-syria’s-aleppo-battle-rages-airport
According to the report linked above.
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria, with a population of nearly 2 million. It was the third city of the Ottoman Empire, after Istanbul and Cairo.
According to the report, the fighitng is now focused on the airport. This makes sense, because if the rebels intent to take the city the first step wold be to isolate it from air re-supply.
In short, if Assad loses control, it will be a big blow to his regime. And, given the population of the city, we can expect significant civilian casualties if the fighting is sustained.
According to the report linked above.
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria, with a population of nearly 2 million. It was the third city of the Ottoman Empire, after Istanbul and Cairo.
According to the report, the fighitng is now focused on the airport. This makes sense, because if the rebels intent to take the city the first step wold be to isolate it from air re-supply.
In short, if Assad loses control, it will be a big blow to his regime. And, given the population of the city, we can expect significant civilian casualties if the fighting is sustained.
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