tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post3341894958832994052..comments2024-03-18T22:03:28.458-07:00Comments on Monitor on Massacre Marketing: Robert Ford, Weapons Inspector: The Rebellion Begins in Hama, Part 2Caustic Logichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082923821952309709noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-62714749712510476602015-08-02T03:07:25.792-07:002015-08-02T03:07:25.792-07:00May 6, 2015
The National Coalition voted to force...May 6, 2015 <br />The National Coalition voted to force out Tomeh's government last July for its poor record, only to reinstate him in a partial vote in October after competing factions couldn't agree. Saudi-aligned members and other dissenters abstained. Qatar reportedly threatened to withdraw support from the coalition if Tomeh wasn't re-elected. <br />https://news.vice.com/article/heres-how-syrias-opposition-government-essentially-went-broke<br /><br />The funding shortfall has forced the curtailing of central SIG efforts, such as the Syrian Commission for Transitional Justice's reporting on human rights abuses committed by Assad's government. <br />Management mistakes and internal discord have also tarnished the reputations of the National Coalition and the SIG. Last year, the financial advisory firm Deloitte audited the Assistance Coordination Unit (ACU), the arm of the National Coalition that coordinates many humanitarian aid efforts. It found that $1 million of the ACU's $62 million in grants were untraceable.<br /><br /> Last fall, an ACU-led vaccination project in Syria resulted in the deaths of fifteen infants. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-68328518386601429182015-08-02T02:58:57.484-07:002015-08-02T02:58:57.484-07:00June 2, 2011
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/me...June 2, 2011 <br />http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/06/02/syria.activists.turkey/index.html<br /><br />Syrian activists meet in Turkey, call on al-Assad to step down<br />The opposition gathering also declared its support for the "Revolution in Syria," and elected a 31-member council aimed at assisting the protest movement in Syria.<br />For the last two days, the activists from Syria and international diaspora have gathered in the conference rooms and lobbies of a hotel in this Turkish beach resort, to plot ways to support the bloody revolution in Syria.<br /><br />June 2, 2011 <br />ANTALYA, Turkey — A group of mostly exiled Syrian opposition figures on Thursday called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to resign, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hinted that the United States is preparing to take a tougher stance against Damascus, escalating pressure on the Syrian government as it presses ahead with its brutal crackdown against protesters. <br /><br />In Washington, Clinton came closer than ever before to calling for Assad’s ouster and indicated that only China and Russia were preventing stronger action by the United Nations against the regime. <br />“The legitimacy that is necessary for anyone to expect change to occur under this current government is, if not gone, nearly run out,” she told a news conference. <br /><br />The comment coincided with the conclusion of a two-day conference of 300 mostly exiled Syrian regime opponents in the Turkish beach resort of Antalya that was aimed in large part at persuading the international community to call for Assad’s departure.<br />https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/syrian-opposition-calls-for-ouster-of-assad/2011/06/02/AGQegVHH_story.html<br /><br /><br />Fri Jun 3, 2011 <br />http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/03/us-syria-idUSLDE73N02P20110603<br />Syrian security forces intensified their assault on protesters calling for President Bashar al-Assad to quit, killing at least 34 demonstrators in the latest crackdown in the city of Hama, activists said.<br />Thousands of protesters took to the streets after noon prayers on Friday in defiance of security forces determined to crush an 11-week a revolt against Assad's 11-year rule.<br />Security forces and snipers fired at tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the city of Hama, where 29 years ago President Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's father, crushed an armed Islamist revolt by killing up to 30,000 people and razing parts of the city to the ground.<br />Activists said at least 34 people were killed and scores wounded.<br /><br />"The firing began from rooftops on the demonstrators. I saw scores of people falling in Assi square and the streets and alleyways branching out. Blood was everywhere," a witness who gave his name as Omar told Reuters from Hama.<br />"It looked to me as if hundreds of people have been injured but I was in a panic and wanted to find cover. Funerals for the martyrs have already started," he said.<br /><br />Activists say there have been some instances of citizens resisting security forces by using personal weapons, and of security police shooting soldiers for refusing to fire at protesters <br />The activist who declined to be named said that before the shooting started protesters burned the Baath Party office in Hama and said it was not clear how the shooting broke out. <br />9 comments:Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-47559781421907583982015-08-02T02:53:41.902-07:002015-08-02T02:53:41.902-07:00Working inside Syria, in contact both with its gov...Working inside Syria, in contact both with its government and opposition activists, and with his own information gathering capabilities, the U.S. ambassador to Syria should be a well-informed and credible source, able to see clearly into a murky situation. <br /><br /><br />June 2, 2011 <br />http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/06/02/syria.activists.turkey/index.html<br /><br />Syrian activists meet in Turkey, call on al-Assad to step down<br />The opposition gathering also declared its support for the "Revolution in Syria," and elected a 31-member council aimed at assisting the protest movement in Syria.<br />For the last two days, the activists from Syria and international diaspora have gathered in the conference rooms and lobbies of a hotel in this Turkish beach resort, to plot ways to support the bloody revolution in Syria.<br /><br />June 2, 2011 <br />ANTALYA, Turkey — A group of mostly exiled Syrian opposition figures on Thursday called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to resign, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hinted that the United States is preparing to take a tougher stance against Damascus, escalating pressure on the Syrian government as it presses ahead with its brutal crackdown against protesters. <br />In Washington, Clinton came closer than ever before to calling for Assad’s ouster and indicated that only China and Russia were preventing stronger action by the United Nations against the regime. <br />“The legitimacy that is necessary for anyone to expect change to occur under this current government is, if not gone, nearly run out,” she told a news conference. <br />The comment coincided with the conclusion of a two-day conference of 300 mostly exiled Syrian regime opponents in the Turkish beach resort of Antalya that was aimed in large part at persuading the international community to call for Assad’s departure.<br />https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/syrian-opposition-calls-for-ouster-of-assad/2011/06/02/AGQegVHH_story.html<br /><br /><br />Fri Jun 3, 2011 <br />http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/03/us-syria-idUSLDE73N02P20110603<br />Syrian security forces intensified their assault on protesters calling for President Bashar al-Assad to quit, killing at least 34 demonstrators in the latest crackdown in the city of Hama, activists said.<br />Thousands of protesters took to the streets after noon prayers on Friday in defiance of security forces determined to crush an 11-week a revolt against Assad's 11-year rule.<br />Security forces and snipers fired at tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the city of Hama, where 29 years ago President Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's father, crushed an armed Islamist revolt by killing up to 30,000 people and razing parts of the city to the ground.<br />Activists said at least 34 people were killed and scores wounded.<br />"The firing began from rooftops on the demonstrators. I saw scores of people falling in Assi square and the streets and alleyways branching out. Blood was everywhere," a witness who gave his name as Omar told Reuters from Hama.<br />"It looked to me as if hundreds of people have been injured but I was in a panic and wanted to find cover. Funerals for the martyrs have already started," he said.<br />Activists say there have been some instances of citizens resisting security forces by using personal weapons, and of security police shooting soldiers for refusing to fire at protesters <br /><br />The activist who declined to be named said that before the shooting started protesters burned the Baath Party office in Hama and said it was not clear how the shooting broke out. <br />9 comments: this comment has been deleted 4 times . Why???<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-27001581905219419622015-08-02T02:46:10.226-07:002015-08-02T02:46:10.226-07:00Working inside Syria, in contact both with its gov...Working inside Syria, in contact both with its government and opposition activists, and with his own information gathering capabilities, the U.S. ambassador to Syria should be a well-informed and credible source, able to see clearly into a murky situation. <br /><br /><br />June 2, 2011 <br />http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/06/02/syria.activists.turkey/index.html<br />Syrian activists meet in Turkey, call on al-Assad to step down<br />The opposition gathering also declared its support for the "Revolution in Syria," and elected a 31-member council aimed at assisting the protest movement in Syria.<br />For the last two days, the activists from Syria and international diaspora have gathered in the conference rooms and lobbies of a hotel in this Turkish beach resort, to plot ways to support the bloody revolution in Syria.<br /><br />June 2, 2011 <br />ANTALYA, Turkey — A group of mostly exiled Syrian opposition figures on Thursday called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to resign, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hinted that the United States is preparing to take a tougher stance against Damascus, escalating pressure on the Syrian government as it presses ahead with its brutal crackdown against protesters. <br />In Washington, Clinton came closer than ever before to calling for Assad’s ouster and indicated that only China and Russia were preventing stronger action by the United Nations against the regime. <br />“The legitimacy that is necessary for anyone to expect change to occur under this current government is, if not gone, nearly run out,” she told a news conference. <br /><br />The comment coincided with the conclusion of a two-day conference of 300 mostly exiled Syrian regime opponents in the Turkish beach resort of Antalya that was aimed in large part at persuading the international community to call for Assad’s departure.<br />https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/syrian-opposition-calls-for-ouster-of-assad/2011/06/02/AGQegVHH_story.html<br /><br />Fri Jun 3, 2011 <br />http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/03/us-syria-idUSLDE73N02P20110603<br />Syrian security forces intensified their assault on protesters calling for President Bashar al-Assad to quit, killing at least 34 demonstrators in the latest crackdown in the city of Hama, activists said.<br /><br />Thousands of protesters took to the streets after noon prayers on Friday in defiance of security forces determined to crush an 11-week a revolt against Assad's 11-year rule.<br />Security forces and snipers fired at tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the city of Hama, where 29 years ago President Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's father, crushed an armed Islamist revolt by killing up to 30,000 people and razing parts of the city to the ground.<br />Activists said at least 34 people were killed and scores wounded.<br />"The firing began from rooftops on the demonstrators. I saw scores of people falling in Assi square and the streets and alleyways branching out. Blood was everywhere," a witness who gave his name as Omar told Reuters from Hama.<br />"It looked to me as if hundreds of people have been injured but I was in a panic and wanted to find cover. Funerals for the martyrs have already started," he said.<br />Activists say there have been some instances of citizens resisting security forces by using personal weapons, and of security police shooting soldiers for refusing to fire at protesters <br /><br />The activist who declined to be named said that before the shooting started protesters burned the Baath Party office in Hama and said it was not clear how the shooting broke out. <br /><br /><br />9 comments:<br />this comment disappears after been published Why?<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-73000707626298167952015-08-02T02:38:32.413-07:002015-08-02T02:38:32.413-07:00Working inside Syria, in contact both with its gov...Working inside Syria, in contact both with its government and opposition activists, and with his own information gathering capabilities, the U.S. ambassador to Syria should be a well-informed and credible source, able to see clearly into a murky situation. <br /><br /><br />June 2, 2011 <br />http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/06/02/syria.activists.turkey/index.html<br /><br />Syrian activists meet in Turkey, call on al-Assad to step down<br />The opposition gathering also declared its support for the "Revolution in Syria," and elected a 31-member council aimed at assisting the protest movement in Syria.<br />For the last two days, the activists from Syria and international diaspora have gathered in the conference rooms and lobbies of a hotel in this Turkish beach resort, to plot ways to support the bloody revolution in Syria.<br /><br />June 2, 2011 <br />ANTALYA, Turkey — A group of mostly exiled Syrian opposition figures on Thursday called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to resign, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hinted that the United States is preparing to take a tougher stance against Damascus, escalating pressure on the Syrian government as it presses ahead with its brutal crackdown against protesters. <br /><br />In Washington, Clinton came closer than ever before to calling for Assad’s ouster and indicated that only China and Russia were preventing stronger action by the United Nations against the regime. <br />“The legitimacy that is necessary for anyone to expect change to occur under this current government is, if not gone, nearly run out,” she told a news conference. <br /><br />The comment coincided with the conclusion of a two-day conference of 300 mostly exiled Syrian regime opponents in the Turkish beach resort of Antalya that was aimed in large part at persuading the international community to call for Assad’s departure.<br />https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/syrian-opposition-calls-for-ouster-of-assad/2011/06/02/AGQegVHH_story.html<br /><br />Fri Jun 3, 2011 <br />http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/03/us-syria-idUSLDE73N02P20110603<br /><br />Syrian security forces intensified their assault on protesters calling for President Bashar al-Assad to quit, killing at least 34 demonstrators in the latest crackdown in the city of Hama, activists said.<br />Thousands of protesters took to the streets after noon prayers on Friday in defiance of security forces determined to crush an 11-week a revolt against Assad's 11-year rule.<br />Security forces and snipers fired at tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the city of Hama, where 29 years ago President Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's father, crushed an armed Islamist revolt by killing up to 30,000 people and razing parts of the city to the ground.<br /><br />Activists said at least 34 people were killed and scores wounded.<br />"The firing began from rooftops on the demonstrators. I saw scores of people falling in Assi square and the streets and alleyways branching out. Blood was everywhere," a witness who gave his name as Omar told Reuters from Hama.<br />"It looked to me as if hundreds of people have been injured but I was in a panic and wanted to find cover. Funerals for the martyrs have already started," he said.<br />Activists say there have been some instances of citizens resisting security forces by using personal weapons, and of security police shooting soldiers for refusing to fire at protesters <br /><br />The activist who declined to be named said that before the shooting started protesters burned the Baath Party office in Hama and said it was not clear how the shooting broke out. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-44511296089008749632015-08-02T02:32:33.227-07:002015-08-02T02:32:33.227-07:008/2/2015
A major Syrian anti-regime group, the Lo...8/2/2015 <br />A major Syrian anti-regime group, the Local Coordination Committees, announced Saturday <br />it had quit the opposition in exile, accusing it of being undermined by internal conflict and manipulated by foreign powers.In a letter to the Syrian National Coalition, the LCC denounced what it termed the SNC's transformation into "blocs linked to foreign forces", referring to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey."We wish to inform you that the LCC has decided to withdraw officially from the coalition," the group of activists said in a letter, a copy of which was seen by AFP.<br />"We had hoped that this political grouping, of which we are one of the founders, would realise the aspirations of the people and the principles of the revolution for which it has paid an unimaginable price," the letter said."Unfortunately, we have on several occasions noted its inability to undertake this mission," added the LCC which through its network of activists across the country has covered events since the beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2011.<br />Since the outbreak in 2011 of the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, the political opposition in exile has been unable to present a common front, beset by division and rivalry between its backers Riyadh, Doha and Ankara. <br />http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/198906<br /><br />13 mrt. 2015 <br />http://www.mintpressnews.com/beleaguered-syrian-opposition-in-exile-is-about-to-collapse/203334/<br />The Western-backed group that sees itself as a government-in-exile <br />opposed to President Bashar al-Assad has re-elected its leader, a decision that re-asserted the influence of Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood over the beleaguered body.<br />Some members of the exiled Syrian National Coalition had wanted to elect a leader based on the ground in rebel-held areas of Syria, but the group instead voted to re-appoint Ahmed Toumeh who was fired from the post in July with many members unhappy about the Coalition's lack of progress.<br /><br />2014<br />http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/15/us-mideast-crisis-syria-opposition-idUSKCN0I41W920141015<br />A Syrian advisor to the opposition who is close to the talks said: "Toumeh has the support of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Turks and Qataris which had put him in a good spot. But it (the vote) didn't happen smoothly." More than 40 of the 109 members of the Coalition, including Saudi-backed President Hadi al-Bahra did not vote, many in objection to Muslim Brotherhood influence,sources said. Toumeh won the voting with 63 of 65 votes cast. <br />Toumeh was not immediately available for comment. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-53856365192008570672015-08-02T02:28:54.699-07:002015-08-02T02:28:54.699-07:00http://syrianexperthouse.org/archives/335
The dec...http://syrianexperthouse.org/archives/335<br /><br />The declaration was read by SCPSS Executive Officer Dr. Radwan Ziadeh. <br /><br />He said “all the attendees, who represent all the political parties of Syria, agreed that a general assembly should be held and from this, the general assembly-in-exile will be elected. Such a general assembly should be held inside Syria in liberated areas, if possible. If not, a preparation committee can look for other options, such as other countries.” <br /><br /><br />U.S.-backed Syrian Opposition Linked to Bilderberg, CFR, Goldman Sachs & George Soros <br /><br />http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/asia/item/12084-us-backed-syrian-opposition-linked-to-bilderberg-cfr-goldman-sachs-george-soros<br /><br />Another senior figure demanding an international war on Syria is Radwan Ziadeh, <br /><br />until recently a “senior fellow” at the taxpayer-funded,<br /> establishment-linked “U.S. Institute of Peace,” <br />and a “visiting fellow” at the London-based Royal Institute of International Affairs — the CFR’s counterpart in the U.K. Also doing much of the talking — including demands that American troops be unconstitutionally deployed to participate in Syria’s civil war — <br /><br />are Hamza Fakher and Michael Weiss, <br />both darlings of the neoconservative, war-mongering establishment. <br />The two are also deeply involved in marketing the proposed military intervention using PR trickery, evidence suggests. <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-43557392307336671632015-08-02T02:25:22.480-07:002015-08-02T02:25:22.480-07:00Working inside Syria, in contact both with its gov...Working inside Syria, in contact both with its government and opposition activists, and with his own information gathering capabilities, the U.S. ambassador to Syria should be a well-informed and credible source, able to see clearly into a murky situation. <br /><br /><br />June 2, 2011 <br />http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/06/02/syria.activists.turkey/index.html<br />Syrian activists meet in Turkey, call on al-Assad to step down<br />The opposition gathering also declared its support for the "Revolution in Syria," and elected a 31-member council aimed at assisting the protest movement in Syria.<br />For the last two days, the activists from Syria and international diaspora have gathered in the conference rooms and lobbies of a hotel in this Turkish beach resort, to plot ways to support the bloody revolution in Syria.<br /><br />June 2, 2011 <br />ANTALYA, Turkey — A group of mostly exiled Syrian opposition figures on Thursday called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to resign, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hinted that the United States is preparing to take a tougher stance against Damascus, escalating pressure on the Syrian government as it presses ahead with its brutal crackdown against protesters. <br /><br />In Washington, Clinton came closer than ever before to calling for Assad’s ouster and indicated that only China and Russia were preventing stronger action by the United Nations against the regime. <br />“The legitimacy that is necessary for anyone to expect change to occur under this current government is, if not gone, nearly run out,” she told a news conference. <br />The comment coincided with the conclusion of a two-day conference <br />of 300 mostly exiled Syrian regime opponents in the Turkish beach resort of Antalya that was aimed in large part at persuading the international community to call for Assad’s departure.<br /><br />https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/syrian-opposition-calls-for-ouster-of-assad/2011/06/02/AGQegVHH_story.html<br /><br />Fri Jun 3, 2011 <br />http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/03/us-syria-idUSLDE73N02P20110603<br /><br />Syrian security forces intensified their assault on protesters calling for President Bashar al-Assad to quit, killing at least 34 demonstrators in the latest crackdown in the city of Hama, activists said.<br /><br />Thousands of protesters took to the streets after noon prayers on Friday in defiance of security forces determined to crush an 11-week a revolt against Assad's 11-year rule.<br />Security forces and snipers fired at tens of thousands of demonstrators <br />gathered in the city of Hama,<br />where 29 years ago President Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's father, crushed an armed Islamist revolt by killing up to 30,000 people and razing parts of the city to the ground.<br />Activists said at least 34 people were killed and scores wounded.<br />"The firing began from rooftops on the demonstrators. I saw scores of people falling in Assi square and the streets and alleyways branching out. Blood was everywhere," a witness who gave his name as Omar told Reuters from Hama.<br />"It looked to me as if hundreds of people have been injured but I was in a panic and wanted to find cover. Funerals for the martyrs have already started," he said.<br /><br />Activists say there have been some instances of citizens resisting security forces by using personal weapons, and of security police shooting soldiers for refusing to fire at protesters <br />The activist who declined to be named said that before the shooting started protesters burned the Baath Party office in Hama and said it was not clear how the shooting broke out. <br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-15346699061894341462015-07-30T15:22:39.310-07:002015-07-30T15:22:39.310-07:00Anon, thx - a fair amount of related stuff I'l...Anon, thx - a fair amount of related stuff I'll consider for inclusion above.Caustic Logichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03082923821952309709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-53887001701115812972015-07-30T10:57:23.553-07:002015-07-30T10:57:23.553-07:00With the US compliant with Assad and maintaining i...With the US compliant with Assad and maintaining its policy of appeasing the Iranian regime, the only outside government currently making an attempt to influence events in Syria is Turkey. Although it is being careful to couch its anti-Assad policy in the rhetoric of compromise, given Assad’s inability to make any deal with his opponents, simply by calling for him to compromise, <br /><br />the Turkish government is making it clear that it seeks Assad’s overthrow. Turkey’s talk of sending troops into Syria to protect civilians and its willingness to set up refugee camps for the Syrians from border towns fleeing the Assad regime’s goons, make clear that Ankara is vying to expand its sphere of influence to Damascus in a post-Assad Syria.<br /><br />Ankara's plans are all the more apparent when seen in the context of Turkish Prime Minister Recip Erdogan’s moves to reinstate Turkey as a regional hegemon along the lines of the Ottoman Empire. To this end, according to a report this week in The Hindu, since Erdogan’s Islamist AK Party formed its first government in 2003, it has been actively cultivating ties with Muslim Brotherhood movements throughout the region. The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood has deep ties to the Turkish government and the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood branch Hamas has been publicly supported by Erdogan’s government since 2006.<br /><br />Sarkozy visit to Damascus signals thaw in relationsIan Black ..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-35167367694135838382015-07-30T10:56:20.034-07:002015-07-30T10:56:20.034-07:00There has been no U.S. ambassador in Syria for the...There has been no U.S. ambassador in Syria for the five previous years in protest of alleged Syrian involvement in the assassination of a Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, a steadfast critic of Syria's domination of his country.<br /><br />Republican members of Congress have challenged Ford's continued presence in the country, characterizing it as an unwarranted reward to Assad's often pro-Iran and anti-U.S. government stances, and untenable in light of recent violence against civilians.<br /><br />Ford's participation in a Syrian government-organized trip to the country's north last month did not help. <br /><br />The State Department said then that Ford's outing to the abandoned town of Jisr al-Shughour allowed him to "see for himself the results of the Syrian government's brutality." However, he mostly encountered deserted streets and buildings that would not prove the existence of a foreign conspiracy to destabilize Syria, as the government claims, or mass atrocities, as Western governments and human rights groups allege.<br /><br />Ford's trip allowed him to see firsthand the lies of the Syrian regime, Nuland told reporters. While the government blames foreign instigators or armed gangs for unrest, Ford "witnessed average Syrians asking for change in their country," she said.<br /><br />In recent days, Hama residents have largely sealed off their city, setting up makeshift checkpoints with burning tires and concrete blocks to keep security forces away.<br /><br />The government seized on Ford's visit to insist that foreign conspirators lay behind the unrest and called it proof the U.S. was inciting violence in the Arab nation. The U.S. is trying to "aggravate the situations which destabilize Syria," the state-run news agency said Friday.<br /><br />Nuland called the claim "absolute rubbish."<br /><br /><br /><br />Syrian rebel city welcomes US ambassador with roses<br />Syrian government criticises Robert Ford for meeting 'saboteurs' in Hama and conspiring to undermine regime<br />Martin Chulov in Beirut,<br />Guardian,<br />9 July 2011,<br /><br />Tens of thousands of people rallied in the Syrian city of Hama for a second Friday, calling for departure of President Bashar al-Assad, denouncing a government conference set to begin this weekend – and throwing red roses at visiting US ambassador Robert Ford. The unannounced visit acted as a lightning rod for activists, but drew a stern rebuke from the government, which accused Ford of meeting with saboteurs and conspiring to undermine the regime. Ford is understood to have left the besieged city before the protests started. Activists said security forces shot dead 13 people elsewhere, including six in Dumair, near Damascus. More than 40 were said to have been wounded. Violence was reported in the nearby city of Homs, as well as Qaboon in central Damascus and Meedan<br /><br />Since Monday, the Syrian army has been struggling to gain control over neighbourhoods in Hama that have been seized by neighbourhood activists, who have set up barriers and checkpoints to bar security forces. Elders and dignitaries rejected requests by the army to enter the city and arrest specific activists.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-29251984187931096112015-07-30T10:35:18.769-07:002015-07-30T10:35:18.769-07:00May 9, 2013
U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford ...May 9, 2013 <br />U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford briefly crossed into northern Syria on Thursday to meet with Syrian opposition leaders.<br />It is Ford's first visit back to Syria since he left in February, 2012, when the U.S. embassy suspended operations in Damascus as the opposition effort to oust Syrian President Bashar al Assad developed into a full-blown civil war. Since then, Ford has become the Obama administration's point man on Syria and point of contact with the Syrian opposition.<br />A U.S. official confirmed Ford's secret visit, which occurred along the Turkey-Syria border. He briefly crossed into Syria to meet with opposition leaders before returning to Turkey. Ford did not go deep into Syria, according to the official.<br />"It was literally just across the border," the official said.<br />A State Department official confirmed that Ford had "spent some time" at a border crossing to discuss the situation in Syria with members of the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian opposition.<br /><br />http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/05/us-ambassador-makes-secret-crossing-into-syria-to-briefly-meet-with-rebels/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-51541084514263800522015-07-30T10:33:36.754-07:002015-07-30T10:33:36.754-07:00WASHINGTON | Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:50am EDT
(Reuters...WASHINGTON | Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:50am EDT<br /><br />(Reuters) - The State Department has secretly funded Syrian opposition <br />groups, according to diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks, The <br />Washington Post reported on Monday.<br /><br />The cables show that the State Department has funneled as much as $6 <br />million since 2006 to a group of Syrian exiles to operate a London-based <br />satellite channel, Barada TV, and finance activities inside Syria, the <br />Post said.<br /><br />Barada TV began broadcasting in April 2009 but has ramped up operations <br />to cover the mass protests in Syria that began last month as part of a <br />long-standing campaign to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad the Post said.<br /><br />The U.S. money for Syrian opposition figures began flowing under <br />President George W. Bush after political ties with Damascus were frozen <br />in 2005, the newspaper said.<br /><br />The financial backing has continued under President Barack Obama, even <br />as his administration sought to rebuild relations with Assad, the Post <br />said. In January, the White House posted an ambassador to Damascus for <br />the first time in six years. <br />http://xevolutie.blogspot.com/2011/12/180-peter-myers-on-syria.html<br /><br /><br />8 July 2011 <br />Syria says US 'interfering' as ambassador visits Hama<br />Syria has accused the US of "interfering" in its affairs after the US ambassador to the country travelled to the flashpoint city of Hama.<br />The Syrian foreign ministry said the visit by Robert Ford was "obvious proof" of US involvement in continuing protests in the country.<br />Earlier, the US State Department said Mr Ford's visit was to show solidarity with protesters.<br />http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14074257<br /><br />U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford also made waves in recent days when he decided to visit the city of Hama in Syria, this time without being accompanied by any Syrian officials, who registered a complaint over the incident. <br />Sarkozy visit to Damascus signals thaw in relationsIan Black ..<br /><br /><br />U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford also made waves in recent days when he decided to visit the city of Hama in Syria, this time without being accompanied by any Syrian officials, who registered a complaint over the incident. <br /><br />The Ambassador's enthusiastic reception in Hama, in which demonstrators laid flowers on his car, drew attention and inquiries as to the purpose of his visit to Hama: Did he come to make his presence felt and prevent a massacre with his own body? Or was this an innocent trip made to gather information? <br /><br />State Department spokesperson Noland confirmed that the purpose of Ford's trip was to express support for the Syrian demonstrators in their demands for democracy. Noland said that Ford did not intend to become a story in and of himself, and therefore returned to Damascus before Friday's demonstrations. <br /><br /><br /><br />Ford "had a chance to talk to lots of average citizens; these were shopkeepers, people out on the street, young men," said Victoria Nuland, the State Department spokeswoman. "When he got into the city, the car was immediately surrounded by friendly protesters who were putting flowers on the windshield, they were putting olive branches on the car, they were chanting 'Down with the regime!' It was quite a scene."<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091580307813686433.post-68594935425819746782015-07-30T02:16:17.925-07:002015-07-30T02:16:17.925-07:002011
The plan is said to be drawn up by Bandar bi...2011<br /><br />The plan is said to be drawn up by Bandar bin Sultan,<br /> the former Saudi ambassador to the United States, in collaboration with the former U.S. Ambassador in Lebanon, "Jeffrey Feltman"<br />to overthrow the regime in Syria and to bring Syria back to the "stone age", according to the sources. <br />http://uprootedpalestinians.blogspot.com/2011/07/media-sources-reveal-details-of.html<br /><br /><br />In June 2012, Jeffrey Feltman was appointed UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs <br /><br /><br />2013<br /><br />http://nsnbc.me/2013/03/12/us-russian-relations-continue-deteriorating-over-syria-as-kuwaiti-whistle-blower-discloses-secret-us-war-plan/<br /><br />Faisal al-Hamad has, according to the German, independent media Die Evidenz, stated, <br />that a separate and secret agreement had been signed <br />at the sidelines of the Friends of Syria meeting in Doha. <br /><br />In several blog posts and social media, so Die Evidenz, al-Hamad has stated, <br />that a separeate agreement had been signed between <br />the Foreign Mister of Qatar, Hamad Bin Jassim Al-Thani, <br />the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmad Dauvutoglu, <br />Abdulla bin Zayid Al Nahyan, <br /><br />the american Ambassador Robert Ford, <br /><br />the opposition member Riyad Saif, <br />and the representative of the council of Istanbul´s Muslim Brotherhood organization <br />Mohammed Riad Shaqfeh. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com