We have been clear that the use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people would be a serious and tragic mistake. The Assad regime must understand that they will be held accountable for the use of chemical weapons or their transfer to terrorists.President Barack Obama - Commenting on the alleged usage of chemical weapons in attacks which left 25 dead and dozens injured in the Syrian city of Aleppo yesterday. Both those loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Syrian opposition forces have blamed their opponents for the attack; however, the perpetrators of Tuesday’s attack remain a mystery at this time. Many suspect the Assad regime, given previous reports about the Syrian government’s possession of such weapons, but calls for a formal investigation into the attack have gone unanswered thus far. source
“Our solidarity with the struggle of the Syrian people against an oppressive regime that has lost its legitimacy is an ethical duty as it is a political and strategic necessity,” Morsi said.
“We all have to announce our full solidarity with the struggle of those seeking freedom and justice in Syria, and translate this sympathy into a clear political vision that supports a peaceful transition to a democratic system of rule that reflects the demands of the Syrian people for freedom.”
People in the audience walked out after Morsi made his statements on Syria.
More headaches in Syria: According to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Russia is sending attack helicopters to the Syrian government. If this is true, it will undoubtedly set back international efforts to resolve the conflict. Russia, along with China, is Syria’s strongest international ally, and continues to block Western countries’ efforts to take harsher action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. If the US’s intelligence is correct, not only is Russia not taking a harder line against Assad; it’s actually sending him more weapons. Oy vey. (Picture credit: Sergei Zhukov/AFP/Getty). source
The Syrian regime does not understand compromise. Its ethos is ‘rule or die.’ Therefore, Syria will continue its inexorable slide into full-scale civil war, especially since the chance for effective foreign intervention to stop the bloodletting is also zero.Middle East expert Augustus Richard Norton of Boston University • Referring to a planned ceasefire between the Syrian government and rebel forces, scheduled to begin on April 10, which is unlikely to ever become a reality. On Sunday, President Bashar al-Assad demanded that opposition groups provide written guarantees that they would lay down arms first, a demand that was promptly rejected by rebels. In the final hours before the ceasefire was to begin, government forces began shelling cities and towns across the country, killing well over 100 people, and leaving little doubt that the fighting will continue. The fighting also spilled over into neighboring Turkey, where two refugees and a Turkish translator were wounded by stray gunfire. source (via • follow)
“The situation on the ground continues to deteriorate,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, referring to Syria, during a speech before the UN General Assembly on Thursday. Many are questioning the Syrian government’s commitment to an upcoming planned cease-fire, after state forces reportedly intensified their attacks on several locations throughout the country in recent days. source
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