The Red Cross has reached the city of Homs. Juan Cole retweeted the link for the video above, as “Friends of Syria” try to maneuver a way through this cricis, which will not be easy.
A CBS News report on what’s happening in Syria is even worse, including a map of documented torture.
Homs — which is mostly Sunni — was an early flashpoint of dissent against Assad’s regime, which is led by the minority Alawite community, which has Shiite power Iran as its main patron.
In April, protesters gathered at the central Clock Square in Homs, bringing mattresses, food and water in hopes of emulating Cairo’s Tahrir Square during the Egyptian revolution. Homs had a reputation for tolerance between Syria’s religions and Muslim sects, said Mohammad Saleh, an opposition figure who fled the city, but Sunnis have increasingly felt pushed into an underclass status by Assad.
A Western intelligence official said the Syrian military has the ability to “level Homs if it wanted to.” But the risks of backlash from Syria’s majority Sunnis — including many military officers — is far too great, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity under briefing rules.
[...] White House spokesman Jay Carney said the Obama administration still opposes military intervention but “obviously we’ll have to evaluate this as time goes on.”
In Geneva, a panel of U.N. human rights experts said the United Nations has a secret list of top Syrian officials who could face investigation for crimes against humanity. The U.N. experts indicated that the list goes as high as Assad.
Experts said the list appears mostly part of international pressures on Syria rather than a direct threat. Syria isn’t a member of the International Criminal Court so is outside its jurisdiction. Russia also would likely block any moves in the U.N. Security Council to refer the country to the Hague-based tribunal.
What we are reading about and seeing through the little news getting out of Syria is genocide. It is also far worse than what happened in Libya.
Speaking with Andrea Mitchell today, former SecDef William Cohen speculated about a “coalition of the willing” mounting a force against Assad, but was correct to emphasize the Arab nations must take the lead. With United Nations Security Council paralyzed, in order to save the Syrian people, the Arab League must step up, but let’s not kid ourselves that the U.S. won’t have an important role.
I suspect Syria’s other neighbor, Turkey, will be very important, too.
I agree. New action is needed. US and Arab League together again. Something must be done.
The Arab League must take the lead, otherwise the US and Europe will be seen as meddling. What is so sad though is that the Syrian people are fast becoming collateral damage. Where is the humanity? Assad has to go and I believe eventually he will be gone but how long before that happens is anyone’s guess. He better hope and pray that they don’t just string him up in the square. It’s time for him to go and he must see the handwriting on the wall. I don’t understand what these dictators are thinking when they begin to see they have lost their grip on their power. Just take your billions, leave the country and go enjoy life. Why pull teeth? Pun intended.
I feel so sorry for the people that live in Homs. Russia and China also have blood on their hands because they vetoed a resolution that could have at least prevented this or given some aid to the people that live in Homs. Russia is selling advanced weapons to the Syrian Government, I am sure Iran is also. I would not be suprised if Russia helps the Assad government anyway it can, because Russia is about its interests first and with Putin on the way to becoming President again in March, he will do everything to start even more trouble. He is the one who claimed the North Pole for Russia and flew Russian Bombers in Alaska and Guam airspace which of course is American and NATO airspace. He also flew bomber close to Norway and British airspace. I think Russia, China, and Iran are going to do everything help Assad. What a mess the Middle East is becoming, even more so.