MMC
02-13-2012, 01:19 PM
World powers meanwhile digested Arab League proposals from a meeting in Cairo on Sunday which called for a joint U.N.-Arab peacekeeping force for Syria and pledged to provide political and material aid to the opposition.
Russia, Assad's close ally and main arms supplier, said it could not support a peacekeeping mission unless both sides ceased the violence first. Some felt the moves might only fan the flames of war.
The United States and Europe are reluctant to get dragged in militarily, fearing that given Syria's position in the Middle East's religious, ethnic and political faultlines, this would be more risky and complicated than the NATO-led air support that helped Libyan rebels oust Muammar Gaddafi last year.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said any peacekeeping troops should come from non-Western countries: "I don't see the way forward in Syria as being Western boots on the ground in any form, including in any peacekeeping form."
France was unenthusiastic about sending in foreign troops. "We think that any external military intervention would only make the situation worse...," Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said.
The Arab League effort also highlighted regional rivalries. Its moves have been driven by Saudi Arabia and other Sunni-ruled Gulf monarchies who have long resented Assad's close ties to Shi'ite regional rival Iran.
The Free Syrian Army, led by military defectors, has taken the central role in armed opposition to the government. Accounts of action on the ground are difficult to verify because Syria restricts access by journalists.....snip~
http://news.yahoo.com/arabs-back-syria-opposition-homs-bombardment-resumes-002625523.html
http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/BplSw9amVkQ1_C5tzv5BuQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9NDI2O2NyPTE7Y3c9NjMwO2R4PTA7ZH k9MDtmaT11bGNyb3A7aD00MjY7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/02/13/358048443d27e904060f6a706700baa1-jpg_151657.jpg
Syrian Sunni Rebels.....
Russia, Assad's close ally and main arms supplier, said it could not support a peacekeeping mission unless both sides ceased the violence first. Some felt the moves might only fan the flames of war.
The United States and Europe are reluctant to get dragged in militarily, fearing that given Syria's position in the Middle East's religious, ethnic and political faultlines, this would be more risky and complicated than the NATO-led air support that helped Libyan rebels oust Muammar Gaddafi last year.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said any peacekeeping troops should come from non-Western countries: "I don't see the way forward in Syria as being Western boots on the ground in any form, including in any peacekeeping form."
France was unenthusiastic about sending in foreign troops. "We think that any external military intervention would only make the situation worse...," Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said.
The Arab League effort also highlighted regional rivalries. Its moves have been driven by Saudi Arabia and other Sunni-ruled Gulf monarchies who have long resented Assad's close ties to Shi'ite regional rival Iran.
The Free Syrian Army, led by military defectors, has taken the central role in armed opposition to the government. Accounts of action on the ground are difficult to verify because Syria restricts access by journalists.....snip~
http://news.yahoo.com/arabs-back-syria-opposition-homs-bombardment-resumes-002625523.html
http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/BplSw9amVkQ1_C5tzv5BuQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9NDI2O2NyPTE7Y3c9NjMwO2R4PTA7ZH k9MDtmaT11bGNyb3A7aD00MjY7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/02/13/358048443d27e904060f6a706700baa1-jpg_151657.jpg
Syrian Sunni Rebels.....