Monday, January 23, 2012

The Tree Cannot Hold!

As the Arab League votes unanimously to extend its failed mission and issues a useless call on Assad to cede power to his VP, battles continue to rage in Rural Damascus, Idlib and Homs, for the Assads have no interest in leaving, dialoguing or compromising.

Sunday 22, 2012 – The day was dubbed by activists “Russia is killing our children”

Today’s death toll: 22. The Breakdown: 3 in Homs City, 2 in Idlib, 1 in Deraa, 1 in Deir Ezzor and 6 in the Damascene suburb of Douma where clashes between loyalists and defectors continued for a second straight day. Fatalities were also reported in and around Rankous, a town to the North of Damascus, where clashes between defectors and loyalists were also reported. At night, loyalist troops who have been regrouping over the last few days, embarked on another attempt at invading the restive town of Zabadani.

Defections and ensuing clashes with loyalist troops were also reported in the town of Managh in Aleppo Province.

Snowy conditions in Idlib, Aleppo and Hama did not prevent people from organizing their daily rallies. But the cold is making life extremely difficult I most protest communities where fuel supplies are short or nonexistent.

Links
Saudi to Withdraw Observers From Arab League's Syria Mission
Arab League calls on Assad to delegate power
Syrian troops retreat from large Damascus suburb
Syria: The Lost Bequest of Hafez Assad
2 U.S. senators seek trade sanctions on Syria
'Hezbollah acting in Syria against protesters'
Colleagues blame Syria for death of French TV reporter Gilles Jacquier

The Tree Cannot Hold

Professor Fouad Ajami reminds us of the following quote by Henry Kissinger in regard to hafiz Al-Assad’s negotiating skills and survival instincts:

“Assad never lost his aplomb. He negotiated daringly and tenaciously like a riverboat gambler to make sure that he exacted the last sliver of available concessions. I once told him that I had seen negotiators who deliberately moved themselves to the edge of a precipice to show that they had no further margin of maneuver. I had even known negotiators who put one foot over the edge, in effect threatening their own suicide. He was the only one who would actually jump off the precipice, hoping that on his way down he could break his fall by grabbing a tree he knew to be there. Assad beamed.”

Indeed, Bashar seems to be intent on following in his father’s footsteps, and he has just taken a wild jump off the precipice. But there is one major flaw in his calculations: The passage of time has ensured that his regime has grown too fat and that the tree trunk k too dry and hollow to hold his weight. In short, the tree will not hold.

Turkey

Snowy conditions were particularly hard for Syrian refugees in Turkish camps http://youtu.be/0STNLV2k8fk , http://youtu.be/gAnEi23unNc

Homs City:

Asheerah: tanks patrolling and pounding the neighborhood in what has become open warfare http://youtu.be/ShctekRFPhc , http://youtu.be/pktme8Frr3c Aftermath http://youtu.be/eLuTBfK7W-8 At night, people break their furniture for heat http://youtu.be/teiny3O8yd0

The pounding of Wadi Street http://youtu.be/aTaDImnRnTw , http://youtu.be/pT_NzGLNjB8 In the midst of all this, young men play with death http://youtu.be/b2xGS3LTy2g 

Jib Al-Jandali: a funeral http://youtu.be/m37H15Ltn_0 one of the martyrs http://youtu.be/gATBkxvvlbw

Bab Al-Sibaa: treating a wounded young activist http://youtu.be/-RmrMVMzXnw A truck carrying aid from nearby communities http://youtu.be/tXagyFE8LQs A rally http://youtu.be/9dWFGQm0eI8

But neither bombs nor snow would prevent the people of Baba Amr from rallying while chanting “the people want to declare Jihad (holy war)” http://youtu.be/BB-Afeblahw A new defecting officer addresses the crowd http://youtu.be/rCU8__wYhI4 More defections http://youtu.be/Y_HfRdLrYu8 And another rally at night http://youtu.be/0lEu6BiFR-U

Rallies Malaab http://youtu.be/Gl_BCGL3BF8 Midan http://youtu.be/ubJXRsUTdrg Qoussour http://youtu.be/25-tOvajGCo Shammas http://youtu.be/sHwtNrdPPcw Nighttime Karm Al-Shami http://youtu.be/qirBWiwPmnU Bab Houd http://youtu.be/o38HHad5PdY Wa’er http://youtu.be/rGTWzPqB3zs , http://youtu.be/T2W723O2sg8 Bani Siba’yi http://youtu.be/UQ38htW3-4I Khaldiyeh http://youtu.be/HHUIMX7Y6UQ Insha’aat http://youtu.be/RMzBfnnjFB4 Ghoutah http://youtu.be/NYmpJwNHOq8 Jouret Al-Shayah http://youtu.be/WGhI8LXyDCA

Homs Province

In Tadmor (Palmyra), security officers who were assigned to protect AL monitors declare their defection http://youtu.be/JVmBXtCGJRE

Rallies Houleh http://youtu.be/sYBHHfJXft4 Qseir http://youtu.be/FR6cTisWqCY Nighttime Talbisseh http://youtu.be/gH85USwQclU , http://youtu.be/NjzoPfgI1jI Tadmor http://youtu.be/a-KV6wa-OkA Qseir http://youtu.be/NM89tGEN4Nc Kafar Aya http://youtu.be/sw3mdSzutPs Hassya http://youtu.be/lLchnEwPkHc Sukhnah http://youtu.be/isfaFU7ZfOA

Damascus – East

Douma: martyrs http://youtu.be/yfr4SBaZAAE , http://youtu.be/ibhKy8xrr9g These three are believed to have died under torture http://youtu.be/lRq0xonczDg , http://youtu.be/O5myb6N9xXY , http://youtu.be/Apmq5BY9wTY A wounded man http://youtu.be/fO0UrZutHB8 Local FSA officers send a warning to regime: should their troops attempt to retake the town, they would target the presidential palace with missiles and execute the 5 loyalist security officers they have captured http://youtu.be/jL5GdkXcG74 At night, locals hold a rally http://youtu.be/jakwEfA_WJ8 , http://youtu.be/e5lN4LFeEho 

Kafar Batna: members of the FSA patrol the streets openly during the day http://youtu.be/3D9JFvLSrT8 Locals rally at night http://youtu.be/vNFzdJ65J-I Sporadic gunfire takes place during the night http://youtu.be/goB9DRbQj9Y

Saqba: a martyr http://youtu.be/JvCYzzw-Gmc and mass funeral http://youtu.be/-aAF-c7Hdv0 , http://youtu.be/Hd_F4XfV6uU , http://youtu.be/8lYiYUy4Bqw Members from the FSA take part in the really http://youtu.be/uYOZInxyIxA One of them addresses the crowd and tells them that school have been closed until further notice and that all future rallies will be protected by the FSA http://youtu.be/j2uC7LModwE

Jisreen: Martyrs http://youtu.be/8p5xfy68DY8

Rallies Zamalka http://youtu.be/15nvAFZ0BnQ Hamouriyeh http://youtu.be/mUJXsfPZyEU Nighttime Arbeen http://youtu.be/IRjHmsnE3hE , http://youtu.be/0IscZlB5ZJ0 Harasta http://youtu.be/UQfEkb0JHUo , http://youtu.be/o9uAY9z5i3k Zamalka http://youtu.be/lMR41I6yamg Hamouriyeh http://youtu.be/QUJElDrLrWI Ain Terma http://youtu.be/VJ9V5eyCejY Shebaa http://youtu.be/lBb2AmYTY4M Yilda http://youtu.be/RtamIRr-g6c

Damascus City

Moadamiyeh: loyalist troops patrol the streets to prevent another suburb from falling to the protesters and the rebels http://youtu.be/B8KQQ6R7VLU , http://youtu.be/4UgMvJo56ck

Old Mazzeh: a young activist spray-paints revolutionary slogans all over the walls of his neighborhood in open daylight http://youtu.be/asdR38lAW4I These small acts of defiance are daily occurrences in Damascus and Aleppo.

Rallies Qadam http://youtu.be/1o2rGQLpRiQ , http://youtu.be/LBXK7SZGzN4 Nighttime Barzeh http://youtu.be/q07yi9v6fkg , http://youtu.be/WPjGScqovGA Midan http://youtu.be/ZRdRloAaGQg Daraya http://youtu.be/LGECZgxhO2U Ruknaddine http://youtu.be/r_Zrh4xNah4 , http://youtu.be/CgulDPUeSPQ Kafar Sousseh http://youtu.be/qat9yB8KBis Jobar http://youtu.be/u2JQvbOsDZc Al-Hajar Al-Aswad http://youtu.be/S_U8MYp3jDc

Damascus – West

Nighttime Rallies Wadi Barada http://youtu.be/Kq5PH7lB7AQ Qudsaya http://youtu.be/tfYmArKR0KE Hamah http://youtu.be/qKJY1-XEhDo

Idlib

Kafrenbel: Snowy condition and new strike http://youtu.be/B9Q-ggQw7vI and in Kafroumah http://youtu.be/XqcZeHAamv4 Naqeer: protesters chant “We have no Kerosene” http://youtu.be/xwb1hMr_500 Ariha “What did you do with our Kerosene Bashar?” http://youtu.be/CjSTmUyPMqI

In Idlib City snowy conditions did not prevent a funeral from taking place http://youtu.be/crPe_N_1d-Q , http://youtu.be/C9B3-24jmno Nor did they do so in Taftanaz http://youtu.be/ni-wF57G81o Or Khan Al-Subul http://youtu.be/WJMbOESwi3A Or Hzano http://youtu.be/070zkFqHDCA Or Binnish: http://youtu.be/N8tUq_CLYqE , http://youtu.be/l2-zpsGvgn4 , http://youtu.be/vHOQ_cZmBCg Or Ma’arateh http://youtu.be/of-7go4eQS4 Or Ma’arrat Al-Nouman http://youtu.be/5woEyhJRyLU where the funeral was for this martyr http://youtu.be/yuLBpWZ49aw Or Kafar Takhareem http://youtu.be/KYQ8rZkrOqQ for this martyr http://youtu.be/OR4fT3Rmcuk

Snowmen join the Revolution: Binnish http://youtu.be/guLNe0MCiaU Ma’ar Zeiteh http://youtu.be/_NLHedlUw9w , http://youtu.be/RY627YQ4ZoA Sheikh Mustafa http://youtu.be/KmIBxbJoQUc

Heesh: sounds of battle from Saturday evening http://youtu.be/dA4rt6m-yNY A funeral in Tilmens http://youtu.be/Lck4R7HBZfo A funeral in Ihsem http://youtu.be/soRs5MEucFs

Idlib City: officers from the local branch of political security apparatus defect http://youtu.be/WQNMHa1fzEs

Rallies Kafar Ouaid rally in fields of snow http://youtu.be/TdA8ORYkzxs , http://youtu.be/T0War11pLZ4 Marayan http://youtu.be/d9N1I7Q4sKw Ma’arr Shamshah http://youtu.be/Q_UfR70jHSg Ghadfah http://youtu.be/Nnww4zLR8Lg Ma’arrat Hourmah http://youtu.be/y-c2DeJFwuc Eltaman’ah http://youtu.be/8c2eB5fZ_0U Sarmeen http://youtu.be/UWQ2g46eABU Elteh http://youtu.be/sLBBQUkJLtg Kafar Yahmoul http://youtu.be/e4u9kGnmtYw Qorqanya http://youtu.be/R80ppvu3WF8 Nighttime Idlib City http://youtu.be/5hur8eFyUAs , http://youtu.be/xcczZS-l7co Darkoush http://youtu.be/bAFhupihD1s Saraqib http://youtu.be/4eDTDiC45Cg

Hama City

Bab Qibli: AL monitors enter the neighborhood under the protection of the local members of the FSA http://youtu.be/1aSxNS93hSo , http://youtu.be/wlTmtFhrHSA Meeting the locals http://youtu.be/t5-f0xz-Dyc

Rallies Qoussour http://youtu.be/5PfVkQt1Y5k Hamidiyeh http://youtu.be/Op5S3EidXAw Frayeh http://youtu.be/knI-nL-l5w8 Janoub Al-Malaab http://youtu.be/P9zch8ICOzY Sheikh Anbar http://youtu.be/LFK8QdRHdjg

Hama Province

Snow conditions were reported in many communities, including Qastoun http://youtu.be/RyF6DlC48sI But they did not prevent rallies.

Rallies Khattab http://youtu.be/Rgr2JdM_NVE Kafrenboudeh http://youtu.be/iIkcnP-KoEg Karnaz http://youtu.be/AmI-tTJlk-Q Kafar Zeiteh http://youtu.be/bMZRNQfGXAE Nighttime Taybat Al-Imam http://youtu.be/ZOOyxOz7rT8


Aleppo City:

University: Snow does not prevent students from organizing a new on-campus anti-Assad rally http://youtu.be/FakpnKxko_8 , http://youtu.be/WqeCrUgB3eI , http://youtu.be/8hzzHkkfpZk Students rally again at night http://youtu.be/ty0u8rens38

Marjeh: a rally takes place at night http://youtu.be/7oRdnyOdWCs

Aleppo Province

Snowy conditions did not prevent rallies

Kafar Nouran a rally http://youtu.be/8_HyBaqY0z4 and a snow fight at the same time http://youtu.be/iF6rciv35gA , http://youtu.be/eO2ReEXJ5UI Taking down Assad poster http://youtu.be/w0N2tSPI-aQ

More rallies under the snow took place in Hayan http://youtu.be/8v-XpPJnBIo Routian http://youtu.be/EBno80C-qhQ Bayanoun http://youtu.be/M99He0jfGNM Marei http://youtu.be/k6cp164QtmE , http://youtu.be/s61t_HLXnew Eizaz http://youtu.be/ViBSXRCkdrM Tal Rif’aat http://youtu.be/XWSAImO3Lq8 , http://youtu.be/dZkLqjOvDxc Managh http://youtu.be/MZkDl3OUsZI Bza’ah http://youtu.be/jofdGE-WZDo Bsartoon http://youtu.be/CVOBzjt8dMo Nighttime Anadan http://youtu.be/cY2Wl0LbzKw under the snow http://youtu.be/tQfCKgp_irs Mayer http://youtu.be/3O5rtcx2XnQ


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