How can we just let it happen again?

Today evil has a new name: Assad. What’s the point of having any kind of international order, if it always falls apart when faced with such banal evil?

Monday February 06, 2012

Today’s death toll: 128. The Breakdown: 61 in Homs (including 4 children), 15 in Rural Damascus, 11 in Idlib, 5 in Aleppo, 1 in Hassakeh, 1 in Hama …

In addition to the inner neighborhoods of Homs City, the suburb of Daraya in Rural Damascus also came under heavy pounding by mortars and BMPs. Other communities that were pounded include: Rastan (Homs), Zabadani (Damascus) Ma’arrat Al-Nouman, Kafrenbel and Khan Shaikhoon (Idlib) and Basr Al-Harir (Deraa).

Head of the Free Syrian Army, Lt. Col. Riad Al-Assaad, distanced himself today from the recent announcement concerning the formation of a High Syrian Council for the Liberation of Syria, saying that there is no actual coordination between Major General Mustafa Ahmad Al-Sheikh and his few followers and the FSA. Col. Al-Ass’aad also accused the Syrian National Council of conspiracy for failing to provide support to the rebels despite repeated public pledges in this regard http://youtu.be/ah1IJt6rT98 Ensuing calls between SNC leaders and the Colonel led to a joint statement stressing continued coordination.

Rebels affiliated with the FSA say that they have freed their 11 Iranian hostages as result of mediation by Turkish authorities through the local NGO IHH and out of appreciation for their role in supporting the Syrian refugees. The spokesman for the group also says that they consider the Iranian people as friends of Syria and that their only objection is to the support that the Iranian government has so far provide to the Assads http://youtu.be/5fZoWlDijbM

News

Syrian assault on Homs kills 50: opposition

US closes Syrian embassy as diplomacy collapses

Syrians trawl through hacked emails of Bashar's presidential aides

Op-Eds & Special Reports

Syria assault on Homs escalates. Does Assad think he has carte blanche now?

Al-Assad missed chance to reform Syria

US diplomats exit Syria: Can West prevent descent into more violence?

Activist: 'We're really tired of talk' as rockets blast through Syrian city

Rebels & Opposition

Syria's Splintered Opposition: Who Is Running the War Against the Regime?

Syria's rebels: Ordinary men fight and die

Syrian rebel leadership is split

As Syria violence continues, world leaders do little

By Ammar Abdulhamid: “The good news is that it’s not too late to prevent catastrophe. The bad news is that no world leader, so far at least, has had the courage to admit that this situation requires some form of intervention, nor to help lead a serious discussion about the specifics of that intervention. French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently called for the formation of a contact group on Syria. This needs to be implemented quickly. The issue cannot be ignored or postponed any longer; the Assad killing machine must be stopped.”

Cool heads must prevail indeed. We should not let the violence in Syria, the daily massacres, the indiscriminate bombardment of residential neighborhoods, all orchestrated by Assads and their loyalists, detract us from certain geopolitical realities and complications involved in the Syrian situation, namely: Russia, China, Iran, Hezbollah, Hama, chemical weapons, sectarian balances, blablablablablablablablablablablablabla… Meanwhile over 1,000 people have been killed in the last 5 days, and the Assad killing machine is running on full steam now, with Russian, Chinese and Iranian support.

What do protesters have, other than their willpower and the few light weapons they got their hands on? Nothing. And for all the talk of conspiracy on part of the Assads and their supporters, who in the world is actually standing by the protesters? No one. Not even the leaders of the opposition groups speaking in their name.

It’s not surprising, therefore, that, even as bloodier and bloodier massacres get perpetrated day after day by Assad supporters, we find people like Nicholas Noe, a contributing writer for Bloomberg View but here writing for The New York times proposing offering 3 incentives to the Assads (yes, the Assads!?). And the incentives: calling on the FSA to cease its operations against loyalists, gradually lifting the sanctions imposed on the Assads and, finally, peace talks with Israel!

And what about the protesters and their demands for freedom, justice, Assad’s departure? Noe offers us silence, the greatest gift of all. After all, freedom can wait, or as he put it: “Syrians’ aspirations for freedom might be met much later than anyone would like.” In other words, Noe’s solution to the current crisis: give the Assads everything they want in the hope that they give you some of what you want, but don’t hold your breath. This is the way has been dealing with the Assads for four decades now. This is what got us to this point to begin with. But we are tired of being hostage to the whims, greed and psychopathy of the Assads. So let there be war if need be. But don’t take my word for it, take his:

Local Baba Amr activist Khalid Abou Salah speaks from his hospital bed, having been injured in today’s pounding: “We are the fuel of the fuel of this revolution, and we will topple this regime” http://youtu.be/P9QF-8xKCm8

Homs
Homs City
Baba Amr: The pounding intensifies http://youtu.be/ijKSbd3AQeg , http://youtu.be/Wk_Drl2FxVM , http://youtu.be/lGDBH0MUgNo , http://youtu.be/sPG2i6iWdW8 , http://youtu.be/vO1oSRPp1yQ , http://youtu.be/92waWAZfTrM , http://youtu.be/zi-ixpiPkUM Rockets are used http://youtu.be/FOyD4w28_uY An activist takes a tour of some of the streets even as the pounding takes place http://youtu.be/hBK2QH3Pj4Y Another takes a tour of another part of the neighborhood http://youtu.be/83LZr_Xa4zk And another tour of another part http://youtu.be/bAjS8npbNE0 Evacuating a building to save its inhabitants from the pounding http://youtu.be/ZMH2ji_89vY The tanks laying siege to the neighborhood and taking part in the pounding http://youtu.be/2PcZ2ixOBXA Local Activist Dani Abdeldayim takes us on a tour of the local field hospital where hallways are strewn with dead bodies, and there we discover that Khalid Abu Salah, the well-known protest leader who has just been injured with his cameraman http://youtu.be/kO7i8ontM58 The doctor, Muhammad Al-Muhammad, who has lost his voice, introduces Khalid who promises that the revolution will continue until the regime is toppled for all the bombardment taking place http://youtu.be/P9QF-8xKCm8 Khalid was injured when he was reporting on the pounding taking place near the hospital. Here he calls on Arab and Muslim states to stand by the Syrian people, then tells Bashar Al-Assad “we won’t give up, even if you end up killing us all”  http://youtu.be/XEHlKl8F_VA This was Abou Salah when he arrived with some wounded at the hospital just before he himself was hit http://youtu.be/q-ZkfvC86tY The Doctor Muhammad Al-Muhammad expresses his helplessness as another man dies despite his best efforts at, saving him http://youtu.be/wjuDxbOZaz0 , http://youtu.be/lhlhGnJhdc0 He shows off the bodies of the wounded, who include a fellow physician hit when the hospital was targeted http://youtu.be/rDwCqbg04kw , http://youtu.be/YBe28RBx_nU Lack of proper medical equipment and supplies mean more people will die http://youtu.be/hkfLbFX7JYw Parts of the neighborhood have become a virtual ghost town where the sounds of bombardment echo as though they are coming from a surreal labyrinth of charred cement and broken glass http://youtu.be/rbW4uKNjXO8 , http://youtu.be/Ew3YPgJngls “One day you will be held accountable for this Arabs” http://youtu.be/AS1bF-6DD2o , http://youtu.be/HJw6aeR_uSo , http://youtu.be/IEGI_PH0neE , http://youtu.be/cg8zDkz3ryQ , http://youtu.be/Xtzw7s_WsNQ , http://youtu.be/2HdKousowv4 , http://youtu.be/4o6D1i-ukV8 , http://youtu.be/jFddwApmBHM , http://youtu.be/CA36K-sgoho , http://youtu.be/W0BBCwl-I9A , http://youtu.be/ZNMkoHcz2kU Scenes from the field hospital http://youtu.be/EGICKEkVV8U Even the hospital is not safe http://youtu.be/SxmAaXC8eRs , http://youtu.be/E1iQcuLPnew We often stress images of continued defiance, but cries of despair and helplessness can also be heard http://youtu.be/M80m0Mj06xA , http://youtu.be/h4qJ9nOLdCk Sometimes, there is nothing left to save or bury http://youtu.be/o6Ymd9peOdw Martyrs http://youtu.be/pbjLQIw6MWA , http://youtu.be/gyhkdW--Vj8 , http://youtu.be/pyVOUmFHQ8Q , http://youtu.be/6PeIas3qjmk Child http://youtu.be/nq277ZHKxeY Woman http://youtu.be/oaks4U0tNHE Some of today’s martyrs who were prepped for burial http://youtu.be/lHijysnBLtU Impact of pounding http://youtu.be/IrpZY52II6w , http://youtu.be/waJbLM6W7ss , http://youtu.be/5Mi9WL4C_ww This destroyed house was used as field clinic http://youtu.be/toLpQjGmr0k The square where locals hold their rallies was hit http://youtu.be/bPLAXj9pcgc Insha’aat: a body lies irretrievable in the street http://youtu.be/kUT3595eEyM Khaldiyeh: the pounding continues http://youtu.be/luUViiDDY-8 , http://youtu.be/Zv0_af3fd2I , http://youtu.be/wPrXWrP8QSY The only response people have are prayers http://youtu.be/LFSG2_Un_HM In between episodes of shelling, locals try to put out the fires themselves http://youtu.be/rOJ2al9Jis8 then clean up the neighborhood http://youtu.be/d6Pwezhf_os People are trapped in this house that caught fire as a result of the intensive pounding, the father is crying because he is unable to reach his kids http://youtu.be/gJd86ZIDHtY Demolished homes http://youtu.be/jd8jjIJVYs4 , http://youtu.be/NJZTtEIvL4A , http://youtu.be/fAIc5MaxbYA Al-Rifai: the pounding continues http://youtu.be/cjMttmhvbU0 Snipers are still taking positions around the block http://youtu.be/rcSJkhYcIAM Bab Al-Sibaa: Snipers are still taking part of the action http://youtu.be/drXG5i9nN-A Karm Al-Zeitun: treating the wounded http://youtu.be/gAM2t75Ey70 , http://youtu.be/bbB09c3hGp4  Even the pigeons are wounded http://youtu.be/V3Ksl6hRVDM Demolished home, blood cover the streets http://youtu.be/_4AsnBuZ00o A martyr http://youtu.be/utJ2iRUrqi0 Mother says goodbye http://youtu.be/0LoGHzzFHJw Another martyr http://youtu.be/tyrEToqseQA Impact of shelling on Riyad Mosque http://youtu.be/2Nnh0hcq87k The roof of this house collapses under the shelling http://youtu.be/T6_mm-gDhoc Bayadah: local FSA members take over the local postal office, which was used as a loyalist headquarters http://youtu.be/tcje9Wt5Fzw and hoist the independence flag on top of it http://youtu.be/k9iiqpby7_Y Impact of pounding on the neighborhood http://youtu.be/V5Rjee0UWLc , http://youtu.be/pssViX2DB0I  Martyr http://youtu.be/LDzbzUZeo5U some locals abandon the neighborhood http://youtu.be/2dVijO0qFXs , http://youtu.be/_kUuG1C88Ck Deir Baalbah: The pounding resumes http://youtu.be/WxzU_332xZg A demolished house http://youtu.be/5dEuQFOEBF8 Impact of shelling on the neighborhood http://youtu.be/7TPfo-Y6Oew Al-Rabei Al-Arabi: impact of shelling http://youtu.be/UpbIJ_NBIHA , http://youtu.be/qE_5WUuRP20 Ghoutah: A martyr http://youtu.be/tohUKsoFF78 Dablan: a mortar round hits the neighborhood http://youtu.be/nFkV4nSulAI Malaab: impact of pounding http://youtu.be/jUfUbolA5_4 Wadi Al-Arab: A martyr http://youtu.be/Yu8_gNzbKO0 Another http://youtu.be/c2qppj9LUJ0  Rescuing the children http://youtu.be/Fiy88ikFhfg , http://youtu.be/E8u1uvSZ-Ro More wounded http://youtu.be/z-5-TSxDkb4 , http://youtu.be/c8yUCiKZ8PU Meanwhile, more soldiers announce their defection citing their refusal to obey the orders they received to attack residential communities and unarmed civilians. They join the Free Syrian Army http://youtu.be/32uR3wmlJ_M
Nighttime Rallies
Ghoutah http://youtu.be/MIyk1e4GR6w Qoussour http://youtu.be/dfdFRYNdG2g Bab Houd http://youtu.be/ctM8ku5GhaU Khaldiyeh http://youtu.be/Omykw9xFq84
Homs Province
Rastan: the dead lie in the streets as a result of continued pounding http://youtu.be/1dMy4Nbf6SY Demolished homes http://youtu.be/R2oZ1El8ejA A house belonging to the former minister of defense Moustafa Tlas who hails from Rastan was hit http://youtu.be/Y-jPIiieoaY A rocket just hit this home http://youtu.be/GPu9QFJZoWA Tadmor: A tank positioned near the local security headquarters http://youtu.be/z5FGjwtvHQY
Daytime Rallies
Ghanto http://youtu.be/gX6V23vInLs Talbisseh http://youtu.be/E8djb8CpQlM Houleh http://youtu.be/tKAMyXk-N4M
Nighttime Rallies
Talbisseh http://youtu.be/jq-p0yKtRqo Tadmor http://youtu.be/anlWalIU9iQ Qaryatein http://youtu.be/33IRsFYCbKc Sukhnah http://youtu.be/Ju2Q_LKVmRc
Damascus
Damascus City
Kafar Sousseh: protesters come under fire http://youtu.be/xU0CHR4JcoI Midan: protesters block the main roads with burning tires at night http://youtu.be/PJQe617kKVQ
Daytime Rallies
Barzeh (student rally) http://youtu.be/kzh3YNzIHdc , http://youtu.be/i9Da97IfYnQ Qadam http://youtu.be/cwTig0513iQ
Nighttime Rallies
Barzeh http://youtu.be/BnB6R47z9TY , http://youtu.be/G7HF6_E64ug Zahirah http://youtu.be/PhP6M8mKogg
Eastern Ghoutah
Kafar Batna: drones fly over the suburb http://youtu.be/nrR0CBXQUqI Tanks patrol the streets http://youtu.be/o4k4qItpwKY
Nighttime Rallies
Douma http://youtu.be/lvAwoHcTuss
Damascus South
Daraya: Pounding the neighborhood with mortars http://youtu.be/4aRHtZkfGfw , http://youtu.be/P-iXy7OUO-4 ,  http://youtu.be/TuVrRkUhPHE , http://youtu.be/bbNaHh8Bgj8 , http://youtu.be/3hlo-4uP0mQ  Machinegun fire echoes in the distance (starting at 2o seconds) http://youtu.be/IYeUW7EZ4rg Al-Hajar Al-Aswad: closing down the main streets at night with burning tires http://youtu.be/g12LXCcSQkw
Daytime Rallies
Qatana (students rally) http://youtu.be/-Rh01nXTHU0 , http://youtu.be/x-YDQRTWuKc Qeilabeh http://youtu.be/HgvAbO_gF_0
Nighttime Rallies
Al-Hajar Al-Aswad http://youtu.be/Ub-QyJ2ihok , http://youtu.be/kO4l5X4w5zA Moadamiyeh http://youtu.be/am-DC8ENVbc Qatana http://youtu.be/-8JskbkTl_M
West (Zabadani and Wadi Barada)
Zabadani: impact of shelling http://youtu.be/u5lUrjCYD2c , http://youtu.be/Ftu12J5ODIs A demolished house http://youtu.be/2VMY-qKM2Xo Black smoke rise above the town http://youtu.be/R5rRyBcRC54 , http://youtu.be/TY5f-llBdeI , http://youtu.be/_XcYti-sITs
Daytime Rallies
Qudsaya http://youtu.be/qKN4pnPpkno
North (The Qalamoun Region )
Dmeir: clashes between loyalists and rebels take place at night http://youtu.be/oqvdFKdsCO8
Daytime Rallies
Qarrah http://youtu.be/t6-TiuxM26s
Nighttime Rallies
Dmeir http://youtu.be/xK_a-SwAd_k Eltal http://youtu.be/qefcFlevKdA , http://youtu.be/lgK60YHn4hw , http://youtu.be/e9HIjm8woto
Hama
Hama Province
Shaizar: A martyr http://youtu.be/StePzgItvJ4
Daytime Rallies
Karnaz http://youtu.be/iVLKlv75AMQ Kafrenboudeh http://youtu.be/1JfXBQi3MqM
Nighttime Rallies
Hammamiyat http://youtu.be/tRuuu8yT1D0
Idlib
Kafrenbel: sounds of nighttime clashes between loyalists and rebels near the city http://youtu.be/V_mJKQHVRis , http://youtu.be/9BWFotB-3Fw Heesh comes under fire at night http://youtu.be/mOddoMpEMFk Idlib City: Martyr http://youtu.be/ZTGmzFWloz8 Two martyrs http://youtu.be/er--GwKsH7Y and another http://youtu.be/TcItUQLSNlA Ma’arrat Al-Nouman: major reinforcements arrive into town http://youtu.be/9GOcGafmWEI , http://youtu.be/veQPqPzIAoc the town gets pounded http://youtu.be/H4ODP79RKWY , http://youtu.be/Sv5UC8fL8qQ People burn tires in the streets in protest http://youtu.be/6ITIcw4Bj3U Pandemonium after the town is hit at night http://youtu.be/z_JDd6Ov9RU Martyrs  http://youtu.be/oZzIrTBuOG4 , http://youtu.be/Kl8TTCaSOfY , http://youtu.be/wKDlfkA6AXs This martyr http://youtu.be/yitytTBs658 was killed while he was driving his car http://youtu.be/jpcRK2ZFWWw Taftanaz: rescuing the wounded http://youtu.be/3TirnuUP56k Khan Shaikhoon: treating the wounded of the recent bombardment http://youtu.be/5Jif-BwHKlY , http://youtu.be/MSDyuV6PubM , http://youtu.be/02FXU2NxOB0 , http://youtu.be/xyuBfxDdJes Jisr Ashoughour comes under fire at night http://youtu.be/Ib8eqG3RjP8 Sarjah: local rebels pay a visit to the town and are warmly welcomed by the inhabitants http://youtu.be/DcNYhY5xoxk Darkoush: Loyalist take up positions at the outskirts of the town http://youtu.be/T_IJkG_ubnk , http://youtu.be/e4hOqzkDx9g But people take to the streets at night to protest their presence http://youtu.be/NZEEfI-GjjQ More defections http://youtu.be/eq8AluQJD0Y
Daytime Rallies
Hass http://youtu.be/0zSZ-dWYkR4 Taftanaz http://youtu.be/QCKMT7WJbKQ , http://youtu.be/c2P8EedLfnI Binnish http://youtu.be/z8Ida11qUHU Kafoumah http://youtu.be/Q6ZLE2fbmks Kafar Takhareem http://youtu.be/MBM9iRyxjOY Heesh http://youtu.be/M_RDpBxMREA Kafar Yahmoul http://youtu.be/rzePEAcjInU
Nighttime Rallies
Binnish http://youtu.be/god5Q4XW-3A Eldana http://youtu.be/2M4QOEoXD7o , http://youtu.be/w48RkuctA-c Ma’arrat Masreen http://youtu.be/07bjYW-ifZ8
Deraa/Hauran
Deraa City
Daytime Rallies
Sabeel (student rally) http://youtu.be/NY5hlHXm7Bk Al-Balad http://youtu.be/E6eogWG0bjQ
Nighttime Rallies
Al-Balad http://youtu.be/bdE_L4TAnpw , http://youtu.be/HfdxPnue3aA Kashef http://youtu.be/VEmZUKgP6tY Mahatah http://youtu.be/qKwdRlFcp-0 , http://youtu.be/HTV3Bx39S1U
Deraa/Hauran Province
Basr Al-Harir comes under fire at night http://youtu.be/7RTxPf-oI44 , http://youtu.be/AiCMjAFcKYM
Daytime Rallies
Ankhel (student rally) http://youtu.be/q8H3OFii2n4 Ataman http://youtu.be/2rUO1wuc14w Tafas http://youtu.be/CD49PWRjVrM Hraak http://youtu.be/rKlBJxQCnp8 Shajarah (student rally) http://youtu.be/AFaw5WF_AtA Namar (students rally) http://youtu.be/idTBFOedBuw Yadoudeh http://youtu.be/_9WToxgjf3I Basr Al-Harir http://youtu.be/pwJTeLpoacw Bosra http://youtu.be/2U7iFiaI5Jo Da’el http://youtu.be/EfPt0uyOVew
Nighttime Rallies
Mseifrah http://youtu.be/_EvZt8dcGx0 Tal Shihab http://youtu.be/VC1GLheuXtg Nasseeb http://youtu.be/XKv5UH159Rw Ma’arabah http://youtu.be/Mv7yYwlWKIY Azraa http://youtu.be/PToldOkbk80
Aleppo
Aleppo City
Nighttime Rallies
Salaheddine http://youtu.be/Xr0VDG7kALQ
Aleppo Province
Daytime Rallies
Marei (funeral) http://youtu.be/P8hEX2bJ0sE , http://youtu.be/PqB4COUFeY4 Alatareb http://youtu.be/N5wvPv0hdTI , http://youtu.be/x-ozk5xHKYM
Nighttime Rallies
Alatareb http://youtu.be/pAO8pAaI0U4 Sfirah http://youtu.be/3hns712K6dQ Qubtan Al-Jabal http://youtu.be/8gaDD089V-E
Deir Ezzor
Daytime Rallies
Deir Ezzor City (all-women) http://youtu.be/mUaVhFRo4n0
Nighttime Rallies
Khareetah http://youtu.be/D08YbpHDjY4 , http://youtu.be/3RdCG6snAVo Albou Kamal http://youtu.be/SVsV_VOiCuQ Deir Ezzor City (Hassan Taha) http://youtu.be/-044594BBAE , http://youtu.be/BOwRT4e_Vg0 Qouriyeh http://youtu.be/F308i0eukc0 , http://youtu.be/5wBrc0l_iO0
Hassakeh
Ghuweiran: nighttime protesters http://youtu.be/wgkE1DbCDVc are dispersed using tear gas http://youtu.be/-0sFWpscBNg , http://youtu.be/cBCTT4NcFIw , http://youtu.be/G5GGTqOO2iI
Daytime Rallies
Dirbassiyeh http://youtu.be/3Yjn_INZ3aQ , http://youtu.be/8XaH3T8Z3OE
Nighttime Rallies
Qamishlo http://youtu.be/kEZquddzeEw
Raqqah
Nighttime Rallies
Raqqah City: http://youtu.be/wl3ZwjEsiRo