Clinton: "Friends Of Syria" Must Unite To Stop Russia, China "Blockading" Progress

[Purveyor]

Source: CBS

Updated at 11:09 a.m. ET

(CBS/AP) PARIS - The United States and its international allies called Friday for new, global sanctions against President Bashar Assad's regime, stepping up the pressure after the defection of a top general dealt a major blow to the Syrian leader.

The question, explains CBS News State Department correspondent Margaret Brennan, is whether Russia and China will finally and completely sever the financial lifeline which is keeping Assad in power. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has said they've essentially given Assad a free pass by failing to implement sanctions and continuing to import Syrian oil.

Washington urged countries around the world to demand that the two countries force Assad to step down.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57467452/clinton-friends-of-syria-must-unite-to-stop-russia-china-blockading-progress/

[DCKit]

1. Bill or Hill... not sure which one I trust less. nt

[fascisthunter]

2. what progress would THAT be Bill?

[leveymg]

3. How dare these Infidels stand in the way of al-Qaeda! On to Damascus!

In this video Hilary Clinton admits that the US government created and funded Al-Qaeda in order to fight the Soviet Union, and the Soviets so overstretched their empire that they collapsed. "Not a bad investment". But, Madame Secretary, we are fighting Al-Qaeda nowadays in Central Asia. Or, are we?

[dipsydoodle]

4. She said to muted applause from those present

Saw it live on tv.

[DallasNE]

5. This Is The Kind Of Quiet Change Needed

Sure, we could go in with guns blazing like we did in Iraq but that was a complete disaster. Even leading from behind like we did in Libya resulted in a lot of destruction and left in place a void. Plus, Russia and China were not so ingrained in those countries, making Syria a tougher nut to crack.

When the announcement of the defection of this general came out I said this had Hillary Clinton's fingerprints all over it. This report just seems to confirm that assessment. I say, let Hillary work her magic. It may take a little longer than some would like but the results are what counts and I am liking what I am seeing. http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=159740

[leveymg]

7. This is the 15th Brig Gen. to have been lured away. Petrodollardiplomacy.

Last edited Fri Jul 6, 2012, 05:57 PM - Edit history (1)

They're giving Get Out of Jail Free cards away along with millions of dollars the Saudis chip in. Not surprised they've had takers.

Then they get another installment if they go back and blow up a government building. Quiet change.

Real patriots. This is what Humanitarian intervention has turned into - international terrorism.

[David__77]

10. Yes. Democrats should be the party of peace.

Republicans are THE party of international terror.

Some Democrats fail to distinguish themselves from Republicans.

[leveymg]

13. I'm afraid that Truman and Johnson proved that wrong. Korea and Vietnam were the Democrat's

Korea and Vietnam, respectively. I think Obama is following in the tradition of "liberal intervention", a model set by Wilson.

[may3rd]

19. The current wars are under the radar

NATO is the instigator

[leveymg]

20. I don't think anyone but some Americans are stupid enough to believe that.

Regime change in Libya, yes, was largely French and Italian-driven because they historically have designs and commercial holdings in Libya. Gadhaffi was essentially a resident placeholder for European companies, who could finally and conveniently be dispensed with under cover of the "Arab Spring" uprising.

But, Syria, that's a Israeli/Saudi/Turkish/US crusade, and much more difficult with long-term consequences for the regime changers because of its roots as a regional religious war. Iran multiple times more difficult and costly.

[joshcryer]

22. What's the solution?

[leveymg]

24. There will be an outcome -- genocide -- but, I doubt a "solution" is possible.

Once we put the dynamic of another round of religious conflict into play in a country like Syria, where there is a minority regime and a long and recent history of intense sectarian violence, genocidal war became the only probable outcome of regime change. We knew that, and it makes us and all the other outside forces who have been fueling the conflict complicit in genocide and war crimes.

The movement of money, arms, and jihadist fighters has to be cut off from Saudi Arabia and the GCC. Turkey has to be pressured to seal its borders to the inflow of aid to the armed opposition. Iran is already under embargo. But, we would have to expend resources to pressure our so-called allies that at this point we really lack. Certainly, Madam Secretary of State shows no public indication of a desire for U.S. impartiality and fair dealing or any willingness to do anything to stop the buildup of Sunni forces and religious civil war inside Syria.

Once this Sunni-Shi'a war was ignited, and outside money and arms were poured in to build the opposition, it became as difficult to stop the spread of violence along ancient sectarian lines as it is to plug a volcano.

[Alamuti Lotus]

16. this is the kind of rampant, bloody hypocrisy that sends planes into buildings

the Arab leadership for "peaceful democratic revolution" in Syria are the Wahhabi dictators in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, unbearable tyrants that exist at the "west's" bidding. The leading armed terrorist faction fighting in Syria is based in Turkey, which has killed more of its own citizens (Kurds) than Assad could in a hundred years. The defected general is a fairly mid-ranking war criminal, now hailed as a hero by the exile opposition that acts as a proxy for foreign governments.

Yeah, magic. A form of entertainment based on misdirection, illusion, lies, and willful ignorance. And you like this?

[DallasNE]

18. So, What Would You Do

Regarding Syria, keeping in mind the complexities in that region? Turn Israel loose and bring in Iran? We know what you are against, so what are you for?

[bemildred]

26. Avoid rampant bloody hypocrisy, that's what you do. nt

[David__77]

6. She says she wants to make Russia and China "pay a price..."

She is little more diplomatic with Russia and China than Reagan himself was with the Soviet Union.

The more that the US tries to bully, the more appealing that Russia's defense of national independence is going to be.

[KoKo]

9. I saw her speech in Paris....

I don't know what's going on with her. It's sad to see.

[bemildred]

8. "Friends of Syria", is that Orwellian or what? nt

[David__77]

11. Shades of "coalition of the willing."

Shameful.

[arewenotdemo]

21. <Cackle>

She said that for those who continue to support the regime of President Bashar Assad, the future "should be abundantly clear: ... The sand is running out of the hourglass."

Sounds just like the Wicked Witch of the West would.

[Remember]

12. Get real

I don't care about Syria! The USA is falling down and the news thinks we care about other countries. These ways are sucking America dry. No more wars unless we are attacked by a country and not a terrorist. Get America back to the way it was period.

[Vidar]

14. Let's bring back the cold war in addtion to all our other wars. We are the evil empire.

[Dokkie]

15. with friends like these

who needs enemies?

[pampango]

17. Amnesty Int.: Friends of Syria must use their influence to stop cycle of repression and violence

Urgent action must be taken to stop the deadly cycle of repression and abuse in Syria.

Decisive steps are needed to end the increasingly bloody cycle of repression and abuse in Syria as the armed conflict threatens to further spread and intensify, Amnesty International said ahead of an international Friends of Syria meeting in Paris on 6 July.

The organization called for the imposition of an immediate arms embargo aimed at stopping the transfer of arms to the Syrian government, a Security Council referral of the situation to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, and an assets freeze on President Bashar al-Assad and his close associates.

Amid growing reports of abuses by members of the armed opposition, states should also stop arms transfers to the opposition wherever there is a substantial risk that they are likely to be used for war crimes or other human rights abuses.

Amnesty International is also calling for a dedicated human rights monitoring presence in Syria to monitor, investigate and publicly report on crimes against humanity, war crimes and other grave human rights abuses committed by all sides.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/news/friends-syria-must-use-their-influence-stop-cycle-repression-and-violence-2012-07-05

[leveymg]

25. There are two sides committing human rights abuses in Syria. AI has taken sides in regime change.

Both sides have to have their assets freezed, including their outside sponsors. Iran is already under embargo. If you want to stop the killing, embargo the movement of funds, arms and Sunni jihadists from Saudi Arabia and the CCC states, as well.

[Poll_Blind]

23. Grab the tripod, Madam, and I shall heft our Gatt and we shall charge in violet-scented breezes...

....to victory, together.

But you fucking first.

PB

[jakeXT]

27. Some pain for UAE or Qatar ?

The Swiss government suspended arms shipments to the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday amid a report that hand grenades made in Switzerland had found their way to Syria.

The decision -- described as a provisional measure -- comes after the country's Sonntagszeitung newspaper published a photograph of one such device taken by a reporter shadowing rebels in the town of Marea, north of Aleppo, at the end of June.

While uncertainty remains about how or even if Swiss grenades are being used by Syrian rebels in their fight against government forces, all arms shipments to United Arab Emirates have been put on hold, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) said.

"Although the evidence remains unclear, SECO has immediately moved to freeze all arms export permits to the UAE," spokeswoman Antje Bärtschi told AFP.

"We took this matter seriously because something similar happened last year when a journalist covering Libya found crates of Swiss munitions in Libya. These crates were exported by a Swiss company to Qatar which signed a non re-export agreement. It was an error on Qatar's part."

..
http://www.thelocal.ch/national/20120705_3689.html

[leveymg]

28. The US, UK and EU similarly need to cut-off arms to Saudi Arabia.

But, as if that's going to happen . . .

[Nihil]

29. Hmmm ...

> The US, UK and EU similarly need to cut-off arms to Saudi Arabia.

... as opposed to Saudi Arabia cutting off heads ...?