U.N. Suspends Activities in Syria Over Escalating Violence
- Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:25am by
Erica Ritz
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This image made from amateur video released by Free Lattakia and accessed June 12, 2012, purports to show Syrians preventing U.N. observers from entering Haffa, Syria. (AP Photo/Free Lattakia via AP video)
(The Blaze/AP) — U.N. observers in Syria suspended their activities and patrols Saturday because of escalating violence in the country, the head of the mission said, the strongest sign yet that an international peace plan for Syria is disintegrating.
Maj. Gen. Robert Mood said rising bloodshed over the past 10 days was posing significant risks to the lives of the some 300 observers in the country, and was impeding their ability to carry out their mandate.
The observers were sent to the country after international envoy Kofi Annan brokered a peace plan that included a cease-fire that was supposed to take effect on April 12. But both sides have continued to stage daily attacks and the observers themselves have been caught up in the violence on several occasions.
“U.N. observers will not be conducting patrols and will stay in their locations until further notice,” he said in a statement Saturday. He said the observers will not leave the country, and the suspension will be reviewed on a daily basis.
“Operations will resume when we see the situation fit for us to carry out our mandated activities,” he said.
The suspension signals the unraveling of Annan’s plan as the conflict that began in March 2011 with peaceful protests challenging the regime spirals closer toward civil war. Activists say some 14,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
Western powers had pinned their hopes on the plan, in part because there are no other options on the table. The international community has little appetite for the military intervention that helped oust Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi, and several rounds of sanctions have failed to stop the bloodshed.
“The lack of willingness by the parties to seek a peaceful transition, and the push towards advancing military positions is increasing the losses on both sides,” Mood said. “It is also posing significant risks to our observers.”
A U.N. observer photographs an ambulance that was destroyed after a car bomb exploded near the shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, in a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Thursday, June 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi)
The observers have been tasked with monitoring the cease-fire and supporting the full implementation of Annan’s six-point plan, which was supposed to lead to talks between the sides.
Last week, an observers’ convoy was blocked and attacked as it was trying to head to the town of Haffa in the coastal Latakia region, where troops had been battling rebels for a week.
The observers only managed to get in once government troops had seized the area back from the rebels.
On May 15, a roadside bomb damaged observers’ cars shortly after they met with Syrian rebels in the northern town of Khan Sheikoun. A week earlier, a roadside bomb struck a Syrian military truck in the south of the country just seconds after Mood drove by in a convoy.
Still, their presence has been an important source of independent information, particularly as Syria bars journalists from reporting freely in the country.
Despite fears that violence could significantly worsen without the their presence on the ground, prominent activist Rami Abdul-Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was better for the U.N. teams to leave.
“We haven’t seen anything beneficial from them. If they are independent – so what?” he said. “A lot of crimes happened in Syria, and they couldn’t do anything.”
He continued: “The situation can’t get worse than this: are we afraid that it’s a civil war? Well it is a civil war. The situation is difficult. The international community’s silence on Syria is working to destroy Syria.”
Another activist, Mohammed Douma, said the U.N’s assistance had been useless anyway.
“All they can do is record what they see,” he said scornfully, adding that they hadn’t been to his town, where overnight shelling killed 12 people, in at least a week. “They cannot help,” he concluded.
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Comments (54)
Passerby
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:14pmThey have to partition the country, it’s the only hope. Lots of issues with that, but better than Rwanda in an industrialized country.
It’s what the Alawites wanted all along.
It’s on the coast, so Russia gets to keep it’s danmned port.
It’s what the Alawites are doing, after all. All those massacres, Homs, etc. are in the Alawite region or close to it. The rebels aren’t attacking, the Alawites are ethnically cleansing the Muslims from their region. Could be just putting some distance, easier defense, or it could be partition as a fall back position.
Other countries in the region, it’s said would never permit partitioning on sectarian grounds, because they would break up. Is the alternative better?
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:38pmPoliticians, Diplomats, and Strategists… have an Imperial view… that everything can be Negotiated! But in Reality… We are a Predator Species of Animal… and we resolve via WAR!
Report Post »Passerby
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:07pmA mere truth. War or the threat of it.
The Alawites can’t let up, got their back to the wall, and the Assads sure won’t, knowing their fate.
And the Muslims, I just don’t see them letting this go. Particularly as it gets even worse.
This is what the Alawites have coming at them…
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSFzXAbpMQA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGQ8g8S1sQ0&feature=related
Passerby
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 4:43pmOn this one we’re on the side of Al-Qaeda and against the Christians, (who are worried they are about to be exterminated). Not saying we’re on the wrong side, not defending the Assads, but…
————–
The shoe that didn’t drop is the Muslims not attacking the Alawite women and children in reply for the massacres. Usually it’s the other way around.
The reason is the Alawites are militarily trained, armed to the teeth, in posession of modern weapons, (including the largest Chemical Weapon stockpile in the world). AND they are certain they would be exterminated if they lose. This could dwarf the horror of Rwanda and Pol Pot.
Report Post »trueamerican40
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 6:32pmWhat is coming up cannot even be measured or compared. Damascus will be a heap of ruins after the Alawites get their way.
Report Post »Passerby
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:06pmOh yeah, the Muslims have no chance.
Modern mechanized army in a war where you hunt down civilians, not avoid them. Barring outside intevention, the Alawites could simply kill them all.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 2:43pmCan’t you just imagine how the UN would have felt with Hitler ? This Syria mess is a classic example of why the UN is NOT the answer. Great for endless discussions by the “ elders” who love to self-congratulate one another on their wisdom and experience BUT totally ineffectual when dealing with bullies and insane rulers .
Report Post »Passerby
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 4:33pmIt’s Communist China and Russia. They join the rest of the civilized world it could work.
Report Post »affinity
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 2:33pmBriton created Syria so let Briton pay to fix the problem they created. There’s no reason for the United States to be involved financially or militarily in the Middle East. We’ve wasted hundreds of billions of dollars, lost thousands of lives, killed hundreds of thousands of people, for what?
If the neoconservatives or communists say what about Israel? I say it would be far cheaper to move the Jews to the U.S.and they can build a new Jerusalem here without all of the drama and warfare. The Mormons are doing fine in Utah so I’m sure the Jews could be happy living here also.
We need to bring our military home and stop this nonsense once and for all.
Report Post »Passerby
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 4:32pmNo, France created Syria. And they sold out the semi-Christian Alawites that fought by their side. The Alawites begged them not to, that the Muslims had persecuted them for 1300 years, but the French did it anyway and the Muslims, of course, persecuted them.
The Alawites saw their chance to sieze power and they did. Unfortunately, the Assad family is a bunch of gangsters, literally, and it’s turned real ugly.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:07am@PASS…
Report Post »Ah… finally, someone who cites Truth!
Larry E
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 1:43pmThe UN is about the most useless organization on the face of the earth. Can anyone imagine what might have happened during our Civil War had the UN been around? They’d have come in gotten shot up by both sides and left with their collective tails between their legs and whining. Their peacekeepers are mostly worthless putzes, and their observers are a worthless joke.
These are the people that left in this country wants to run our lives too.
Report Post »1islander
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 1:40pmJust propaganda to start another war. Haven’t you noticed every warmonger in the west looking for excuses to attack Syria? The UN is always the instigator and escalator.
Report Post »BO_Bill
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 1:18pmNone of our business.
Report Post »Passerby
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 4:29pmHow about the 50 WMD sites, is a few of them falling to Al-Qaeda our problem?
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 6:28amHillary Clinton is more Dangerous… than Al-Qaeda!
Report Post »Maxim Crux
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 1:09pmThe UN is a joke…a money laundering scheme and a method of giving up national sovereignty to an unelected body of elites.
Report Post »honkytonkman
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:59pmWould not the U.N have gotten from their “Peace Initiative Plan” for Syria the same results if they had offered it to two warring factions of primates in the Congo ? Just saying………………….
Report Post »KidCharlemagne
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:51pmIt looks like we have taken the wrong side in this matchup:
—————————————————————————–
‘Dead’ al Qaeda’s No 2 backs rebels in Syria
June 13, 2012
………………………..
Libi’s video surprised those expecting a scathing message against the West.
Without any mention of drone attacks, he called on its fighters outside Syria to join the rebels in their fight against President Bashar al-Assad, calling him a “tyrant” and his government a “criminal regime”, according to SITE’s translation.
“We call on our brothers in Iraq, Jordan and Turkey to go to help their brothers. If your revolution was to be peaceful, God would have chosen it that way, but now the illusion of peaceful means after these great sacrifices … would show weakness,” Libi said, addressing Syrians.”
http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/dead-al-qaeda-s-no-2-backs-rebels-in-syria_781511.html
….but what’s worse is that Romney has recently publicly floated the idea of providing money and weapons to them:
———————————–
“Mitt Romney urges US to arm Syrian rebels, lead effort to oust Bashar Assad
05/29/2012
By Callum Borchers, Globe Correspondent
The United States should work with partners to organize and arm Syrian opposition groups so they can defend themselves.”
Report Post »http://www.boston.com/politicalintelligence/2012/05/29/mitt-romney-urges-arm-syrian-rebels-lead-effort-oust-bashar-assad/8ASReNmBrMHqY1D
RightPolitically
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:50pmWhat a joke! What good are observers anyway? The U.N. is a sad case of elitist eggheads run wild.
Report Post »discus02
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:29pmI pray for for the women and children, but I don’t want this country involved or taking sides in this Uncivil War.Plz in all humanity stop killing each other. The blood of the innocent screams from the earth hear them scream!
Report Post »Passerby
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:03pmSomething worse than Pol Pot may be about to happen in Syria.
(P.S. Syria has more Chemical Weapons than anyone on earth.)
Report Post »TRILO
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:49amSyria’s civil war is not our problem. The UN is as useless as our Congress.
The article said the the UN observers needed the Syrian army to clear the way for them to get into the town because their convoy was stopped and attacked. I thought the Syrian army and government was the evil aggressor? So why did they need the protection of the army against the rebels , when they are so good and righteous?
This is just another pot being stirred by the West in an attempt to create chaos throughout the Middleast.
Report Post »Passerby
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:57amIt wasn’t the rebels that stopped them.
Glad to help.
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:03pmNo doubt.
Report Post »The_Jerk
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:10pmAll for Israel. The plan was written in 1996 for Netanyahu’s government by American Zionists. These Zionist later held high office policy positions in the Bush II administration. Under Douglas Feith (one co-author), was formed the Office of Special Plans where all of the mis-information was formulated.
The lead author was Richard Perle: “A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm.” Remember, this was 1996. Look at what has transpired since.
Report Post »mike_trivisonno
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:13amNo one cares. Let the muslims kill each other. If the West is too cowardly to confront and mitigate Islamic Imperialism, then this is the next best thing.
This cultural expression of their morality as practiced by their prophet Mohammed is the end result of their adherence to Sharia law, their acceptance of Islam, and their worship of the allah deity.
Watch and learn. This bloodlust for Allah lives in the hearts of muslims the planet over.
Report Post »Passerby
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:56amThey aren’t Muslim. It’s the Christians and Alawites (who are more Christian than Muslim and have always been on the side of the Christians vs. the Muslims.
The Muslims win, the Christians will be slaughtered.
But yeah, we need to just let the Christians be slaughtered, not our problem.
Report Post »mike_trivisonno
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:19pmI am sorry for my ignorance.
I suppose it only serves to underscore the nefarious “erase-and-replace” nature of Jihad. Islam is not indigenous to this, or any region outside of Saudi Arabia. Until non-muslims the planet over decide to confront Islamic Jihad, culture after culture will be erased and replaced…including that of the Alawites.
As I have expressed before the, death and suffering of people held in bondage to Mecca is the burden of Christendom, people of the West, and all non-muslims on Earth. Our burden because we are too weak to even name the enemy (Islam) let alone confront and defeat it at every opportunity.
Again, I apologize and wish only the best for the non-muslims who must suffer the pain of muslims engaged in Jihad. If the US State Department were not owned and operated by the House of Saud, a more aggressive and unforgiving strategy could be implemented which would seek to reduce the amount of Islam, not increase it.
Perhaps some day, once America is un-cowed by Islam and the House of Saud, we will be there with fighting men and advanced technology to liberate the suffering from the yoke of Mecca and the false god worshiped there.
America is deeply deceived by the spell of Islam. We, like many cultures before us, may not be able to break it in time to save ourselves let alone the rest of the planet.
Out law Islam, close the mosques, deport the muslims.
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:04amMaybe Obama can support the Al Qaeda rebels in Syria like he did in Libya.
Report Post »mike_trivisonno
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:33pmObama will do whatever the House of Saud tells him to.
Report Post »RodT82721
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:58amOnce again the blue hats are on the run! They show up with a pretense of being peace keepers, when in fact they are just useless army of mindless drones, often raping and pilfering, with the bad guys, but never do they accomplish peace.
Those that spend life on the dole of working people, living high on the hog, and spending their days debating with themself. Never accomplish much more the spending billions of much needed monies, that could actually help some poor.
Our Senate just spent a year attempting to come with a few dollars they might cut from all their deficit spending. No time to produce a budget, busy cutting spending!
But to no avail! It seems no one, living very nicely thank you, off the tax payers, can seem to find a dime of their spending to cut! Instead we hear the cry “Tax the rich”!
I would like to recommend, they take a look at what they give the UN! A good place to start, and kick them out of Turtle Bay, and let someone that benefits from the UN, like China and Russia support them for awhile.
Report Post »The UN are worse then a boat – a useless money hole!
RJJinGadsden
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:25amI believe the UN simply stopped standing for anything since August 1953.
Report Post »AmazingGrace8
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:07pmGreat, Great Post!!! You nailed it!!!
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 2:38pmHi, RJJ,
“Hey Monk, Sorry I missed your post earlier”
I was doing the same thing. I’m always on the look out for stories to send the GB team.
The reason I was asking about that guy’s name is something I partially heard. I found the link;
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/martin-bashir/47834976/#47834976
Check out what he says at 2:30. I missed the first “quote unquote” part and only caught the 2:30 part.
Hope all is well with you.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:53am.
Report Post »The U.N. needs to change its color from Blue to Yellow…..
riseandshine
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:49amGosh I’m glad the U.S.(CIA) has had nothing to do with what has been happening in Syria for the last year +.
Report Post »MRMANN
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:49amCan we please just get out of there & out of all of the other countries? We need to stay at home & clean our own house. We & our enemies are just getting slaughtered day in & day out–a mutual bloodletting, and for what? The lives of our precious young men & young women over there are being sacrificed each & every day.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:57amWe can thank our bisexual bastard nobel peace prize winning POS president and spineless candyass politicians for getting us into several unconstitutional wars.Fire all RINOS and purge congress of all communist pigs, fire Barry and save the republic.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:10amProgressiveslayer for President!
Report Post »theblazerunner
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:21amnice progressive…love it.
Report Post »WakingSheep
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 2:33pmAnd yet the next leader whether Obama or Romney wants to go to Iran next.
WMD’s kinda like Iraq?…..
HMMMMM……
Report Post »flyingeagle
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:48amabcd
Report Post »AxelPhantom
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:45amThe rebels/corrupt governments of Syria and around the world have figured out that in a country without laws, the UN is nothing but an old lion; It is big, it roars, but it has no teeth and its claws have fallen out.
Report Post »loeber
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:44amPresident Obama should have acted to stop the murder more than 400 days ago .. by sending in drones for the dictator’s palaces in Damascus .. instead President Obama has descended into ignominious cowardice ..
Did the Kremlin wait to get UN approval when they went sent tanks into Georgia in 2008 ? Why is President Obama handcuffed by the Kremlin ? we can only say that it is because he does not want to save the Syrians .. he does not want to send in drones .. he does not want to risk re-election chances and thinks he can shirk his responsibility as leader of the free world ..
Who does President Obama and the West depend on the save the Syrian children ? The same man who the US depended to save the Rwandan and Bosnian children ..
Syrian authorities are systematically detaining and torturing children, the United Nations’ human rights chief, Navi Pillay, has told the BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-175411...
President Obama has allowed this to happen .. he has given free rein to the dictators in Damascus and abandoned the Syrian people .. he said the right things when he lead the charge against Qaddafi .. but has let his re-election rule his moral sense on Syria ..
It is disgraceful cowardice unbecoming of the leader of the home of the brave ..
He could have shot back at the Damascus dictators 487 days ago when they started shooting innocent protesters .. He could have sent cruise missiles and drones to attack the palace of the dictator
Report Post »Passerby
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:01pmWe rescued the Muslims in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Somalia. (None of which has oil.)
Not to mention Kuwait and Libya.
When the Muslims thank us for that, instead of blaming us, maybe we’ll consider saving them again.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:35amBlue hats got feared of being shot. lol UN is useless…ethnic cleansing of some sort…JIMHO. Let the Arab nations deal with it. LMAO…Oh but they are…
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:31amOnce more the imputence and arrogance of the Useless Nations is clearly demonstrated; now look for Obama to use this failure as one more excuse to invade Syria. I have to guess that there are US forces among the radical elements of the Muslim Brotherhood already.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:54amYes and dumb and dumber McCain & Graham can’t wait to get us into Syria,they really need firing just as much as Barry.
Report Post »