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TWIN BLASTS TARGETING Syria’s army command headquarters rocked the capital today, setting off hours of sporadic gunbattles and a raging fire inside the heavily guarded compound, state-run media and witnesses said.
An army statement said no military commanders or personnel were hurt in the explosions, one of which was from a car bomb.
But Iranian Press TV said one of its correspondents, 33-year-old Maya Nasser, a Syrian national, died in an exchange of fire in the area following the blasts.
Rebels
Syria’s state-run news agency, SANA, said the explosions struck just before 7 am local time near the landmark Omayyad Square.
Rebels from the Free Syrian Army claimed responsibility for the bombings in a statement signed by the group’s military council, saying dozens were killed in the attack.
The army command building was in flames, sending huge columns of thick black smoke that hung over Damascus for several hours following the blasts.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists on the ground, said heavy clashes were taking place inside the compound of the army command, adding that there were casualties on both sides.
Car bomb
The army statement said the blasts were caused by a car bomb and an explosive device that went off near the army command buildings. It said “terrorists” in the area simultaneously opened fire randomly to terrorize people, adding that authorities were pursuing the gunmen. Syrian authorities regularly refer to rebels as terrorists.
The statement said a number of guards were wounded.
“I can confirm that all our comrades in the military command and defence ministry are fine,” Information Minister Omran Zoubi told Syrian TVl.
Everything is normal. There was a terrorist act, perhaps near a significant location, yes, this is true, but they failed as usual to achieve their goals.
On Tuesday, several bombs went off inside a Damascus school that activists said was being used by regime forces as a security headquarters. Several people were wounded.
General Assembly
Syria’s conflict was the focus of attention as world leaders gathered at the UN General Assembly’s annual meeting in New York this week.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon demanded international action to stop the war in Syria, telling a gathering of world leaders that the 18-month conflict had become “a regional calamity with global ramifications.”
Ban, declaring that the situation in Syria is getting worse every day, called the conflict a serious and growing threat to international peace and security that requires attention from the deeply divided UN Security Council.
That appears highly unlikely, however, at least in the near future.
Russia and China have vetoed three Western-backed resolutions aimed at pressuring Assad to end the violence and enter negotiations on a political transition.
In sharp contrast to the UN chief, President Barack Obama pledged US support for Syrians trying to oust Assad — “a dictator who massacres his own people.”
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Nato, the most corrupt war hungry organisation on the planet.
One world army !!!!.
Nutter
Nutter too
In 2010, the Russian government signed a cooperation agreement with NATO with smiles all around:
http://rt.com/politics/nato-russia-lisbon-summit/
Quote: “We recognized that the cold spell and period of grievances is over,” Medvedev said during a press conference following the summit on Saturday. “We look into the future with optimism and try to develop relations between Russia and NATO in all directions.”
And then the NATO engineered Arab Spring happened..
The Russians were naive back then and actually thought the Libyan no fly zone meant what it said on the tin. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. A repeat performs didn’t happen in Syria and we have the Russians to thank.
Ah, I see John is on again pretending that the Russians are the champions of peace and stability in the world.
They (Nato) are so corrupt that they even build warships for the Russian navy and help them to rescue sailors from their sunken nuclear submarines.
What did Russia ever do to help the rest of the world.
Chris that was a Norwegian operation, not a Nato one.
‘they even build warships for the Russian navy’ Chris are the Russians getting those ships for free, or are they paying billions of dollars for them?
Norway is part of Nato…..
No sh*t sherlock. It doesn’t me that any undertaking by the Norwegian government or a Norwegian private company is a Nato approved opearation. I’ll ask you again. Are the Russians getting those ships for free?
Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a cold liar who sold out his own country to war based on lies while prime minister in order to further his own career. “Iraq has WMDs. It is not something we think, it is something we know”. Rasmussen was known for his ruthless manipulation as Danish prime minister and how he deceived his own people on a number of occasions, not least the Iraq war. This pin chested liar is the head of a military alliance that, as there is a chance for peace in Ukraine, has just announced new sanctions on Russia. It is simply unacceptable that a rogue military alliance is now interfering in political affairs. Ask yourself why on earth the military is involved in the question of sanctions at all. Do you still believe the EU is democratic?
Well said John.
Unbelievable war mongering going on all over the place now.
IMO, all part of the ‘strategy of tension’ or, more simply ‘fear’, in order to more easily manipulate populations beginning to see behind the veil historically held in place by a mainstream media unchallenged by broader Internet based information dissemination.
Behind the veil is the truth that our societies have never – except in rare aberrational moments (like the 1945 Attlee gov that brought in the NHS, welfare and universal education) – been ‘democratic’ in any meaningful sense, actually representing the interests of the majority of citizens. Anyone who still thinks ‘democracy’ is working after the elites’ and political classes’ exclusively self-serving behaviour in the creation of the Financial (pyramid fraud) crisis, and policies since, is completely delusional. Still swallowing the Edward Bernays-ian mainstream media propaganda.
Time to wake up people, before even more rights and civil liberties are removed & greater oppression applied.
The elites and political classes will +not+ give up their position & privileges voluntarily. A +peaceful+ revolution demanding +real+ democracy (and mass resignations of incumbents) will be required.
Agreed Mike. The mask is begging to slip.
# beginning #
NATO after flapping their wings hysterically running around looking for evidence in Ukraine and finding none,The NATO general secretary is a proven liar who once told the Danish parliament ” we don’t think there are WMD’s in Iraq, we KNOW it” He is paid stooge like most western leaders. How is Blair worth $50. million after just a few years out of office? NATO strut about like a pigeon with its chest out after been handed a new sense of purpose and belonging. The Western media through its lies and deceit over the situation in Ukraine and the phantom Russian invasion have yet again managed to fool some of the people all of the time. Like July 1914 they are sleep walking us into a war with Russia. You are being lied to with the same is used to tactic attack 7 countries over the last ten years that is some feat. NATO as a relic of the cold war had no enemies and watched in envy as their wargaming partners unrestricted by Article 5 ran riot over the middle east and anyone else who were “Not with us”. Not to fear NATO were told , how would you like your old foe back, a proper enemy with tanks n all, you get to be relevant again and we get a boost to the Military industrial complex Eisenhower warned us all about. So enter the Karl Rove doctrine of creating new realities. Doesn’t matter if there are no Russian Tanks or invasion, just say and report that there are. Keep repeating the lie and there are enough on “the some” who will believe you. In the past, diplomacy was done behind
Another nutter
James, there’s video evidence of Ukrainian columns knocked out by precision attacks from guided artillery or air attack. There was a Russian column captured 50km inside the Ukraine AND the rebels themselves claim Russian soldiers are fighting with them.
If you cannot see the evidence you’re quite frankly blind.
Jason have you got any evidence of this captured Russian column. I’m not denying it’s existence but it would help if you could provide some photgraphic evidence.
Is it the same type of “evidence” that we were offered up to show the Buk system that the rebels used to down MH17 being driven back over the border to Russia? The Russians zoomed in on a street sign to show it was nowhere near the border but in Ukraine army held territory. We’ve given up examining “evidence” from the loon brigade in Kiev.
Instead of negotiating kiev decided to bomb east ukr out of it. Protests only allowed I kiev if you are on the other side. Didnt work. Couldnt, check the demographics. 1.kick out elected government if u dont like them 2. Bomb protestors who disagree with you 3. Get igor kolomoski to write the cheques and tool up extreme right ang givem em a pick up 4. If anyone complains ask eu/us for sanctions and blame sympathisers 5. Ask nato to start war with russia 6. Give president own tv station 6. Give his billilnaire buddy a fat job to protect his interests 7. Ban foreign media u dont like 8. Ban reporters from reporting on the war zone 9. Make up stories about latvia etc to scare people and whip up a war with russia. 10. Get eu membership and emigrate to irelanx and collect the dole.
Yes good idea for Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire I am sure the European union didn’t put any pressure on them just because winter is coming and Europe needs gas from Russia ….that would have nothing to do with it ..
Get with the programme Kevin, you’re about a week behind
Morning Ahippo
your comment again a bit silly with no information , but I will reply because I like to , firstly I have known for 3 years about Ukraine and Russia and the unpaid gas bill , Russia was letting the bill slide because their puppet was in power now however its a NATO puppet in power who want to put missiles in ukraine pointed at Russia and they don’t want to pay their bills , as I am and oil and gas professional these issues are spoken about in my industry before you get to hear about them , and finally I do not nor will I ever want to be on the same page or same program as you , you only offer personal attacks and RTE news stories and mainstream newspaper articles which are the official lies , so please spare me that you have your finger on the pulse and go back to RTE and joe duffy programes
Oh dear, I seem to have upset you Kevin. I am just about to have a nice steak with chips and a glass of fine French wine, before heading up to the Toe Mound as Sky like to call it. But just to reassure you.. I do not work for the State, I am retired after many years in business, including in the reliberated Baltic States in the early 90s, and have plenty of time to indulge in reading and writing. Not today though because I am selling a chunk of the company. The world is a complicated place as you well know and that is reflected in the struggles that some folk have to come to terms with it. I am firmly committed to the free market, to liberal values (and as someone as erudite as you will know, that does not mean left wing values but the values of the enlightenment, of Locke and Bentham and to a weltanschauung not far off that of Hobbes.) There are crazy and power hungry Americans like Rumsfeld and Cheney and sadly they sometimes get into power. There are crazies too like Brzezinski. They have ideas and they get into office and more often than not they leave office. We all know that US foreign policy has had devastating consequences for many people but US foreign policy aims to promote US interests – AS IT SHOULD. And for the US the vindication that it is doing the right thing comes from the millions of people who try to immigrate there every year. Including people from Iran and Russia. Now if Iran and Russia and other places that so many people imagine are wonderful are so gr
Great Why are there not lines of people desperate to get in. Sure the news cycle is dominated less by news than by entertainment but don’t insult me by suggesting that I only get my news from ‘safe’ sources. Or only from English language sources. Or from propagandists of any hue. And don’t insult me either by trying to persuade me that some guy with no friends in a back bedroom in Limerick actually understands the world through numerology, ley lines, a study of nostradamus and an intimate knowledge of the Wikipedia entry on the Bilderberg group. If you want to have a discussion about the rights and wrongs of capitalism or the negative impact of too few people controlling the world’s natural resources we can do that. But let’s not resort to the old canard of Dreyfuss and the Rothschilds and the chosen people.
Great comments and probably the best post on here in sometime. Don’t know why you let your self down by name calling when to can construct a come back like that.
I agree with the bones of your argument .
Firstly I am a capitalist I am all for a days pay for a days work but not at the expense of the worker, I believe in law but law for everyone not just the working class, I believe in government but not a parasite class that sucks the citizen dry, I belive in freedom but not at the expense of your freedom, I belive in media but not a media who lie to suit an agenda, I believe in education but not indoctrination, I don’t belive in lizard people , hollow moons or the antichrist. Conspiracy theories are just that .I can back up everything I say .If you can meet me half way I would do the same for you as I know I could learn from you and maybe you might learn from me .But the only way We will even attempt to make this a better world is to work together and not be divided .
The truth is that the only reason NATO or “The West” haven’t stepped in yet with their vast and overwhelming military force is that Russia has such a huge nuclear arsenal . If the Russians didn’t possess such a magnitude of weapons the afore mentioned parties would be all over the Russian landscape like a rash. Putin knows this, and he will play on this until the cows come home. No more than anybody could do anything when the US invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, the same can be said if Russia invade Ukraine.
Poroshenko could have saved himself a lot of grieve,and saved his troops and eastern Ukraininan civilians a lot of casualties, if he talked peace with the separatists in the beginning, instead of goign all John Rambo and listening to the hawks in Washington and launching all out military assault on his own citizens, in the Donabss region.
Scipio, the Ukrainian government tried to talk peace with the so-called ‘rebels’ yet these peace advances were rejected. The only reason why the ‘rebels’ are even willing to sit down at the table now is because Russian troops occupy the ground Putin wants to annex.
Scipio, are you forgetting that Poroshenko was not president of Ukraine when the all of this kicked off with Russian separatists taking over in Crimea, resulting since in the annexation (theft) of Ukrainian sovereign territory.
Ha ha. It sounds like you have selective amesia Chris. All of this kicked off with the illegal Western sponsored fascist backed Kiev coup that illegally ousted a democratic head of state that the vast majority of easterners voted for. Just because you willfully forgot about that event, your opinion can be dismissed.
Is that right Jason? From what I remember about those previous peace advances, Poroshenko insisted on full disarmanent before peace talks could take place. In other words unconditional surrender, which was never going to happen.
The only reason Poroshenko wants to sit down at the table, is because his shambles of an army has been routed and encirled.
Jason the “so called rebels” are on the march. DPR prime minister Zacharcenko has launched a “counter terrorism offensive”. Soon there will be peace in Donbass. The war will end when the future security of the peace is established and the hostile terrorist invaders are out of artillery range. You can then go back to your lame shill talk and huff and puff for “something to be done about these awful Russians” along with Anders “fog of war” Ratmuntsen. Face it Jason, the little CIA coup blew up in Washingtons face and when the going got tough, having lead the hapless Ukrainians up the garden path, the yanks did a 180. What comes next is a face saving excercise followed by the war drums and lots of spindly necked bureaucrats trying to justify themselves when real men showed them how real men conduct themselves. The only real question in the west is how we ended up being lead by such losers and how to we get rid of them before they actually run the Russians out of patience.
Agreed. And every time I see Poroschenko’s face I am reminded of the murky ways in which the EU, USA and their ‘free markets’ operate. The push for ‘western values’ and for ‘free markets’ is simply a mechanism by which power is allowed to remain in the hands of a few. What is so disturbing is the way in which people either don’t see or won’t accpet this fact. The soldiers who have died in Ukraine, supposedly in the name of nationalism and demcoracy have really died for Poroschenko and the powers he is fronting for. A few more Malls in Kiev and everybody will be happy. Depressing stuff
Scipio, would you prefer that Poroshenko didn’t sit down to peace talks with Sovereign Ukraine’s enemies. Do you approve of Russians and separatists killing Ukrainian soldiers on Ukrainian territory…..
I advocated peace talks with no pre-conditions from the start of this mess Chris.Do you suffer from selective amnesia Chris?
John, by my reckoning Zacharcenco is a separatist leader who usurps his authority from his Russian masters. Democratic prime ministers are elected into office to lead governments in representing constituents…….not setting themselves over the population as a tyranical ruler.
It seems to me that the mess really started with Russia interfering in the affairs of a sovereign country. How can democracy in Ukraine ever succeed without governments being allowed to legislate for what is economically desirable for the countries future prosperity.
Oh my days…joe Bidens son a Ukrainian energy company’s CEO anyone? Monsantos back door into Europe? What else is there? Blind bias Chris Kirk.
Answer the question Scipio…do you approve of Russians and separatists killing Ukrainian soldiers on Ukranian terrotory..
No problem Joe, it doesn’t worry me in the least…..why should it..??
Chris the Donbass citizens held a democratic referendum and voted to secede from Ukraine. That’s been confirmed even in western opinion polls with 68% of Donbass residents favouring secession from Kiev. They are about to win a war to vindicate their independence from Kiev. Just like this country fought a war against the UK. Irish leaders were called “gun men” back then too. Zacharcenko is the appointed leader for now. It’s a bit difficult to hold elections during a war. When peace is established and the invaders vanquished it will then be a matter for the citizens of Novorossiya to decide who they want as leader and how to elect him. It’s none of business who is elected or how. They have my 100% support to defend themselves from Ukraine army attacks.
President poroshenko has his own tv station and is a “chocolate” billionaire. Must be exp. Chocolate! His buddy igor kolomoski hass around 3bil. Usd managed to sponsor own private army and tool up right sector. Kolomoski is in metal, oil, chemical etc. How are these new oligarchs a change to old ways? Or just protecting their business interests. Kolomoski sent in hjs guys to do the dirty work and as julia tymoshenko put it to kill those russian dogs in the east. No wonder they’ve problems. We shouldnt let these nutters drag us into sanctions and war with russia. The stuff about invading latvia etc is bull as riga have no plans tosend in the army to kill ethnic russians. Been there many times and no problems at all like ukraine. But then these kiev guys are nuts and nato wants an excuse to spend money and built military installations on russia doorstep. Expect a response, remember cuban missile crisis? Hypocrisy here gone mad. Amazing the eu/merkel etc are supporting the violent oppression of a large population in the east and no sympathy and the illegal outsting of democratically elected president to put in hand picked regime. The eu has gone mad and we’ve no control over them
So basically you do suffer from selective amnesia Chris. Thanks for clearing that up.
I don’t approve of killing in general Chris. Those Ukrainian troops have being shelling civilian population centres, so if people who have the capability to defend themselves and their people, use that capability it does not surprise me.
Damian Moylan agree with everything you say here. I would just add that Kolomoiski is a Nazi. When Porky announced that some of his “army” may not honour a ceasefire he was of course letting us know that he has no control over Kolomoiski. He’s definitely a turd to keep your eye on.
Just a thought. NATO have pledged to give money to help the Ukrainian army and provide aid to wounded Ukrainian soldiers. Why no medical aid for those wounded Ukrainians wounded or displaced by the Ukrainian army and their private militias?
If you are an ethnic Russian who has been happily living and integrating for 60 years in one of the Baltic countries, how would you feel about NATO funding the annihilation of ethnic Russians in Ukraine and then setting up bases in your country?
I would not feel very secure.
I wouldn’t and do not feel so go about it Anne Marie. Then again you must remember that Russians are not considered the equals of Europeans in the west. Our own government have given 200k of our tax payers money to help the people of Iraq, a country reduced almost completely to an Islamic caliphate, all spearheaded by Washington. Yet when almost a million refugees are produced in Ukraine and Russia nobody cares. After all, they’re just Russians. More people have heard about the “Yazidis”, whoever the hell they are, than the Russians. They simply don’t count. You, I suspect, are as concerned as I am that over 40 pro Russian demonstrators were burned alive on TV, to applause by the Kiev gov, and near silence from the west.
@ so good about it @
Anne Marie you do know that Latvia actively discriminates against its ethnic Russian minority? If you are ethnic Russian whose forebears arrived after 1940 you do not qualify as a citizen automatically. This racism is n the EU mind. Many Russians on Latvia are considered “aliens” even though their they’ve lived there for generations.
Anne, it seems you have no idea what’s going on in the Ukraine so I’ll get you up to speed.
There is no targeted attack on ethnic Russians in the Ukraine, to claim so is quite frankly bogus. Artillery shells don’t say “oh, this person is of a certain ethnicity so I need to land on their home”. Ukrainians of all ethnicities are being killed by artillery shelling by both sides.
In fact, as it is the proxy rebel army and their Russian support on the offensive it is currently Ukrainian-held cities being shelled and the people in those areas being targeted.
The smug little shill Culligan is back, with history lessons and all for Anne, who showed more knowledge and understanding of the crisis from a Russian perspective (no bias) than Jason’s hundreds of warmongering pro NATO posts, only thing Jason is competent in commenting on is weaponry. Also claims to be a critic of Israeli aggression against Palestinians, but maybe one post the whole time of Israel’s latest cleansing of Palestinians. Jason Culligan, you talk out your hoop, Ziohonkee.
Unbelievable smug arrogance from Culligan. Anne Marie has introduced a non biased view from both camps. Culligan this lady actually speaks Russian and has lived in that part of the world and is regular touch with people there on the ground. You owe her an apology.
@Jason. I will try to ignore your condescension and assure you that I am very much up to speed on what’s happening. But thank you for your concern. Ukraine army/private militia forces have been indiscriminately shelling areas which are highly populated by ethnic Russians. Schools and hospitals have been attacked. Almost 200000 people have fled to Russia and a smaller number to other parts of Ukraine. More than, I would say considerably more than, 2600 people have died and I would wager that the majority are ethnic Russian Ukrainians. NATO has pledged financial and medical aid only to Ukrainian fighters. This I presume also includes the neo Nazi militias. NATO is actively broadening ethnic divisions in this deeply wounded country.
@John. A few cases have been taken to the European court. In 2008, the latest figures I have, 18% of the Latvian population was stateless and 9% of the Estonian.
Anne, there are people presently in this country who are stateless too, does this not concern you also…..
Chris you really are an idiot.
Paul Craig Roberts a former US Secretary once asked a colleague why western politicians always do what Washington wants. The reply was “We give the European political leaders bagfuls of money. They are for sale, We bought them. They report to us.”
Roberts and informationclearinghouse are worthless purveyors of tinfoil hat conspiracy theories.
PCR was a former wall streetJournal Editor, Minister and knows a Damn sight more that you with your throw mud until it sticks response
Robin excuse me but that’s a former US Secretary of State who is responsible for masterminding the take down of the Soviet Union. You are really doing yourself a disservice by calling him a “tinfoil hat” merchant.
@ sorry assistant treasury secretary @
He also edited a major paper Wapo I think I could be wrong.
@John, as I said a day or two back, I don’t really care who he used to be, or at least, who he says he used to be.
I do care that he talks a lot of paranoid claptrap and can’t be trusted today.
Told! Mr Hilliard here loves his corporate fed diet of trash and anything else that goes against his McLovin attitude of NATO and the rest of that tripe is just garbage and tin foil hatch stuff. Tell us Robin, what websites, TV, and Newspapers do you turn to for your news?
What about these high ranking former US national security officials who have sent a memo to Merkel warning her she is being lied to. Are they also full of claptrap?
Sounds eerily like the bit of paper the uk received from hitler before he did otherwise that was 1939 .
Hitler also invaded countries on the pretext of protecting German citizens (now Russia protecting Russian citizens in Ukrane same thing ) . Massive spend on military capability in last 5 years in Russia same as hitler 1932 -1939. Sounds like a build up to something to me . I will have to get the firewood in and some canned food .
It’s Friday Ahippo ..,. If you had a job you would know the significance of that.
Glen he does have a job he works for the state ,his tactics are so 20th century he has to be a state employee , they rely on bullying and name calling and they can think for themselves they just follow what ever script the state puts in front of them , so slowly we are winning , slowly but we will get there
I wonder if any of you conspiracy theorists have considered your role in persuading young men who are really a little unstable that the world is a truly terrible place and that life is not worth living as we are controlled by secret forces and have no way of influencing events so we may as well just end it all and maybe end it for the innocents who also have no future.
The people you describe are complete nutters. They have decided the west is to blame for all the worlds ills. Evidence and logic means nothing to them. They are utter bores.
Ahippo
conspiracy theorists are a pain in the ass almost as must of a pain in the ass as people who are blind like you , you really need to do some serious research such as The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives by Zbigniew Brzezinski
this is the guy who got Obama elected and is the hidden hand behind him in his book he out lines the BRIC nations and going to war with the middle east and Russia , china ,north Korea , all this written in the 1970s and 1980s
this however was not his idea it has been on the agenda for 60 years its just coming to fruition in our life time please please do not comment on issues in which you have little knowledge as a man with little knowledge on big issues is a dangerous thing
No mention of careful optimism in gaza.
Reading through the comments from this article and judging by the amount red thumbs the boo boys and muck throwers are getting it is comforting to know that the vast majority of people believe at the very least they are not being told the whole story and at most they are being downright deceived and treated with contempt by our so called represenatives.
Great comments and probably the best post on here in sometime. Don’t know why you let your self down by name calling when to can construct a come back like that.
I agree with the bones of your argument .
Firstly I am a capitalist I am all for a days pay for a days work but not at the expense of the worker, I believe in law but law for everyone not just the working class, I believe in government but not a parasite class that sucks the citizen dry, I belive in freedom but not at the expense of your freedom, I belive in media but not a media who lie to suit an agenda, I believe in education but not indoctrination, I don’t belive in lizard people , hollow moons or the antichrist. Conspiracy theories are just that .I can back up everything I say .If you can meet me half way I would do the same for you as I know I could learn from you and maybe you might learn from me .But the only way We will even attempt to make this a better world is to work together and not be divided .
have your say