Syrian forces renewed their heavy bombardment of the Baba Amru district of Homs on Tuesday morning, in the fiercest attack in days. The attack is producing a humanitarian crisis, with food shops closed, electricity knocked out, and people fleeing (some to Jordan).
The brutal Baath regime’s determination to subdue the rebellious city, even if it means indiscriminately firing on family residences and killing women and children, has shocked the world
In a meeting in Washington with Xi Jinping, likely the next leader of China, US President Barack Obama chided the Chinese for having joined Russia in vetoing the UNSC resolution calling on Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to step down and to halt the violence.
Meanwhile, Turkey and some Gulf Arab states are considering recognizing the Syrian National Council as the legitimate government of Syria. They had been cautious about taking this step in part because the SNC is a deeply divided, ad hoc body. But many feel that, given the Russian and Chinese vetos of a strong UN Security Council resolution, this step is the only unilateral one available to individual nations.
The speaker of the Iraqi parliament, Usamah Nujayfi of Mosul, warned a visiting delegation from the Organization of the Islamic Conference that foreign military intervention in Syria could easily split up the country. When a major Iraqi politician warns you about a civil war, I’d say it you should do yourself a favor and pay attention to him.
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