Thursday, March 27, 2014

Syrian Insurgents Expand Seaport

RelatedInsurgents Secure Syrian Beachhead

In sticking with current policy of staying current as well as making my personal statement about the top story of the world at the current time, and that is the restarting of the Syrian war:

"Syrian rebels press into Assad’s turf" by Albert Aji | Associated Press   March 27, 2014

BADROUSIEH, Syria — Syrian rebels pressed their offensive deeper into the coastal heartland of President Bashar Assad’s Alawite sect on Wednesday, battling government troops backed by warplanes for control of at least two villages in the heavily wooded and mountainous terrain, activists said.

Opposition fighters from several conservative and hardline Islamist groups, including the Al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, launched their assault Friday on northern stretches of Latakia province along the Turkish frontier. So far, they have seized a border crossing, and gained control of an outlet to the sea for the first time since Syria’s uprising began.

It's just rocks on the beach but, you know, when you are spinning propaganda -- "we" are winning!!! Unless we need to keep troops there, then the Al-CIA-Duh -- and you all know why we spell it that way, because that is what it is -- blows things up and security must be maintained, blah, blah, blah, harrumph, harrumph, harrumph, oil.

While modest in terms of territory, those gains have buoyed an armed opposition movement that has suffered a series of recent setbacks on the battlefield. During the past month, Assad’s forces, backed by his allies from the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group, have captured towns and villages on Syria’s border with Lebanon.

A Latakia-based activist who identified himself as Mohammed Abu al-Hassan said rebels hope that the offensive in Latakia would draw more Syrian soldiers to the area, relieving some of the pressure on harried opposition fighters elsewhere in the country.

‘‘The thinking is to open a battle that will make the regime rush to fight,’’ Abu al-Hassan said via Skype. ‘‘The regime can’t imagine losing the sea [of Latakia]. They will bring reinforcements, and that will lessen the pressure [elsewhere].’’

They won't be; it's a patch of rocks and they are bombing it.

--more--"

Nothing about Turkey using military force. The omissions lately have been almost unreal when it comes the the AmeriKan media, and that if anything is a reason to post and point it out. 

More to follow above later this morning and then moving on to some other current items -- or not! 

NEXT DAY UPDATE: 

The silence is deafening

Will it be a Slow Saturday Surprise tomorrow?