US again voices support to arm Syrian opposition

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227967.html

The United States has once again said it will consider military assistance to armed groups fighting the Syrian government in an effort to put pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to give up power.

US officials say “additional measures” might have to be considered if the Syrian president does not step down.

“If we can't get Assad to yield to the pressure that we are all bringing to bear, we may have to consider additional measures,” said US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, but she declined to elaborate on what those measures might be.

In recent days, US officials have increasingly spoken out against Damascus and some US politicians have called for arming the Syrian opposition.

On Monday, senior US Senator John McCain said it is time for the international community to provide increased assistance to the Syrian opposition.

"There are ways to get weapons to people who are fighting against this kind of oppression, we showed that in Libya," McCain told reporters on a visit to al-Qods (Jerusalem).

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also pledged to talk Russia and China into changing their positions on Syria.

President Assad said on Monday that some foreign countries are fueling unrest in Syria by supporting and funding armed terrorist groups fighting against the government. He said that they are blocking attempts to end months of unrest in the country and preventing it from treading the path of reforms.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Many people, including security forces, have been killed in the unrest. Damascus blames “outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups” for the unrest, asserting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.

UK MPs endorse warmongering policies

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227943.html

British lawmakers have overwhelmingly rejected a motion at the House of Commons to rule out an invasion of Iran in line with their government’s warmongering policies.

The back-bench motion was initiated by Conservative MP John Baron and urged the British government to rule out the use of force against Iran.

In line with their government’s warmongering approach, members of parliament (MPs) voted down the motion with 285 ‘no’ votes, 6 ‘yeses’ and two abstentions.

The new sabre-rattling comes as the UK government is grappling with an economic crisis not seen since after the World War II with a ballooning budget deficit.

Earlier this month, a report questioned the UK’s capability to get involve in another adventurism like the one it carried out in Libya or elsewhere in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Britain would struggle to conduct another invasion like the one carried out in Libya and still sustain its other military commitments because of the impact of sweeping defence cuts”, said the report.

The report came as the UK government was preparing the ground along with its warmonger allies to wage another war against Syria or Iran.

Furthermore, the report said that there is a multibillion-pound black hole in the government’s defence budget as stipulated by the shadow defence secretary.

Jim Murphy, Labour's shadow defence secretary, said the cuts had downgraded Britain's military flexibility.

Meanwhile, Stop the War convener Lindsey German lashed out at lawmakers and pledged an intensive campaign by activists to convince MPs to end their "shocking" refusal to learn from the slaughter they helped to unleash in Iraq and Afghanistan nearly 10 years ago.

German’s approach was endorsed by Newport Labour MP Paul Flynn, who said that he would continue to oppose a war against Iran "at every opportunity."

“It would not be the first time in history that the minority had been proved right”, he said, adding that the Commons debate had been an opportunity to "look into the abyss of the unimaginable hell of a war with Iran."

Assad: Israel no peace partner

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125906§ionid=351020206


Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says no "viable peace" with Israel can be achieved in the Middle East since the regime does not seek peace.

Speaking in Turkey on the possible resumption of mediated talks with Israel, Assad told reporters at a joint conference with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul on Saturday, "As for peace, we spoke about peace; you may ask what peace we are referring to as there is no peace, no peace process or viable partner."

Turkey mediated four rounds of indirect talks between Israel and Syria in 2008. The talks stalled following Israeli raids on the Gaza Strip at the turn of 2009 which killed more than 1,400 Palestinians.

"Peace, as it appears, is not a demand of the Israelis, but we are committed to this mediation and Turkey's role, but we also emphasize the fact that Israel is not a partner, at least at the present stage, and I do not think they were a partner in the past either," Reuters quoted the Syrian leader as saying.

"Israel is not ready for mediation because it knows that a successful mediation will bring peace, and the Israeli side does not want peace," added Assad in Istanbul during his two-day visit to Turkey.

For his part, Gul said Damascus had expressed its readiness to resume the talks a number of times, but the proposal had not been reciprocated by Tel Aviv.

"To tell the truth we have not heard from Israel. Of course, it is their decision to make," the Turkish President said.