Syria heads toward civil war
In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a mustard seed, the smallest of seeds that springs up to become the largest of plants. The seeds of discontent planted in Syria during the “Arab spring” last year have grown into the largest and most protracted conflict . . .
In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a mustard seed, the smallest of seeds that springs up to become the largest of plants. The seeds of discontent planted in Syria during the “Arab spring” last year have grown into the largest and most protracted conflict in the Middle East. With heavy arms flowing to all sides, the troubled country appears headed toward full-fledged civil war.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Tuesday that the United States believed that Russia was shipping attack helicopters to Syria that President Bashar al-Assad could use to escalate his government’s deadly crackdown on civilians and the militias battling his rule. Her comments reflected rising frustration with Russia, which has continued to supply weapons to its major Middle Eastern ally despite an international outcry over the government’s brutal crackdown.
“We have confronted the Russians about stopping their continued arms shipments to Syria,” Clinton said at an appearance with President Shimon Peres of Israel. “They have, from time to time, said that we shouldn’t worry; everything they’re shipping is unrelated to their actions internally. That’s patently untrue.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Wednesday defended his country’s sale of arms to Syria and accused the United States of supplying rebels with weapons to fight against the government. “We are not violating any international law in performing these contracts,” said Lavrov, in response to a question about Clinton’s comments at a news conference during a visit of the Russian minister to Iran. Russia insists that it provides Damascus only with weapons that can be used in self-defense.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Tuesday that the United States believed that Russia was shipping attack helicopters to Syria that President Bashar al-Assad could use to escalate his government’s deadly crackdown on civilians and the militias battling his rule. Her comments reflected rising frustration with Russia, which has continued to supply weapons to its major Middle Eastern ally despite an international outcry over the government’s brutal crackdown.
“We have confronted the Russians about stopping their continued arms shipments to Syria,” Clinton said at an appearance with President Shimon Peres of Israel. “They have, from time to time, said that we shouldn’t worry; everything they’re shipping is unrelated to their actions internally. That’s patently untrue.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Wednesday defended his country’s sale of arms to Syria and accused the United States of supplying rebels with weapons to fight against the government. “We are not violating any international law in performing these contracts,” said Lavrov, in response to a question about Clinton’s comments at a news conference during a visit of the Russian minister to Iran. Russia insists that it provides Damascus only with weapons that can be used in self-defense.
Sources: Articles by Isabel Coles for Reuters and Mark Landler and Neil MacFarquhar for the New York Times