[ilovetv]

Originally Posted by janmcn

"We will not send our sons and daughters to fight another country's civil war" said the Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, yesterday while testifying before the House Foreign Relations Committee.

And speaking of that civil war, how the heck does anybody think Assad is going to cooperate with packing up and hauling out his chemical weapons when Damascus and area were bombed just yesterday???? Who would drag out the equipment and stores of chemical weaponry in and through this mess?

"As world leaders discussed a Russian proposal to confiscate Syria's chemical weapons and avert U.S. and French action, some of the heaviest fighting was in Barzeh, just north of central Damascus, where residents and opposition activists said air strikes and tank fire supported thrusts by pro-Assad militia.

The Syrian state news agency said troops "inflicted casualties on terrorists" in Barzeh and neighboring Qaboun.

"Even if the Russian initiative fails, the regime has at least bought itself time," opposition activist Salah Mohammad said. "It seems to be calculating that no strike is coming soon."

Mohammad said jets had staged three air raids on Barzeh on Tuesday while tanks on the heights of Qasioun mountain and in the government-held city center shelled the area in support of attacks by shabbiha militiamen pushing in to Barzeh from Ish al-Warwar, a district dominated by Assad's minority Alawite sect.

"The fighting is heavy on that front," Mohammed said. "The streets are narrow and tanks cannot be deployed."

A woman living in Damascus said she could see shells hitting Barzeh, apparently fired from Qasioun. Speaking anonymously for fear of reprisals, she said: "Since chemical weapons are a red line, it seems the world has decided it is OK for Assad to destroy Damascus with conventional weapons.".....

Assad air force back in action in Damascus, hitting rebels | Reuters