Putin Puts Limits on Defense of Syrian President
Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images(MOSCOW) — There were mixed signals coming from Moscow about its stance on the Syrian conflict Thursday as President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his government’s opposition to direct international intervention while at the sa…
US Says Syria Has Resumed Launching Scuds at Rebels
Hemera/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — Within the past day, the Assad regime in Syria once again launched Scud missiles at rebel-held areas in the northwest part of the country, U.S. officials said.Last week, officials said the Syrian regime fired five missi…
Few Back US Military Role in Syria, But Support Jumps in Specific Cases
JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — While Americans broadly prefer to stay out of direct involvement in the conflict in Syria, support for U.S. military action soars in the event of a loss of control of its chemical weapons, the use of such weapon…
UN Urges $1.5 Billion in Humanitarian Aid for Syria
BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Syria needs $1.5 billion more in humanitarian aid, the United Nations said Wednesday, as the number of refugees fleeing violence is expected to swell to one million by mid-2013.
Since President Bashar al-Assad…
Iran Refuses to Pull Support for Syrian Government
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(TEHRAN, Iran) — Iran isn’t willing to abandon Syrian President Bashar al-Assad just yet.With ally Russia on the verge of pulling its once unequivocal support for al-Assad, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian…
Russia Preparing Massive Evacuation in Syria?
Alessio Romenzi/AFP/Getty Images(MOSCOW) — Russian warships are headed to Syria but apparently not to help prop up the government of ally President Bashar al-Assad.In what seems like reading the handwriting on the wall, Moscow is preparing to evacuate…
NBC Correspondent Richard Engel Freed from Captors in Syria
Charles Eshelman/FilmMagic(NEW YORK) — Richard Engel, the chief foreign correspondent at NBC News, and his production team have been released amid gunfire at a Syria checkpoint after they were taken prisoner in the civil war-torn country.”After being …
Syrian Vice President Predicts Stalemate for His Country’s Civil War
Scott Peterson/Getty Images(DAMASCUS, Syria) — Syria’s vice president says his country’s civil war is destined for stalemate with neither the rebels nor the government being able to prevail.In an interview with the Lebanese newspaper Al-Ak…
Russia Walking Back Syria Assessment
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(MOSCOW) — Russia’s Foreign Ministry Friday walked back an assessment on Thursday by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, who suggested that the Syrian rebels might win as President Assad loses his grip on power. …
US to Send Two Patriot Missiles, 400 Troops to Turkey
PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images(INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey) — The U.S. will send two Patriot missile batteries to Turkey to prevent rounds from Syria from crossing the border, the Pentagon announced on Friday.Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, who si…
Russia Acknowledges Syrian President May Fall
Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — For the first time, Syria’s most powerful ally is acknowledging that the regime of President Bashar al-Assad is cracking under the force of a strong rebellion.Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s top envoy for Midd…
Obama Supports Syrian Opposition, But Singles Out Terrorist Group
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza(WASHINGTON) — The choice to label a Syrian rebel group as a terrorist organization while simultaneously recognizing the Syrian opposition as the country’s legitimate government is not a coincidence, Presi…
US Blacklists Syrian Group with Al Qaeda Ties
Alessio Romenzi/AFP/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — Throughout the 21-month long conflict in Syria, the U.S. has expressed concerns about the wrong people possibly hijacking the revolution to remove President Bashar al-Assad from power.On Tuesday, the Stat…
ABC News EXCLUSIVE: Obama Recognizes Syrian Opposition Group
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza(WASHINGTON) — In a diplomatic shift, President Obama said Tuesday his administration now formally recognizes the newly-formed, leading coalition of Syrian rebels who are fighting to topple Syria’s embattled Pre…
Is Syria’s Chemical Weapons Threat Dying Down?
Department of Defense Photo by Glenn Fawcett(KUWAIT CITY) — During his flight to Kuwait on Tuesday, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta addressed the threat of the Syrian government using chemical weapons against rebel fighters.While Panetta noted that …
Iran Alleges US Deploying Thousands of Troops to Iraq
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(TEHRAN, Iran) — Iran’s Press TV is claiming that the U.S. has secretly deployed 3,000 troops in Iraq, suggesting that it might have something to do with the ongoing conflict in Syria.According to Press TV, American forces have b…
Russia Says It Will Not Seek Syrian President’s Ouster
ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images(MOSCOW) — If Secretary of State Hillary Clinton thought her meeting last week in Ireland with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss ways to resolve the civil war in Syria would prompt Moscow to push for S…
Winter Wreaks Havoc on Syrian Refugees
ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images(ATMA, Syria) — The Syrian Red Crescent estimates that more than two and a half million Syrians have been displaced inside the country with winter coming. Twenty-one months since the uprising began, fighting continues to r…
New Worries About Syria Prompt US and Russian Talks
Win McNamee/Getty Images(DUBLIN) — The U.S. stepped up efforts Thursday to try and reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Syria as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with her Russian counterpart during a human rights conference in Dublin, …
McCain Calls on Obama to Begin Preparations for Military Action in Syria
Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call(WASHINGTON) — Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Thursday called on President Obama to start preparing for possible military action in Syria, in light of the news that U..S intelligence agencies have detected Assad’s governm…