Thursday, 3. January 2013
Reported on http://www.boilingfrogspost.com
On January 2, the UN News Centerheadlined “Data suggests death toll could be more than 60,000, says UN human rights office.”
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) commissioned the analysis. It covers the March 15, 2011 – November 30, 2012 period.
It’s impossible to compile precise figures. Analysis depends on methodology and sources used. Bias corrupts findings.
UN Human Rights Council High Commissioner Navi Pillay long ago fell from grace. Like Ban Ki-moon, Kofi Annan, and Lakhdar Brahimi, she’s a reliable imperial partner.
Her previous reports on Syria expressed one-sided anti-Assad sentiment. She part of the conspiracy to replace him with a pro-Western puppet.
Whatever she reports is suspect. Credibility on Syria isn’t her long suit. She spurned her mandate. Instead of responsibly “strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights,” she defiled them in deference to Western interests.
Throughout the conflict, she pointed fingers the wrong way. She ignored Western-sponsored massacres and other atrocities. She blames Assad, not foreign death squads.
Syria is Washington’s war. It’s being ravaged and destroyed. Assad responsibly confronts invaders. He’s obligated to protect his people. He’s blamed for insurgent killings and atrocities. Pillay, like Western scoundrels, points fingers the wrong way.
“Given there has been no let-up in the conflict since the end of November, we can assume that more than 60,000 people have been killed by the beginning of 2013,” she said.
She believes 60,000 way underestimates true totals. She admits new data fall short of definitive analysis. Conflict complexities prevent accuracy.
Once peace is restored, she hopes further investigations will better reveal body count totals. Instead of blaming Washington, key NATO partners, rogue regional allies, and foreign invaders, she holds Assad accountable for doing his job responsibly.
“This massive loss of life could have been avoided if the Syrian Government had chosen to take a different path than one of ruthless suppression of what were initially peaceful and legitimate protests by unarmed civilians,” she claimed.
Millions of Syrians are displaced. Humanitarian crisis conditions exist. She partly admits insurgent responsibility. Overwhelmingly she points fingers the wrong way.
“Cities, towns and villages have been, and are continuing to be, devastated by aerial attacks, shelling, tank fire, bomb attacks and street-to-street fighting,” she said.
She blames Assad for “massive scale” killing. She ignores what most needs explaining. Conflict would stop straightaway if Washington called off its dogs.
The obvious goes unmentioned. Self-defense is called aggression. Truth is turned on its head. She blames Security Council inaction. So far, Russia and China alone prevented full-scale NATO intervention.
Libya 2.0 hasn’t happened. In early 2013, it looms. Security Council authorization will be circumvented. NATO intervened belligerently against Yugoslavia without it. Imperial powers spurn rule of law principles.
So do reliable human rights partners. Pillay practically begs for intervention. “Where is the international community,” she asks? “Why aren’t (world leaders) acting to stop this slaughter?”
Current body counts will pale compared to numbers if NATO intervenes. Hundreds of thousands could die. Multiples more could be injured and displaced. Pillay mindlessly ignores what she should deplore.
On January 2, Press TV headlined “Foreign-backed militants attack hospital in Damascus countryside,” saying:
Harasta Hospital was targeted. Casualties and damage isn’t known.
“There are also reports of fresh clashes between the two sides in some other parts of the country, including the northern city of Idlib, where the government forces confronted militants near the Taftanaz military airport.”
Insurgents attacked Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp before. On January 1, they did again. At least 10 deaths were reported. A car bomb injured many more. Foreign terrorists bear full responsibility.
“According to sources inside Yarmouk, there were also deadly clashes between members of the terrorist Free Syrian Army and the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front inside the camp. Armed men affiliated to the al-Nusra Front have reportedly killed a number of Palestinian civilians there.”
Thierry Meyssan says “reality on the ground has turned around completely.” Free Syrian Army (FSA) elements are being routed.
“The truth is that on the ground the upper hand is held by the Syrian government. The military situation has been reversed.”
French reports stopped mentioning “liberated zones.” They’re steadily shrinking. Disreputable Salafists and other Islamofacists hold fewer areas.
FSA fighters have no popular support. Extremist elements are hated. Meyssan believes strategically “the war is already over.” The fullness of time will have final say.
Meanwhile fighting rages. Dozens or hundreds die daily. On December 31, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) headlined “General Command of the Army: The Armed Forces Continue Operations Against the Terrorist Groups,” saying:
Terrorist forces are being effectively confronted.
“In Aleppo, armed terrorist groups of Jabhet al-Nusra and NATO mercenaries tried to attack an air-defense battalion in Tal Hasel in al-Sfeira using rockets, mortars and machineguns.”
“Our Armed Forces confronted them and foiled the attempt, killing and wounding large numbers of terrorists and destroying their weapons.”
Aleppo International Airport areas are being cleared. Large numbers of terrorist elements were killed or wounded. Their weapons and ammunition were seized.
“In Hama, our Armed Forces completely controlled Morek town and the international highway and dismantled more than 150 explosive devices.”
Deir B’albeh neighborhood in Homs, Daraya outside Damascus, and other areas are also controlled.
On January 2, the Free Syrian Press issued similar reports. Routing terrorists from suburban Damascus was discussed.
Voice of Russia headlined “Syrian troops chasing militants near Damascus.” Terrorist strongholds were destroyed. Dozens of foreign mercenaries were killed.
Heavy clashes continue. Syrian troops repelled insurgent invaders from Jordan. Border police seized large caches of weapons.
Some were Israeli made. Israel’s been involved in arming invaders for months.
On January 1, Mossad-connected DEBKAfile (DF) headlined “IDF and Syrian rebel officers meet clandestinely in Jordan,” saying:
Secret talks preceded “possible Israeli-US operation(s) in Syria to protect the Golan Heights.” DF cited unnamed Western intelligence reports.
They suggest “nightly clashes taking place between US, Jordanian, Israeli special forces and Syrian rebels, on the one hand, and Syrian special forces, on the other.”
They’re jockeying for control of “buffer strips.” They want “their opposite numbers (prevented) from establishing intelligence gathering posts there.”
Jordan’s military is training insurgent forces. US, UK, French, Czech, and Polish military instructors are involved.
“Extensive preparations are secretly afoot by US Special Forces, the IDF, and the Turkish and Jordanian armies.”
They’re “ready(ing) for President Bashar Assad to hand down the order to his army chiefs to launch a chemical war offensive on the military concentrations of Syrian rebels and their allies in the lands neighboring on Syria.”
Claiming it is fear-mongering propaganda. Syrian forces have no intention of using chemical or other banned weapons. Washington and Israel prioritize them.
False flag attacks may be planned. Further updates will report more.
Stephen Lendman was born in 1934 in Boston, MA. He received a Harvard BA in 1956 and a Wharton MBA in 1960. Since 2005, Mr. Lendman has been writing on vital world and national topics, including war and peace, American imperialism, corporate dominance, political persecutions, and a range of other social, economic and political issues. He hosts The Progressive Radio News Hour on The Progressive Radio Network. Visit Mr. Lendman’s blog site here. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net
