August 19, 2011
It would appear international leaders have had enough of the frequent military reprisals in Syriaduring that nation's five-month-old uprising. The leaders of the United States, Britan, France, Germany, Canada and the European Union joined together Thursday, asking for Syrian President Bashar Assad to resign, citing the brutal repression of his people. A group of human rights observers from the United Nations went so far as to say what Assad is doing "may amount to crimes against humanity."
The latest military crackdown by the Assad government featured the use of gunboats for the first time. Perhaps sensing some international backlash, Assad told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday that military operations against protestors had ended. That seemed a hollow pledge after Syrian forces fired on protestors on Friday, killing at least 20.
Suncor, the Canadian energy company, said even though it has operations in Syria, it is not connected to the Assad regime.
To segue to events in Libya this week, The Rundown cedes the floor to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister of Turkey, who compared Assad to Libya leader Moammar Gadhafi. There were reports this week that Gadhafi loyalists were using scud missiles for the first time as they try to hold back rebel forces that have been backed by NATO. There were also stories that Gadhafi troops were using a hospital as a base of operation.
Like Assad, though, the heat was on Gadhafi by week's end, as the rebels mounted a strong pushtoward the capital of Tripoli, the capital city being rocked by thunderous explosions. Citizens supporting the Gadhafi regime seemed unconcerned by the offensive.
It would appear international leaders have had enough of the frequent military reprisals in Syriaduring that nation's five-month-old uprising. The leaders of the United States, Britan, France, Germany, Canada and the European Union joined together Thursday, asking for Syrian President Bashar Assad to resign, citing the brutal repression of his people. A group of human rights observers from the United Nations went so far as to say what Assad is doing "may amount to crimes against humanity."
The latest military crackdown by the Assad government featured the use of gunboats for the first time. Perhaps sensing some international backlash, Assad told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday that military operations against protestors had ended. That seemed a hollow pledge after Syrian forces fired on protestors on Friday, killing at least 20.
Suncor, the Canadian energy company, said even though it has operations in Syria, it is not connected to the Assad regime.
To segue to events in Libya this week, The Rundown cedes the floor to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister of Turkey, who compared Assad to Libya leader Moammar Gadhafi. There were reports this week that Gadhafi loyalists were using scud missiles for the first time as they try to hold back rebel forces that have been backed by NATO. There were also stories that Gadhafi troops were using a hospital as a base of operation.
Like Assad, though, the heat was on Gadhafi by week's end, as the rebels mounted a strong pushtoward the capital of Tripoli, the capital city being rocked by thunderous explosions. Citizens supporting the Gadhafi regime seemed unconcerned by the offensive.
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