	Generational Dynamics
	Forecasting America's Destiny ... and the World's

\| HOME \| WEB LOG \| COUNTRY WIKI \| COMMENT \| FORUM \| DOWNLOADS \| ABOUT \|

Generational Dynamics Web Log for 28-May-2013
28-May-13 World View -- EU lifts weapons embargo to Syria's opposition militias

Web Log - May, 2013

28-May-13 World View -- EU lifts weapons embargo to Syria's opposition militias

New wave of bombings strikes Shias across Baghdad, Iraq

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

EU lifts weapons embargo to Syria's opposition militias
New wave of bombings strikes Shias across Baghdad, Iraq
Roadside bomb kills five policemen in northwest Pakistan

EU lifts weapons embargo to Syria's opposition militias

Devastation in Syria (Reuters)

Devastation in Syria (Reuters)

In a startling development late on Monday, European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels were unable to overcome their bickering and division to agree on the terms of an extension of the embargo on supplying weapons to Syria's opposition rebels, which is set to expire next week on June 1. The result is that, unless a new agreement is reached, individual EU nations are now each permitted to provide weapons to opposition forces fighting the Bashar al-Assad regime.

France and Britain, with mixed support from the United States, are in favor of supplying weapons to the opposition, while Austria and other countries strongly oppose it. France and Britain put forth a compromise proposal to extend the embargo for two months, on condition that it would be partially lifted when the two months ended. They argued that the mere threat of the embargo ending would cause al-Assad to back down and stop killing innocent women and children, a claim that's really laughable. Anyway, the compromise got nowhere, and now there's no embargo at all.

Those who support supplying weapons to the opposition say that al-Assad's regime has been making significant military gains in the conflict, thanks to the use of heavy weapons supplied by Russia and Iran.

Those who oppose supplying weapons to the rebels express the fear that the weapons will end up in the hands of al-Qaeda linked terrorists, as happened in Libya. Al-Qaeda linked terrorists obtained weapons and training from the Libya military action, and are now making terror strikes on target across the "Sahel" region of Africa, including Mali and Niger.

Britain and France say that they have no immediate plans to supply arms to the rebels. Telegraph (London) and Independent (London)

New wave of bombings strikes Shias across Baghdad, Iraq

A new escalating wave of car bombings struck mostly Shia Muslim neighborhoods in and around Baghdad on Monday, in the latest round of terrorist violence that have killed more than 430 people so far in May. It's assumed that the perpetrators were Sunni terrorists from al-Qaeda in Iraq. Iraq's Shia government has been increasingly marginalizing Sunnis ever since the American soldiers withdrew in December, 2011, and it's believed that Sunni terrorists have been using terrorism to retaliate. AFP and AP

Roadside bomb kills five policemen in northwest Pakistan

Terrorist bombings are almost a daily occurrence in Pakistan, and a remote controlled roadside bomb exploded on Monday in northwest Pakistan, killing five policemen and destroying their vehicle. Sectarian terrorist violence has been increasing, from Central and South Asia into the Mideast, and that trend will continue until it spirals into war. Daily Times (Pakistan)

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 28-May-13 World View -- EU lifts weapons embargo to Syria's opposition militias thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (28-May-2013) Permanent Link
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Donate to Generational Dynamics via PayPal

Web Log Pages

Current Web Log

Generational Dynamics Web Log for 28-May-2013 28-May-13 World View -- EU lifts weapons embargo to Syria's opposition militias

EU lifts weapons embargo to Syria's opposition militias

New wave of bombings strikes Shias across Baghdad, Iraq

Roadside bomb kills five policemen in northwest Pakistan

Web Log Pages

Generational Dynamics Web Log for 28-May-2013
28-May-13 World View -- EU lifts weapons embargo to Syria's opposition militias