Battle Rages in Homs, Hub of Revolt Against Assad Government

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BEIRUT, Lebanon — Deadly battles are raging in Homs, the central Syrian city that was long a hub and a symbol of the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad, with both soldiers and insurgents saying they have lost many fighters in recent days as the government presses an all-out assault on the last few rebel-held areas in the Old City of Homs.

Insurgents and antigovernment activists reported near-continuous bombardment of the Old City enclaves and the nearby neighborhood of Waer, a sometimes restive area whose population of 100,000 has been doubled by displaced Syrians, including many from the Old City, sheltering there.

State news media and government opponents reported that a car bomb killed numerous people on Friday outside a mosque in an area called March 8 Square near a government checkpoint. Each side blamed the other, giving death tolls ranging from none to more than 30. University students and Palestinian refugees living in the area were reported to be among the dead in the latest of many such bombings.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/world/middleeast/battle-rages-in-homs-hub-of-revolt-against-assad-government.html?hp&_r=0

[Jesus Malverde]

1. Alternate headline...

Battle Rages in Homs, last bastion of the jihadists.

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2. I think so, but it has a long way to go yet, this war.

Unless the jihadis lose their logistics support, they will keep coming. No telling how long that will take. And it's not the USA at this point. We are meddling, but not much.

[Jesus Malverde]

3. The whole qatar, bandar, saudi actions have me confused.

I read an article about a jordanian jihadi, and the article almost admitted the war is a way to deal with the most militant of the surplus unemployed men of the region. One way trip into a meat grinder.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/world/middleeast/in-jordan-town-syria-war-inspires-jihadist-dreams.html?_r=0

While analysts say Jordan’s stagnant politics and economy encourage marginalized, devout men to seek glory on foreign battlefields, Islamist leaders, fighters and their relatives describe decisions motivated by intense conviction.

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4. I think that is the idea, and I won't be much help.

But you can bet that Turkey and the Saudis are neck deep in it, they both hate Assad at this point. And if he wins, they lose.

[Jesus Malverde]

5. Concerned For Stability, Saudi Arabia Tightens Curbs On Dissent

Responding to these perceived threats, Saudi Arabia has passed a set of laws that banned citizens from fighting abroad, donating money to any faction in Syria or sympathising with militant ideologies.

http://gulfbusiness.com/2014/04/concerned-stability-saudi-arabia-tightens-curbs-dissent/

LOL they emptied their whole death row and sent them off to fight in saudi. Now that they are being destroyed, the syphilitic princes are worried about them coming home.

They've either seen the light and found Jesus or are very very afraid of whats coming next.

Maybe they see whats happening in bahrain.

The gulf kingdoms rely on mercenaries to stay in power, mercenaries typically like to live for another paycheck and not sacrifice themselves for a king.

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6. They are afraid, and rightly so. I've been waiting for them to blow up for ten years now.

When those jihadis come home, that will probably do it.

[Jesus Malverde]

7. Battle hardened Jihadists are a threat to us all....