This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com.
Syria’s regime massacres hundreds of peaceful citizens as Ramadan approaches
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Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad increased the level of slaughter and massacres of peaceful Syrian protesters on Sunday, with armored tank attacks on unarmed citizens in cities across the country. The focal point of the attack was Hama, where 80 civilians were killed on Sunday. Assad’s forces had besieged the city of 700,00 for nearly a month before Sunday’s attack, on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan. Tank shells were falling at the rate of four a minute in and around north Hama, residents said. U.S. President Barack Obama said he was appalled by the Syrian government’s “horrifying” violence against its people in Hama and promised to work with others to isolate Assad. Reuters
JJ Harder, the press attache at the U.S. embassy in Damascus said to the BBC:
“[T]here is one big armed gang in Syria, and it’s named the Syrian government. I think we can safely say it’s full-on warfare by the Syrian government on its own people. This full-on warfare in which the government is engaged in today, I think, amounts to nothing less than a last act of utter desperation.They’re killing their own people, they’re sending their tanks into their own cities. It’s ridiculous. … There is one big armed gang in Syria and it’s named the Syrian government.”
Taliban take credit for suicide bombing in Afghanistan
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Ten Afghan police officers were killed Sunday when a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb outside the main police compound in the southern town of Lashkar Gah in Afghanistan, an area where coalition forces have turned full security responsibility over to Afghans. The Taliban have targeted many of the seven areas that are among the first phase of the transition to draw down U.S. troops. Sunday’s assault is the latest in a recent string of attacks that have included the assassination of numerous high-profile military and civil officials. The transition to a more independent Afghan security force is part of a gradual plan to withdraw U.S. and NATO forces by 2014. Washington Post
Because of the continuing threat posed by a resurgent Taliban, Britain is considering doubling the tour of duty of British combat forces from 6 to 12 months, in preparation for withdrawal by 2014. In particular, those involved in “mentoring” Afghan forces will be emphasized. Guardian
Violence between Uighurs and Han returns to China’s Xinjiang province
Two years ago, in July 2009, there was a massive riot by ethnic Uighurs in China’s Xinjiang province. ( “China’s Xinjiang province is scene of violent anti-government protests”) The Uighurs were protesting discimination from Han Chinese, and the Beijing government’s policy of massively relocating Han Chinese into Xinjian to dilute the Uighur population. China violently crushed the protests, but suddenly new violence is occurring. Over the weekend, several incidents occurred that the Chinese are calling “terrorism.” At least 14 people were killed, and there may or may not have been a bomb involved. LA Times
China imposes media ban on rail crash coverage
China’s government, still shocked by the extent of public fury over the bullet train collision last weekend, is attempting to cut off protests by restricting further press coverage of the accident. According to an official statement issued on Friday, “All local media, including newspapers, magazines and websites must rapidly cool down the reports of the incident. [Editors] are not allowed to publish any reports or commentaries, except positive news or information released by the authorities.” However, the ban itself is generating more outrage. Angry postings on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, have continued, suggesting that the ban may backfire. What links this story to the previous one (on Uighurs) is the Chinese Communist Party’s overwhelming paranoic fear of a mass rebellion. Financial Times (Access)
Mexico arrests killer of 1500, including U.S. Consulate employee
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Mexican authorities have arrested on Sunday a former federal police officer and Juarez drug cartel leader, accused of ordering 1,500 killings during a campaign of terrorism along the U.S.-Mexico border. Jose Antonio Acosta Hernandez, nicknamed “El Diego,” is also accused of masterminding the attack last year that killed a U.S. Consulate employee, her husband and the husband of another Consulate worker in Ciudad Juarez. Washington Times
Chavez wants to increase OPEC’s oil quota for Venezuela
President Hugo Chavez said Friday that Venezuela’s oil production quota within OPEC should increase now that its proven crude reserves have grown. Earlier this month, OPEC recognized Venezuela as the country with the biggest proven oil reserves in the world, saying that with 296.5 billion barrels it now surpasses Saudi Arabia. “The more reserves you have, the higher the quota you have,” Chavez said. AP
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