Day: October 3, 2013

Shots Fired!

Just about an hour ago shots were fired outside the Capital Building……and all the Senators and Congresspeople crapped on themselves……..

(Newser) – The US Capitol is on security lockdown after reports of shots fired outside the building, the AP reports. People are being told to shelter in place and “close, lock, and stay away from external doors and windows.” Capitol police say that one officer has been injured, though details are sketchy. Both the House and Senate went into recess immediately, reports CNN.

“It was almost like two very rapid fire bursts, very loud,” says Rep. Gerry Connolly, was was standing on a Capitol balcony, reports the Washington Post. “They were clearly coming from the direction of the Rayburn Office Building. That’s when we saw people fleeing, and we realized this was no fireworks. It sounded liked the first volley of a 21-gun salute.” 

I wonder how many hid behind the skirts of their office women……just look at their faces…..AFRAID!  Fear is a sobering thing……more to come……

Could Syria Be A Stalemate?

While the sillies in DC are playing this shutdown game…..life goes in in other parts of the world….and since my interests is the Middle East…let’s talk that……

We hear a lot these days about everything but what is really happening in Syria….we know about the chem weapons being used….we also know about the thousands of Syrians that have died….and we hear just how powerful Iran is getting in the region….almost daily. m  We hear a report here and there about the actual war…..so I did a little research to see if I could find a more up-to-date picture of the situation…..

Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil was quoted Thursday suggesting that neither side in the country’s civil war is capable of military victory and that the government of Bashar al-Assad may seek a cease-fire.

“Neither the armed opposition nor the regime is capable of defeating the other side,” Jamil told the Guardian newspaper in an interview published Thursday.

“This zero balance of forces will not change for a while,” he added.

Could that be possible….that both sides or should I say all sides have hit a no advance stage of the conflict?  I found some of what I was searching for on antiwar.com

Jamil also said his government was supportive of the idea of UN ceasefire monitors being deployed to Syria to keep the rebels and military from fighting, so long as the troops were from “neutral or friendly countries.”

Incredibly, Jamil also confirmed that “for all practical purposes the regime in its previous form has ended,” and that the government is resigned to dramatic reforms and thinks it would be easier if the West would stop threatening them.

The Geneva II conference, agreed to by US and Russian officials and to be organized with the help of UN official Lakhdar Brahimi, was supposed to take place in June, then got bumped back to July.

A ceasefire?  Could we be looking at an end to all the bloodshed?  Personally, I say NO…..what we are looking at is an off the cuff attempt to find time to re-group for a further conflict…….this a delaying tactic to sure up its forces and weapons……it will beginning again…..unless Assad is somehow stopped….and that would involve some sort of direct intrusion into the politics of the country…..is the US willing to be that overt?