Syria: Pope Francis Speaks Up for Maaloula Abducted Nuns – IBTimes UK – 12/4/2013

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The “fog of war” descended on Syria a long time ago.

That process began with a despotic and reactionary state eschewing talk with its challengers and leaping to air power to bomb the daylights out of its own constituents — city blocks, suburbs, towns, villages, schools — free of discrimination regarding noncombatants.

The same seems to have picked up with the fractured assembly of the Free Syrian Army and to have accelerated with the incursion of the Al Qaeda affiliates and their ability to steal The Revolution, redefine The Cause, and confuse the comparative loyalties and purposes of the patchwork of anti-Assad forces.

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The fighting in Maaloula is part of a wider struggle between Al-Qaeda linked fighters of the Nusra Front and the Syrian army for control of the strategic Damascus-Homs highway, which passes close by the town.

Maaloula was the scene of heavy fighting in September. It is considered to be one of the birthplaces of Christianity and is home to a number of shrines and monasteries, which are listed as UNESCO world heritage sites.

Islamist fighters move 12 abducted Syrian nuns from Maaloula to rebel-held town — RT News – 12/3/2013.

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Activists and residents say Syrian rebels have again taken control of parts of Maaloula, an ancient Christian town near Damascus.

A spokesman for the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and a local resident said on Monday that rebels were steadily seizing swathes of the town which they have occupied on previous occasions as fighting has ebbed and flowed in the rugged Qalamoun region near Damascus.

Syrian rebels take control of Christian town Maaloula – Syria – FRANCE 24 – Google lists the posting date as 12/3/2013.  😦  I urge the majors — and everyone else — to return to datelining their stories!

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In a statement relayed by the Lebanese National News Agency, Qabbani said that “kidnapping and physical abuse go contrary to the teachings of Islam, and are offensive to the essential teachings of tolerance especially at a time of conflict and war.”

It was not immediately clear whether the nuns had been kidnapped or merely evacuated for their own safety.

Pope, Lebanon mufti call for release of Maaloula nuns | Al Akhbar English – 12/4/2013.

Oh, please, oh sponsored press: the Islamist front has retaken a critical position in the Syrian theater, picked up in the weird way of the religious world a dozen useful assets that it may use to forestall the next Assad airstrike, or, if the jets fly anyway,  use as anti-regime PR (by way of their obliteration by the air force of the despot) even while a few of their own are dispatched to Paradise.

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Posted May 19, 2013 —

Syria – Crazy Freaking Assad Blasts Yabroud – YouTube – 5/19/2013.

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The Syrian terrorists abducted 12 nuns from Mar Takla monastery, which lies in the historic town of Maaloula in Damascus, and movedNuns them form to the nearby town of Yabroud.

Syria Terrorists Move Maaloula Nuns to Yabroud Northern Damascus – 12/3/2013.

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▶ ‫أصابة دبابة تابعة لعصابات الأسد بصاروخ السهم الأحمر بالقرب من قيادة اللواء١١٢ بالقرب من نوى‬‎ – YouTube – 12/4/2013.

#Syria #Daraa #Nawa Rebels hit a regime tank… | YALLA SOURIYA – 12/4/2013.

While America’s lopsided right-side conservatives excoriate President Obama for this mess, it may dawn on some to take a second look at the weight and singularity of the emerging rebel arsenal.  Neither the weapons launched in the above attack or very good zoom video used to record the attack arrived out of thin air.  As with all film and television productions, especially today the real ones, there would seem to be a lot of treasure involved.

Whose?

When?

Through what channels?

I don’t think I’m going to find the answers to those questions on the World Wide Web.

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