Blog #8 Military Bombing Kills Many In Syria

On Thursday September 18^th, the Syrian military bombed the Maarat al-Noaman in Idlib Province killing dozens of people, many of which were children. The bombing took place along a vital north-south highway in northern Syria. It was carried out by several fighter jets that made short dives and dropped at least 10 bombs on the eastern edge of the town, near an army base that was under attack by the rebels. The aerial bombardment was said to be the most intense since the military began bombing the area. The military has begun to bomb areas in order to stop the armed rebellion of those against President Bashar al-Assad. The military has been regularly deploying warplanes and helicopters but have never caused this much damage. They destroyed apartment buildings, a mosque, and caused mass damage on the ground.  The Local Coordination Committees, an anti-Assad group claimed that many were martyred during this bombing, which means they died for what they believed in. In their culture, that is highly respected and makes the mass deaths of people an honor to their cause. The scene after the bombing was horrific, rescue workers and surviving family members were searching for victims that had been crushed by exploding buildings or died from the impact of the explosion. The Maarat al-Noaman bombing was a part of the joint effort between the United Nations and Arab League. Both organizations are looking for a cease-fire in Syria and the beginning of dialogue between the rebels and the government. According to the United Nations estimates, over 20,000 people have been killed since the start of the anti-Assad uprising began in March of 2011. As of now, no one is safe in the country as the tensions continue to escalate.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/world/at-least-40-die-as-planes-bomb-a-syrian-town-held-by-rebels-658161/

 

 

Blog 6 Suicide Bomber attacks Khost City

Three international service members and sixteen Afghan police officers and civilians were killed on Monday October 1, 2012 around 9a.m. after a suicide bomber walked into the crowded center of Khost in eastern Afghanistan wearing a vest containing explosives. According to military rules, a spokesperson cannot release information about deaths until the next of kin are notified, so a spokesman for the American-led coalition forces said three international service members and a translator were killed somewhere in Eastern Afghanistan after the attack. The Taliban responded to the attack by confirming the suicide bomber, Mujahid, as a member of the group and deemed him as their hero. This is the fourth suicide bombing in Khost Province in the last five months and the third that took place in the province capital of Khost City.

 Despite the working of the coalition forces over the past few years, the area is still heavily infiltrated by the Taliban and has become an area of intentional attacks on the innocent. Suicide bombers are especially dangerous because they are able to get extremely close to their targets and fulfill their goal to harm many. Although the international service men and troops are protected by gear, many parts of their bodies are still unprotected, leaving them vulnerable to get hurt or even killed by bombers. Civilians that wear no protective gear are even more susceptible to being killed, and the government has to gain more control over its people. There have to be more safety measures put in place to protect the innocent from these heinous and unnecessary crimes taking place in this area.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/02/world/asia/suicide-bomber-afghanistan.html?ref=asia

Explosions in Syria Blog #2 9/7/12 4:06pm

On Friday September 7^th, two vehicles exploded in Damascus, Syria’s capital. The first vehicle was a motorcycle packed with explosives that blew up across from a mosque in the Rukneddine neighborhood. The explosion killed five officers and damaged a nearby medical center. The second vehicle was a car that ignited two hours later near the upscale Mazze neighborhood near the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Justice. No one was killed in the second explosion but the reported damage is ghastly. The two explosions occurred just five days after two bombs exploded near the offices of the Syrian military's Joint Chiefs of Staff in Damascus, wounding four officers. Rebels against the country’s president, Bashar Assad, are attempting to overtake the government and claim power in Syria. The head of the Red Cross, an organization that aids with disasters worldwide, warned the president of the seriousness of the situation in Syria. The civil war began in March 2011 after citizens rallied for political change and the government became violent to regain control. Those who opposed the government began to fuel the battle, killing thousands of Syria’s inhabitants. President Assad blames the intervening of other countries for the uprisings but allowed the Red Cross to help the citizens. In the last two weeks alone, the organization has helped over 200,000 people in Damascus that have been displaced by the fighting. There are over 29 shelters housing people who have been affected by the civil war and need shelter, food, and education. The United Nations has raised over 347 million dollars and the European Commission has raised 64 million for humanitarian funding. According to the report, the war is only getting worse and the government’s grasp on the violence is slowly slipping away.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/09/07/world/middleeast/ap-ml-syria.html?_r=1&ref=world

 

 

 

Blog # 1: Syrian War Test Unity of Lebanon's Military

The country of Lebanon's military is highly respected because it represents a plethora of the country's groups of people, which are usually divided elsewhere. The central government of Lebanon, much like its military is made up of Christians, Sunnis, and Shias. This way no group can overpower the other in ruling the country. The civil war occurring in Syria is now spilling over into Lebanon which is a major issue for the Lebanese military. The violence from Syria includes the surge of violence in Tripoli, which is the second largest city in Lebanon, political rhetoric between Lebanese supporters and members of the Syrian regime, and the threat of tit-for-tat kidnappings. The real issue is that many of the individual soldiers care more for their sect than for their country as a whole. A sect is a group of people with similar religious beliefs in which separates them from others or a larger group of believers. Sect loyalty is prevalent in Lebanon which makes the military weak because no soldier wants to fight their own people.  The main reason why the Lebanese Army cannot successfully intervene in the violence is because there is a lack of togetherness in the role of the military in the war. Separating the military from sectarian politics is nearly impossible because that is the way the institution has been created. The heated political heads put pressure on the military by using it as a political tool. The military is sometimes called the country’s protector but other times accused of furthering the tensions and violence in the country.  With minimal support from surrounding countries and its citizens, the Lebanese military is attempting to make the best decision to stabilize the country. As Lebanon is sucked into the violence of war, the cross sectarian institution is only highlighting its weakness and increasing its vulnerability.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/30/world/middleeast/syrian-war-tests-unity-of-military-in-lebanon.html?pagewanted=all