Egypt - Scenes of Street Fighting

UPDATE for July 7, 2013: Death toll of bloody riots rising to 36, more than 200 wounded are counted. El-Baradei probably prime minister under interim president Mansour. 中文： 埃及—大规模示威

Here are some snapshots and related news from the Arabic channel of Al-Jazeera TV that are illustrating the most recent developments in Egypt after the military coup d'état against Egypt's president Morsy:


Above: Pro-Morsy demonstration at the University of Cairo

مصدر طبي للجزيرة: 10 قتلى و 318 مصابا في القاهرة و محافظات مصرية أخرى

A medical source for Al-Jazeera [says]:
10 died and 318 were wounded in Cairo and other districts of Egypt.

التلفزيون المصري عن وزارة الصحة: مقتل 17 شخصا اليوم في القاهرة و محافظات أخرى

According to Egypt's television, the ministry of public health announced that 17 persons died during the day in Cairo and other districts.

شهود عيان: مجموعات من البلطجية تتصدى لمتظاهرين مؤيدين لمرسي قرب جامعة القاهرة

Eye witnesses: Groups of [local militants] are opposing demonstrators [in favour of] Morsy near the university of Kairo.



Cairo - Maspero

متحدث عسكري: قوات الجيش تدخلت في ماسبيرو للفصل بين المتظاهرين

A spokesman for the military [says]: Armed forces are entering Maspero [i.e. a Cairo neighbourhood] for a separation of the demonstrators.



Above (left): Treating the wounded in an Alexandria mosque.

صور مباشرة من داخل مسجد سيدي جابر في الأسكندرية الذي تحول لمستشفى ميداني

Direct pictures from the interior of Saidi Jabar Mosque in Alexandria that transformed into an [urban] clinic.



Above: Pro-Morsy demonstration in front of
the Egyptian embassy in Amman / Jordan.

Egypt - Morsy Overthrown

Anti-Morsy demonstrations on Tahrir Square
and in front of the presidential palace.
Pro-Morsy demonstrators gather in Nasr City.

الجيش المصري يعزل الرئيس محمد مرسي

Egypt's Military Deposes President Mohammad Morsy

Cairo is presenting a surreal picture of huge demonstrations pro- and contra-Morsy while representatives of the Egyptian opposition assemble side by side with the military they once critisized in order to express their support of that military coup d`état directed against an elected president.

President Morsy is reported to be held under house arrest. While the constitution has been suspended as well by Egypt's military council, chief justice Adli Mansour has been named as interim president of Egypt until a new round of presidential elections that should follow as soon as possible.



البرادعي: انتخابات رئاسية مبكرة
من خلال توافق على دستور ديمقراطي

El-Baradei:
[There will be] premature presidential elections, based
on correspondence with a democratic constitution.



مراسل الجزيرة:ـ
انقطاع بث قناة مصر 25 الناطقة باسم جماعة الإخوان المسلمين

Al-Jazeera's reporter:
Channel Egypt 25, speaking for the community of the Muslim Brotherhood, has stopped its emission.

[Source: Al-Jazeera, Arabic and English channel, on July 3, 2013]

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الرئيس المصري يدعو على "فيسبوك" إلى تشكيل حكومة ائتلافية

The Egyptian president is demanding on Facebook the formation of a coalition government.

The Al-Arabiya article above confirms that Morsy is not allowed to travel and has to refrain from any rethoric as well as public appearance. The inserted picture is showing the demonstration on Tahrir Square in Cairo.

[Source: Al-Arabiya on July 3, 2013]

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Today's visitor to "blueprint news" coming from Cairo:

Libya - A Country in Chaos

The following quotation from a TIME magazine article is dealing with the alleged inability of Libyan officials to deal appropriately with the case of Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam. This is considered as a sign of increasing chaos in Libya. Latest rumours on Libyan weapons from a former Gaddafi arsenal being transferred to Syrian conflict zones might support such estimation.

Libya’s Disaster of Justice: The Case of Saif
al-Islam Gaddafi Reveals a Country in Chaos

" When NATO launched its bombing campaign in 2011 against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in Libya, the Western and Arab leaders who pushed for military intervention vowed to bring to justice the men who had conducted wartime atrocities against civilians—the main motivation for the military intervention in the first place. Yet two years on, as the legal battle over how to try the worst offenders of the Gaddafi regime drags on, some fear that the effort might have damaged the reputation of the International Criminal Court (ICC), potentially impacting its ability to pursue cases elsewhere. .....

..... For months, prosecutors at the ICC in The Hague have fought a bitter battle to have Libyan officials transfer two high-profile defendants to the Hague, where they are wanted on war crimes: Gaddafi’s once hugely powerful son Saif al-Islam, and Gaddafi’s former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senoussi. The ICC indicted both men (as well as the slain Gaddafi) back in May 2011, at the height of NATO’s bombing campaign, on charges that they ordered security forces to shoot unarmed protesters during the first two weeks of the uprising, before the opposition took up arms. ICC jurists argue that since the U.N. Security Council had ordered the ICC investigation in the first place, each U.N. member (Libya included) is duty-bound to abide by the arrest warrant, and ship the two to The Hague for trial. Yet despite that, neither man seems like to appear in the Dutch city any time soon, and if Libya’s new government has its way, they never will. ..... "

[Source: TIME magazine on June 28, 2013. For more information refer to the original article by Vivienne Walt.]

By the way, former Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi seems to become some kind of standard for political wickedness. The following evaluation was published the day before on June 28 by The Original Constitution الدستور الأصلي which belongs to the opposition against Egypt's president Mohammad Morsi. It describes the Egyptian president as "القذافي في نسخته المصري" "The Egyptian Copy of Gaddafi".



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Visitor to "blueprint news" coming from the Ugandan capital of Kampala. He could be located in the neighbourhood of "Gadaffi Mosque", named in honour of former Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi.


The "Moammar Gadaffi Mosque" is dominating the old part of Kampala city, capital of Uganda. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya built the mosque as a gift to Uganda, and for the benefit of the Muslim population. The completed mosque was opened officially in June 2007 and houses the head offices of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council that represents some 12% of Uganda's total population.


"... To get to the mosque, you can drive down Gaddafi Road. Throughout the Ugandan capital, there are army barracks and auto repair shops named after the former dictator. ..."
[Source: How Gaddafi is Remembered in Uganda]

Pictures of the Week - Obama in Berlin

Despite problems at home and abroad, U.S. President Obama once again proved his ability to attract a numerous German "fan club" when he came to Berlin on June 18/19, 2013.


Obama planning nuclear disarmament.


Obama behind bullet-proof glass.


No drone attacks guided from Germany.
[B. Obama and German President Gauck]


Obama leaving Berlin.

50 Years Ago ...
U.S. President John F. Kennedy in Berlin:

I vividly remember JFK's visit to West-Berlin in 1963. Crowds of cheering people along his route made it rather impossible to catch a glimpse of that charismatic president. However, we succeeded in getting close to Kennedy when we rode on a motorbike through the deserted Tiergarten park area which is near Brandenburg Gate, an official visiting point for every U.S. president who came to Berlin. There we could see JFK from a three meter distance in his nightblue Lincoln limousine. Weeks before, one of our teachers, some effusive pro-American lady, had already convinced us to install a portrait of Kennedy together with a U.S. flag in one corner of our classroom, - such was enthusiasm at that time. Even though times have changed since as well as some political beliefs, I am still convinced having experienced a historic moment on that day. - Ulysses -


"I regret these Germans are not American voters".


"Whenever you are depressed, then travel to Germany".
- Kennedy's advice to his successor -

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Visitor to "blueprint news" coming from the New York area:

China - Pollution of the Environment before Court

... news to come ... Tomorrow at 2:00 pm GMT (3:00 pm local time) U.S. President Obama will make a keynote speech during his visit to Berlin almost 50 years after John F. Kennedy declared: 'Ich bin ein Berliner.' He is expected to speak in front of Brandenburg Gate which has been the background of many dramatic events in German history. Most probably that speech will be covered by CNN and German TV stations. For further information, please, refer to an article published today by The Guardian, London: Barack Obama follows in footsteps of JFK with speech in Berlin.

Press Conference of the People's Supreme Court of Justice

Today, June 6, People's Network, Beijing, published an article on brandnew standards in the treatment of criminal pollution of the environment in court. A high official belonging to the People's Supreme Court of Justice spoke about that subject on a press conference:

两高司法解释：降低定罪量刑门槛从严打击环境污染犯罪

[Main Headline] Both administrations of justice explain:
A reduction of the threshold for penalty measurement
[in case of] conviction [could] deliver a severe blow to
criminal pollution of the environment.

最高人民法院研究室主任胡云腾在回答记者提问时候说：

Chairman Hu YunTang from the chamber of research at the People's Supreme Court of Justice said while answering the questions of journalists :

…鉴于当前环境形势、污染的情况非常严重，在某些地区可以说是非常严峻，所以在司法解释中着重考虑了从严打击。

... In view of the current state of environment and a most serious situation of pollution, what might be called unusually grim in some regions, an interpretation by the administration of justice is emphasizing to consider [the application of] a severe blow.

首先，降低了污染环境罪的定罪量刑门槛，比如过去污染环境造成一人以上死亡的才能定罪，现在一人以上重伤就可以了；过去造成三人以上死亡的，才能加重处罚，现在只要造成一人以上死亡的，就可以加重处罚。

Firstly, a reduction of the threshold for penalty measurement [in case] of conviction of crime concerning pollution of the environment. For example, in the past, a pollution of the environment causing the death of more than one person [led to charges in case of conviction]. Today, [same thing] can happen, if more than one person is seriously wounded. When, in the past, more than three persons died, this [had the quality] of increasing the punishment, while, today, only the death of more than one person is needed for a possible increase of punishment.

第二，从结果犯变成行为犯，过去认定环境污染犯罪的每一项标准都有个结果，现在不少标准规定只要有相应的行为，就可以定罪了。

Secondly, when a [sentenced] criminal turns into a [habitual] criminal, each pollution of the environment was considered as a standard case in the past. Today, while many standards are being fixed, it only needs a relevant conduct to [serve as] conviction.

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Visitor to "blueprint news" coming from Taiwan:

German Court Tries Serial Murder Accomplice

Now tried by a criminal court in Munich, Germany: A female gang member charged for support of a serial murder that victimized innocent small-scale businessmen with a migration background while state authorities didn't notice the common background of these politically motivated murders for a long time.
The nationalist "Nazi" gang's two assassins, however, cannot be tried at the same time. They shot themselves when German security forces had tracked them down.
The extent of that serial murder, comprising the assassination of at least nine victims, eight Turqish and one Greek immigrant, between 2000 and 2006, as well as incredible shortcomings in the proceedings of German police and state security, have caused a broad public interest in Germany.

巴尔干国家的杀人式样

The Balkan-like Style of a Serial Murder


杀人犯派的纳粹分子
不是全部《德国族人》
她父亲是罗马尼亚人

Nazi murder gang member
being not entirely "German"
as her father is a Romanian.

女纳粹分子Beate Zschäpe在社会上没有根基但是不是隔离的人，她的《家族》是反社会的邻居们，他们多半失业者没有职业才干，靠社会福利过活，对《外国人》有不合理的憎恨他们叫《爱国心》，他们也憎恨国家的学者和国家机关工作人员。

Female Nazi member Beate Zschäpe was not rooted in society. However, she was not isolated but embedded in an anti-social neighbourhood which became her "family".
These people are mostly unemployed without any professional skills and depend on social welfare. Towards "foreigners" they express some kind of unreasonable hatred as well as they detest learned people among their compatriots and all kinds of state officials.

纳粹姑娘又好与人争吵的又傲慢的，通常是被她们的父亲溺爱的。

Aggressive and arrogant Nazi girls are usually spoilt by their fathers.

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Visitors to "blueprint news" coming from the Black Sea and Caspian Sea region:





Visitor to "blueprint news" coming from Russia's Far East:

Obama and Xi JinPing - Another Historic Meeting ?

习近平奥巴马会晤纪实：白天未结束讨论晚宴继续 Xi JinPing and Obama, on-the-spot report of the meeting: Discussions not finished at daytime continued at supper. Chinese language summary from China Radio International CRI 2013-06-11《CRI国际在线》 CRI 的纪实来源于《新华网》

Important UPDATE added on June 9 / 10 !


In the frame of General Secretary Xi JinPing's visit to the United States and his talks with U.S. President Obama, there are some aspects the editor of "blueprint news" considers worth mentioning.



人民日报国际论坛：续写“改变世界之旅”

International Forum of People's Daily:
Addendum to "The Trip that Changed the World"

克里斯托弗·尼克松·考克斯 [written by] Christopher Nixon Cox

The first aspect is regarding how official Chinese media are evaluating that meeting. Today, June 8, semi-official People's Daily published a comment in Chinese that had been originally written in English by Christopher Nixon Cox, a New York lawyer and grandson of former U.S. president Richard Nixon. As Nixon was the first leader of his country to visit China's famous Chairman Mao ZeDong in February 1972, his grandson is now reminding that historic meeting which can be regarded as the beginning of a process leading to an opening of the People's Republic towards the West. That process finally turned China into a successful global player regarding, both, its political and economic influence.



Another aspect is regarding the perception of China as it appears in the view of U.S. citizens. It seems the American public meanwhile sees China as much as an ally or, at least, a "frenemy".

Even though there are political obstacles enough on the path of a future U.S. - Chinese cooperation, some common understanding of regional peace as a prerequisite for reaching both sides' similar economic goals might become the glue of such cooperation. Recent news on China reacting upon North Korean provocation (=> related blogspots) might be a first sign of political change as well as China's new adage of "Realizing the Chinese Dream" which should mean nothing else but an increase of personal wealth and domestic consumption in Mainland China, going together with an amelioration of working and living conditions for China's citizens.

The latest Gallup poll, at least, shows 55% of Americans asked think China is either an ally (11%) or a nation friendly to the United States (44%), while 40% say it is either unfriendly (26%) or an enemy (14%).
[Source: CNN on June 8, 2013]

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Update for June 9 / 10, 2013:

Yesterday, June 8, U.S. National Security Advisor Tom Donilon informed reporters after the conclusion of the two-day summit on Friday and Saturday. He said "The discussions were positive and constructive, wide-ranging and quite successful in achieving the goals that we set forth for this meeting".

Cyber security and cyber issues, a "center of the relationship" between the world's largest economies, were one of the important topics when the two leaders had discussions on economic issues.

According to Donilon, the President made clear "the threat posed to our economic and national security by cyber-enabled economic espionage".

"The President underscored that resolving this issue is really key to the future of US-China economic relations. He asked President Xi to continue to look seriously at the problem that we've raised here," he said.

.......... Among other things, Donilon said the two leaders agreed that "North Korea has to denuclearise, that neither country will accept North Korea as a nuclear-armed state and that we would work together to deepen cooperation and dialogue to achieve denuclearization."

The two sides stressed the importance of continuing to apply pressure both to halt North Korea's ability to proliferate and to make clear that its continued pursuit of nuclear weapons is incompatible with its economic development goals, he said.

[Source: Indian Express, New Delhi, on June 9, 2013]

Cyber Attacks - According to the White House, the Chinese acknowledged the problem, agreed to investigate and work out "rules of the road".
"I believe we can work together on this rather than at cross-purposes," Obama said.

Climate change - For the first time, China agreed to work with the United States to limit the production of greenhouse-gases.

[Source of additional information: CNN on June 10, 2013]



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A visitor to "blueprint news" coming from the "Favelas" of Rio de Janeiro and who is interested in the Arabic revolution:



习近平访拉美《孙子兵法》上拉美畅销书架

Xi Jin Ping while visiting Latin America [found] Sun Zi's
"Art of War" on a Latin American bestseller [bookshelf].

Xi Jin Ping said he found the Portuguese edition of Sun Zi's "Art of War" in an automat selling books while riding on a Sao Paulo railway during his visit to Brazil.

[Source: China News Network 中国新闻网 on June 8, 2013]

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Korea related news from Al-Jazeera on June 10, 2013:

Two Koreas Preparing Talks

Change of Chinese - North Korean Relations ?

Today, a Chinese news service is referring to recent talks between the new Chinese leadership and Kim Jong Un's special envoy to Beijing. Relations between both allies seem to become tougher:



朝鲜特使见到不同“表情”：中国要求朝必须弃核

North Korea's special envoy meets with a different "expression":
China demanding, the North must abandon the nuclear [issue].

中国不提“血盟关系”

China doesn't put forward the "relationship of sworn brothers".

中美韩一致要朝“弃核”

China, U.S., South Korea - devoted to ask
North Korea to "abandon the nuclear issue".

[Source: mil.ifeng 凤凰网—军事 on June 2, 2013]

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Terrorism - Chemical Weapons Made in Baghdad

بغداد تعتقل خلية حضرت لهجمات كيماوية في الداخل والخارج
استطاعت خلال 4 أشهر أن تؤسس 3 معامل لتصنيع سلاح كيماوي

Baghdad arrests a cell [of activists] preparing for chemical attacks
at home and abroad [and] being able during four months to install
three laboratories for the [fabrication] of a chemical weapon.

وقال المستشار الإعلامي لوزارة الدفاع، الفريق الركن محمد العسكري في مؤتمر صحافي، إن "هذه العصابة المؤلفة من خمسة أشخاص لاحقتها استخبارات وزارة الدفاع، واستطاعت أن تتابع عملها من أول لحظة".ـ

The information consultant at the [Iraqi] ministry of defense, General Mohammad al-Askari, said in a press conference that " this clique consisting of five persons, not identified [by] the defense ministry's intelligence, was able to carry out [each step of] their operation from the very first moment. "

... هجمات كيماوية ضد أهداف داخل العراق وفي أوروبا وأميركا الشمالية، وذلك بالتعاون مع أجهزة استخبارات أخرى

... chemical attacks directed against targets inside Iraq and in Europe and North America. This should happen side by side with other means [used by] intelligence [communities].

... خاصة غاز السارين وغاز الأعصاب وغاز الخردل. وأضاف أن الخلية حصلت على "برامج وصلتها من تنظيمات القاعدة في الخارج".ـ

... particularly Sarin gas, nerve gas and mustard gas. And he added that [this] cell [received] " programs and their [coordination] from Al-Qaeda organizations outside of the country. "

[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on June 1, 2013]

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قالت الحكومة العراقية اليوم السبت إنها القت القبض على خلية يشتبه بأنها تابعة لتنظيم القاعدة كانت تخطط لإنتاج عناصر كيماوية سامة مثل غاز الخردل لمهاجمة القوات العراقية وإرسالها إلى الخارج لشن هجمات في أوروبا والولايات المتحدة.ـ

Today, Saturday [i.e. June 1st], the Iraqi government said they captured a cell [of activists] suspected of being a subdivision of Al-Qaeda organization [and that is] planning the production of toxic chemical compounds like mustard gas for [launching] attacks on Iraqi forces and their distribution to [foreign countries] to launch attacks in Europe and the United States.

[Source: ArRiyad Network الرياض نت, Saudi-Arabia, dated June 2, 2013]

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Visitor to "blueprint news" who came from Afghanistan today June 1, 2013:

Syria - Arabic TV News

Jay Carney - White House spokesman

البيت الأبيض: جميع الخيارات بشأن الأزمة السورية لا تزال مطروحة بما فيها فرض منطقة حظر طيران فوق سوريا

The White House: All options in the Syrian crisis continue to remain [on the table] including the imposition of a flight inhibition zone over Syria.




ناشطون : الأطبأ يعلنون نفاد الأوكسجين من مدينة القصير السورية و يستغيثون لإجلاء المرض و الجرحى

[Opposition] activists: Doctors inform on the running out of oxygen in the Syrian town of Qusayr and call for help in the evacuation of the sick and the wounded.



Results of a vote held by U.N. human rights organization
and which is regarding an approach of the Syrian regime.

مجلس حقوق الإنسان التابع للأمم المتحدة يدين استعانة النظام السوري بمقاتلين أجانب خلال العمليات العسكرية

The human rights organization [subsidiary] to the United Nations is obliged to appeal to the Syrian regime [on the role of] foreign combatants during military operations.

[Source: Al-Jazeera TV الجزيرة on May 30, 2013]

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The day before, on May 29, the Chinese daily Beijing Evening News 北京晚报 came with the following headlines:

俄执意向叙政府供导弹 叙利亚女记者中弹身亡

Russia determined to supply Syria with guided missiles.
Female Syrian reporter died after being hit by a bullet.



Russian S-300 missile launchers.

Syrian state TV journalist Yara Abbas who died in Qusayr.

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A visitor to "blueprint news" came from Pond Inlet, an Inuit community of approximately 1.500 inhabitants, situated on Baffin Island in the Canadian province of Nunavut. It seems that visitor reached my site via satellite on board of some ship or fisherboat:

Syria - Journalists Testify Chemical Attacks

Today, May 28, the French daily Le Monde came about with an article on secret investigations made to confirm the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria's civil war. Two French journalists are now the first who personally witnessed chemical attacks committed by government troops. Today's editorial of Le Monde as well dealt with that subject, and here is my translation:

Editorial:
Demanding the Truth about Chemical Weapons

The war in Syria has passed another step. It has become "chemical". Toxic gases provoking cases of suffocation and even death have been employed by Syrian regime forces against, both, the rebel army and civilians. This is the new military tactic of a power ready for everything. It is being applied in numerous places and did not stop to intensify since April. Victims are experiencing cruel harm, the symptoms resembling those of poisoning with Sarin. Such information, now revealed by Le Monde, has been directly reported from the area. Our reporter Jean Philippe Rémy and the photographer Laurent Van der Stockt secretly travelled in Syria for two months. They carried out investigations in great detail, particularly in the region of Syria's capital Damascus.

What they are reporting doesn't come neither from videos posted on the internet by the Syrian opposition nor from stories told by refugees, the usual source of evidence on chemical attacks in Syria these last months. For the first time, chemical attacks are described by Western journalists, direct witnesses of the incidents.

The application of chemical weapons has been described by President Obama and other Western leaders as a "red line" the crossing of which would trigger off an intervention. Not later than May 24, F. Hollande declared in a speech to high-ranking responsible military personnell in Paris: "Today, the conflict has reached an extent that compels us, together with our allies, not to exclude any option whatsoever if the use of chemical weapons is well confirmed."

Let us be clear about that: Le Monde doesn't hold [back] irrefutable proof of revertings to chemical weapons in Syria. Only a scientific expert's report based on test samples could establish without any shadow of a doubt the [proof of] an application of substances that are particularly forbidden by the convention of banning chemical weapons (1993). Not every toxic gas is a chemical weapon. But the use of a toxic substance in battle makes it quite certainly a weapon.

One question is imposing itself: If journalists succeeded to make local investigations, how could be explained that Western leaders, considered able to control the data of their intelligence services, had never formulated until now any clear conclusion on the application of toxic weapons in Syria ? They restricted themselves to speak of "serious elements", just as U.S. secretary of state John Kerry recently did.

Bashar al-Assad makes a profit from it. The absence of external reactions, apart from recent Israeli [air] raids, encourages him to go even further. After the tanks, the planes, the Scud missiles, now the chemicals. One can be sure that a conference considered to be prepared in Geneva would bring to live even more deceptions, if "Chemical Bashar" (*) thinks to gain ground from gassing the enemy.

[ (*) = The expression "Chemical Bashar" should remind us of "Chemical Ali", an Iraqi general who served under Saddam Hussein. It was him who was in charge of chemical weapons which he used against the Kurds and the Iranians. - Ulysses ]

The conflict is counting nearly 100.000 casualties, the war extending its metastasis into the region. Are we to wait for a "Syrian Halabja", a massacre to be compared with that committed in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1988, before a real line of limitation will be traced ?

The investigation of Le Monde is showing that it is urgent for those responsible in the West to clearly announce what they know about chemical [weapons] in Syria, such making them stop evading that "red line" and making them leave ambiguity before it's too late.

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Further news from CBC Radio Canada on May 28, 2013:

Russia condemns a recent EU decision to arm Syrian rebels and says it will deliver S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to the Syrian regime, despite objections from the U.S. and Israel. This could transform an already brutal civil war into an East-West proxy fight. Israel, meanwhile, threatened to strike such air defense missiles systems if delivered to Syria, portraying them as a threat to the Jewish state and raising the risk of regional conflagration. Read the entire CBC article !



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May 2013 visitors to "blueprint news" coming from Russia and neighbouring areas: