and the first foreign journalist killed in syria's unrest a french camera man was mortally wounded by a grenade along with at least eight locals the country's authorities blame terrorists for the attacks meeting the armed opposition groups which of blames for instigating the violence. or the implications of young going bloodshed in syria still hard to predict r.t. said down with professor of middle east politics dr jeremy salt to get a broader view on what's going on in the region. thank you jeremy for joining us here on our team as well as call put it when it comes to the middle east there west talks ideally sickly and brutally if it's true if you agree with this what should be done what can be done to prevent syria from falling into these patterns look at what's been happening in the middle east and the policies the western governments of followed they have always had the noble motive we're doing this for this very very good reason but we don't have to be

terribly skeptical or cynical to understand that actually behind the noble motive is self-interest if we look at what happened in egypt the west backed mubarak right to the very last and there was no longer possible to back him when it was indefensible they dumped him and with him with the president of tunisia and then they moved very very quickly on libya what was happening in libya. absolutely terrible in many cases in the name of human rights they kind of attacked libya the same with syria you know it's kind of it it's a protest movement it's democratic change and reform which are very worthwhile motives to support but there is another agenda here which has to do with broader global and regional strategies what has the libyan scenario failed in syria will the western powers change their tactics i think that libya with the template for syria kind of went to the u.n. they got the no fly zone was lucian and opened up libya to aerial attack and i

think they thought that they could repeat this in syria but it didn't prove to be possible largely because of russia actually because russia made it plain that it would not support another no fly and no fly zone resolution in the security council so this left the government of britain france and the u.s. in particular with you know they had to work out what policy they were going to pursue you know still think they would like to intervene in syria but. i realize it's not the same as little and lots and as libya is a different situation altogether stakes are much higher the risk is much greater the dangers are much greater because intervention in syria how do you describe or whether you're talking about a buffer zone for the top american military humanitarian causal as a french foreign minister does it still the same thing as the invasion of another country and syria would resist that iran would get involved actively get involved it's hard to take the fall back position i think is to support. certain activities

inside syria which calculates the downfall of the assad government and its replacement by. government will be formed presumably from exiles from. we presume to take take over in your book the making of the middle east do you chronicle the lawn and lead a history of western invasions in arab lands with all the efforts by the u.n. and arab league. arab league is the threat of foreign military invasion for syria is in the past right or not yet of course is still a possibility of course as to the possible to do rather do because it's risky for intervention would be risky however it was done would be to kind of maintain the support for what's happening inside syria on the side of the opposition like the calculation would be that sooner or later these precious if they maintained would result in the collapse of the assad government well as compare syria with the lead

and iraq to what extent the syrian national council similar to libya is national transitional council or iraqi national congress rocky national congress was almost a fiction the leader no support inside iraq whatsoever. iraq for a long long time has pumped up because they want to create this exiled body called the iraqi national congress so there was an iraqi voice in the propaganda war against saddam hussein the libyan situation the lives of the libyan transitional council as you know basically would affect us from the government tripoli jump ship when it got too hot they took a uniform going to benghazi and the transitional national council for all of whom we didn't know we knew someone from all that if we can't say the syrian national council. is largely composed of the mixture of people who have the roots who are inside syria but the dominant i think exiles. has been in paris for

a long time like read one. who's based in washington and has very very close ties with the state department you know what kind of clout what part of hold of these people have inside syria i would say not much. you know so there are similarities between these councils and of course you know that the transitional national council on national transitional council in libya. recognize the syrian national council as a legitimate representative the syrian people it's not this simple as that so it's kind of part of the campaign against syria of which that that now the loophole is now the libyan government is now part elections at various levels currently and to go in in syria with more had so what do you think will bashar al assad remain in power as a result and we have a very very dangerous situation in syria which could have exploded into a very very nasty. proto breakdown inside the country it could lead to regional war

. in this context let's see if this you give me a few months and see how the process works for bashar does have. a base of support so i don't think you could say that the party would be doomed the moment they call free elections that could do well why do you think human rights watch talks and foreign media neglects the damage done by militant groups in syria it's somewhat of a mystery to me it's a mystery and the city has made some pretty. provocative claims in with regard to syria one of them is that i think it was military people dressing up as doctors in homs hospital. any verification of that it's a claim made on the basis of online people. and similar claims have been made by other human rights organizations human rights watch the. u.n. human rights council it's committee is all one way it's all about what the

government is doing and making very very extreme claims the government's response with two hundred fifty six children for example. four thousand five thousand of dart there is no desegregation which is what the critical reader would want you know you see these figures were they coming from this anyone know how many people have been killed in syria so far in its report. the human rights council report said four thousand but there was no expression of that where they go . a few days later. we see un human rights commissioner for the security council and said five hours. and the figure echoes around the world and i think it lodges in the popular imagination five thousand people being killed by the syrian government about security forces by and for whatever whereas in fact i don't think it's any doubt at all that a large number of military of civilians have been killed by armed gangs about

it but by this so what we actually need to do is to aggregate these figures like how many people have been killed by the syrian army how many of them were innocent entirely innocent how many of them were men who picked up arms. how many civilians have been killed by armed gangs so forth and so on you need to break the whole thing down but these are not broken down since we are in turkey let's talk about turkey a little bit turkey definitely wants to be associated with the changes in this region to be seen as a leading play in this movement so may turkey use this moment to its advantage turkey before the policy for the last seven years of creating zero problems. on the borders ok and that meant kind of dealing with iran doing with syria and turkey and syria had a rather complicated relationship over many many years and so these problems were

resolved and they did lead to very good stable balance relationships with syria and with iran in particular and all of a sudden the policy was reversed instantly like turkey did a sharp right hand i think the turkish government seem to think that the syrian government for the protest movement got up and running and i think the calculated the only question of time before the syrian government goes and therefore i think it want to put it want to be riding the wave ok put on the crystal the way the question the wave of reform and change in the middle east and to be seen as the leader of this movement. turkey legs but the fact is. syria is as i would say. is not libya if anyone in the future of us like across our borders to cause an earthquake in this region so the stakes for everyone including turkey in this situation very very high the turkey made this decision that i think that

affable go therefore we support the opposition therefore we support the syrian national council of space and istanbul therefore we support free syrian army do you think that was a wrong decision in doing so they have antagonized iran they've antagonized iraq. because now iraq has come out quite strongly in support of syria and of course the living is governed by his boss has also been very very critical of turkey so the change in foreign policy has kind of dump the problem and what they've done that is create problems now if if if our side goes ok then it's all worked out but if if if if if he doesn't somehow manage to ride this out. well then i suppose there's going to be a go on someone you know and they'll have to pull back from a position that you had to create and actually is not really tenable any longer you've got to deal with this government here like it or not is to keep being sincere in its intentions saying it wants stability in syria and stability in the

region the lines are so with. saudi arabia with united states britain and france but that's where it is that's what happens and so the rhetoric about humanitarian intervention. humanitarian. has been a kind of simple thing in discussion about syria over the last six months and talking about along with that but they know the dangers they do of course they know that just that if there was a move across the border if turkey somehow we're talking to taking the lead. it would open up a pandora's box of problems you know and. you know turkey itself with. no question of invention but it seems to me this is definitely a big difference over this issue that somehow it's too however it might be carried out.

about spilling. the war from one side and fears blockade from the other. invisible border has cut people from the land for twelve year. the conflict that divided serbia into two hostile parts is still not over.

well. science technology innovation all the latest developments from around russia we've got a few jerks covered. the

prizes in relations between washington and tehran by the assassination of a fourth iranian scientists in two years iran blames israel and america for the i will not the rail the country's nuclear program. the first foreign journalist was killed in syria's unrest and french camera man was mortally wanted by a grenade along with at least eight locals the country's authorities blame terrorists for the attack meaning the armed opposition groups which blames for instigating the violence. and the ten year anniversary since one time of a green as its first prisoners has been marked by protest in the u.s. and abroad people took to the streets demanding the release of those still held in

the jail that president obama vowed to close. those with the allies here in our team sports next with me tree. but of course a lot to good to have a company again coming up in the boat. cross city rival writes a spot on the road and the moscow to extend the gap between the sides to ten points . an expected result steven gerrard games livable and narrow away victory against manchester city in the first leg of the carling cup semifinals. and to lose but still go through vanstone to the last eight of the copa del rey despite a second leg to face to seville. so let's start with i saw they were in the k h l says biggest rivals and main competitors for

a playoff sport spot in the russian capital the game finished three one and this is going to carry and it doesn't about all the details. the darby between sports talk into his car was to become even more important as the team's battled hard for a place which comes with a chance of a playoff in the western conference i both sides were under extreme pressure to score suffered ten defeats in eleven matches among them a repeat of the kitchen record accumulating more storm moves nothing i well spark talk struggled to get back on winning form with a new coach behind the bench somebody should lanky with no real signs for success the game started cautiously with both teams putting the plans first the hosts had possession but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock midway through the ring we go a bit off more than most course in the rebound you get the people at the front who are his first point in the six he says the second comeback from the n.h.l.

in the second test car collecting penalties and sports are finally converted him and want to try having an extra man. the grandson of protégés college and very sweet kyle are you going to get. to level matters scoring his fifth of the season the neck to make game continued in the last frame right up to the fifty minute once again shook up capitalized them a power play for his fifteenth goal of the season to give the man belief spartak threw everything at their rivals for an equaliser the red and white. but only thing is the visitors shot an empty netter to see what final score we won i forces fundamentals against his good and force. and build a. bit better with my game. the first four into so maybe less panic now and hopefully it's going to get going but i think we had a lot of our budget answers and we've. put the puck in and you know that hurts when

you miss them even if i want to for lunch or leave the refs going to start calling the other way. you know you we we had better moments where we should or should have very. calm managed to bounce back after the wishing eight nothing defeat to beat duke or see two rivals and style ten points separate the teams in the rankings and it seems spartak will need a little miracle to secure their place in the playoffs come sunday but are both for eighty. let's now take a look at the other results from wednesday night two more games are played across russia eastern conference that is trying to manage to take down a one point two grasp as they hunt side defeated them in a shootout that was another surprise result that is the locals start they don't lead is considered an answer girls against visiting have a start. liverpool have beaten just

a city in the thirst leg of the carling cup semifinals the game finished one male in favor of the at the top stadium steven j. . it makes all the difference thirty minutes in a converted how to keep following this city's staff and saw that in the area the referee had no other option but to point to the sports experience jerrold nadler no mistake sending the ball past the paper into the right hand corner the second leg will be played at anfield on the twenty fifth. meanwhile valencia are fruit to the last eight of the copa del rey that's despite a second defeat to seville in the last sixteen and we go straight to the second half where the visitors opened this spring in the sixty fifth minute to better sold out a broke and easily being to beat. the hosts needed four minutes to level matches. which was the first of the reebok super late there into the game when valencia

defend victor cruz scored an own goal in injury time so you want to seville on the night all on aggregate but it's still an advance to the next stage i. possible now where in the n.b.a. the new york knicks have. six game winning streak with an eighty five seventy nine victory at madison square garden the host totally controlled the us after thirteen points to the first quarter and twelve miles off time pulled off its rights to fight back after a big break and nearly managed to equalise midway through the third period. proved to be useless next retained double figures late soon after wards twenty seven points from anthony and twenty from a moderate style to my for the biggest contributions to the knicks. when i read.

ceremony for the young youth went for the russian youth winter olympic team has been held at moscow's demanded. port the pick of the country's hopefuls flying off to. for the first ever general games which gets underway on friday russia will be represented by sixty seven young athletes with women's figure skating traditionally being one of the team's biggest hopes. of the sport three time domestic champ. and world junior championships runner up elisabetta took to misha are regarded as strong favorites for glory at the fast approaching finals saying it is the perfect rehearsal head of the sochi twenty fourteen winter olympics. and it's going to be much more than just a competition for me myself and my teammate adelina sotnikova chosen to represent our country at the winter youth a limpid games it's a big responsibility and a new exciting experience at the same time we will have a great chance to feel what the olympics are all about two years ahead of sochi two

thousand and fourteen what it feels like to live and communicate with other athletes under the pressure and hopefully when. of course we expect some good results from our team at the games hopefully each of them will manage to fulfil their potential despite the pressure which is always there when it comes to big events like this. in winter sports of switzerland celebrated victory in the freestyle world cup event in france in the big final of the swiss based two canadian races scarcely so and meryl thomson and australia's underlain by her discipline lead it so i made a mistake which saw a finishing last out of four claimed the thirsts for which letter top the standings with two hundred and eighty nine point thompson in second and third respectively. three times live in phillips has become the fastest in the men's event he managed to overtake the likes of canadians christopher and david and also sweden

plane is first world cup victory while local school peeped loon runners up sport. the miracle of team t.-bo continues in the n.f.l. with the quarterback taking the denver broncos through to the n.f.l. playoffs despite his unorthodox style that play all supporting the recent stunning overtime big trip against pittsburgh to one side to focus on the heavily favored new england patriots this saturday. in the grand scheme of things it's one game and it's a playoff game so it's big but i'm not going to let you too much into it it's just one game and you know we got another big win this week. you know it will be fun to be to be exciting because you're playing the new england patriots and we get a chance to play tom brady and bill belichick in trucks pro and you know it's another round of the playoffs and that's exciting. to the world of high octane

engines now why ferrara are hoping for much better performance from the team and its travis in twenty twelve this table will introduce a completely revised call for the new season on the third of february two principles to follow them in a college said that the car that can pay to on track for last season hadn't been good enough. no doubt that the main reason for the very these important year last year was the plot but the guy was not performant enough so i think that we have a just to get his ation try to maximize. the people that were already in and try to bring new stuff you know the fresh air new we're working. with the people on the other because that's a fundamental thing that we have to do. in the cast competition role want to. leave.

just twenty one seconds behind it made it nine times up to ten days because ninety minutes south africa. finished their time in the category britta bought claimed his first stage at the rally. for mccain two minutes and several. fronts finished the day third but maintained its overall leading position. ok up to date now. with more sports news for you by now.

not with not about spilling blood. just the war of the barricades from one side and fears blockade from the other. invisible border has cut people from the land for twelve years. the conflict that divided serbia into two hostile parts is still not over.

the crisis in relations between washington and tehran is aggravated by the assassination of a fourth iranian scientist in two here is iran blames israel and america. the first foreign journalist is killed in syria's undress of french cameraman was mortally wounded by a grenade and watch the country's authorities say it was a terrorist attack. ten years after the infamous one time a big read its first prisoners people in the u.s. and abroad demand the release of those still held in a jail that president obama vowed to quote. roll so it could be a safe haven in twenty twelve of the mists of go.