syria's defense minister, general daoud rajha, was killed along with his deputy. assef shawkat. two others have been reported critically wounded. the most senior government official killed since syrian uprising began. reuters said the suicide bomber worked as a bodyguard in al- assad's inner circle. al jazeera is reporting the free syrian army and an islamist rebel groups have claimed responsibility for the blast. >> today's attack followed days of clashes between government forces and rebels around damascus. the bombing comes as the united nations security council is set to vote today on a new measure responding to the crisis in syria. talks with russia have faltered over whether to include a reference to chapter 7 of the u.n. charter, which could ultimately pave the way for military force. patrick seale joins us now, a leading british writer on the middle east. he is author of, "asad: the struggle for the middle east." he most recently wrote, "the struggle for arab independence: riad el-solh and the makers of the modern middle east." patrick seale, welcome to "democracy now!"

daoud rajha . assad's own administration helped plan happening on mulltiple fronts more than 90 people died wednesday. some of the fie nhk by phone leon the situation in sere wra. >> what is happe n syria this is >> panetta work together to step the end for development? >> until now, attacks by anti-government forces wer bu the very fact the fighting is taking place in the capital mascus or aleppo, th anti-government forces were able to attack a key it means the free syrian army is no heavy psychologica beginning of coming days? >> i don't think the government diately. launch large-scale revenge attack. government troops are far better they outnumber their opponents, overnment forces one important factor will be how many participat administration is facing an isis. members can't agree on a resolution that would impose sancti assad's government. special envoy on a sanctions along ion calling for a of the mission. the resolution also alls for within ten days. ru t. the draft approves contains no ment

syrian defense minister daoud rajha is dead, as is president assad's brother-in-law, one of the most feared members of the regime. top officials were meeting in the security building when the attacker struck in the busy square. the government vowed to punish what it called the terrorist attackers. the freak syrian army, many made up of army deserters, has claimed responsibility for the attack -- the free series army. so has an islamist rebel group. the commander of the rebel army says the attack marked the beginning of the end for the regime. meanwhile, diplomatic wheels continue to turn, albeit slowly. turkey's prime minister called on assad to step down. russia remains at loggerheads with the west over the wording of a possible security council resolution that would impose sanctions on the assad regime. >> for more on this, i am joined by representative from the german institute of security and international affairs. are we looking at the beginning of the end of the assad regime? >> we do not know, but it is obviously a hard hit. assef shawkat was a central personality, probably th

civil war and today a suicide bombing in damascus led to the death of syria's defense minister daoud rajha and the syrian military deputy chief of staff said shop what he also was the brother in law of president bashar al assad and the free syrian army took response . for the tact but does it raise new questions in terms of u.s. support in light of the tactics that were used and just how much is the cia already doing there joining me to discuss this is scott horton contributing editor on legal and national security matters for harper's magazine scott thanks for joining us tonight and i guess first just tell me you know how you think this changes things does it change anything now you have made the key members of the inner assad circle been killed in the suicide bombing. well you know i think this is certainly a powerful blow against the assad government the information that's come out of damascus this evening suggests that the perpetrator was a bodyguard of one of the senior government officials and that means that someone aligned with the rebels demonstrated to be in the most circles arou

shows president assad on the right there swearing in a new defense minister to replace general daoud rajhaho was killed yesterday in damascus. his brother-in-law was also killed in the bombing. >>> at the white house, reaction by russia to block the u.n. resolution. jay carney telling reporters the decision by a small minority of the security council, two of the five members, saying that decision is regrettable. two of the five permanent members i should note. he also said those who veto the measures are on the wrong side of history. joining me now, jim frederick, he is the international editor for "time" magazine. jim, good afternoon to you. >> thanks, good to be here. >> this is the third time russia has vetoed a u.n. resolution since the uprising began in syria. what is -- what's their biggest objection or, i guess i should say, what do they say their biggest objection or worry is? >> russia? >> yes. >> russia's biggest objection, putin has said pretty clearly, is that this is an internal matter and russia as a matter of course doesn't feel like it or anybody else should meddle in syria

the funeral of defense minister daoud rajha was held at the greek orthodox church of the holy cross inis morning. ( cheers and applause ) the congregation cheered the syrian army, whom they see as their protectors, even as they mourned the minister and three other security officials killed apparently by a bomb on wednesday. as the coffin was taken away for burial, they cheered president assad. a mile or so to the south, the suburb of midan bears the scars of several days of fighting. the rebel free syrian army ceased control earlier in the week. but today, government forces took it back. the rebels can mount hit and run attacks, but they still can't hold onto territory in the capital, as the government counters with artillery and heavy weapons. a few people tentatively returned to their homes. tens of thousands of others, though, are driving to the border with lebanon. they fear that this is just the beginning of the battle for damascus. people were crossing into lebanon into the early hours. but many of those i've been speaking to today say there's nothing going on in damascus. they'r