borders bringing more danger to syria fortunately syria and the syrian people have been able to face all foreign intervention over the past few months the result was the public referendum on the syrian constitution which was held peacefully we deny charges of sending weapons to syria which does not meet our weapons in our opinion of what syria needs above everything else is political support in facing a one sided american sanctions and it also needs the reforms executed there to be taken into due consideration these are called points in iran's policy towards syria . or the other for you how do you think the situation in syria will end up and worst. syria heading up at one moment at a think of over the past three months we believe syria has gone through three basic phases first did manage to overcome the security chaos phase into which america the zionist regime western states and unfortunately some arab states invested their knowledge intelligence and mass media in an attempt to pursue their interest but syria managed to overcome this almost two months ago in the second phase before

syria's almost completely isolated diplomatically. the regime is facing a punishing array of economic sanctions imposed by the united states, european union, arab league and others. this has been an impressive international effort and the administration deserves credit for helping to orchestrate it. unfortunately, the violence continues and worse. it appears to be escalating. assad seems to be accelerating his fight to the finish and he's doing so with the active support thus far of russia, china and iran. a steady supply of weapons, ammunition and other assistance is flowing to asaid from moscow and tehran and as "the washington post" reported on sunday, iranian moment and intelligence operatives are likely working in syria to strepg then the regime's crack down. general madis testified yesterday that "assad is clearly achieving what he wants to achieve, that assad's military tame campaign is gain physical momentum on the battlefield." in general aside will employ heavier and heavier weapons on his people. similarly, general ronald b

when you leave, part of syria dies, and we want a syria where you can all come home. again, not an exact quote. i'm trying to convey the sentiment of that. i think there is something to work with with the opposition leadership which is an understanding that what's special about syria is that rich mosaic of communities, religions, ethnicity. and people want to preserve that. now the alawites are scared. you're absolutely right. ambassador ford would know more about that than i do. on the economic side of things, the syrian business community as i understand it, it's -- there they are traders. they have worked for decades, if not centuries on commerce across the middle east, connections to europe and beyond. this is one of those communities that needs to understand in our view that its future is better assured under a different type of system than is there now. one of the things that came out of the tunis meeting was a discussion, a commitment by the friends of syria to set up a working group to talk about reconstruction in syria afterwards in ways that the business com

in syria. the newly elected kuwaiti parliament has called on their government to do the same. last week, the supreme allied commander of nato, admiral james stavridis, testified to the senate armed services committee that providing arms to opposition forces in syria could help them shift the balance of power against assad. most importantly, syrians themselves are increasingly calling for international military involvement. the opposition syrian national council recently announced that it is establishing a military bureau to channel weapons and other assistance to the free syrian army and armed groups inside the country. other members of the council are demanding a more robust intervention. to be sure, there are legitimate questions about the efficacy of military operations in syria and equally legitimate concerns about their risks and uncertainties. it is understandable that the administration is reluctant to move beyond diplomacy and sanctions. unfortunately, this policy is increasingly discon

america may have little direct leverage on syria, but the recent friends of syria conference in tunis was an important moment that could galvanize against the assad government. none of us should underestimate the global community having an impact on any renegade regime anywhere in the world when the full attention and focus of the global community is properly convened. the last year has shown that when the world acts with one voice, motivated by the cause of freedom, a tyrant's grip on power doesn't seem so fierce. that is why the russian and chinese veto at the united nations security council was so disappointing because it actually extended to assad a political lifeline to continue to use violence against his own people. we need to encourage the russians and the chinese and certainly let them know that, while we would like their positive involvement in putting a halt to the conflict, we are able to do and prepared to do much more if they continue to block all progress at the security council. the arab league and gcc have ramped up their political and economic pressure. the eu and tu

that's now the focus of cross talk of syria you're watching us here. can't. blow him welcome across town peter lavelle serious divides as the peace plan for syria gains international support worries remain it is only a lull before the civil war in the country resumes with greater intensity and violence on all sides because the west and its allies in the region still harbor plans for another humanitarian intervention. came. across not the new peace plan for syria i'm joined by herbert lunden in new york he is president emeritus of the hudson institute in brussels we go to someplace mon he is a writer and author of humanitarian imperialism and in london we have lindsey german she is the convener of the british anti-war organization stop the war coalition right folks this is cross i mean you can jump in anytime you want and i very much encouraged her but if i go to you first in new york what's your sense of kofi annan peace plan for syria is it a beginning or is it a dead end post probably a dead end largely because the civil war is likely to go on saddam has en

panetta, ithe case of syria. you said in your opening statement that includes "potential military options if necessary" you said in your statement. and yet, general -- admiral stavridis and general mattis said there was no contingency planning. will there be contingency planning? >> we have looked at a number of options that could be involved here. we have not done the detail planning because we are waiting for the direction of the president to do that. >> the president, mr. secretary, president obama issued a presidential directive stating "the prevention of mass atrosities is the core national security interests of the united states" that is the administration's policy. with at least7500 and possibly more than 10,000 dead, with assad using tanks, gaining momentum according to general mattis, would you agree mass atrosities have occurred and are occurring in syria? >> i don't think there is any question we're experiencing mass atrosities there. >> the president said he is taking n options off the table you said

sponsored peace plan for syria nato countries are still funding the rebels britain's promise to funnel additional aid to the opposition worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. for to my colleague bill daughters here in half an hour's time but for now a cross talk continues to dwell on the syrian issue how does the west still harbor plans for a foreign intervention in the country find out now. can . still. want to. follow him and welcome across town peter about serious divides as the peace plan for syria gains international support worries remain it is only a lull before the civil war in the country resumes with greater intensity and violence on all sides does the west and its allies in the region still harbor plans for another humanitarian intervention. can. still. to cross not the new peace plan for syria i'm joined by herbert lunden in new york he is president emeritus of the hudson institute in brussels we go to jump mon he is a writer and author of humanitarian imperialism and in london we have lindsey german she is the convener of the british anti-war organization stop the war coal

or i would rather for you how do you think the situation in syria will end and worst syria heading more and more that i think over the past three months we believe syria has gone through three basic phases first it managed to overcome the security chaos phase into which america the zionist regime western states and unfortunately some arab states invested their knowledge intelligence and mass media in an attempt to pursue their interest but syria managed to overcome this almost two months ago. in the second phase before the constitutional referendum syria managed to solve its security problems for the syrian people and government succeeded is evidenced by the constitutional poll that the third phase marks the completion of assad's reforms we should soon witness parliamentary elections for syria heads towards stability and peace which we're seeing across the country the other parties played all their cards put could make it work better goal centered on creating chaos in syria what i say is confirmed by the results of the conference held by the so-called friends of syria and soon as they c

in syria here in the u.k. the operation in libya has been heralded as a success do you agree with that assessment and do you feel that it's created more of that site for intervention in the region in general we have to remember that actually. occupied iraq president bush said you know drop our compilation they were very happy with their success there and look what happened after nine years the worst was defeated. you know american administration lost more than a trillion dollar bear and they gave iraq in a golden plate pretty around so the same thing happened in afghanistan where they claimed that the invasion of afghanistan was a success after ten years actually we are talking to reinstate them in power again so it could be the same thing in libya they said it was easy and i actually didn't lose a single soldier he was. there evolutionary are there so but it isn't going to be the same in a year's time and pull years time in five years already leave libya is i failed state. three thousand. you know missiles su

in syria but these are the opposition in syria is about winx we are dealing with peaceful demonstrators on one hand but we are dealing also with our groups on the other hand otherwise how would you explain that so far the syrian government has lost two thousand five hundred officers security officers army officers army soldiers and people belonging stuff we don't need for the unfortunate of the law this i mentioned should be taken into consideration when i. assessing what's going on in syria you've said that there are there is as long as some mercenaries that are part of the opposition. is a possible that there's regular civilians that are fighting for it to sort of trust us or are in the streets fighting for justice those who fight for justice purity justice should engage and the government's called for national an inclusive and the government is really serious and committed to making the inclusive syrian led political process a successful one why is the syrian government fell so far bringing the opposition for parks because the opposition is not independent and it's making decision th

you cannot isolate syria from. the fall definitely it will be easier for the west around because it means they managed to secure the front that is there is really neutralize you know tens of thousands of syrian messiahs syrian warplanes which actually could participate to speak in any war against iran so. in order to do that you have to invade syria to invade syria is very very complicated adventure could be very costly i have a feeling that the worst is not intervening in syria because they are true to determine what they are going to do with nuclear programs are they going to bomb iran if they have a side of the bomb i think they will bomb iran and syria together and hezbollah i think they will launch a package war and i believe personally that the war will take place the question is when that's that's you know i believe. that america and i believe there will be or. you know the differences of all the timing of this war could be you know either before the american. or after that there is really want to do for the

statement syria. u.n. envoy warns nato it's too early to pull out of afghanistan as the mission has not been accomplished he stresses the country is still plagued by insurgency drug production. and show of military might of the disputed islands so much three decades off the war. with. sixty billion barrels of oil from. coal. thank you very much rory welcome to the world of sport here is what's coming up. logical next see the argentine maestro and his the record books by becoming the top scorer in barcelona is historic. court sure it's inexcusable the first game in the best of five series against cross a line up in basketball heuer league playoffs. and looking for influence ferrari hope for a back to display at this weekend's malaysian grand prix following a poor showing in australia. on messi has once again entered the record books the twenty four year old argentine sensation is now the top scorer in the history of course alone a football club he scored a hat trick in the council on side's five freeway in

on syria. the that would be the end of the international law and the end of the charter of the united nations there are rules to be observed seventy of member states this is not me i'm saying this is that the publishers of the top look you have to respect the sovereignty you have to respect the territorial integrity you don't have to interfere in the domestic affairs of member states you have to help yes you have to assist yes but don't take advantage of the suffering of the peoples in order to interfere in the domestic affairs for your own purposes usa and britain have never been keen interest in serving the interests of neither the syrian people nor the russian people nor the chinese people these powers insisted for six decades on ignoring the sea of that israeli occupation of the land if they were really serious about helping the syrian people they would have exerted pressure on these islands to withdraw from the syrian border to withdraw from the remaining people in in south lebanon occupie

ties between syria and europe, syria and turkey, syria and the arab world. and there is an international consensus that came out of tunis we all need to be doing more on the humanitarian side. working with partners who have history of working in conflict areas that can get things into vulnerable populations inside syria. work wig the neighbors hosting people who have fled syria. there's a consensus. an international consensus in the region from the world. that's an important short-term goal, is getting things in. making sure warehouses are stocked, supplies are pre-positioned. there's an international consensus for increasing pressure on assad through a variety of means. talked a lot about the sanctions already. but there -- there's always look at more sanctions that can be done, particularly from those countries, as i said that have had stronger economic tie in order to deprive the regime of its income. there is a consensus we all need to be working with the syrian opposition in all of its forms and in tunis a recognition that the syrian national council is

some of the violence that has taken place in syria. >> thank you. and also with hamas? >> same thing. >> and in fact, as i understand it, based on public reports, hamas is step issing back from the situation yet iran has not stepped back? >> correct. >> they are continuing to push forward? >> that is right. >> let me ask you, does the violence that is happening in syria have any impact on stability in iraq? >> interestingly, we -- you know, there was a point at which obviously iraq was kind of standing to the side and not engaged and i think as a result of what they have seen happening in syria, that iraq itself has now asked for assad to step down and let me put it this way, they are more engaged than they were in the past. >> do you view this as a positive step? >> yes. >> okay. thank you both, my time is up, i appreciate you being before the committee today on such an important issue. >> thank you, senator ayotte. our planning on a closed session immediately following this, that means that there will be one round here and it is or plan to succeed. senator reid. >> th

action on syria and. the world body is envoy to the country but moscow warns it will continue to oppose any draw if the forces at all to make the syrian government . dozens are killed in a one hundred injured in the latest spate of violence across iraq just one day after the ninth anniversary of the start of the u.s. led invasion that comes ahead of a key arab league summit. beheld in baghdad the country's first since the american troop withdrawal in december. and thousands of construction workers in the u.k. struggling for employment to moan justice off the learning are placed on a secret blacklist supported by the police i believe they were singled out for whistle blowing about safety issues on the building sites. for me in fifteen minutes and let me tell runs next with the sports news. hello and welcome to sport on the boards the broadcasting from the russian capsule with me wrong calls for ivanov first the headlines. the power of a man march on says kabi sports are two one so when the moscow door b. a

group based in syria i.e. in the country then they refused to join but friends of syria conference so we are quite clear that means. groups at home they don't want to listen to lessen any orders coming from lack of freedom army of syria is the king of turkey or any others so they are fighting for their rice separately independently what about the free syrian army firing inside syria are they and the people who came out in the streets who were asking for a better life fighting for the same thing on the surface they are fighting for the same same rights not as same goal but it's the same for them that is to. regain that's the share that come and vote for all of those even the opposition groups by the way don't know other details for example like the national council of the syria they haven't put for war the charters for other more practical roadmap whatever national council i mean based in turkey based in turkey same thing also for that coordination council basically in syria so i think i might of they have put

there is no i actually and it's funny conflict in syria our sixth year in conflict in syria the syrian uprising or the spirit of illusion made by already cynical and securing groups we have the in the leadership of this and see we have we have christiane we have the dollars and we have them stations in every even that insulated are we actually the rules are considered a concentrated and in different areas we had actually there christiane had been participating also in the uprising there is an or six here and this is one good thing to do this and see didn't win establish not on their sectarian b.s. not to be them states has been in iraq on in iran before we have actually coalition of different political parties not on this experience bears or beers rather than the people who are supporting democracy and dignity and human lives for the syrian people and this is their goal or has to be achieved by why they see it and be going after all of the sticker prices i don't think they're syrian people will accept for that so there is going to continue rolling the country with on his a lot of clout

in syria ok it sounds like in this case why is that. in part because we think there is or a war brewing in the future between the u.s. and iran and it would i think will be a mistake to get bogged down in syria in an open ended humanitarian intervention the us did not have a very good experience with humanitarian intervention in somalia where we went in to feed starving somalians and ended up getting in fights with somalian militias who were the problem who were starving their own people and taking the food so well you know if this was an isolated case and you know there wasn't a possible war with iran on the horizon then i would look at it differently but i would not want to get into some kind of humanitarian intervention to me if you're going to intervene you should go after the cause of the problem and that's the regime and to me if the only worthwhile objective would be to get rid of that regime but then of course once that's done you know military force can destroy things but it's very hard to believe we learned that in libya didn'

headlines fueling under fire are fueling the fire as un mediators struggle to get warring sides in syria to negotiate london vows to keep cash flowing to the rebels in their fight against damascus dozens of u.s. allies expected to commit even more support to the opposition at an international conference sunday. the recent shooting rampage by a french gunman interludes draws a presidential candidates in his fierce pre-election rhetoric over extremism and immigration. actions being used by some far right candidates to attack france's immigration policy. spain's prime minister set to announce a new round of austerity measures a day after a nationwide strike led to violence between protesters and police cuts are aimed at saving the country tens of billions of euros. next cross-talk continues to cover the syrian issue does the west still harbor plans for foreign intervention that's up next stay with us. the key. is to. blow him welcome across town people about serious divides as the peace plan for syria gains international support worries remain that is only a lull before the civil war in the

group based thing syria i.e. in the country then they refused to drawing the friends of syria conference so we are quite clear that means opposition groups at home they don't learn from listen to reza any orders coming from lack of freedom army of syria is the in turkey or any others so they are fighting for their rights but separately independently what about the free syrian army firing inside syria are they and the people who came out in the streets who are asking for a better life fighting for the same thing no other service they're fighting for the same same rights not as same goal that is the same for them that is to. regain that's the shared a common goal for all of those different i was a gross by the way don't know other details for example like the national council of the syria they haven't put forward any charters for other lefty more practical roadmap whatever national council in place and turkey based in turkey same thing also for that there coordination. in syria so i think in the end of they have pu

is happening in syria. and libya actually there was a un security council resolution as one seven one one seven three which actually allowing for. all international community to intervene to protect civilians by all means in libya so. when you look at us in syria i believe because of the. chinese intervention tool support. because actually there is no. syria we can see the. community is completely paralyzed and scared. actually. a u.n. security council resolutions to intervene in syria and also. from the military point of view would be extremely costly for them to intervene in syria is a pretty strong country it has a very strong army all saw very. very simple modern weaponry so. it was easy to see and libya but it couldn't be seen in syria here in the u.k. the operation in libya has been heralded as a success do you agree with that assessment and do you feel that it's creating more appetite for intervention in the region in general we have to remember that there actually. are. occupied iraq president bush

panetta in the case of syria. you said in your opening statement that includes, quote, potential military options if necessary. you said in your statement. and yet admiral and the general stated there had been no contingency planning either nato or centcom. will there be some contingency planning? >> we have looked at a number of options that could be involved here. we have not done the detailed planning because we are waiting for the direction of the president to do that. >> the president? mr. secretary, president obama issued a presidential directive stating, quote, the prevention of mass atrocities is, quote, the presidential directive, a core national security interest the united states. that's the administration's policy. with at least 7,500 and possibly more than 10,000 dead, with assad using tanks, quote, gaining momentum according to general matus, would you agree that atrocities have occurred and are occurring in syria? >> i don't think there is any question that we're experiencing mass atrocities there.

in order to do that you have to invade syria to invade syria is very very complicated adventure could be very costly i have a feeling that the west was not intervening in syria because we think to determine what they are going to do with nuclear programs are they going to bomb iran if they have decided that i think they will bomb iran and syria together and hezbollah i think they will read you know aipac is what i believe. it is the war will take place the question is when that's that's you know i believe. that america and i believe that there will be a war but you know that the differences about the timing of this war it could be either before the american president elect or after about the israeli want to before the american presidential election that americans would like to wait until. they finished this election so who is going to win i don't know if that's a very very critical of the way should so we have to wait and see and i believe that's why the west is actually now cooling the pressure understand if you and i believe that's why actually the west is way think you know not int

importance of this not only syria. even for that you are the whole middle east as well because in terms of their all your resources i think everybody knows that china have really depend on the oil or import from the whole the middle east and also of course being our western region for example the shia are weaker autonomous region we're also facing like oh we've called her story exuma is forces there separate her supper it is also some extremists so those forces they are also constitute a quiet big sarratt to stability in china as a whole so we don't want to see. how you've are for. maybe the they would like to penetrate it to our western era that's something we don't want to see all of those . extremist forces spreading or work towards our daughter who's umesh and go ok a guy i know of that calls on muslims to support the rebellion against syrian president assad how do you think why has the initial fight for democracy turned into a terrorist calling i think other factors behind each are quite quite complicated i don't

and today, the chief adviser in syria was meeting today. after complained about the regime that would not let her into the country and fighting to stop a year-long uprising, there was a meeting in syria to talk about the situation on the ground especially in towns like homs, and at the state department state secretary hillary clinton was talking about the situation taking place in syria and the further developments. >> thank you, madam secretary. you talked about syria and increasing the pressure on the regime, and beyond increasing the pressure, can you talk about tangible ways that you are working on to help the opposition specifically secretary panetta had just told a congressional panel that you are looking to provide technical assistance and humanitarian assistance, and if you could flush that out a little bit, and there has been a call by many senators to arm the opposition, and get to militarily involved. i am wondering you could, and do you feel a lot of pressure on the hill to do that and if yu could speak to whether you feel that