Re: PFTF Feb 8 2012
‘Plan B’ to End Syria Violence Sought by U.S. After UN Resolution Failure


The U.S. and allies are seeking ways to increase pressure on Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad after Russian and Chinese vetoes blocked efforts at the United Nations Security Council to support a political transition.

“We’re going to have to take measures outside the UN to strengthen and deepen and broaden the international community pressure on Assad,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said yesterday.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will work with allies to create an international support group for Assad’s opposition and to tighten sanctions against Syria, Nuland said. Other steps include pushing Syria’s trade partners to drop business with the regime and halt weapons shipments in particular, she said. Further action at the UN is also on the table, according to UN diplomats who weren’t authorized to comment publicly.

“There will be a ‘Plan B,’” Aaron David Miller of the Wilson Center, a Washington policy group, said in a telephone interview. “The question is whether it will work and how effective the strategy will be.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-0 ... o-act.html


US searches for strategy to halt Syria violence

The United States appears to be out of answers on what to do with Syria.

The Obama administration says it is not considering invading Syria or arming its rebels to remove President Bashar Assad from power. Diplomatic efforts at the U.N. have collapsed. A new, much-touted option of humanitarian assistance for Syria's beleaguered population is a longshot -- and would only bandage over the violence instead of stopping it.

For now, Washington is relying primarily on what it has been doing for the past 11 months in a so-far unsuccessful bid to force Assad's government to end its bloody offensive on opponents: sanctions targeting the Syrian regime and isolating it from the world economy.

more at link


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/02/08 ... z1lmhHIAZK
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In loving memory of my son Chris April 12 1985-June 19 2007


I don’t think it’s a matter of “is it coming.” I think that it’s already here, it’s just a matter of perspective. From one perspective, our frog friends are telling us that we should be grateful that the “spa” is hot and luxurious. From the cook’s perspective… another 10 minutes and we’ll be dinner.