by Stephen Lendman

At a Tokyo Afghan donor's conference, Clinton barely stopped short of declaring war. Time is running out to save Syria, she told reporters.

Kofi Annan's admission about peace failing is a "wake-up call for everyone."

"The sand is running out of the hourglass."

"It should be abundantly clear to those who support the Assad regime their days are numbered."

"The sooner there can be an end to the violence and a begetting of a political transition process, not only will fewer people die, but there's a chance to save the Syrian state from a catastrophic assault that would be dangerous not only to the country, but the region."

Ban Ki-moon marches in lockstep. Like Kofi Annan, he's a reliable imperial tool. In a separate Sunday news briefing, he said:

"It is crucial for the Security Council... to pressure the parties to prevent any further escalation of the conflict."

"President Assad must understand that things cannot continue as they are. Fundamental change is needed."

"Syrian people have suffered too long and too much. I sincerely hope that the member states of the UN Security Council will look into this issue more seriously... sharing the common responsibility by taking collective action as soon as possible."

The Human Rights Council also runs cover for Washington. On July 6, it concluded its 20th regular session. It adopted a resolution on Syria pointing fingers the wrong way.

It blamed Assad for Western-generated violence, saying:

"(T)he Council strongly condemns the widespread, systematic and gross violations of human rights and the continued extrajudicial killings and prosecution of protestors, human rights defenders and journalists."

"The Council reiterates the importance of bringing to justice those responsible for the use of violence and encourages the international community to ensure against impunity."

Interviewed by Turkey's Cumhurieyt daily, Assad pointed fingers the right way, saying:

Washington is "part of the conflict." America "offer(s) the umbrella and political support to those gangs to destabilize Syria."

"As long as you offer any kind of support to terrorists, you are partner. Whether you send them armaments or money or public support."

"It is absolutely clear now that the largest part of the crisis is driven from the outside, and the evidence is the existence of Arab fighters and extremist and Islamist fighters fighting in Syria now. Moreover, there is the sophisticated weapons being smuggled through the borders, and the money being sent from abroad. "

"This has actually changed the convictions of many people inside Syria, both among the opposition and the supporters of the government. The Syrians are defending their country now. The revolution cannot be a revolution of gangs."

Terrorists "are perpetrating massacres against civilians, and it is our duty to defend civilians. It is our duty as a state."

He accused Turkey of turning its borders "into venues for smuggling weapons and terrorists to Syria. We talked for years about turning these borders into frontiers of development. But development and terrorism can never meet."

Last August, Russia's NATO ambassador Dmitry Rogozin accused the alliance of "planning a military campaign against Syria to help overthrow the regime of President Bashar al-Assad with a long-reaching goal of preparing a beachhead for an attack on Iran."

Planning is well underway, he added. Regimes "whose views do not coincide with those of the West" are targeted.

"The noose around Iran is tightening. Military planning against Iran is underway. And we are certainly concerned about an escalation of a large-scale war in this huge region."

Russia "will continue to oppose a forcible resolution of the situation in Syria."

On July 8, Russian journalist Ankhar Kochneva told Russia Today (RT.com) she has proof about a Western invasion by end of summer.

"Bloody bandits" are waging war on Syria, she said. She saw what they do to kidnapped people.

"I have been to the torture chambers. I have met mothers who saw their children die. The whole country loathes them as bandits. There is nothing worse than being loathed by your own nation."

"They killed a mufti’s son. They kill Christian priests, and they kidnap and torture children. A few days ago they killed two elder brothers of a five-year-old boy to take vengeance on him for reciting poems at rallies to support Syria."

"They massacred the whole family of an MP. I have been to homes turned into bandit hideouts. I have seen empty liquor bottles. How does it square with Islam?"

"I have been to churches destroyed by bandits in Homs. I have been under their fire, with grenades dropping right next to me. I have been targeted by snipers who could perfectly see I am a woman, not a soldier."

"In the bustling street where I lived, near the marketplace, they blew up a few cars. Why blow up civilians shopping for food?"

She said accusations that Assad staged public explosions are "ridiculous."

She called reports about a Syrian pilot defecting and landing in Amman highly suspect. "There are reasons to suggest that the incident was thoroughly staged."

She thinks Turkey used Jordanian-supplied deciphered codes in staging its Syrian airspace provocation.

Separately, Today's Zaman headlined "Turkey says no sign of missile attack yet in jet incident," saying:

Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz said "there is no sign of land-to-air missile or another kind of weapon on found pieces of the plane."

US intelligence said the same thing. On June 29, the Wall Street Journal reported story, saying:

Turkey's "warplane (was) shot down....by shore-based antiaircraft guns while it was inside Syrian airspace, American officials say, a finding in tune with Syria's account and at odds with Turkey."

Kochneva accused anti-Assad elements and supportive media of spreading misinformation.

Reports about attacks on the presidential palace, parts of Syria beyond Damascus' control, defections of generals, other officers, and whole army units, as well as Russia and China agreeing to remove Assad are completely false, she said.

So are claims about "15,000 soldiers in Syria." So far, only a video showing "five Iranian electricians" has been shown.

On July 5, Mossad-connected DEBKAfile (DF) headlined "Moscow may hand Iran S-300, breach arms embargo if Assad ousted," saying:

Russian defense analyst Ruslan Pukhov said:

"If the Syrian regime is changed by force or if Russia doesn't like the outcome, it most likely will respond by selling S-300s to Iran."

Tehran claims already to have the sophisticated air defense "technical accessories." In 2010 and 2011, Russia trained Iranians in S-300 use.

China has the technology. Beijing reportedly is helping Tehran to some degree.

Pukhov added:

"The fall of the Syrian government would significantly increase the chances of a strike on Iran. Resuming S-300 shipments to Iran may be a very timely decision."

"Resuming" sounds like he knows or believes supplies of these weapons were sent earlier.

On July 8, DF headlined "Clinton: Syria on brink of catastrophe as rebels advance. The region in danger," saying:

DF's "military sources" called her language "over-the-top."

Reports suggest Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar "have substantially stepped up the flow of (weapons and) munitions to the rebels." They're getting them both inside Syria and at Turkish military facilities.

With no confirmation, DF claims 50,000 insurgents operate in 17 brigades and 260 units. Each "consist(s) of one or two battalions." They range from 1,000 - 1,500 fighters. Some have up to 3,000.

They have sophisticated weapons and hi-tech communications equipment. "A well-organized arms smuggling ring" supplies them. It's "fed by Turkish, Saudi and Qatari suppliers via Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey."

US, UK, French, Turkish, Saudi and Qatari special forces are involved. Anti-Assad insurgents have one objective: "The regime's overthrow."

Washington planned it over a decade ago. It bears full responsibility for months of violence and thousands of deaths.

Expect conflict to continue with no letup. Only imperial dominance matters, not human lives and welfare.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book is titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War"

http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

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