Syrian rebels urge creation of no-fly zone over Syria with the help of United States 0106133

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Defence & Security News - Syria
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Saturday, June 1, 2013 10:59 AM
 
Syrian rebels urge creation of no-fly zone over Syria with the help of United States.
Many of the rebels’ advocates here are urging the creation of one or more “no-fly zones” over Syrian territory to protect the opposition and permit it to set up a rival government on Syrian territory that could then request additional military intervention by its Western and Arab allies. A series of reversals for Syria’s rebels this month has prompted its supporters here to call for much greater U.S. military intervention in the civil war in order to give them a stronger bargaining position in advance of any peace negotiations.
     
A series of reversals for Syria’s rebels this month has prompted its supporters here to call for much greater U.S. military intervention in the civil war in order to give them a stronger bargaining position in advance of any peace negotiations. Many of the rebels’ advocates here are urging the creation of one or more “no-fly zones” over Syrian territory to protect the opposition and permit it to set up a rival government on Syrian territory that could then request additional military intervention by its Western and Arab allies.
In this photo released on Sunday, May 26, 2013, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad take their position during a clashes against Syrian rebels, in Aleppo, Syria.
     

As control of key cities in Syria seesaws between regime and rebel control, leaks suggest that the Obama administration is considering implementing a no-fly zone over the embattled nation.

In desperation, the regime is widely believed to have resorted to the use of chemical weapons, challenging President Barack Obama, who had suggested the use of such weapons would be a “red line” and a “game changer” for the United States.

The White House has not ruled out a no-fly zone over Syria, but the president appears more focused on “ending” the war on terror than in re-engaging the United States around the world. But events may force Obama’s hand. There is no returning to the status quo ante, and it is already clear that the conflict in Syria is spilling over into Lebanon, Iraq and Israel.

Syrian rebels battling the forces of President Bashar Assad must receive ammunition and heavy weapons to counter the regime's tanks and aircraft or it will be impossible for them to prevail, Sen. John McCain said days after he quietly slipped into Syria to meet with the opposition.

Russia's Foreign Ministry says that Washington's openness to a no-fly zone over Syria has raised doubts about the sincerity of U.S. support for a peace conference on Syria.

The Russian Foreign Ministry responded Thursday by urging Washington to stick to its pledge to help broker a Syria peace conference together with Moscow. It cautioned the U.S. against a "bellicose agenda on Syria."

The ministry added that the talk about the no-fly zone along with the EU's decision to lift arms embargo for Syrian rebels "raised doubts about the sincerity of some of our international and regional partners regarding international efforts to achieve a political settlement."