by Wikipedia
The fall of Qusayr changed all that. The Syrian's can now supply their military in Aleppo, knowing that the Lebanese rebel supply pipeline is closed. In addition, the military has adjusted its fixed battle mindset for urban warfare into a more efficient approach and, of most significance; the Syrians are now allied with Hezbollah. The two fighting groups proved to be a formidable combination. After it was clear that Qusayr would fall, Hezbollah deployed 4,000 fighters to Aleppo for that battle.
Istanbul and London
Turks are protesting in 80 cities across the country. The eruption of civil discontent started on May 31 when police assaulted protesters in Istanbul's Taksim Square. What started as a protest of plans to change a major square in Istanbul has grown to a nationwide movement sustained since May 31. The general themes have broadened to include the opposition to the autocratic rule of Prime Minister Erdogan, creeping religious rules restricting the public, and Turkey's involvement to the conflict in Syria (see previously cited polling results).
Erdogan's initial reaction to the protests was disdain calling the protestors "bums." When he left the country for a visit to North Africa, his Deputy Prime Minister apologized for the violent police reaction in the early protests and met with demonstrators. When Erdogan returned, he was expected to calm things. Instead he held rival rallies of his supporters telling crowds that the protestors were "drinking beer in mosques and insulting women wearing headscarves." These allegations risked pitting his party supporters against protestors in violent conflict.
There are three constituencies that openly oppose Erdogan: supporters of the secular model of rule in Turkey, the Alevi population, and the Kurds. All together, these three groups represent close to half of the total population.
A fourth, more dangerous opponent is Fethullah Gulen, leader of the powerful Hizmet movement, a moderate Muslim "state within a state." Gulen opposes Erdogan's commitment to violence in Syria and the Prime Minister's overbearing style of rule. A clear abandonment of Erdogan would be devastating.
Erdogan alienated the military through the prosecution of several hundred military leaders for alleged plans for false flag terror operations against fellow Turks. Yet he relies on the military to further his program by restraining the type of military coups that have toppled previous Turkish leaders.
Why would Erdogan risk his rule to intervene directly in Syria, particularly a battle about to be fought that could determine the outcome of the rebel assault on Syria's government? And, if he did, would the military cooperate?
There is no civil unrest beleaguering British Prime Minister David Cameron. However, his insistence on providing weapons to Syrian rebels is costing him dearly. Half of his cabinet came out in opposition to any military aid (although there has been covert aid for some time). Eighty-one Conservative Members of Parliament wrote an open letter to Cameron opposing aid through weapons. The members demanded a floor debate and vote on any aid package.
There are even comparisons to Cameron's obsession with the Syrian violence with former PM Tony Blair's fixation on invading Iraq.
Cameron's main support on the Syrian project comes from his neoconservative cabinet members and their allies in the British version of the Federalist Society, known as the Henry Jackson Society.
The PM is isolated politically in his adamant support for aiding the rebels. His ability to deliver is viewed as extremely limited.
Even if Erdogan acts without regard to his political future and Cameron has one, neither leader will be able to provide the time-critical delivery of what the rebels need to survive the furious onslaught by the Syrian Army and Hezbollah set to begin in the next hours or days.
Since the conflict began, in victory and defeat, the various factions of the Syrian rebels have complained bitterly about an absence of weapons and ammunition. This may be one instance when their complaints are right on target. If Operation Northern Storm succeeds, this may be the last request for weapons that the rebels make; or, at least the last request that anyone bothers to cover.
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