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Opposition activists in Syria are claiming that the embattled regime of Bashar Assad gassed rebel forces in the battleground city of Homs on Sunday. U.S. officials tell Danger Room that they are skeptical about the rebels’ chemical weapon claims, however.

Al Jazeera reported that seven people died after inhaling a gas sprayed by government forces in a part of Homs held by the rebel Free Syrian Army. “We don’t know what this gas is but medics are saying it’s something similar to sarin,” rebel Raji Rahmet Rabbou told the Qatar-based news organization.

The “poisonous material” was deployed by government warplanes, Haaretz reported, citing a rebel statement. The Assad regime, meanwhile, is blaming the rebels for the attack.

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Previous Post: Breaking News: Syrian Military Starting To Use Chemical Weapons


My Comment: Something was used .... seven rebel soldiers died .... but without independent confirmation we will probably never know if chemical weapons were used .... or it was something else.

General Amos,

You are the senior Marine in our beloved Corps, holding a position entrusted to just 34 other men over the glorious history of our Sea Service. You are not the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, or of the Army. Nor are you Chief of Naval Operations. You are the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Your Marines have shed their blood and wrapped themselves in glory on battlefields in two wars. Look out among the faces of your junior NCOs, your junior Officers, SNCOs, and Field Grade Officers, and you will see Combat Action Ribbons aplenty. Purple Hearts. Sprinklings of Bronze Stars and Silver Stars, and even a Navy Cross here and there. Living Marines wear Medals of Honor from these wars. More have been presented posthumously to parents of fallen heroes who displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of [his] life above and beyond the call of duty, and whom gallantly gave his life for his country.

And then we, YOU, subject them to this:

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My Comment: Apparently with these new rules a 0.01% reading is enough to get you red-flagged. You gotta be kidding me .... that`s not even a glass of wine. Why state the 0.01% rule .... just be honest about it .... they do not want you to drink.

Sigh .... when they banned smoking on subs .... everyone kept quiet. Now it`s booze. What`s next?

This is definitely not your dad's U.S. Marine Corps.

My Comment: Everyone needs a refuelling.

NEW DELHI — India and Russia have sealed defense deals worth billions of dollars during a visit by the Russian president, in a move which reaffirms the long-standing strategic alliance between the two countries.

Calling Russia a key partner in the effort to modernize India's armed forces, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the deal to buy 71 military helicopters worth $1.3 billion, and kits to assemble 42 Sukhoi fighter jets worth $1.6 billion.

India and Russia were close allies during the Cold War days, with Moscow being the main supplier of India’s armed forces. But analysts say Russia has been losing out on India’s lucrative defense market in recent years, as New Delhi increasingly hands out contracts to countries such as Israel, France and the United States, establishing closer links with many Western countries.

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Russia Seals Major Arms Deal with India -- RIA Novosti
Russia signs $3bn arms deals with India -- RT
Russia, India Sign Weapons Deals Worth Billions -- NPR/AP
India to Buy 42 Fighter Jets, 71 Helicopters From Russia -- Wall Street Journal
Putin Concludes $3 Billion Aircraft Deals With India -- Radio Free Europe
Putin Signs $2.9 Billion Indian Deals in Trip to Top Arms Buyer -- Bloomberg Businessweek
India and Russia sign new defense deals -- Deutsche Welle
Russia to sell military aircraft to India -- Deutsche Welle
Putin steps up arms sales to India -- Al Jazeera
India, Russia ink military deals worth $2.9 billion -- Business Recorder
Defence deals are the takeaway as Indo-Russian summit in Capital is forced to move due to rape protests -- Daily Mail
FACTBOX - Russia and India's defence ties -- Reuters

Guardian understands that US intelligence officials helped Jihad Makdissi to flee, though details of journey are unknown

The Syrian government's former spokesman, Jihad Makdissi, is co-operating with US intelligence officials who helped him flee to Washington almost one month ago, the Guardian understands.

Makdissi became one of the most prominent regime defectors in late November when he left Beirut after first crossing from Syria. The Guardian reported at the time that he had fled for the US, possibly in return for asylum. This has now been confirmed.

The latest development comes after almost a month of debriefings, which have helped intelligence officials build a picture of decision-making in the inner sanctum of the embattled regime.

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My Comment: I am not surprised that he defected to the U.S. .... his time in Syria was up. When in late July he made comments saying that Syria was not going to use its chemical weapons, admitting, basically, to Syria having chemical weapons .... I knew his time was over. His value to US intelligence will not be military but political. He knows who makes the decisions and policies, and who implements them. He will also probably know the mindset of those who are around Assad .... those who are 100% for continuing the fight .... and those who are not so sure.

Turkey has reportedly agreed to Israeli participation in NATO activities in order to get Patriot missiles on its border with Syria, the Jerusalem Post reported on Sunday.

The Israeli newspaper said Israel will join a 2013 NATO military drill in Turkey, despite tense diplomatic ties between the two states.

“At the last minute – and I think it was dependent on the Patriots – it was approved,” an Israeli military official told the newspaper on condition of anonymity, referring to Turkey’s request to position the defensive missile batteries along its border with Syria.

However, there has been no “total solution” of the standoff between Ankara and Tel Aviv, the source added.

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Turkey lifts objection to NATO cooperation with Israel -- Reuters
Turkey lifts NATO Israel veto -- The Australian
Israel to participate in NATO events -- UPI
Turkey retracts veto on NATO cooperation with Israel -- Times of Israel
US pressure behind Turkey’s NATO move -- Hurriyet News
Turkey Prefers Bluster Over Balance In Dealing with Israel -- Al-Monitor
Sundown: An Israeli-Turkish Détente? -- The Tablet

My Comment: Turkey acquiesce to NATO`s (i.e. the U.S.) demands on the removal of their veto on Israel was done for the simple reason that they want NATO Patriot Defense batteries positioned on the border that they share with the rapidly chaotic and disintegrating state of Syria. The chaos and the risk of spillover from the Syrian civil war into Turkey is Turkey`s main focus of concern right now .... their differences with Israel are still there but pale to what a fractured Syria with unsecured WMDs in the hands of angry Assad military loyalists, jihadists or radical Kurds can do to Turkey.

In this season of good will, there is a rare bit of good cheer about the prospects for peace with the Taliban in Afghanistan. The reason seems to be that some Taliban leaders are concluding that they couldn’t win the civil war that might follow U.S. withdrawal of combat troops.

The Taliban appear to recognize that their leverage, paradoxically, may decline when most U.S. forces depart at the end of 2014. The situation has changed since the 1990s, when the Taliban took power after a civil war: Pakistan is no longer a reliable political patron or financial backer, and it may not provide a haven.

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My Comment: I can understand why David Ignatius wants to be optimistic .... after 11 years of war and thousands of casualties we do want to leave Afghanistan with a better future than what it has had in the past. But .... I just do not see the major factions of the Taliban agreeing to lay down their arms and join the political process in Afghanistan. They have always believed that they are going to win in the end .... so to lay down their weapons just when US forces are leaving .... it`s not going to happen. I expect a few more years of fighting, and if the Afghan Army can hold together .... that is when a majority of the Taliban will then start looking for a political compromise.

In the days of the Soviet Union, Moscow was a major player in the Arab world. But in the last two years, the Kremlin has repeatedly backed the losing sides in the Arab Spring.

In Syria, President Bashar al-Assad is using Russian-made rockets, rifles and tanks to battle rebels.

But in Moscow, Russian officials are trying to put daylight between the Kremlin and the Assad government. Russian President Vladimir Putin says the Kremlin is not concerned about the fate of the Assad regime, which has ruled Syria for four decades, and that changes are needed. But Russia is worried about what will come next.

How does Russia’s position play in Anjar, a Lebanese border town clogged with Syrian refugees?

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My Comment: After their debacle in Libya, the Russians are going to experience the same fate in Syria .... a new but hostile government that will show no interest to accommodate and/or align with Russian interests. This is not only going to be a major strategic defeat for Russia, but they have now earned the hostility of much of the Sunni-Arab world for the next generation or two.

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lakhdar Brahimi, the special envoy seeking an end to the Syria crisis, held an urgent meeting with President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Monday as new signs emerged that Mr. Assad’s grip on power was weakening and that Russia, his most important foreign backer, was moving forward with efforts to evacuate Russian diplomats and other expatriates from the country.

Mr. Brahimi, the Algerian statesman who has been the special Syria representative for the United Nations and Arab League for the past three months, did not specify the substance or tone of his discussion with Mr. Assad, describing it only in general terms in brief remarks afterward.

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My Comment: When you read stories like this one from the Russian press, that is when you know that the Russians are reading the handwriting on the wall .... i.e. it is only a matter of time before the Assad regime collapses.

Aims for quick crisis response.

U.S. Africa Command, the military’s newest regional force, will have more troops available early next year as the Pentagon winds down from two ground wars over the past decade, Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, Army chief of staff, told The Washington Times.

As part of Gen. Odierno’s Regionally Aligned Forces concept, about 1,200 soldiers will deploy to Africa as early as March in an effort to place troops strategically around the globe to respond quickly to sudden challenges in hot spots such as Libya and to develop ties with the people and officials in host countries.

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Update #1: Teams from a US Army brigade heading to 35 African nations to beef up anti-terror training -- Washington Post/AP
Update #2: US deploying troops to 35 African countries -- RT

My Comment: I guess the Africom Commander`s worries about the growing extremist threat in Africa is making waves in Washington. I also presume that this deployment will be on top of the Special Ops units that are being sent to the region.

Christmas in Bethlehem and video of the annual parade in the Palestinian city south of Jerusalem is standard holiday fare on television news. Since the days of Yasir Arafat the Palestinian Authority has made a big deal out of the Christmas celebration, and the media’s need for footage suitable for a day on which little news is made has always been a bonanza for Fatah. The result is that along with quaint pictures of Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity Western viewers are given the impression that Christianity is both protected and cherished by the PA. PA leaders also use the occasion to try and make the argument that the Palestinians, rather than the Israelis, are the true descendants of the Jewish nation that produced Jesus of Nazareth two thousand years ago.

Both assertions are equally false. Modern day Christians face harassment and exclusion throughout a region where the Arab Spring has brought Islamists to power, and nowhere is that more true than in the West Bank and Gaza.

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Previous Post: Christianity Is 'Close To Extinction' In The Middle East

My Comment: In 1947, Christians made up 85% of the population, but by 1998 the figure had declined to 40% .... and today .... probably much lower. And while the Palestinian authorities blame Israeli travel restrictions for the exodus .... I suspect that discrimination, a dire economic situation, continuing conflict and unrest, and the rise of Islamic radicalism are .... in total .... expediting this immigration.

This Christmas, Pastor Nazir Alam will stoke up a fire, lay a fresh cloth on the altar and welcome parishioners as they arrive at his church in Waziristan, a Pakistani tribal area known as an al-Qaeda haven.

“The lights are all up, and the choir boys are ready. The church is looking its best,” said 60-year-old Alam, a former missionary who has celebrated his last ten Christmases there. “There’s not much left to do but to pray and rejoice.”

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My Comment: What can you say about a pastor who has to wear camouflage military clothing (see above photo). Lets face it .... if it was not for the presence of the military, this church would have been firebombed a long time ago .... and the sad part of this story is that tonight .... there are probably many churches around the world who are faced with that real fear tonight.

While many soldiers coming back from deployment have shown their talents by writing books about their experiences, one former Marine, Scott Brown, chose to become a songwriter and a performer. The result is a group, the Scooter Brown Band, that sounds a lot like Jackson Browne with songs that have an Eagles tone to them. The band has just released for the holiday season a very powerful and heart-wrenching song, "Soldier's Christmas Eve," the title of which says it all. American Thinker interviewed Brown about his songs and aspirations.

Scott taught himself the guitar while in the Marine Corps reconnaissance unit and after retiring in 2003 decided to form a band where he became the lead singer and songwriter. Many of his songs -- although he emphasized, not all of them -- have lyrical context related to his experiences while in the military. "Soldier's Christmas Eve" was written to remind people that the U.S. is still at war and that there are soldiers still dying to protect American freedoms. He and the band have decided to donate the proceeds to the Lone Survivor Foundation, founded by the former SEAL Marcus Luttrell. Anyone who wants to hear the song and donate can go to the website.

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WNU Editor: Their song ... 'Soldier`s Christmas Eve' can be heard here.

The letter came in a box of Halloween decorations purchased at Kmart, but for a year Julie Keith never knew. It gathered dust in her storage, a haunting plea for help hidden among artificial skeletons, tombstones and spider webs.

Keith, a 42-year-old vehicle donation manager at a southeast Portland Goodwill, at one point considered donating the unopened $29.99 Kmart graveyard kit. It was one of those accumulated items you never need and easily forget. But on a Sunday afternoon in October, Keith pulled the orange and black box from storage. She intended to decorate her home in Damascus for her daughter's fifth birthday, just days before Halloween.

She ripped open the box and threw aside the cellophane.

That's when Keith found it. Scribbled onto paper and folded into eighths, the letter was tucked between two Styrofoam headstones.

"Sir:

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My Comment: I am not surprised .... this is so typical of how states like China, Russia, etc., treat their convict populations. But what is troubling about China is that many of these "convicts" are in jail for political and/or religious reasons. Something to think about when you open your gift that was made in China.

Damascus seems to be groping in the dark as it struggles to confront dissent against its rule. The brutal attack on a bakery in Halfaya is a case in point.

At least 100 people are supposed to have been killed under the debris of the building that Syrian jets attacked in venom. The move is a crime against humanity, and speaks of the nervousness with which the regime is overrun. This attack on a pure civilian facility is tantamount to barbarism, and it’s high time the world community takes notice of it and acts against President Bashar Al Assad’s regime.

The western Syrian region of Halfaya, which of late had fallen at the hands of rebel forces, is said to be starving for food items for a long time. The fact that aid agencies delivered stocks of essential commodities, and the same were being distributed when came under attack is a horrendous proposition.

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In war-torn Syria, tactic of targeting civilians is on the rise -- Howard LaFranchi, Christian Science Monitor

After all this misery, how can Syrians live together again? -- Hassan Hassan, The National

For Arabs, a state of abandonment -- Rami G. Khouri, The Daily Star

Egypt: building on sand -- The Guardian editorial

Have Patience with the Arab Spring -- Max Boot, Commentary

In a year of big elections, Japan’s was Godzilla -- Ian Bremmer, Reuters

North Korea’s Blackmail Missile -- Yuriko Koike, Project Syndicate

Abandoning Afghanistan -- Gary Schnitt, Weekly Standard

Crisis Will Reveal French President's True Contours -- Mathieu von Rohr in Paris, Spiegel Online

Gloomy predictions as Washington approaches the 'fiscal cliff' -- Brad Knickerbocker, Christian Science Monitor

NORAD, with assist from Microsoft, tracking Santa around the world -- Rick Moran, American Thinker

Thousands of Christian pilgrims from around the world are celebrating the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

The day culminated with Christmas Eve Mass at the 1,700-year-old Church of the Nativity, built on the spot where it is believed Jesus was born.

In Bethlehem, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Jerusalem voiced his support for a Palestinian state.

Meanwhile in the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI held the traditional Mass at St Peter's Basilica.

The pontiff urged Christians to "find time and room for God in their fast-paced lives".

Benedict prayed that Israelis and Palestinians be able to live their lives in peace. He also prayed for peace in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq.

The Mass, usually celebrated at midnight, was brought forward by two hours to avoid tiring the 85-year-old pontiff unduly.

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Thousands enjoy merry Christmas in Bethlehem.

Kuwait to host Syria crisis meeting, envoy meets Assad.

Top envoy Brahimi meets Syria's Assad.

Syrian rebels say capture military base, seize weapons.

Air strike kills dozens of Syrians trying to buy bread.

Peace envoy Brahimi in Syria, air strike kills dozens.

Israel says Syria chemical weapons are secure for now.

Kuwait urges Iran to address worries on nuclear plant.

Iran slams Canada for delisting rebel group.

Yemen: 2 militants killed in US airstrike.

Iran fighting 'smart economic war': Ahmadinejad.

Christianity 'close to extinction' in Middle East.


Maritime disputes overshadow NE Asia relations.

N. Korea slams Christmas lights as provocation.

India and Russia seal defense deals, hail partnership.

North Korea could have U.S. within missile range, says South.

India's gang-rape protesters defy moves to quell outrage.

India PM appeals for Delhi calm after rape protests.

No let-up in civilian deaths in Pakistan as Taliban keep on attacks in 2012.

China to crack down on "malicious" trademark registrations.


UN mission in DRC deploys ‘quick reaction force’.

Pirates raid 'Italian' ship off Nigeria and take crew.

Egypt constitutional referendum result delayed. Egypt to announce result of constitution vote on Tuesday.

Egypt opposition alleges referendum 'fraud'. Egyptian judges review ballot on divisive constitution.

Mali: Islamists take pickaxes to Timbuktu's ancient mausoleums.

Christmas brings fear of church bombs in Nigeria.

Rebel faction in Ethiopia says it wants peace talks.

Somali pirates release longest-held hostages after 33 months.

Sudan's Bashir to give speech, after surgery last month.

Nelson Mandela expected to remain in hospital for Christmas.


Putin's start points to authoritarian rule through 2018.

Russian prosecutors seek innocent verdict in Magnitsky's death.

Eastern Europe deadly freeze leaves hundreds dead. Scores die in Ukraine cold spell.

Russian opposition leader faces new probe.

Macedonians brawl inside, outside parliament over 2013 budget.

Italy's Monti says may be ready to seek second term.

Putin visits India, eyes arms sales, trade and political ties.

British paper to sue Armstrong.


Thirteen killed in Mexico 'gang shootout'.

'Chaos': Gunman ambushes, kills two firefighters at New York blaze. Gunman who ambushed firefighters killed grandmother in 1980, police say.

Hugo Chavez 'improves slightly' after cancer surgery.

US lawmakers: We're likely to go over the 'fiscal cliff'.

Mexico clashes leave seven police officers dead.

Mexico's top cop resigns ahead of shake-up.

Red alert issued for volcano on Chile-Argentina border.

Venezuela rules out new elections.

Argentina angry after Antarctic territory named after Queen.


Ansar al Sharia Tunisia releases pictures of FBI agents.

New Pentagon effort will send Army teams to Africa as terror threat grows.

Two drone strikes kill five in Yemen: officials. Drone kills two Qaeda militants in south Yemen-officials.


Facebook paid £2.9m tax on £840m profits made outside US, figures show.

Analysis: Amazon, Google on collision course in 2013.

French 'sadness' over flat champagne sales.

Insight: In fracking culture war, celebs, billionaires and banjos.

Google Video executives' Italian conviction overturned.

My Comment: Here is an easy prediction .... this story will be dominating the headlines in the U.S. for the next week (or two). And for our kids .... they will be living with this story for the rest of their lives.

African and world leaders say they will not let Mali become a terrorist safe haven, a failed state, a so-called "Afghanistan" in the Sahel. The U.N. Security Council has backed a regional military deployment to Mali next year to deal with an ongoing political crisis in the capital and help the Malian army retake the north from Islamist militants. Will 2013 be the year that Mali pulls back from the brink? If so, at what cost?

2012 was the year that armed men seized control of Mali. And their grip looks stronger than ever -- both in the north and the south.

Analysts say a military junta pulls the strings in the capital, Bamako. The soldiers, who mutinied and then overthrew the elected president on March 22, closed the year by forcing out the interim prime minister and his government in December.

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U.N. approves Africa force to fight al-Qaeda in Mali -- USA Today
UN authorises use of military force against Islamists in Mali -- The Guardian/Reuters
UN approves Mali force -- Deutsche Welle
UN agrees plan to oust extremists in Mali -- The Independent
France sees military intervention in Mali in six months -- Global Times/Xinhuanet
Mali Militants Seek Peace After UN Backs Force -- Time/AP
Rival Mali rebels agree to suspend fighting -- Al Jazeera
Mali Rebels Say to Stop Fighting, Slam U.N. Resolution -- Naharnet
We'll chop off more hands: Mali Islamists -- The Australian/AFP
Mali: Rising Ethnic Tensions Threaten New Violence -- Human Rights Watch
Aid Groups Warn of Humanitarian Risks of Mali Offensive -- Voice of America

Timbuktu mausoleums 'destroyed' -- BBC
Mali Islamists destroying historic mausoleums -- CBC/AP
Mali fighters destroy more Timbuktu tombs -- Al Jazeera
Mali Islamists Destroy More Timbuktu Mausoleums -- Voice of America
Reports: Mali Islamists Resume Destruction Of Timbuktu Mausoleums -- RTT
Mali Islamists destroying more Timbuktu mausoleums -- AFP

Sending Western troops into Syria too soon could create a power vacuum and a "sudden, uncontrolled state collapse", a retired British general has warned.

Prof Sir Paul Newton said weapons of mass destruction could fall into the wrong hands if the state disintegrated.

His warning comes in a report co-authored with three other Exeter University academics.

Foreign Secretary William Hague has said he would not "rule out any option to save lives" in Syria.

Sir Paul, a former lieutenant general, was part of a strategic military planning team and helped conduct operations in Afghanistan, Kosovo, East Timor, Northern Ireland and Sierra Leone during 38 years in the Army..

The report - written along with Professor Gareth Stansfield, Dr Andrew Rathmell and Professor Jonathan Githens-Mazer - concludes that premature military action by the West could lead to the increased destabilisation of the already volatile situation in Syria.

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Syria conflict: West prepares for post-Assad uncertainty -- BBC
Warning over Syria military action -- Wales Online
End of Syrian regime matter of time: Turkish minister -- International News
Israel 'preparing for collapse of Assad regime in Syria' -- The Telegraph
PM: Israel preparing for major changes in Syria -- Jerusalem Post
Is Israel Ready For Post-Assad Syria? -- Al-Monitor
Tipping Point for Syria’s Assad -- P.J. Crowley, Daily Beast

* Some serving reservists earn up to £225,000
* Last year eight reservists were paid more than £100,000 for their tour
* 'Reservist Awards' under review by MoD

Some Armed Forces reservists in Afghanistan are being paid six-figure salaries by the Government, it emerged last night.

Military rules state that if reservists’ pay works out less than they would earn in their civilian job, they can claim for extra cash, known as a Reservist Award.

So if a reservist works in the City, for example, the gap to be made up between the military pay and their civilian salary can be substantial.

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My Comment: I suspect that most of these reservists who were paid these amounts are doctors .... and you do want the best doctors available when you are fighting a war. Since the goal is to have even more reservists .... expect these numbers to mushroom.

(LONDON) I first met Bassel Issa in February 2012. At the time, he was leading a group of rebel fighters who called themselves the Syrian Liberation Army. In reality, they were more local militia than army. Most were farmers or workers, ordinary hard-working men who had grown up together and decided to join the fight for a free Syria.

Producer Ben Plesser and I had traveled illegally from Turkey to the city of Idlib, in Northern Syria, to live for a week with these men and their families. Bassel immediately caught my attention -- not because he was the leader of the group but because he was quiet and thoughtful and not partial to the braggadocio one so often encounters in rebel leaders. Wiry and lean with a broad toothy smile, he stood sucking down cigarette after cigarette, taking in everything that was going on around him.

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My Comment: When this civil war is over, I suspect there will be tens of thousands of such stories ... and on both sides.

* Bodies left piled on the streets among rubble and shrapnel
* Latest reports say hundreds were also wounded in the strike
* Eye-witness videos show the bloodied bodies of women and children killed
* More than 100 people were queuing for hours when the air strike occurred
* Human rights groups accuse military of intentional attacks on civilians

Up to 200 people were killed while queuing for bread in Syria yesterday, one of the deadliest air strikes in the country's civil war.

Videos showed dozens of blood-stained bodies crumpled in the street among piles of rubble and shrapnel. Hundreds more were injured.

"When I got there, I could see piles of bodies all over the ground. There were women and children," said Samer al-Hamawi, an activist in the town of Halfaya, where the strike hit a bakery. "There are also dozens of wounded."

Read more ....


Syria Live Blog -- Al Jazeera
Syria conflict: UN envoy meets Assad - live updates -- The Guardian

Opposition: More Than 100 Syrians Killed In Bakery Attack -- CNN
Syrian airstrike kills dozens at bakery -- Washington Post
Air strike kills dozens of Syrians waiting to buy bread -- Reuters
Shock reverberates as Syrian bakery obliterated -- Euronews
Jihadists take large part of Syria Alawite village: activists -- Daily Star
700 Palestinians killed in Syria conflict: PLO -- Ahram Online

Syria rebels shot down war plane in Hama: activists -- Reuters
Syria activists: Several die after Assad's forces use 'poisonous gases' -- NBC News
Reports from Syria: Deaths from Poisonous Gas in Homs -- Israel Defense
Russia says Syria is acting to secure its chemical weapons -- Reuters
Russia: 'political suicide' if Bashar al-Assad uses chemical arms -- NDTV/AFP
Syrian government gets badly needed diesel cargoes from Russia -- Reuters
Russian Military Denies Sending Commandos to Syria -- RIA Novosti
Russian military presence in Syria poses challenge to US-led intervention -- The Guardian

UN envoy to Syria worried over crisis after talks with Assad -- Washington Post/AP
Brahimi Still ‘Worried’ About Syria After Meeting Assad -- Voice of America
U.N. envoy meets with Syrian president as deaths mount -- CNN
Syria envoy meets Assad to discuss solutions to crisis -- Reuters

Lebanese border means little in Syria's civil war -- Christian Science Monitor
Humanitarian catastrophe brewing in Syria -- Pravda
Kuwait to host Syria donor meeting in late January -- Reuters
Syria crisis: Low-key Christmas for Christians -- BBC
With or without Al Assad, Syria’s future is bleak -- Linda S. Heard, Special to Gulf News

(Reuters) - Syria special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi discussed solving the country's conflict with President Bashar al-Assad on Monday, but the opposition expressed deepening frustration with the mission following what it called the latest massacre of civilians.

Underlining how rebels are taking the battle close to Assad's doorstep, the U.N. and Arab League envoy had to drive to Damascus from Lebanon on the eve of the meeting as fighting around the international airport made it impossible to fly in.

Brahimi said his talks with Assad had dealt with possible solutions to a crisis that has killed more than 44,000 people, according to activists.

"I told him what I was seeing abroad and about the meetings I had with different officials in the region and abroad," Brahimi told reporters. "The situation in Syria still is a reason for worry. We hope that all the sides work toward the solution, as the Syrian people want."

Monday's meeting was Brahimi's third with Assad and violence has greatly escalated since the series began.

Read more ....


Syria Live Blog -- Al Jazeera
Syria conflict: UN envoy meets Assad - live updates -- The Guardian
UN envoy worried after talks with Syria's Assad -- AP
UN Syria Envoy Worried After Talks With Assad -- Radio Free Europe
Syrian peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi in talks with Assad -- BBC
Top envoy Brahimi meets Syria's Assad -- Al Jazeera
UN Syria envoy meets Assad -- Irish Times
U.N. Envoy Meets With Syrian President As Deaths Mount Across Country -- CNN
Syria's Assad meets envoy as regime suffers blow -- AFP
Peace envoy Brahimi meets with Assad as scores killed in Syria -- Al Arabiya/AFP
UN envoy Brahimi worried after talks with Syria's Assad -- Hindustan Times/PTI

The regime of embattled Syrian president Bashar Assad gassed rebel forces in the battleground city of Homs, anti-government activists told Al Jazeera on Sunday. If the unconfirmed report is true — and that’s a huge if — the chemical attack could signal the biggest escalation yet of 20-month-old Syrian civil war, with serious implications for the rest of the world.

Danger Room first reported in early December that the Assad regime was preparing some of its nerve weapons for possible use against rebel forces. Washington and its allies have repeatedly said they would not tolerate such an attack. “This would cross a red line and those responsible would be held to account,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned previously.

Read more ....


Syria Live Blog -- Al Jazeera
Syrian troops 'using killer gas bombs' -- The Australian
Syria Civil War: Seven Die in Gas Attack by Assad Troops [VIDEO] -- IBTimes
Syrian Rebels Say Assad's Troops Just Attacked Them with Poisonous Gas -- Atlantic Times
'Sarin-like gas' kills 7 in Homs -- YNet News
'Poisonous gas' used in a rebel-held neighbourhood in Homs, medics there say -- Al Jazeera
Syria: Several killed by Homs gas attack -- Euronews
Al Jazeera: Assad Unleashed Chemical Weapons -- Arutz Sheva
Activists claim Syrian regime used toxic gases against civilians; 7 dead -- All Voices
Syria regime and rebels both claim use of chemical weapons -- Al Bawaba
Chemical war of words: Syrian govt, rebels trade accusations -- RT
'Poison Gas Bombs' In Syria Could Force US Intervention -- Business Insider
Assad isn't afraid of breaking the chemical weapons taboo in Syria -- Haaretz
Did Assad use poison gas on a rebel-held neighborhood in Homs? -- Rick Moran, American Thinker

My Comment: There is no independent confirmation, but it appears that the Syrian military is starting to use chemical weapons .... probably testing a means to deliver it within an urban environment. Talk about timing .... with much of the Western world focused on Christmas .... this is news that some in the Syrian government are hoping will go under the wire while warning the rebels on the consequences of continuing this civil war. My prediction ... if this story is true it will change the dynamics of the conflict dramatically .... in short .... prepare for a major escalation of involvement in the conflict from the West and it`s regional allies.

This is a breaking news story, and I will updating it as the day progresses.

WNU Editor: The Google Santa Tracker is here.

Shooting inside police headquarters in Kabul is the first attack on foreigners by a woman serving in the national security forces

An Afghan female police officer has shot dead a US adviser in police headquarters in Kabul, the first attack on foreigners by a woman serving in the national security forces.

"Today at 10am a female police constable opened fire on an American adviser with a pistol," Daoud Amin, deputy provincial police chief for Kabul said on Monday. "He was seriously wounded, they took him to hospital and he passed away there."

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ISAF Joint Command morning operational update, Dec 24 -- ISAF
NATO soldier killed in eastern Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
Afghanistan ISAF Forces Capture Taliban Leader In Helmand -- Albany Tribune
Insider attack leaves 5 police officers dead in Jowzjan -- Khaama Press
Top Taliban leader, Obaidullah killed in Nangarhar province -- Khaama Press

Afghan 'rogue' attacks kill US aide and five police -- BBC
Afghan policewoman kills coalition contractor in Kabul: NATO -- Reuters
Afghan Policewoman Kills Foreign Adviser -- Voice of America
U.S. Civilian Is Killed at Police Post in Kabul -- New York Times
U.S. adviser killed by Afghan policewoman -- Washington Post
Afghan police officer kills American contractor -- CNN
US civilian killed by Afghan policewoman in 'insider' attack -- NBC
Officer's Attack On US Adviser 'Unsurprising' -- SKY News

In Afghanistan, a hard holiday season for U.S. troops -- USA Today
In Taliban’s birthplace, U.S. troops step back -- Air Force Times/AP
In Kandahar currency market, the money trail proves elusive -- Reuters

Afghanistan deny Taliban demands regarding peace process -- Khaama Press
Pakistan, Afghanistan trying to turn Taliban into political movement -- Reuters
Karzai insists for caution in peace talks with Taliban -- Khaama Press
Taliban say they’re ready to work with Afghans -- Air Force Times/AP
Taliban say they don't want monopoly on power in Afghanistan, pledge rights for women -- FOX Nwes/AP

Afghanistan's Neighbors Prepare For Post-2014 -- Voice of America
Pakistan warns US against ‘mindless’ Afghan withdrawal -- The Nation
Afghanistan: The Attitude Problem -- Strategy Page
Afghan women in the context of transition -- Massouda Jalal, Washington Post
Talking to the Taliban -- Indian Express
Afghanistan in 2013: A unified nation at stake? -- Juan Cole, CNN
Afghanistan: Avoiding Default -- John Feffer, Huffington Post
Steep U.S. drawdown in Afghanistan brings substantial risks -- Max Boot/Washington Times

(CNN) -- With the carnage in Syria reaching unimaginable levels, U.N. peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met with Syria's president Monday in hopes of making headway in ending the country's civil war.

But a lack of details after the meeting suggests that the 21-month-old crisis might still be far from over.

"We have exchanged opinions about the possible steps that can be taken in the future," Brahimi told reporters after meeting with President Bashar al-Assad.

Read more ....


Top envoy Brahimi meets Syria's Assad.

Syrian rebels say capture military base, seize weapons.

Air strike kills dozens of Syrians trying to buy bread.

Peace envoy Brahimi in Syria, air strike kills dozens.

Israel says Syria chemical weapons are secure for now.

Yemen: 2 militants killed in US airstrike.

Iran fighting 'smart economic war': Ahmadinejad.

Christianity 'close to extinction' in Middle East.


India and Russia seal defense deals, hail partnership.

North Korea could have U.S. within missile range, says South.

India's gang-rape protesters defy moves to quell outrage.

India PM appeals for Delhi calm after rape protests.

No let-up in civilian deaths in Pakistan as Taliban keep on attacks in 2012.

China to crack down on "malicious" trademark registrations.


Egypt opposition alleges referendum 'fraud'. Egyptian judges review ballot on divisive constitution.

Mali: Islamists take pickaxes to Timbuktu's ancient mausoleums.

Christmas brings fear of church bombs in Nigeria.

Rebel faction in Ethiopia says it wants peace talks.

Somali pirates release longest-held hostages after 33 months.

Sudan's Bashir to give speech, after surgery last month.

Nelson Mandela expected to remain in hospital for Christmas.


Eastern Europe deadly freeze leaves hundreds dead.

Russian opposition leader faces new probe.

Macedonians brawl inside, outside parliament over 2013 budget.

Italy's Monti says may be ready to seek second term.

Putin visits India, eyes arms sales, trade and political ties.

British paper to sue Armstrong.


US lawmakers: We're likely to go over the 'fiscal cliff'.

Mexico clashes leave seven police officers dead.

Mexico's top cop resigns ahead of shake-up.

Red alert issued for volcano on Chile-Argentina border.

Venezuela rules out new elections.

Argentina angry after Antarctic territory named after Queen.


Ansar al Sharia Tunisia releases pictures of FBI agents.

New Pentagon effort will send Army teams to Africa as terror threat grows.

Drone kills two Qaeda militants in south Yemen-officials.

Analysis: Amazon, Google on collision course in 2013.

French 'sadness' over flat champagne sales.

Insight: In fracking culture war, celebs, billionaires and banjos.

Google Video executives' Italian conviction overturned.

NEW DELHI, December 24 (RIA Novosti) – Russia is to supply India with combat helicopters and warplanes worth $2.9 bln under a deal signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi on Monday.

“We have agreed to further strengthen our partnership in the sphere of military cooperation,” Putin said after a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Under the deals, India will buy 42 Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets and 71 Mil Mi-17 helicopters.

Read more ....


Russia signs $3bn arms deals with India -- RT

Russia, India Sign Weapons Deals Worth Billions -- NPR/AP

Indian Nuclear submarine INS Chakra facing problems with critical components: Navy -- Times of India

Russia`s Airborne Forces to Get New Command Control Systems in 2013 -- RIA Novosti

Russia To Modernize All Military Air Bases By 2020 -- Radio Free Europe

Russia’s 5th Generation Fighter Jet to Start State Tests in March -- RIA Novosti

KGB: We Bugged Royals -- Sunday Express

Philippine Law Forbids Abductions by Military -- New York Times

Turkey lifts veto on Israel’s NATO activities despite frictions – report -- RT

Israeli army accused of being trigger-happy -- Al Jazeera

Iran fighting 'smart economic war': Ahmadinejad -- Space Daily/AFP

Think Tank Pushes Long-Term Strategy for France -- Defense News

Australian Sub Report Faults Logistical Support -- Defense News

North Korea could have U.S. within missile range, says South -- Reuters

The US Is Helping Iraq Beef Up Its Navy And Delivered Two New Ships Today -- Business Insider/AFP

Iraqi Navy Gets U.S. Support Vessels While Libyan Navy Holds Talks to Increase Co-operation With French Navy -- Ottawa Citizen

China criticizes U.S. military bill -- UPI

No US Airbase in Kyrgyzstan - President Atambayev -- RIA Novosti

'Poison Gas Bombs' In Syria Could Force US Intervention -- Business Insider

New Pentagon effort will send Army teams to Africa as terror threat grows -- FOX News/AP

Army plans to shift troops to U.S. Africa Command -- Washington Times

Spotlight returns to missile defense -- DoD Buzz

UAVs Close The Safety Gap -- Strategy Page

Army Goes Goth With ‘Super-Black’ Materials -- Danger Room

Libya air campaign participants can get medal -- Air Force Times

Bataan Death March survivor, 93, dies -- Army Times/AP

KABUL (Reuters) - Pakistan is genuine about backing the nascent Afghan peace process and shares the Kabul government's goal of transforming the Taliban insurgency into a political movement, a senior Afghan government official told Reuters.

"They have told us that they share the vision contained in our roadmap which is basically to transform the Taliban from a military entity into a political entity to enable them to take part in the Afghan political process and peacefully seek power like any other political entity in Afghanistan, he said.

"This is the vision that they share."

Read more ....

My Comment: I am deeply skeptical that they will succeed. Aside from the sectarian and pathological make-up of the Taliban, they are also a group that follows the most radical form of Islam .... this is why they supported Al Qaeda by providing safe havens when they were in power .... and this is why they cannot compromise on their principles .... because to do so would admit defeat. What are their principles .... Wikipedia has an excellent description of what life under the Taliban was like.
So .... bottom line .... how can you negotiate with crazy?