LIVE BLOG: LIVE BLOG || Amid Syria tension, Israeli cabinet orders limited enlistment of army reserve forces
UN envoy to Syria confirms chemical weapons were used near Damascus; Russia: UN response to alleged attack still premature; Jordan says no Syria strike from its soil.
Momentum appeared to build Wednesday for Western military action against Syria, with the U.S. and France saying they are in position for a strike, while the government in Damascus vowed to use all possible measures to repel it.
The prospect of a dramatic U.S.-led intervention into Syria’s civil war stemmed from the West’s assertion – still not endorsed by UN inspectors – that President Bashar Assad‘s government was responsible for an alleged chemical attack on civilians outside Damascus on August 21 that the group Doctors Without Borders says killed 355 people. Assad denies the claim.
The Arab League also threw its weight behind calls for punitive action, blaming the Syrian government for the attack and calling for those responsible to be brought to justice.
Israel’s political-security cabinet convened on Wednesday morning to discuss a possible U.S. strike on Syria, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel would respond with force if it came under attack.
5:15 P.M. A senior Israeli officer says that the likelihood that Israel will be attacked as a result of an American strike on Syria is low. (Gili Cohen)
5:01 P.M. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says UN weapons inspectors need ‘four days’ more to finish their work in Syria. (DPA)
4:20 P.M. The Israeli cabinet approved the limited enlistment of IDF reserve forces amid U.S. preparations for a strike in Syria. The army plans on enlisting reserves for aerial defense and the Home Front Command. (Amos Harel and Barak Ravid)
03:44 P.M. UN Secretary General says inspectors need four days to conclude their investigation and time to analyze findings (Reuters)
3:11 P.M. Turkey sends extra aid workers trained to identify and decontaminate chemical weapons victims to its border with Syria to prepare for possible gas attacks, official says. (Reuters)
2:45 P.M. Foreign Ministry cancels a convention for Israeli ambassadors scheduled for Sunday in Jerusalem. A source says that the gathering was called off due to the tensions on the Syrian front ahead of a possible U.S. attack in the coming days. (Barak Ravid)
2:27 P.M. Jordan says any attack on Syria will not be launched from its soil. The kingdom’s information minister says Jordan prefers a “diplomatic solution to the Syrian crisis.” (AP)
2:19 P.M. Russia says it’s still too early to talk about a UN Security Council response to the alleged chemical attack near Damascus before the UN inspectors deliver their report. (Reuters)
1:16 P.M. UN special envoy to Syria Brahimi says evidence suggests that some kind of chemical substance was used in the alleged gas attack near Damascus that killed hundreds on August 21, but said any military action must have the approval of the UN Security Council. (AP)
1:13 P.M. Despite no clear instructions from Home Front Command, long queues are seen at gas mask distribution centers across Israel. (Gili Cohen)
13:11 – Hetz (Arrow) system ups alert; additional Iron Dome moved north
The Hetz (Arrow), the IAF’s missile interception system, has raised its alter level amid reports of a looming American attack in Syria in the upcoming days.
In addition, the IDF has decided to place an additional Iron Dome missile defense system in the north. It will join an additional battery placed in Haifa a number of weeks ago. The IDF is considered placing an additional battery in central Israel. (Yoav Zitun)
13:06 – Home Front Minister Gilad Erdan will convene a special assessment meeting to discuss the situation in Syria and to examine the home front’s preparedness in wake of reports of a looming American attack in Syria.
The meeting will be attended by Home Front Command officials as well as representatives from emergency and rescue services. (Yoav Zitun)
12:29 P.M. Britain will put a draft resolution to the UN Security Council on Wednesday condemning attacks by Assad and authorizing ‘necessary measures’ to protect civilians from chemical weapons, Prime Minister David Cameron says. (Reuters)
12:03 P.M. UN chemical weapons experts who are investigating an alleged poison gas attack near Damascus leave their hotel Wednesday, and two anti-regime activists say the team was expected to visit an eastern suburb of the capital affected by the strike.
11:57 A.M. United Nations inspectors should be given time to determine whether forces have used chemical weapons in Syria’s civil war, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in The Hague. (Reuters)
10:40 A.M. Israel’s political-security cabinet convenes to discuss a possible U.S. strike on Syria. (Barak Ravid)
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WarSclerotic 
August 28, 2013 at 3:47 PM
I’ve got a bad feeling about all this. For once, I’m at a loss for words. I can’t explain it. It just is what it is. The best we can all hope for now is that this is just another ‘dog and pony show’ and everyone will stick to their predetermined roles.
August 28, 2013 at 4:05 PM
the Islamics are blow hards, they’ll huff and puff up their chests and make lots of noise hoping you’ll be scared off. They’ll let Assad take his ass woppen and back away…
August 28, 2013 at 4:37 PM
Steve, I feel exactly the same. So far the Obama administration has telegraphed the time (Friday night into Saturday morning), the targets (command and control). I fully expect Obama to try to avoid any blame by listing the name, address and telephone number of every person on the four destroyers. I have no clue even why we are doing this anymore.
August 28, 2013 at 4:19 PM
“2:27 PM Jordan says any attack on Syria will not be launched from it’s soil…..”
Gimme a break, that’s a good one.
If I were in Assad’s shoes, I’d start with them, just for that wise crack.
August 28, 2013 at 4:37 PM
“Dog and Pony Show”
Scene 1:
Russia evacuates Tartus.
Assad and family fly to Tehran for unscheduled meeting.
US military hardware moved into place for limited ‘humanitarian punishment’ mission.
Scene 2:
Syria attacked by US military.
Measured response from Syria and her allies.
A few rockets hit Israel to punish her for existing.
US subsequently withdraws.
Scene 3:
Obama saves face, makes victory speech.
Assad returns home and blames Israel.
The Russians return with more military hardware to sell.
The press praises Obama as the savior of humanity.
Applause.
Curtain.
August 28, 2013 at 5:48 PM
You should retitle it “Dog and Phony show”.
August 28, 2013 at 4:42 PM
Assad is ”only” the front man of all this enterprise of the Iran, entreprise based some 3-4 years ago, when the hands of the Ahmadinejad, Nasrallah and Assad were up and joined together. I, myself, cannot forget that photo. It was not a pleasant one to look at. But today, thanks God, where are they? Ahmad, the former Iranian president, is looking for his lost time on hating Jews and an accordingly vitriolic rhetoric. Our old friend, Nasrallah, is killing his Muslim brethren in Syria, when he is not busy hiding himself in one of the Lebanon mountains grotes from the Israeli long avenger arm. And Assad, the dentist?(thx Steve Ward for this) What has happened to Assad of Syria in those years? What has became of the Syrian Lion? (Assad is lion in their language) His fate is a tragic one: he murdered his own people, he has lost a country – his country, he is overcome by the events and he cannot control them and he will be forever remembered as the last Alawite leader who not only lost a country but lead his Alawites brethren to the perdition.
Who destroyed that beautiful axis of theirs? Who orchestrated all those fateful, incredible events? It was the History itself, rising upon some of its monstrous creations, attempting to terminate them?
It was, may be, The Hand Of God, He who always took care of His beloved people? He who take us sometimes on the verge of the abyss to look into, to feel it and knowing why we have to save ourselves from falling into it?
So, my friends, we are here and now. This may be another of those situations when, at the end of the action, it will be written :” to be continued “.
August 28, 2013 at 7:27 PM
“It was, maybe, the Hand of God…”
Pardon my correction, but,
not only “was”, but also “is” and “always will be”.
And not maybe, either, but 100%, no doubt about it.
My hope in this situation is that we will see
Exodus; 14:14
“God will wage war for you, and you will sit still.
” ה’ ילחם לכם, ואתם תחרישון”
August 28, 2013 at 5:10 PM
“An American military attack on Syria could begin as early as Thursday and will involve three days of missile strikes, according to “senior U.S. officials” talking to NBC News.”
Take a real close look at this quote folks! The is why I believe this whole thing is an orchestrated (and dangerous) cluster f*ck.
August 28, 2013 at 5:23 PM
LS,
Who do you think sprung the trap on whom?
August 28, 2013 at 5:43 PM
It’s mutual. Obama save’s face, Syria needs a way out, Russia needs to remain innocent, Iran benefits by having Obama in the game, Jordan is spared one again, the heat is off Lebanon, Israel gets to break away for it’s own defensive posture, the market price of oil remains a bit up but stable. A little property damage, a few little people are lost, and when the smoke clears, everyone’s a winner, except good folks like you and me and the rest of us.
If I am right, then the truth will show soon after the bombing begins. You will be able to tell by the intensity, target selection, and by the collective response from Syria, Russia, and Iran. This will all be evident within the next 3 to 4 days if the news reports are correct.
August 28, 2013 at 6:08 PM
One more thought. The Russian air defense systems sold to Syria will have to be somewhat effective in order to preserve their resale value on the world market.
Sorry if this may sound cynical or even ridiculous, but I honestly believe it’s not about us, the people, anymore.
August 28, 2013 at 7:58 PM
Now it’s official….
http://weaselzippers.us/2013/08/28/u-s-official-white-house-wants-syria-strike-just-muscular-enough-not-to-get-mocked/
August 28, 2013 at 5:37 PM
Extra B2 Bombers in Qatar are there for bombing Iran when it retaliates for a Western attack on Syria. This Syria thing could be all about giving the West and Israel a pretext to attack Iran. It could be an interesting weekend and week ahead!
August 28, 2013 at 5:53 PM
U.S. WC-135C nuclear radiation sniffing plane spotted over Europe. En-route to Syria?
August 28, 2013 at 6:51 PM
Just a tiny war that will hopefully not provoke armageddon.
August 28, 2013 at 7:06 PM
The biggest events have came from small things
August 28, 2013 at 7:52 PM
Now the UN is asking for another 4 days to complete the investigation.
August 28, 2013 at 9:07 PM
Its about time to make some order in a couple a things, here, tonight.
1. The join military western force strike on Syria will be in a matter of hours ( its strictly our estimation ).
2. Russia is already evacuating their civilians with their families. The Russians wont throw even a rock at the allies forces. Russia is preparing itself for the aftermath, with strong rhetoric and condemnations.
3. The Iranian supreme religious leader has ordered the Iranian troops in Syria to leave; Khamenei – after been advised by its military advisors, has decided not to expose the Iranian fighters in Syria to the Western air campaign there and the Iranian expeditionary force will be retreated home; we are speaking about a quantity of fighters between 10,000 and 15,000 troops.
4. Iran isn’t even dreaming to attack anyone and sure not attacking Israel.
Iran wont serve on the silver plate the best pretext to IDF to make dust of their facilities.
5. The join USA, Britain and France air campaign will be short ( 2 – 3 days ) while been developed in an already classic manner: airfields, missiles depots, command centers, research facilities, weapons depots, but not the WMD depots, for the risks that action may include.
This campaign by itself will not expose Assad regime in a too dangerous manner, so Syria wont throw anything that can fly in Israel direction. Hezbollah will keep it quiet, waiting for this short storm to pass.
The allies air move might be doubled by a ground move, Jordanian in essence, from southern Syria to the north, with Damascus been its general direction and attempting to establish a haven zone for the refugees in southern Syria.
6. The great unknown here are, without a doubt, the jihadist forces – sunnis, in essence – with bases in Syria and Lebanon. They might try – and succeed – to spoil – again!- the beautiful, clean USA(read Obama) military plans. In our opinion, the jihadist Al Qaeda type of forces will open fire on Israel from Syrian territory, from Lebanon and from Sinai Peninsula, conducting a mini jihad war of their own against Israel. The action will be symbolic, but their missiles will be real. By adopting methods like those, Al Qaeda is hopping to pull Israel in Syria and acting military there, may be even producing confusion between the allies. There is a high probability that the allies forces will act against jihadists, too, and not only against the Assad forces.
7. The next week will find us at the finish of this human tragedy and the Middle East will have to lick its wounds and be prepared for the new ones.
August 28, 2013 at 10:33 PM
There will be some unintended consequences from this action which usually ruin the celebration
August 28, 2013 at 11:03 PM
Good point.
August 28, 2013 at 11:12 PM
Indeed!
August 28, 2013 at 10:21 PM
I agree Luis. Obama will have his day in the sunshine and his image as a ‘man of his word’ will be saved. Assad will get his skinny butt spanked but helping those Al Qaeda bastards is not worth it. But that’s what we get when nothing matters more than Obama’s image. It never ceases to amaze me how much effort goes into maintaining Obama’s image by those around him and in the press. It boggles the mind.
August 29, 2013 at 12:58 AM
Agreed, and maintaining his image may be dangerous to our collective health.
August 29, 2013 at 8:01 AM
If the latest reports (Rotter) are correct,
it seems that the US UK NATO military partnership
is suffering a severe case of
insufficient/abortive erection syndrome on an international epidemic level. Pity on them.