U.S. Says Iran Helps Crackdown in Syria

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Source: wsj

Iran is secretly helping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad put down pro-democracy demonstrations, according to U.S. officials, who say Tehran is providing gear to suppress crowds and assistance blocking and monitoring protesters' use of the Internet, cellphones and text-messaging.

At the same time, communications intercepted by U.S. spy agencies show Tehran is actively exploring ways to aid some Shiite hardliners in Bahrain and Yemen and destabilize longstanding U.S. allies there, say U.S. officials familiar with the intelligence. Such moves could challenge interests of the U.S. and Saudi Arabia and inflame sectarian tensions across the Middle East, they say.

"We believe that Iran is materially assisting the Syrian government in its efforts to suppress their own people," said an Obama administration official.

U.S. officials say they don't see Iran as the driving force behind popular revolts against longtime U.S. allies in the Mideast, and caution they have no concrete evidence that Iran is providing or preparing large-scale financial or military support to opposition elements in Bahrain or Yemen.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704547804576261222747330438.html?mod=wsj_share_twitter

[applegrove]

1. When democracy started to break out in the middle east Iran sent some

navy ship out through the suez canal to the mediterranean & Syria. Likely this is why.

[Citizen Worker]

2. Caution: this "report" comes from Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Urinal. Take it with a grain of salt

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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[Alamuti Lotus]

3. and that is doubleplusbad

however, when Saudi Arabia actually physically invades Bahrain to help the crackdown there, that is plusgood. Get it?

[BOG PERSON]

9. when the decrepit monarchy does it it's defending peace + stability

[Duende azul]

5. Get your targets in a row...

...when Libya is done wait and see how Iran will suddenly again become the prime suspect for Lockerbie

[bemildred]

6. Syria students mount protests in Aleppo, country's second biggest city

Syrian forces clamped down at universities after students marched for the first time in the second biggest city Aleppo during unprecedented protests against Baathist rule, activists said on Thursday.

Around 150 students marched on Wednesday in a protest demanding political freedoms on the campus of Aleppo University, rights defenders who were in contact with them said.

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"The regime is aware that it cannot let campuses breath. They have seen what an emboldened student movement can do elsewhere," the activist added.

With heavy secret police presence, preachers on the state payroll giving pro-Assad sermons and the Sunni merchant class staying on the sidelines, major protests have not spread to Damascus proper or to Aleppo.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/syria-students-mount-protests-in-aleppo-country-s-second-biggest-city-1.355920

[frylock]

7. yuh-huh..

tell me more.....

[BOG PERSON]

8. it's official:

the US government is shameless