Syrian civil war: Not just about Syria

There's more to the Syrian civil war than rebels versus the regime. Syria's neighbors in the Middle East also have a stake in the conflict, which many analysts say has become a proxy for regional rivalries and competing interests.

Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has blamed an outbreak of violence in his country partly on what's going on in Syria, saying the conflict has stoked a raging fire of sectarian tensions.
Sunnis are the minority in Iraq, and, like the Sunnis in Syria, many of them are feeling oppressed by a predominately non-Sunni government. There are also long tribal ties between Iraq's Sunnis and Syria's Sunnis.
Meanwhile, Western powers are concerned that Sunni jihadist groups such as al Qaeda are moving across the porous Iraq-Syria border to battle Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Saudi Arabia

Two of Iran's biggest rivals, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, are backing the Syrian rebels because they and other Persian Gulf monarchies fear the spread of Iran's influence in the region.
There is an element of sectarianism there as well. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are both led by Sunnis; Sunnis make up most of the Syrian opposition. Iran is the region's leading Shiite power.
Getting a Sunni government into power in Syria would make the Gulf states more comfortable, said Michele Dunne, director of the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East in Washington.
"Probably, their desire to change the regional sectarian and political power balance has largely dictated their policies toward Syria," she said last year.

Iran

Syria is believed to be Iran's main conduit to Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, the proxy through which Iran can threaten archenemy Israel with an arsenal of short-range missiles.
Iran could lose that link and a major ally if the al-Assad regime falls to a Sunni-dominated opposition. The al-Assads are Alawite, an offshoot of Shiite Islam.
Andrew Tabler, an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, has called Syria "a keystone" for Iran.
"It allows Iran to protect its power on the shores of the Mediterranean and its border with Israel, particularly its support of Hezbollah in Lebanon," he said.

Turkey

Relations between Turkey and Syria have all but collapsed since the Syrian uprising began and refugees started flooding into Turkey and other neighboring countries. Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down for his response to the uprising.
Turkey now backs the Syrian rebels with logistical support, hosting opposition groups and allowing shipments of weapons and ammunition to cross its borders.
There have also been several cross-border artillery clashes in the past year, and a Turkish fighter jet was shot down by Syrian forces over the Mediterranean.

Jordan

Since the violence began in Syria, its neighbors have taken in more than 1.5 million refugees.
The strain of these refugees has been especially tough on Jordan, which has an unemployment rate of 30% and is struggling with limited financial resources.
Jordanians are now competing with more than 450,000 Syrian refugees for scarce jobs, real estate and even water, and there is concern the adversity may lead to unrest.
"In a time where you have a very high rate of unemployment, where Jordanians are feeling economical hardship, this is making people angry," said Randa Habib, a political analyst and the author of the book "Hussein and Abdullah: Inside the Jordanian Royal Family."

Qatar

Two of Iran's biggest rivals, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, are backing the Syrian rebels because they and other Persian Gulf monarchies fear the spread of Iran's influence in the region.
There is an element of sectarianism there as well. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are both led by Sunnis; Sunnis make up most of the Syrian opposition. Iran is the region's leading Shiite power.
Getting a Sunni government into power in Syria would make the Gulf states more comfortable, said Michele Dunne, director of the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East in Washington.
"Probably, their desire to change the regional sectarian and political power balance has largely dictated their policies toward Syria," she said last year.

Israel

Israel conducted airstrikes inside Syria in early May, a U.S. official confirmed, stressing that Israel is concerned about Syria transferring powerful weapons to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The al-Assad regime in Syria has long supported Hezbollah, which is fiercely anti-Israel and fought a 34-day war against Israel in 2006. Hezbollah also gets funding and weapons from Shiite ally Iran, Israel's archenemy.
"For Israel, it is very important that the front group for Iran, which is in Lebanon, needs to be stopped," Shaul Mofaz, a lawmaker in Israel's Knesset or parliament, told Israeli Army Radio.

Lebanon

Syria ended its military occupation of Lebanon in 2005, but it maintains influence through Hezbollah, a powerful Shiite militant group and political party that dominates Lebanon's government.
In late May, Hezbollah declared it is going to war in Syria on behalf of the Syrian regime.
Rebels in Syria, many of them Sunni, have vowed to retaliate, and rocket attacks from Syria reportedly struck Shiite towns inside Lebanon, where a fragile sectarian and political balance has held since the end of a civil war that wracked the country from 1975 to 1990.
There have also been internal clashes between rival armed groups. In Lebanon, just like in Syria, the Shiite and Alawite Muslim sects tend to support the Alawite Syrian regime. And many Sunni Muslims lean toward the Syrian rebels.

Heart-eating video raises pressure to end Syrian war

he horrifying video of a Syrian rebel leader apparently eating the heart of a dead government soldier, which has been circulating this week on the internet, has caused a storm of instantaneous outrage and disgust on social media such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

But the video, which human rights monitors say appears to be genuine and not a regime propaganda "plant," may also inflict long-term political damage on the already challenged reputation and credibility of the Syrian opposition, despite earnest condemnation of the alleged atrocity by the umbrella rebel organization, the Syrian National Coalition.

Simon Tisdall

Human Rights Watch said this week the video "appears to show" a commander of a rebel Syrian brigade called the Independent Omar al-Farouq brigade mutilating the corpse of a regime opponent. "The figure in the video cuts the heart and liver out of the body and uses sectarian language to insult Alawites," a HRW statement said, adding: "At the end of the video [the man] is filmed putting the corpse's heart into his mouth, as if he is taking a bite out of it."

The HRW statement said: "It is not known whether the Independent Omar al-Farouq brigade operates within the command structure of the Free Syrian Army. But the opposition Syrian National Coalition and the Free Syrian Army leadership should take all possible steps to hold those responsible for war crimes accountable and prevent such abuses by anyone under their command ... Any party with the power to do so should do all it can to keep weapons from reaching the brigade."

The last sentence is particularly pointed, given the accelerating debate in the U.S. and Britain on whether to arm the rebels. The past two weeks has seen a concerted effort by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to rally support for an international summit on Syria to discuss a peace agreement and a transition of power from the regime led by President Bashar al-Assad to a new opposition-led government.

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Grand mufti: Close Syrian borders

When David Cameron travelled to Washington and New York this week, he was pushing a similar agenda. In White House talks with Barack Obama, the British prime minister stressed the urgent need for a diplomatic settlement, but also reiterated that Britain (like France) was considering supplying weapons to the rebels after the EU arms embargo expires at the end of this month.

Pentagon officials have meanwhile indicated that the U.S. is moving closer to providing weapons and other lethal assistance to the rebels. Up until now, it has not done so, although the CIA has reportedly been involved in routing weapons supplied by Gulf state sympathizers to the rebels.

Cameron also pressed his case in Russia, during a Black Sea meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Like Kerry and Obama, the British see Moscow's support for al-Assad as the key obstacle to ending the Syrian civil war. But Putin continues to suspect that the western nations are pursuing regime change in Syria, and that they are looking for an excuse to intervene, as Nato did in Libya two years ago. He has refused to join calls for al-Assad to step down.

Upping the ante, Cameron subsequently announced that Britain would double its non-lethal aid to the opposition over the next year and that it was looking at ways to provide more technical assistance to the rebels. The new humanitarian support of £30 million ($46 million) takes the UK's total contribution to the Syria humanitarian crisis to £170 million, according to Downing Street.

All these well-laid diplomatic stratagems in Washington and London could be set at nought if alleged rebel atrocities, such as this week's video, and other misdeeds turn international public opinion against the opposition.

The rebels were already facing an uphill battle for support. Republican members of the U.S. Congress and right-wing commentators have long warned that elements of the rebel forces are linked to al Qaeda, and that arming or otherwise supporting them would be to repeat the same mistake the U.S. made when it armed the Afghan mujahedeen in the 1980s (when Afghanistan was occupied by the Soviet Union).

The mujahedeen mutated into the modern-day Taliban, formed an alliance with the late Osama bin Laden in the 1990s, and have since turned the expertise they attained in defeating the Red Army against Nato forces which entered the country after the 9/11 attacks.

What leads a human being up to a grotesque act

Putin has voiced similar fears in September 2012, suggesting the West could be creating a monster in backing Sunni Muslim groups against the Alawite-led regime. Moscow argues, in effect, that better the devil you know (al-Assad) than the devil you don't (an extremist Sunni successor regime).

Oddly, perhaps, these western voices of caution find themselves in de facto coalition with Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shia Muslim allies of the Assad regime. Meanwhile, a senior U.N. official suggested recently that the rebels were guilty of using chemical weapons (which they deny).

On top of all this, the opposition faces another question, bigger than all the others: can it win? According to the U.N., the Syrian civil war has claimed an estimated 80,000 lives so far, with millions more displaced or forced into foreign exile. The rebels control large tracts of territory, but they have failed to seize and hold major cities, and the balance of battlefield fortunes swings back and forward inconclusively.

Read: How Syrian war could escalate

The regime has proved tenacious, resourceful and stubborn. Al-Assad and his allies have nowhere to run. For them it is a fight to the death. The rebels, meanwhile, comprising myriad local groups and leaders, continue to lack strong central direction or agreement on what a post-Assad future might look like.

It may be that a compromise deal on a new government including existing members of the regime and some rebel elements will ultimately prove the only way to end the war. This week's video horror increases pressure to halt the bloodshed as quickly as possible -- even if that means some kind of patched-up deal, unpalatable, unsatisfactory and impermanent though it will undoubtedly be.

Top Cancer-Fighting Foods Fighting Cancer by the Plateful

No single food can reduce your risk of cancer, but the right combination of foods may help make a difference. At mealtimes, strike a balance of at least two-thirds plant-based foods and no more than one-third animal protein. This "New American Plate" is an important cancer fighting tool, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Check out better and worse choices for your plate.

1.The Mighty Bean
Beans are so good for you, it's no surprise they may help fight cancer, too. They contain several potent phytochemicals that may protect the body's cells against damage that can lead to cancer. In the lab these substances slowed tumor growth and prevented tumors from releasing substances that damage nearby cells.

2.Fighting Cancer With Color
Fruits and vegetables are rich in cancer-fighting nutrients -- and the more color, the more nutrients they contain. These foods can help lower your risk in a second way, too, when they help you reach and maintain a healthy body weight. Carrying extra pounds increases the risk for multiple cancers, including colon, esophagus, and kidney cancers. Aim for at least five servings a day, prepared in a healthy way.

3.The Cancer-Fighting Breakfast
Folate is an important B vitamin that may help protect against cancers of the colon, rectum, and breast.  You can find it in abundance on the breakfast table. Fortified breakfast cereals and whole wheat products are good sources of folate. So are orange juice, melons, and strawberries.
Other good sources of folate are asparagus and eggs. You can also find it in chicken liver, beans, sunflower seeds, and leafy green vegetables like spinach or romaine lettuce. According to the American Cancer Society, the best way to get folate is not from a pill, but by eating enough fruits, vegetables, and enriched grain products.

4.Cancer-Fighting Tomatoes
Whether it's the lycopene -- the pigment that gives tomatoes their red color -- or something else isn't clear. But some studies have linked eating tomatoes to reduced risk of several types of cancer, including prostate cancer. Studies also suggest that processed tomato products such as juice, sauce, or paste increase the cancer-fighting potential.

5.Tea's Anticancer Potential
Even though the evidence is still spotty, tea, especially green tea, may be a strong cancer fighter. In laboratory studies, green tea has slowed or prevented the development of cancer in colon, liver, breast, and prostate cells. It also had a similar effect in lung tissue and skin. And in some longer term studies, tea was associated with lower risks for bladder, stomach, and pancreatic cancers.

6.Grapes and Cancer
Grapes and grape juice, especially purple and red grapes, contain resveratrol. Resveratrol has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In laboratory studies, it has prevented the kind of damage that can trigger the cancer process in cells. There is not enough evidence to say that eating grapes or drinking grape juice or wine can prevent or treat cancer.

7.Limit Alcohol to Lower Cancer Risk
Cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, liver, and breast are all linked with drinking alcohol. Alcohol may also raise the risk for cancer of the colon and rectum. The American Cancer Society says that even the suggested daily limit of two drinks for men and one for women elevates the risk. Women at higher risk for breast cancer may want to talk with a doctor about what amount of alcohol, if any, is safe based on their personal risk factors.

8.Water and Other Fluids Can Protect
Water not only quenches your thirst, but it may protect you against bladder cancer. The lower risk comes from water diluting concentrations of potential cancer-causing agents in the bladder. Also, drinking more fluids causes you to urinate more frequently. That lessens the amount of time those agents stay in contact with the bladder lining.

9.The Cabbage Family vs. Cancer
Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale. These members of the cabbage family make an excellent stir fry and can really liven up a salad. But most importantly, components in these vegetables may help your body defend against cancers such as colon, breast, lung, and cervix.

10.Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
Dark green leafy vegetables such as mustard greens, lettuce, kale, chicory, spinach, and chard have an abundance of fiber, folate, and carotenoids. These nutrients may help protect against cancer of the mouth, larynx, pancreas, lung, skin, and stomach.

11.Cooking Methods Matter
How you cook meat can make a difference in how big a cancer risk it poses. Frying, grilling, and broiling meats at very high temperatures causes chemicals to form that may increase cancer risk. Other cooking methods such as stewing, braising, or steaming appear to produce fewer of those chemicals. And when you do stew the meat, remember to add plenty of healthy, protective vegetables.

12.A Berry Medley With a Punch
Strawberries and raspberries have a phytochemical called ellagic acid. This powerful antioxidant may actually fight cancer in several ways at once, including deactivating certain cancer causing substances and slowing the growth of cancer cells.

13.Blueberries for Health
The potent antioxidants in blueberries may have wide value in supporting our health, starting with cancer. Antioxidants fight cancer by ridding the body of free radicals before they can do their damage to cells. Try topping oatmeal, cold cereal, yogurt, even salad with blueberries to boost your intake of these healthful berries.

14.Pass on the Sugar
Sugar may not cause cancer directly. But it may displace other nutrient-rich foods that help protect against cancer. And it increases calorie counts, which contributes to overweight and obesity. Excess weight can be a cancer risk. Fruit offers a sweet alternative in a vitamin-rich package.

15.Don't Rely on Supplements
Vitamins may help protect against cancer. But that's when you get them naturally from food. Both the American Cancer Society and the American Institute for Cancer Research emphasize that getting cancer-fighting nutrients from foods like nuts, fruits, and green leafy vegetables is vastly superior to getting them from supplements. Eating a healthy diet is best.

Analyst: Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria now best-equipped of the group

Al Qaeda's affiliate inside Syria is now the best-equipped arm of the terror group in existence today, according to informal assessments by U.S. and Middle East intelligence agencies, a private sector analyst directly familiar with the information told CNN.

Concern about the Syrian al Qaeda-affiliated group Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as the al-Nusra Front, is at an all-time high, according to the analyst, with as many as 10,000 fighters and supporters inside Syria. The United States has designated al-Nusra Front as a terrorist group with links to al Qaeda in Iraq.

That assessment is shared by some Middle Eastern intelligence agencies that have long believed the United States is underestimating the Sunni-backed al Qaeda movement in the country, according to a Middle East source. It is also believed that Iran is running training camps inside Syria for Hezbollah and that other Iranian militia fighters are coming into the country to fight for the regime.

The analyst has been part of recent discussions with the U.S. intelligence community, which is urgently working to understand what is going on inside the war-ravaged country and is consulting outside experts. The analyst, who declined to be named because of the sensitive nature of the information, stressed that all assessments about Syria are approximate at best because of the lack of U.S. personnel on the ground.

Syrian civil war in photos

'Presidency to be decided by Syrians'

Columnist: Diplomacy won't work in Syria

With the growing strength and support for al-Nusra, U.S. concerns are growing about its influence to further destabilize Syria and potentially pose a greater regional threat, administration officials have told CNN.

Next moves for the U.S. on Syria

"They are making desperate attempts to get chemical weapons," the analyst told CNN, noting that in the past few weeks, security services in Iraq and Turkey arrested operatives who were "trying to get their hands on sarin."

A senior U.S. intelligence official told CNN recently that gathering intelligence on Syria, including its potential future use of chemical weapons, is now one of the top priorities of the U.S. intelligence community.

The Obama administration announced last week that it will start arming rebels because Syria crossed a "red line" by using chemical weapons -- including sarin gas -- against the opposition.

The development is likely to be at the center of the Group of Eight summit in Northern Ireland on Monday, setting a riveting backdrop to the meeting after Syria's longtime ally Russia said the move supports "those who kill their enemies and eat their organs."

Opinion: Peace in Syria? Talk to Iran

In one corner, the United States, the United Kingdom and France say rebels need more help in ousting a 42-year dynasty and ending a regime that crushes dissent with lethal force.

In the other corner, Russia says its supply of arms to the Syrian regime isn't nearly as bad as sending weapons to the rebels.

"I believe you will not deny that one should hardly back those who kill their enemies and eat their organs. ... Do you want to support these people? Do you want to supply arms to these people?" Russian President Vladimir Putin asked Sunday.

He was referring to a widely circulated video that allegedly showed a rebel fighter eating the heart of a dead soldier. The video, posted by a group loyal to the Syrian government, raised questions about the rebels' credibility, even though the Syrian opposition widely condemned the act.

On Monday, Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama will meet one-on-one to discuss the war that has now killed more than 92,000 people, including thousands of children.

On the ground in Damascus: Locals defiant toward more U.S. help of rebels

On front line with al-Assad fighters

UK, Russia differ over Syria

Chaos on the ground

While world leaders struggle to form a unified front, the seesaw battles rage on inside Syria -- and at a staggering price. About 5,000 Syrians are killed every month, the United Nations said.

The opposition once controlled the Damascus suburb of Yarmouk, which served as a Palestinian refugee camp. But Palestinian fighters supporting the regime say they're taking the area back.

"We will keep fighting until we get rid of Jabhat al-Nusra and al Qaeda and all other insurgents in Syria," fighter Abu Ihad told CNN's Fred Pleitgen in Yarmouk.

The pro-government fighters said they're angry about the U.S. decision to arm the opposition, especially since members of al-Nusra Front have joined the rebels.

In recent weeks, the rebels have suffered a series of devastating setbacks. Their loss of the stronghold Qusayr coincided with the arrival of Hezbollah fighters supporting Syrian troops.

Syrian rebels have pleaded for anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, saying they are outgunned by President Bashar al-Assad's military.

Explosions rock Damascus military airport

The U.S. has a new game plan

Obama has not detailed the increased military support, but Washington officials told CNN that the plan includes providing small arms, ammunition and possibly anti-tank weapons to the rebels.

The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told CNN's Candy Crowley there is a strong consensus on arming Syrian rebels.

"As the Foreign Relations Committee voted nearly a month ago on a strong bipartisan vote of 15-3 ... we believe the rebels need to be armed, the moderate elements of those rebels," said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey.

"Public intelligence sources have said that we've come to know who, in fact, we could ultimately arm. And the reality is we need to tip the scales, not simply to nudge them. And the president's moving in the right direction."

Britain has not decided whether to provide weapons to rebels but has provided technical assistance and training alongside the United States, France and its other allies.

"I'm in no doubt that responsibility lies with President Assad. It is the onslaught that he has inflicted on his own people which is the primary cause of the suffering, the humanitarian catastrophe and the deaths we have seen," British Prime Minister David Cameron said Sunday.

Russia's president said he believed both sides were responsible for the bloodshed. Putin said he hoped the G8 summit this week would help broker a peace deal to end the carnage.

But it's unclear how many more lives may be lost in the meantime.

Putin warns U.S., West against arming organ-eating Syrian rebels

Putin warns U.S., West against arming organ-eating Syrian rebels

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Sunday against arming Syrian rebels "who kill their enemies and eat their organs," referencing a widely circulated video that purports to show a rebel fighter eating the heart of a dead soldier.

Putin's comments signaled a clear disapproval of a U.S. plan to increase military support to Syrian rebels, and his warning came just one day before he was to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama for talks at the Group of Eight summit in Northern Ireland where Syria is expected to top the agenda.

"I believe you will not deny that one should hardly back those who kill their enemies and eat their organs. ... Do you want to support these people? Do you want to supply arms to these people?" Putin asked, speaking to reporters in London after meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Explosion, fire at Damascus military airport

Syrian civil war in photos

How will the U.S. arm Syria's rebels?

The video referenced by Putin first surfaced online in May and generated outrage. The video, which was posted by a group loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, also raised questions abut the credibility of the rebels despite widespread condemnation of the act by the opposition.

Putin said those actions do not represent the "humanitarian and cultural values" of Europe or Russia.

Opinion: Why a man eats another man's heart

What types of weapons do rebels need?

Rebels: U.S. unlikely to give heavy arms

McCain pushes more intervention in Syria

"If we speak calmly, in a businesslike fashion, let me draw your attention to the fact that Russia supplies arms to the legitimate government of Syria in full compliance with the norms of international law," he said. "We are not breaching any rules and norms. Let me emphasize that: we are not breaching any rules and norms, and we call on all our partners to act in the same fashion."

Russia has been at odds with the United States, the UK and others over how to bring an end to the bloodshed in the civil war that has raged in Syria for more than two years, a conflict that the United Nations estimates has left more than 92,000 people dead and millions displaced.

Russia and Syria have an alliance dating back to the Cold War, and Moscow has been one of the leading weapons suppliers for al-Assad's government.

Obama is expected during his meeting with Putin to make his case for increasing support to the rebels. Obama's administration announced the move last week after it said Syria crossed a "red line" with the use of chemical weapons, including sarin gas, against the opposition.

Obama has not detailed the increased military support, but Washington officials told CNN that the plan includes providing small arms, ammunition and possibly anti-tank weapons to the rebels.

World leaders have put enormous pressure on al-Assad to end the war and step down, and U.N. Security Council efforts to take action have been repeatedly blocked by Russia and China.

Cameron, meanwhile, told reporters that Britain had not decided whether to provide weapons to rebels but was providing technical assistance and training alongside the United States, France and its other allies.

"I'm in no doubt that responsibility lies with President Assad. It is the onslaught that he is inflicted on his own people which is the primary cause of the suffering, the humanitarian catastrophe and the deaths we have seen," he said.

Putin told reporters that he hoped the G8 summit would provide an avenue that would allow him to help broker a peace deal to end the Syrian conflict. He said he believed both sides were responsible for the bloodshed.

Will Rouhani alter Iran's policy on Syria?

Cameron acknowledged that he and Putin have deep differences on the issue of Syria but said they agree that it will take political and diplomatic efforts to help end the carnage.

Putin did not address Russian concerns that the United States may attempt to enforce a no-fly zone over Syria, using F-16 fighter jets and Patriot missiles based in Jordan.

On Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned the United States against taking such action, saying it would be a violation of international law, according to Russian state broadcaster Russia Today.

Russian television reported that Lavrov's comments followed speculation in the media that a no-fly zone could be imposed through the deployment of the missile systems and fighter jets sent by the United States to global military drills in Jordan.

Those reports followed news that the United States had approved a Jordanian request to keep the fighter jets and missiles in the country after the conclusion of a joint military exercise.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki has dismissed media accounts that Obama has decided on establishing a no-fly zone. Those reports are incorrect, she told reporters on Friday.

U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes also addressed the matter Friday when he was asked how difficult it would be to establish a no-fly zone.

"In Syria, when you have the situation where regime forces are intermingled with opposition forces, they're fighting in some instances block by block in cities. That's not a problem you can solve from the air," he said.

Syrian rebels have pleaded for anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, saying they are outgunned by al-Assad's miltary.

In recent weeks, the rebels have suffered a series of devastating setbacks, including the loss of the stronghold of Qusayr near the Syria-Lebanon border, that coincide with the arrival of Hezbollah fighters who have been reinforcing government troops.

In recent days, al-Assad's military and the Hezbollah fighters, backed by Lebanon and Iran, have been battling rebels for control of Aleppo, Syria's largest city.

Russia to U.N.: Chemical weapons 'clearly' used in Syria

A team of Russian experts has found that chemical weapons were "clearly" used in Syria, Moscow's U.N. ambassador said Tuesday.

"There is every reason to believe that it was armed opposition fighters who used the chemical weapons in Khan al-Assal," Vitaly Churkin said.

The experts visited Khan al-Assal, where Syria claimed rebels had used chemical weapons in a March attack. At the time, rebels accused Syria of using chemical weapons in another part of the country.

Assad supporters deny weapons charges

Photos: Syria's refugee crisis

Both sides denied the claims.

"The results of the analysis clearly indicate that the ordnance used in Khan al-Assal was not industrially manufactured and was filled with sarin," Churckin said Tuesday.

In April, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the "United States has evidence that the chemical weapon sarin has been used in Syria on a small scale."

Last month, the White House accused Syria of crossing a "red line" with its use of chemical weapons against its people.

Throughout the crisis in Syria, Russia has been at odds with the United States and many other countries calling for tough action against the Syrian regime.

Tigers chase men up trees, trap them there for days

Men in a jungle in Indonesia were checking their traps when they discovered they had killed a tiger cub.

Adult tigers waiting nearby were not happy with the six trappers.

The tigers lunged for them, sending the men scrambling for their lives up two trees, said police on Sumatra.

Maybe there was not enough room on one of the trees. Perhaps the men ahead of him climbed too slowly. Whichever the case, one of the men didn't make it.

The tigers snatched him down before he could escape the reach of their claws, said police Chief Dicky Sondani. They mauled him to death in front of the other five men.

Then they waited underneath the trees for the remaining men to come down.

Days and nights passed, but the tigers did not budge. The men found themselves in a waiting game in the tree tops, drinking rainwater to survive, Sondani said.

A team of 30 rescuers combed the forest for them.

They found the trappers duly traumatized, said a spokesman for the park.

The dead man was buried. Two of the survivors were taken to a hospital. The others went home to rest and recover. The five have a date with park officials in 10 days, said Andi Basrul, head of Mt. Leuser National Park.

There will be some questions for them to answer about what they were doing in the park in the first place, where humans are forbidden by law to tread -- let alone set traps.

Woman critical after tiger clamps her head in its mouth

Syria naval base blast points to Israeli raid

Foreign forces destroyed advanced Russian anti-ship missiles in Syria last week, rebels said on Tuesday - a disclosure that appeared to point to an Israeli raid.
Qassem Saadeddine, spokesman for the Free Syrian Army's Supreme Military Council, said a pre-dawn strike on Friday hit a Syrian navy barracks at Safira, near the port of Latakia. He said that the rebel forces' intelligence network had identified newly supplied Yakhont missiles being stored there.
"It was not the FSA that targeted this," Saadeddine told Reuters. "It is not an attack that was carried out by rebels.
"This attack was either by air raid or long-range missiles fired from boats in the Mediterranean," he said.
Rebels described huge blasts - the ferocity of which, they said, was beyond the firepower available to them but consistent with that of a modern military like Israel's.
Israel has not confirmed or denied involvement. The Syrian government has not commented on the incident, beyond a state television report noting a "series of explosions" at the site.
According to regional intelligence sources, the Israelis previously struck in Syria at least three times this year to prevent the transfer of advanced weaponry from President Bashar al-Assad's army to Iranian-backed Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon.
Such weaponry, Israeli officials have made clear, would include the long-range Yakhonts, which could help Hezbollah repel Israel's navy and endanger its offshore gas rigs. In May, Israel and its U.S. ally complained about Moscow sending the missiles to Syria. Israel said they would likely end up with Hezbollah. The Lebanese group has said it does not need them.
Asked about the Latakia blasts, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon told reporters: "We have set red lines in regards to our own interests, and we keep them. There is an attack here, an explosion there, various versions - in any event, in the Middle East it is usually we who are blamed for most."
A former senior Israeli security official, who declined to be named, told Reuters that the area of Latakia in question was known to have been used to store Yakhont missiles.
Technically at war with Syria, Israel spent decades in a stable standoff with Damascus while the Assad family ruled unchallenged. It has been reluctant to intervene openly in the two-year-old, Islamist-dominated insurgency rocking Syria.
But previous air strikes near Damascus, on January 30, May 3 and May 5, made little attempt to conceal Israel's involvement.

Sexual-positions-women-definately-enjoy

Women love sex. In fact, some women think about it just as often, if not more, then their male counterparts. They fantasize constantly and at great length (with you being the object of their desire, of course). These hot little fantasies can cover a broad spectrum of kink, but almost always involve one of the five most common vaginal and anal sex positions women enjoy. This is due to a number of reasons, the most significant being that they create a perfect balance between level of difficulty and maximum pleasure. In other words, these sex positions women enjoy result in loads of pleasure for the minimal level of effort required to pull them off. That’s not to say that women don’t love your faves as well; they’re definitely into sexual acrobatics every now and then -- but when we’re getting down and dirty, certain sex positions tend to get women more wet than other.

Private lap dance

Most women love being on top for one simple reason: It makes them feel like they're in charge, and power is always a heady aphrodisiac. Being on top is not limited to one style, however. If you’re old-school, lie on your back and have her straddle your waist before lowering herself onto you; don’t forget to lend her some support by holding her hips while she rides you. If your woman doesn’t enjoy this style, it’s likely for one of two reasons: She may feel overexposed during the act, or her legs might be a bit too short to pull it off comfortably. The easy fix for this dilemma? Move to the sofa. Sit yourself down, lean back and pull her astride you. This is definitely one of the sex positions women enjoy because it allows her to brace herself against the back of the couch, giving her excellent leverage to ride you to orgasm. She can even brace herself with one hand, leaving the other free to play with her clit.

Sex position savvy: It may be tempting to just sit back and enjoy the scenery, but if you’d like to really rock her world, tease her breasts and nipples with your tongue and trace the curve of her waist with your fingers; these moves will magnify her pleasure.

The comfort zone

More commonly known as the missionary position, the comfort zone is not to be overlooked. Nor should any man ignore its tremendous potential for scorching hot sex. Yes, it can also make for predictable, boring sex a Puritan would admire, but only if you’re lacking passion and creativity The comfort zone is one of the top sex positions women enjoy, and for good reason: the permutations for pleasure are virtually endless, and none of them involve discomfort or the skills of a gymnast. Take charge: Lay her down on the bed, spread her legs apart by sliding your knee between her thighs, place her wrists above her head and show her what you’re made of. Women love displays of dominance in the bedroom, and this one can be either subtle or overt, making it suitable for nearly every woman out there.

Sex position savvy: Take it to the next level by talking dirty to her. Bring your lips close to her ear and whisper what you’re going to do to her; let her know she’ll be screaming your name before it’s over

Stand at erection

This sexual position women enjoy is pretty self-evident in the title: Your woman is going to sit on a surface that stands level with your waist, and then you’re going to penetrate her as deeply as you possibly can. The further her legs are spread apart the better, and you can maximize this by drawing her legs around your waist. This will place her vagina directly against your groin, and will make deep thrusting incredibly easy for you, thereby increasing her odds of having a G-spot orgasm. Where can you put this sexual position women enjoy to good use? Try the kitchen counter, the bathroom counter, the washing machine, the piano, the hood of your car -- get as naughty as you like.

Sex position savvy: Some men come relatively quickly in this position, thanks to it’s deep-thrusting potential. Don’t be afraid to slow down and take a break to get yourself back under control. Use that time to stimulate her clitoris and bring her closer to the edge. When you start thrusting again, she’ll be just as ready as you are.

Spooning it

The spoon position makes for fabulous sex, and it’s really no wonder that it's on this list of sexual positions women enjoy. A woman loves the feel of a man’s chest against her back, she loves the feel of your arms wrapped around her and she loves the feel of being penetrated from behind. She especially enjoys it in the spoon position, because it’s incredibly comfortable and still allows you to play with her breasts and clitoris, which, frankly, most women can never get enough of.

Slide behind your woman, pull her bottom backward against your groin, and slip her top leg over your hip, drawing it slightly backward as you do so. Having her thighs spread apart like this will make her feel deliciously naughty and she’ll probably arch her body to give you even further access. This is a very comfortable sexual position women enjoy, and you can expect a great deal of moaning to ensue.

Sex position savvy: Take advantage of this position by reaching around and stimulating her clitoris, and don’t forget to talk dirty to her as you do; this is one of the best positions for pillow talk.

Stoop doggy dog

You may be surprised to see doggy style making the list, but it really is one of the sexual positions women enjoy. That said, the doggy style you see in the average porn flick isn’t really what we’re talking about here -- we’re after something a bit more intimate and far more pleasurable. Yes, women do like being bent forward on all fours and taken from behind, but they like it even more when you bend forward as well, sliding your fingers between her thighs and toying with her clit. And women simply love it when you switch things up by pulling them into a kneeling position while you continue to thrust deeply. Women definitely enjoy doggy style, as long as they aren’t made to feel like objects.

Sex position savvy: While bending forward, gently nip your woman’s shoulders with your teeth; this area is very sensitive and most women enjoy being bitten there, as it greatly intensifies the sexual pleasure.

state your position please

As mentioned previously, women love sex just as much as you do, and they’re particularly fond of it when it involves any of these woman-pleasing sexual positions. While some women may not love each position on this list, rest assured that most do, and they’re happy to experiment for the sake of keeping things fresh and exciting. Women love those kinky positions, too, but sometimes a girl just wants a man to penetrate her in a style she knows she’ll be able to orgasm from. Try one of these sexual positions women enjoy and she probably will.

Innocent-words-that-turn-women-on

 

Seduction isn’t all action – a lot of what’s involved in seducing a woman comes from what you say. What if you could whisper a few simple words into any woman’s ear and then have her look at you with a big smile, grab you by the belt and drag you to her bedroom? Yeah, that may be a slight exaggeration, but the right word at the right time will turn her on quicker than roses, candy or even a romantic dinner for two.

Here are seven “seduction” words guaranteed to get a woman thinking about sex!

“Wet”

These aren’t things you whisper into her ear by themselves. For example, if you lean over to your woman and say “wet,” she’s not going to instantly have an orgasm. That’s not realistic. However, if you’re making strong eye contact, flirting a bit, and then she drips a little bit when she takes a drink of water, you can say, “Oh baby, you’re so wet…”

And her mind will instantly go to sex. Why did it work so well? Because of three simple ways that the phrases must be used:

Indirectly. When you say “wet” you don’t want to say, “Wow baby, your panties must be so wet.” That’s just crude. However, if you say, “Baby, you’re so wet” after she came in from the rain, she’s going to respond to your flirting. This is because women’s minds are just as dirty as yours. So when she hears the word “wet,” she thinks about sex and her vagina being moist, just like you do. Even if it’s hidden in the conversation.

Timed Correctly. You want to use an innocent “seduction” word right after she does something that makes sense. Wet is the easiest example. Use it whenever she drips water from a glass, comes in from the rain, comes out of a pool or talks about some time she got wet in the past.

With The Right Tone You don’t want to bring attention to what you’re doing. Instead, you want it to seem like a regular part of your normal conversation. So use the steady, low voice tone you use when you’re chatting to her instead of ANY emphasis on the “seduction words.”

“Deep”

When should you use “deep” in conversation? Whenever you’re talking about feelings, emotions or anything physical. Here are a few examples:

• When you’re talking about something exciting: “And how does that make you feel, deep inside?”
• When you’re on a roller coaster: “I’m so excited. Can you feel your heart fluttering, deep inside you?”
• When you’re planning a date: “I can’t wait to see how you feel, deep down.”

And when you’re about the meet a woman for the first time, one of the very best words is:

“Come”

Get your giggling out of the way, because “come” is one of the very best ones you can use. It has so many different uses and applications! For example:

• When you’re waiting for her to come over: “I can’t wait for you to come..”
• When you’re talking about a vacation: “It’s going to be so exciting when you come.”
• When you’re talking to a woman about meeting up with you: “It’s OK baby, just come now.”

So you can see how each of those examples a “charge” of sex to it, yet it doesn’t set off any of her “horny” alarms. Another one of the most “under the radar” words to use is:

“Hard”

Obviously, you know what this one implies. And you know the ways comedians use it in bits. However, you may not know that “hard” is a quick way to make her imagine sex and unbuckling your belt. Which is one of the quickest ways to real life sex, even on the first date. So here’s how to use this “seduction” word:

• When she’s teasing you: “You’re making it so hard, for me to resist you…”
• When she’s making a tough decision – especially about coming home with you: “Baby, it’s so hard.”
• When she’s talking about a challenging thing she’s doing: “Do you like it when it’s hard?”

And from here on out, these phrased get more and more blatant about sex, so you’ll want to use them when you’re really ramping up for sex.

“Eat/Mouth”

These are great for anything involving food or drink and because eating and drinking are so sensual by themselves, they pack a powerful punch. Here’s exactly how to use them:

• When you’re feeding her food, tell her: “I wanna watch you eat it.”
• Also, when you’re feeding her food, tell her: “Here, just put it in your mouth.”
• If you’re eating something she finds gross, tell her: “No, don’t look away. I want you to watch me eat it.”

Do you see how the things you say can carry sexual tension? Try adding them to your conversations, to make your first date into something much more interesting.

“Inside”

This is the easiest “seduction” word to use, hands down. You can put it in, whenever you want – if you catch the drift. Here are a few examples:

• If you’re going somewhere together, say: “Baby, I can’t wait to go inside, with you.”
• If she says something that makes you happy: “You make me so happy. I feel warm inside when I’m around you.”
• If a hostess at a restaurant asks where you’d like to sit, say: “I like it inside.”

“Dripping”

Paired with “wet,” this phrase is a sexual powerhouse. For example:

• Say she’s eating and a little messy: “Baby, you’re dripping all over the place.”
• If it’s raining, and she didn’t have an umbrella: “Look at you, you’re dripping wet…”
• If you have ice cream, and it’s starting to melt: “Baby, you’re dripping all over yourself.”

So you see how you can use innocent “seduction” phrases to make any woman feel naughty, like having sex, around you. And you see how easy it is to toss these into any conversation you have. The real payoff comes when you finally use them on a woman you like