State Dept. releases a bird’s eye view of Syria crackdown
The State Department wants you to see the crackdown in Syria. Today, it uploaded eight satellite images showing how President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have positioned artillery toward major protest centers. The release was accompanied by a note by U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford. “[S]ome try to equate the violence perpetrated by the regime with ...
The State Department wants you to see the crackdown in Syria. Today, it uploaded eight satellite images showing how President Bashar al-Assad's forces have positioned artillery toward major protest centers.
The release was accompanied by a note by U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford. "[S]ome try to equate the violence perpetrated by the regime with the violence perpetrated by the opposition," he wrote. "[I]t is unfair to do so when one side is using such heavy weaponry... We are intent on exposing the regime's brutal tactics for the world to see."
That's an argument that seems designed to undermine the case of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who criticized the recent Security Council resolution on Syria for not condemning the violence of armed groups within the country in the same language it used toward the Assad regime.
The State Department wants you to see the crackdown in Syria. Today, it uploaded eight satellite images showing how President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have positioned artillery toward major protest centers.
The release was accompanied by a note by U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford. “[S]ome try to equate the violence perpetrated by the regime with the violence perpetrated by the opposition,” he wrote. “[I]t is unfair to do so when one side is using such heavy weaponry… We are intent on exposing the regime’s brutal tactics for the world to see.”
That’s an argument that seems designed to undermine the case of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who criticized the recent Security Council resolution on Syria for not condemning the violence of armed groups within the country in the same language it used toward the Assad regime.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said at a press briefing today that the United States will be releasing more declassified satellite imagery in the coming days. “Our intent here is to, obviously, expose the ruthlessness…of this regime and its overwhelming predominant military advantage and the horrible kinds of weaponry that it’s deploying against its people,” she said.
More pictures appear after the jump.
More from Foreign Policy
Why Do People Hate Realism So Much?
The school of thought doesn’t explain everything—but its proponents foresaw the potential for conflict over Ukraine long before it erupted.
China’s Crisis of Confidence
What if, instead of being a competitor, China can no longer afford to compete at all?
Why This Global Economic Crisis Is Different
This is the first time since World War II that there may be no cooperative way out.
China Is Hardening Itself for Economic War
Beijing is trying to close economic vulnerabilities out of fear of U.S. containment.
Sign up for Morning Brief
Foreign Policy’s flagship daily newsletter with what’s coming up around the world today from Foreign Policy’s newsletter writer Colm Quinn.
By signing up, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to occasionally receive special offers from Foreign Policy.