DOD OFFICIALS MONITOR EVENTS IN SYRIA

Photo Credit:  U.S. Department of Defense
FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
DOD Official: Assad Regime Must End 'Wanton Murder'
By Karen Parrish
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2012 - Defense Department officials are closely monitoring events in Syria, including the military exercises that began yesterday, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.

Media reports characterize the exercises as large-scale and simulating responses to external attacks on the nation's forces.

"I don't know that this military exercise suggests anything new about the conflict, or if it may simply be visual bravado on the part of the [Bashar] Assad regime," Little said, responding to reporters' questions during a regularly scheduled media briefing. Assad has ruled Syria since his father, Hafez al-Assad, died in 2000. The elder Assad had ruled for 29 years.

Little strongly repeated the department's position on Syria, where the military has used lethal force in an effort to crush popular uprisings that began in January 2011. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon estimates that as many as 17,000 people have been killed in the violence.

"This regime continues to mount despicable attacks against Syrian civilians, and the violence that the regime is perpetrating must end," Little said. Defense officials have not yet classed the exercise as "provocative," he noted, but he added that judgment could change based on events.

"What we view as much more serious, at this stage, is the continued wanton murder of Syrian civilians," he said.

Little responded to a question on reports that Russia will halt arms sales to Syria, saying he can't confirm that information. "We welcome any move by any nation to stop supplying the Assad regime," he said.

The press secretary noted defense officials also are closely monitoring events on the Turkish-Syrian border. Tensions between the two countries have escalated following Turkey's June 22 report that Syrian forces shot down a Turkish F-4 fighter jet and its two-member crew.

"We hope that this terrible violence in Syria doesn't spread," Little said. "We understand Turkey's concerns, and we'll continue to work closely with our Turkish allies."

SYRIAN GENERAL DEFECTS

Map Credit:  U.S. Department Of State.
FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
DOD Officials Call Syrian General's Defection, 'Significant'
By Jim Garamone
WASHINGTON, July 6, 2012 - Pentagon officials called the defection of Syrian Army Brig. Gen. Manaf Tlass "significant," saying this could be the first crack in the inner circle around Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.

Tlass sought asylum in Turkey, said Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby.
"He is a former friend of Assad, so we don't believe this defection should be taken lightly," Kirby said. "It's another example of a senior member in the Syrian army that has decided to turn against the Syrian regime and to stop committing violent acts against its people."

Tlass is the son of former Syrian defense minister Mustafa Tlass, according to U.S. officials. The elder Tlass served in the position from 1972 to 2004 and helped the Assad family set up the repressive regime in Syria.

This defection is considered different from those that have occurred previously, U.S. officials said, noting Tlass is a general officer who had a long, personal, close association with the Assad family.

U.S. officials hope this latest defection will lead to more from the regime's inner circle. "I'd be hard-pressed to say that the regime is about to crack under the weight of defections," Kirby said.

The Syrian regime is murdering its own people and Bashar Assad has not indicated any desire to relinquish power, officials said.

"He has loyalists still around him and certainly the vast majority of the Syrian military is still following his orders," Kirby said. "The international community remains firm about the need for him to step down and stop killing his people."

The United States, officials said, is concerned about reports that al-Qaida is taking advantage of the chaos in Syria to launch attacks and establish a presence in the country. Iraqi officials, they said, claim al-Qaida terrorists are moving from Iraq to Syria to launch attacks.

Kirby said Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is concerned about such reports.
"The secretary has been on the record expressing concern about the potential for al-Qaida migrating in to Syria, and we have seen indications that they have wanted to do that," Kirby said. "This obviously won't do anything to stabilize the situation in Syria."