Turkey Analysis: Did US Intelligence Lead to Deaths of 34 Civilians (and Better Relations with Ankara)?

A Wall Street Journal investigation points to the role of US intelligence in the Uludere airstrikes

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The Wall Street Journal claims that the intelligence came from Washington. If this is true, we do not need to ask further about the reason for the Turkish Government's keeping of a secret. Both for general US-Turkish and for specific issues, such as co-operation over the Syrian issue, further enquiries into the Uludere incident would be inconvenient.

Could the deaths of 34 civilians have led to better relations between Ankara and Washington? After all, Turkey and the US are aligned in their policies towards Iraq's Maliki, Syria's Assad, Iran's Ahmadinejad, and Iraqi Kurdistan's Barzani --- so perhaps "collateral damage" in this case has been turned into "collateral benefit".

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The Latest from Iran (16 May): Remembering Political Prisoners from Science to Religion

7 Detained Baha'i Leaders (see 0500 GMT)1825 GMT: Ahmadinejad Watch. Asr-e Iran post a catalogue of the President's speeches in which he blames "conspirators" for the Government's problems.

1814 GMT: Political Prisoners Watch (Journalists Edition). Almost 130 Iranian journalists have called on head of judiciary Sadegh Larijani and Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani to take action against the on-going repression of those in the media.

The journalists highlighted the recent imprisonment of journalists Mahsa Amrabadi and Reza Ansari-Rad, as well as a flogging sentence handed down to cartoonist Mahmoud Shokraye: “Precisely at a time when the suspect in the [detainee abuse scandal at] Kahrizak detention centre [Presidential aide Saeed Mortazavi] is promoted, and the forces under your authority turn a blind eye to the accusations against him, Iranian journalists are, one by one, imprisoned, defamed and even physically abused.”

They said that while “the main suspects and culprits" in the $2.6 billion bank fraud" could continue freely with their extravagant lifestyles, Mahsa Amrabadi, Reza Ansari-Rad and other Iranian journalists were being jailed “for the sole crime of writing".

Last week, Amrabadi was summoned to serve a one-year sentence in Evin Prison. Her husband, journalist Masoud Bastani, has been imprisoned for six years.

The statement declared, “We call for an end to the flogging; we call for an end to all forms of lawlessness, injustice and disrespect towards those who hold the pen. We call for the implementation of the law. We seek respect for the pen.”

More than 100 journalists have been imprisoned since the 2009 Presidential elections. Dozens are still behind bars, while others are on heavy bail and under threat of being summoned to serve their sentences.

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Bahrain Live Coverage: The Tortured Neurosurgeon

Democracy Now! with neurosurgeon Nabeel Hameed on his time in detention and the situation in the Kingdom (see 0740 GMT)

See also Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Conflict Renewed
Bahrain Live Coverage: Why Did Saudis Pour Cold Water on "Union"?

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2005 GMT: Nabeel Rajab, the detained head of the Bahrain Human Rights Center, appeared in court today and rejected the claim that he used Twitter to incite riots and violence against policemen:

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The charge against me is vindictive and is due to my rights activism. I only practiced my right to free expression. I did not commit a crime. The decision to arrest me and put me on trial was a political decision.

The judge adjourned the trial to Sunday. He ordered Rajab, who was arrested at Bahrain International Airport on 5 May, to remain in detention.

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Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Conflict Renewed

2011 GMT: Syria. According to the Local Coordinating Committees, large protests are being held tonight in Douma, a key suburb of Damascus:

However, there is also a report that security forces have raided Daraya, another suburb, and one that has seen regular night time firefights over the last several days. This video reportedly shows the gunfire:

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Syria Snapshot: The Regime's "Jihadist" Disinformation? (Mqayed)

Caption from Al-Akhbar: "A man wearing a black shirt bearing an Al-Qaeda flag (L) speaks with a UN observer as monitors meet with rebels and civilians in the village of Azzara in the province of Homs on 4 May 2012. (Photo: AFP- Joseph Eid)"

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the above photo made the rounds on the usual regime-owned & regime-sympathetic outlets --- initially featured on the state-owned daily al-Watan, where it was depicted as “proof” for the regime’s claims about “Salafi terrorist gangs” and even as a basis for accusing UNSMIS observers of “collaboration” with them. The photo also made an appearance in an article by Sharmine Nawrani on al-Akhbar claiming “a growing Jihadi presence in Syria”.

The only, and perhaps most damning, caveat is that the man in the above photo is in fact the exact opposite of what the regime claims.

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Iran Interview: The MP Who Attacked a Journalist...Threatens Another One (Alinejad)

In our Live Coverage, we noted last week's incident when MP Mehdi Koochakzadeh, a vocal supporter of President Ahmadinejad, attacked a journalist for a reformist publication, dragging him out of the Parliamentary restaurant.

Our colleague Masih Alinejad, who had to flee Iran after the 2009 Presidential election, decided to follow up with a phone call to Koochakzadeh. What follows is a combination of the MP's sneering, "It seems you liked [the assault], didn't you?", denunciation, "You are a servant to our enemies", and threat, "Come back from England and go to your village. Your mother is alone."

Syria Wired: The Latest from Social Media and EA's Readers

See also Syria Wired: The Latest from Social Media and EA's Readers (15 May)

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Our recurring feature in which EA readers use the Comments section to bring in the latest news and thoughts from social media....

Syria Special: An Attack in Khan Shaykhoun --- Getting the Story Wrong for "Neutrality"

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News in Syria comes fast and furious. The regime makes claims, the opposition makes claims, Russia makes claims, Iran makes claims, the Saudis make claims, and the media tries to sort it out. It is a challenging, often uncomfortable task.

But "uncomfortable" or "challenging" are not synonymous with "impossible" and, frankly, sometimes the coverage falls far short of an adequate mark.

Today is a notable. example.

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Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Battle of Rastan

1932 GMT: Syria. Another bloody day in Syria - the LCCS reports that 63 people have been killed today nationwide:

33 martyrs in Idlib, 8 martyrs in Homs, 7 martyrs in Deir Ezzor, 5 martyrs in Hama, 4 martyrs in Damascus Suburbs "Qalamoun - Qudsaya - Douma - Al-Tal", 4 Martyrs in Banyas, one martyr in Hasakeh and one martyr in Daraa "Daeel".

1924 GMT: Syria. Residents of Deir Ez Zor reported on Twitter that regime armored vehicles moved into the city in force today. Several of them were harassing residents, and security forces were making widespread arrests. The driver of the BMP vehicle in this video decided that it was in the best interest of national security to run over parked cars.

The strategy didn't work - as you'll find out if you watch to the end of the video:

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Syria Analysis: Insurgent Success in the Heart of An Occupied Country

Free Syrian Army members celebrating in front of a regime tank destroyed in Rastan

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The situation is beyond Rastan. There have been reports of FSA activity in Homs city, in Talbiseh to the south of Rastan, in the Halwe region to the west, and in Qusayr to the south of Homs. These areas are heavily defended by the regime --- the video shows Free Syrian Army soldiers and citizen reporters traveling with the United Nations convoy, straight through a military checkpoint defended by armoured vehicles and tanks:

Are these developments significant? Maybe. Certainly they are giving the insurgents a boost and will likely increase the opposition's morale overall. Looking farther, Al Rastan is fairly significant to the Homs region, and Homs is highly significant to Syria. A Free Syrian Army holding parts of it could cut Damascus and Daraa off from the rest of the country, creating an area that --- if unified under opposition military control --- could put the regime on the defensive.

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