Fighting in Syria as world slams Assad speech

Syrian men leave the old city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013. The revolution against Syrian President Bashar Assad that began in March 2011, started with peaceful protests but morphed into a civil war that has killed more than 60,000 people, according to a recent United Nations recent estimate. (AP Photo/Andoni Lubaki)

A camouflage convoy of Dutch military trucks carrying two batteries of Patriot missiles is lined up for a media opportunity before departing De Peel Air Base in Vreedepeel, southern Netherlands, Monday Jan. 7, 2013. A total of 12 Patriot missile launching systems from the Dutch military are on its way to help Turkey defend its border against Syrian rockets. The missile batteries are being shipped to Turkey and are scheduled to be fully operational by January 26th. (AP Photo/Mark D. Carlson)

BEIRUT (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday expressed disappointment with Syrian President Bashar Assad for rejecting the most important elements of an international roadmap to end the country's civil war — a political handover and establishment of a transitional governing body.

Assad in a rare speech Sunday outlined his own vision for ending the country's conflict with a plan that would keep him in power. He also dismissed any chance of dialogue with the armed opposition and called on Syrians to fight what he called "murderous criminals."

U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said Monday the secretary-general is disappointed that Assad's speech "does not contribute to a solution that could end the terrible suffering of the Syrian people." Nesirky said Ban and U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi will continue to work for a political transition that leads to U.N.-organized elections.

The West, including the U.S. and Britain, denounced Assad's speech, which came amid stepped-up international efforts for a peaceful settlement to the Syrian conflict.

On Monday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also criticized the Syrian leader's initiative. He accused Assad of "state terrorism" and called on him to relinquish power.

"There is one way out for Bashar and that is to respect the will of the people and do whatever is necessary," Erdogan said at a media conference while visiting Gabon. His remarks were broadcast by Turkish state TV Monday.

The violence on the ground, meanwhile, continued unabated.

Syria's state media said Monday that government troops repulsed a rebel attack on a police school in the northern city of Aleppo.

The official SANA news agency said regime forces killed and wounded members of a "terrorist group" in the fighting late Sunday, but did not provide a number. The government and the pro-regime media refer to the rebels seeking to topple Assad as terrorists.

Aleppo, Syria's largest city and former commercial hub, has been a major front in the civil war since July, with battles often raging for control of military and security facilities such as the police school. Rebels have recently made gains around Aleppo, as well as in the east and in the capital Damascus, bringing the civil war closer to the seat of Assad's power.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebels clashed with troops in the suburbs of Damascus, including in Daraya south of the capital. The Observatory said the army sent reinforcements there to join in an offensive aimed at dislodging rebels from the district, located just a few kilometers (miles) from a strategic military air base west of the capital.

Activists also reported shelling and fighting in southern Syria, as well as eastern and central Syria.

In his speech Sunday, his first public address in six months, Assad struck a defiant tone, ignoring international demands for him to step down and saying he is ready to hold a dialogue — but only with those "who have not betrayed Syria." He also vowed to continue the battle "as long as there is one terrorist left."

He offered a national reconciliation conference, elections and a new constitution but demanded regional and Western countries stop funding and arming rebels trying to overthrow his regime first.

Syria's opposition rejected the proposal. Those fighting to topple the regime, including rebels on the ground, have repeatedly said they will accept nothing less than the president's departure, dismissing any kind of settlement that leaves him in the picture.

As expected, Assad's proposal did get support from close Syrian ally Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said it contains "solutions" to the conflict and outlines "a comprehensive political process which guarantees the presence of all voices in power." Salehi called on the international community to support Assad's initiative.

"All regional and international partners should help the immediate resolution of the crisis and prevent its spread to the region," Salehi said in a statement that was carried by the state-run IRNA news agency Monday.

Previous diplomatic initiatives have failed to stem the violence, which at times has spilled over into Syria's neighboring countries, including Turkey.

The Dutch military on Monday shipped Patriot missiles to Turkey, a fellow NATO member, after the alliance agreed in December to deploy the anti-missile systems along Turkey's southern border with Syria.

Once a close ally of Damascus, Ankara has turned into one of the Syrian regime's harshest critics since the uprising began. Turkey requested the missiles to boost its air defenses against possible spillover from Syria.

Violence has flared along the border in recent months, with Turkey firing artillery across the frontier to retaliate for Syrian shells hitting Turkish soil.

The two Dutch batteries are scheduled to be operational by the end of the month and will remain in Turkey for a year. They are part of a NATO contingent of Patriot missiles that intercept incoming ballistic missiles. Two U.S. and two German batteries are also being deployed to other parts of southern Turkey.

The Syria crisis began with peaceful protests in March 2011 but has since shifted into a civil war. At least 60,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to a recent U.N. estimate.

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Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.

State of Palestine name change shows limitations

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — With U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state in his pocket, President Mahmoud Abbas wants official documents to carry a new emblem: "State of Palestine."

But scrapping the old "Palestinian Authority" logo is as far as Abbas is willing to go in provokingIsrael. He is not rushing to change passports and ID cards Palestinians need to pass through Israeli crossings.

The very modesty of Abbas' move to change official stationery underscores his limited options so long as Israel remains in charge of territories the world says should one day make up that state.

"At the end of the day, the Palestinian Authority won't cause trouble for its people," Nour Odeh, a spokeswoman for Abbas' self-rule government, said of the need for caution.

Abbas won overwhelming U.N. General Assembly recognition for a state of Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in late November, a rare diplomatic victory over a sidelined Israel. The U.N. nod was important to the Palestinians because it affirmed the borders of their future state in lands Israel captured in 1967.

Recognition, however, has not transformed the day-to-day lives of Palestinians, and some argue that it made things worse. In apparent retaliation for the U.N. bid, Israel in December withheld its monthly $100 million transfer of tax rebates it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, further deepening the Abbas government's financial crisis.

Since the U.N. recognition, Abbas has maneuvered between avoiding confrontation with Israel and finding small ways to change the situation on the ground.

Last week, his government press office urged journalists to refer to a state of Palestine, instead of the Palestinian Authority, the autonomy government set up two decades ago as part of interim peace deals with Israel.

Palestinian diplomatic missions around the world have been told to use the new names, including those in countries that did not vote "yes" at the General Assembly, said Omar Awadallah, a Palestinian Foreign Ministry official.

Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev dismissed the name change as pointless but declined comment on whether Israel would retaliate in any way. "Instead of looking for gimmicks, Palestinians should negotiate with Israel to bring about the end of the conflict," he said. "That will lead to a situation of two states for two peoples."

Israel objected to Abbas' U.N. bid, accusing him of trying to bypass negotiations with Israel on the terms of statehood. Such talks have been frozen for more than four years because Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disagree on their parameters. Netanyahu says he is willing to cede land to a Palestinian state but will not withdraw to the 1967 lines or give up any part of east Jerusalem, the Palestinians' desired capital.

Abbas has said negotiations remain his preferred choice, and that U.N. recognition was meant to improve his leverage with a far more powerful Israel once talks resume.

Since the U.N. vote, Abbas has shied away from measures that could close the door to talks by upsetting Israel or the U.S., which also objected to his U.N. bid.

Abbas has not taken practical steps toward seeking membership for Palestine in U.N. agencies, something made possible by the November vote, and his security forces continue to coordinate with Israeli troops in tracking Islamic militants in the West Bank.

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland expressed U.S. opposition to using the term "State of Palestine."

"You can't create a state by rhetoric and with labels and names," she told reporters. "You can only create a state, in this context, through bilateral negotiations." Nuland called Abbas' decision "provocative, without changing the condition for the Palestinian people."

She said the U.S. peace envoy for the Mideast, David Hale, was headed to the region and would meet the Palestinian leader on Tuesday.

Some countries, such as Brazil, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras, have adopted the new name. Others, like Norway, Sweden and Spain, stick to the Palestinian Authority term even though they supported U.N. recognition.

Analysts said Abbas holds out hope that President Barack Obama will get more involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in his second term and — freed from the restraints of seeking re-election — take a tougher stance toward Israel.

"He still hopes to resume peace talks in line with U.S. efforts," Palestinian analyst Hani al-Masri said of Abbas.

"Therefore, he is making these slight changes because people expect him to make changes after the U.N. recognition."

Still, the gap between the symbolic U.N. nod and the reality on the ground remains wide.

The Palestinian Authority administers some 38 percent of the West Bank, but Israel maintains overall control over the territory. Abbas has no say in east Jerusalem, annexed by Israel in 1967, or in Gaza, seized by his political rival, the Islamic militant group Hamas, in 2007.

The documents and stationery with the new emblem will be ready within two months, said Hassan Alawi, a deputy interior minister in the Palestinian Authority.

Israeli officials declined comment Monday on whether Israel would refuse to deal with documents bearing the "State of Palestine" logo. However, Alawi said his office was informed by Israeli officials after Abbas' decree that "they will not deal with any new form of passport or ID."

Saeb Erekat, a senior Abbas aide, said the new emblem will be used in correspondence with countries that have recognized a state of Palestine.

He suggested that there would be no change in passports or other documents Palestinians need for movement through Israeli crossings.

"As far as the Israelis are concerned, we are not going to overload the wagon of our people by putting state of Palestine on passports," he said. "They (Israelis) will not allow them to travel."

Palestinians must pass through Israeli-run crossings to leave the West Bank and also carry an ID card at all times or risk arrest if stopped at an Israeli military checkpoint inside the territory.

The name change has even less meaning for Palestinians in Hamas-ruled Gaza. Israel withdrew from the coastal strip in 2005 but continues to control access by air, sea and land, with the exception of one Gaza border crossing with Egypt.

"For me, it's just ink on paper," said Sharif Hamda, a 44-year-old pharmacist in Gaza City. "I wished they would save the money they will spend on this and use it for helping needy families."

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Retired general cautions against overuse of "hated" drones

Reuters/Reuters - Army Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington in this June 2, 2009 file photograph. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts /files

The U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan U.S. General Stanley McChrystal wears earplugs as he leaves by helicopter after a meeting between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and tribal leaders in Kandahar city June 13, 2010. REUTERS/Massoud Hossaini/Pool

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Aerial reconnaissance and attack drones have had a liberating effect on U.S. military forces, but they are deeply hated by many people and their overuse could jeopardize Washington's broader objectives, retired General Stanley McChrystal said on Monday.

McChrystal, who authored the U.S. counterinsurgency strategy inAfghanistan, said use of drones had enabled him to carry out missions with smaller groups of special operations forces because the "eye in the sky" provided backup security.

"What scares me about drone strikes is how they are perceived around the world," he said in an interview. "The resentment created by American use of unmanned strikes ... is much greater than the average American appreciates. They are hated on a visceral level, even by people who've never seen one or seen the effects of one."

McChrystal said the use of drones exacerbates a "perception of American arrogance that says, 'Well we can fly where we want, we can shoot where we want, because we can.'"

Drones should be used in the context of an overall strategy, he said, and if their use threatens the broader goals or creates more problems than it solves, then you have to ask whether they are the right tool.

President Barack Obama's heavy reliance on drones to wage war against al Qaeda in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere has provoked questions about the use of the aircraft and the legality of targeted killings.

Washington has not been swayed by the criticism and Obama nominated the official behind the campaign, top counterterrorism adviser John Brennan, to be the next CIA director.

McChrystal said he had known Brennan for about a decade and applauded the choice, saying "he's got the trust of other key players, and that's a very important commodity."

McChrystal has conducted a series of media interviews to promote his memoir, "My Share of the Task," which was released on Monday. In it he recounts his military career, including his time as head of U.S. special forces and commander of international troops in Afghanistan.

CREEPING MISTRUST

McChrystal wrote that Obama's first year in office was marked by creeping mistrust between theWhite House and the Pentagon over Afghan war policy, with repeated requests for more troops fueling the suspicion.

McChrystal, who became the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan during those months, said Obama was elected at a time when General David McKiernan, then head of international forces, was seeking 30,000 more troops to stave off a Taliban resurgence, a request that had been on hold since the previous summer.

"It created an unwelcome dynamic," McChrystal wrote. "In the eighth year of the war in Afghanistan, a new president found himself facing a time-sensitive decision."

"The next 10 months saw the emergence of an unfortunate deficit of trust between the White House and the Department of Defense, largely arising from the decision-making process on Afghanistan," he wrote. "To me it appeared unintentional on both sides. But over time, the effects were costly."

Obama initially approved 17,000 additional troops, but the Pentagon soon had to come back to ask for 4,000 more. And when McChrystal became commander of international forces later that year, he conducted a strategic reassessment and sought 40,000 more.

The rising mistrust ultimately played a role in McChrystal's resignation. In June 2010 the general stepped down after Rolling Stone magazine ran an article entitled "The Runaway General," in which it quoted members of McChrystal's staff disparaging top White House officials and allies. McChrystal was summoned back to Washington, where he resigned.

An investigation by the Department of Defense Inspector General concluded that not all of the events described in the Rolling Stone article had occurred as reported and there was insufficient evidence to conclude any Defense Department standards had been violated. Rolling Stone stood by its story.

McChrystal, while expressing surprise about the "tone and direction" of the article, said he accepted responsibility for it and never had any question about the necessary response.

"I knew only one decision was right for the moment and for the mission. I didn't try to figure out what others might do, no hero's or mentor's example came to mind. I called no one for advice," wrote McChrystal, who now teaches leadership at Yale University and heads a leadership consulting group.

He said he did not go into detail in the book about his final meeting with Obama because he believed it was important to hold their conversation in confidence. But he characterized it as professional.

"I offered to him to do what ever he thought was best for the mission," McChrystal said. "I said if you want me to go back to Afghanistan and work, I'm happy to do that. If you think accepting my resignation is best for the cause and for the nation, then I have no complaint with that."

(Additional reporting by Phil Stewart; editing by Christopher Wilson)

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Updates from hearing: Holmes said to have rigged home with explosives to distract police

By Jason Sickles, Yahoo! | The Lookout – 6 hrs ago

Editor’s note: No electronic equipment is allowed in the courtroom. We’ll update here when possible during recesses and other breaks.

[Updated at 2:25 p.m ET/12:25 p.m. MT]

CENTENNIAL, Colo. - In the two months leading up to the movie massacre, suspect James Holmes purchased four handguns and nearly 6,300 rounds of ammunition online and in person, an investigator testified Tuesday morning.

On cross-examination, ATF Special Agent Steven Beggs said the weaponry was legally purchased because Holmes had cleared all background checks.

"Is there any process in Colorado to screen out whether a severely mentally ill person is purchasing these items?" asked Tamara Brady, one of Holmes' public defenders.

"No," Beggs replied.

The last witness of the morning was Aurora Detective Tom Welton. Part of his assignment in the investigation was to verify Holmes had created profiles on relationship-seeking sites Match.com and AdultFriendFinder.com.

Welton said the defendant had used his own credit card and computer to start his Match.com account on April 19, 2012. He created the AdultFriendFinder profile on July 5.

The detective testified that, at one time or another, Holmes used the words "Will you visit me in prison?" as a status/headline on the sites.

Holmes last visited both dating sites on July 18, two days before the early-morning massacre at the movie theater.

[Updated 1:19 p.m. ET/11:19 MT]

CENTENNIAL, Colo.— A federal agent testified today that James Holmes, who is charged in the Aurora, Colo., theater massacre, had booby-trapped his apartment and intended it as a distraction while he went on a shooting rampage at the theater.

FBI bomb tech Garrett Gumbinner testified that Holmes used improvised napalm, homemade thermite, gasoline, smokeless gun powder, rifle bullets and a host of wiring and electronics to rig more than a dozen explosives and incendiary devices.

Holmes told the agent that he hoped to draw his neighbors and police to the elaborate system by setting up music to be played loudly from his home computer or a boom box he placed near a Dumpster outside his apartment.

Above the boom box was a remote toy car and what looked like a remote control. Instead, it was controller used in fireworks shows, and would have sparked an explosive inside the apartment.

Meanwhile, fishing line was tied to the apartment door for someone to set off the explosives as well.

The testimony came during the second day of a preliminary hearing to determine if Holmes should stand trial for the shooting deaths of 12 people and the numerous other people he is charged with wounding in the attack.

Prosecutors also played the audio of two 911 calls during the morning court session.

During one call, 30 loud gunshots can be heard during a 27-second call from inside the Aurora movie theater during the rampage. That 911 call, made by moviegoer Kevin Quinonez, was replayed in open court and caused survivors and victims’ family members in attendance to hide their faces and wipe tears with tissues.

A second call played for the court was from a 13-year-old girl, whose aunt and cousin was shot. On that 4-minute call, a 911 operator tried repeatedly tried to instruct the teen how to perform CPR on one of her cousins who had not yet died.

“I can’t hear you” the girl says on the 911 tape. “I’m sorry.”

[Updated at 9 a.m. ET/7 a.m. MT]

CENTENNIAL, Colo.—Day two of James Holmes’ preliminary hearing on mass murder charges could offer more clues to whether prosecutors and defense attorneys are prepping for a possible insanity defense.

At times on Monday, through video, police testimony and the reciting of witness statements, both sides seemed to try to frame Holmes’ state of mind before, during and immediately after 12 people were killed and 58 injured in the movie theater rampage in Aurora, Colo., on July 20, 2012.
Sketch of James Holmes being led into court on Monday. (REUTERS/Bill Robles)

Century 16 security cameras showed a nonchalant Holmes holding the door for others as he entered the movie theater shortly after midnight. He used his cellphone to print his ticket to the premier of "The Dark Knight Rises.” He dawdled near a concession stand for several minutes before entering Theater 9, where the shootings took place.

Investigators say Holmes went out a side fire exit close to where his car was parked behind the complex. He then donned police-like tactical gear and got his guns before re-entering the side door about 20 minutes into the film.

Arresting Officer Jason Oviatt was the hearing’s first witness.

“He seemed very detached from it all,” Oviatt testified, adding that his notes from that night state that Holmes "simply stared off into the distance" and "seemed to be out of it and disoriented.”

But a second officer testified that Holmes smiled when he asked him about accomplices.

“It was like a smirk,” Officer Justin Grizzle testified.

Detective Matthew Ingui said a witness told him that the gunman was "very calm and moving with purpose."

Late in the day, defense attorney Daniel King engaged the Arapahoe County coroner in a discussion about the definition of a homicide.