[Al Ahram] Syrian rebels fired mortars at Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
Trampler of Homs...
's palace in Damascus
...Capital of the last overtly fascist regime in the world...
on Wednesday but missed, in an attack underlining the growing boldness of forces fighting to end his family's 42 years in power.
As violence flared in other parts of the country, Turkey said it was about to ask NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A single organization with differing goals, equipment, language, doctrine, and organization....
to station Patriot missiles along its border with Syria to guard against violence spilling onto its territory.
Syria's war, which has already destabilised neighbouring Leb and raised the spectre of wider Middle East turbulence, poses one of the greatest foreign policy challenges for U.S. President Barack Obama
If you have a small business, you didn't build that...
as he starts his second term.
Damascus residents told Rooters heavy-calibre shells apparently aimed at the palace hit the nearby residential Mezze 86 district that is home to members of Assad's Alawite sect. State-run media said at least three people were killed and seven maimed in what it described as a terrorist attack.
"Ambulances are heading to the area and the shabbiha (pro-Assad militiamen) are firing automatic rifles madly in the air," said a housewife who asked not to be named.