We will go to the syriaturkish border to speak with Doctors Without Borders and talk to Foreign CorrespondentPatrick Cockburn. His latest piece is headlined, starving in syria the biggest emergency in the u. N. s history. Then the American Studies Association, an organization of close to 5000 professors, votes to to want to boycott israeli universities. We will host a debate. All of that and more coming up. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Up to 500 people have been killed and 800 wounded in fighting between rival soldiers in south sudan. The violence followed with the south Sudanese Government called a foiled coup attempt against president salva kiir. Thousands of people have taken touge in u. N. Facilities escape the fighting. Six u. S. Troops have died in an air craft hash aircraft crash in afghanistan. It was the deadliest incident for American Forces in afghanistan this year. The military says the crash was an accident, but the taliban said it carried out an attack. The senate, Intelligence Committee has asked the cia to hand over an internal study said to be highly critical of its own program of secret detentions and torture. The study is said to echo the findings of the Intelligence Committees report, which has yet to be declassified but reportedly documents extensive abuses and a coverup by cia officials to congress. The study is also said to contradict the agencys own formal response to the senate report. Tuesday, Senate Democrat democratic senator mark udall of colorado said the ca plus withheld study edward stone has published an open letter offering to help the brazilian government investigate nsa surveillance. His leaks revealed the nsa spied on the personal communications of brazilian president Dilma Rousseff as well as on brazils staterun oil company, petrobras. In his letter, snowden said he needs political asylum in order to assist countries like brazil targeted by nsa spying, writing brazilian Officials Say they have no plans to grant snowdens request. At the white house, press secretary jay carney rejected snowdens call for asylum abroad. As i said earlier, has not changed. Ought toe mr. Snowden be returned to, ought to return to the United States where he faces charges for leaking classified information, and where he will receive full due process and protections. The broader issues with regards inbrazil and other nations the disclosures are ones that we discussed directly with those nations through diplomatic channels and with our brazilian counterparts, and that will continue. When it comes to mr. Snowden, our views have not changed. The chair of the house Intelligence Committee appeared before the European Parliament on tuesday to warn against pending testimony by snowden. U. S. Opposes the eus invitation for stone to answer questions about nsa spying on their countries. We have had very direct dialogue with our colleagues and compatriots in the European Union. I personally do not believe it rises to the dignity of this body to have someone who is wanted for a crime in the United States for stealing information that has jeopardized the lives of u. S. Soldiers in afghanistan and other places around the world. I do believe this would have a reaction in the United States that would not be helpful to a constructive dialogue as we continue to work out our differences. Edward snowden is that answer questions from european lawmakers by video next month. President obama held talks of the white house on tuesday with executives from top u. S. Tech firms, including apple, twitter, google, and facebook will stop the meeting comes days after the tech firms join together to call for tougher controls over u. S. Government surveillance. In a statement, the company said they urged obama to move aggressively on reform. Ukraine has secured a 15 billion bailout from russia amidst an economic crisis and political unrest. The ukrainian president has faced weeks of protest for a decision to reject closer integration with the European Union in favor of strengthening russian ties. He says the russian duo offers better terms because of the tough Economic Reforms that would have come with the eu. On tuesday, tens of thousands of people rallied to oppose the pact with russia. A gunman opened fire at a reno, nevada medical building on tuesday, killing one person and injuring two others before taking his own life. The attack came four days after a student gunman critically wounded a classmate in a committed suicide at a high school in colorado. Between thepened up u. S. And india over the alleged mistreatment of an indian diplomat. Indias deputy consul general in new york was arrested last week on charges of underpaying her domestic helper and committing visa fraud to win her entry into the country. The diplomat said she was handcuffed, cavity searched, and kept in a cell with drug Addicted Prisoners despite asserting her right to diplomatic immunity. Indian parliament through Affairs Minister kamal nath demanded an apology. In needs to come out of the [indiscernible] states along with all the states must recognize every country has dignity and cannot be dealt with in this manner. [indiscernible] until they give an unconditional apology. In response, Indian Officials have removed security barriers in front of the new in front of the u. S. Embassy in new delhi. A group of indian politicians also refused to meet with a delegation of visiting u. S. Lawmakers. And washington, the state department of the spokeswoman said the u. S. Expects india to protect its embassy. We have conveyed our expectations is india will continue to fulfill its obligations under the convention consular relations. The safety and security of our people as a top 40. The washington, d. C. City council has approved one of the nations largest minimum wage rates for 2016. He would rise in two years from 8. 25 an hour to 11. 50 an hour. The measure was approved unanimously, meaning it could withstand a veto from the mayor. Mayor vincent gray vetoed a living wage requirement Large Retail Stores earlier this year. A senior navy investigator has pleaded guilty to bribery charges as part of widening Corruption Case involving top officers and a longtime pentagon contractor. John beliveau is the first of six senior officials to be linked to wrongdoing by the firm glenn Defense Marine asia. The companys executive, Leonard Glenn francis, is accused of bribing Navy Officials with money, gives, and sex workers to win government contracts. When Defense Marine asia has won hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to oversee port visits and security during navy stops of foreign harbors. John beliveau faces up to 20 was imprisoned. Chrisrsey governor christie is facing a controversy over whether his appointees deliberately caused traffic delays to exact political revenge. Democrats say lanes on the new jersey side of the George Washington bridge were reduced in september to punish the mayor of fort lee for declining to endorse Chris Christies bid for reelection. Just one lane was operational over a fourday period, causing massive traffic jams. To christie appointees, one of them high school friend, have resigned since the scandal broke. One of them has claimed the lanes were closed to conduct a traffic study, but it appears no study took place. And the critic senator Jay Rockefeller has asked the department of transportation to investigate. Senator jayitic rockefeller has asked the department of transportation to investigate. 16 people have been arrested in oregon after blocking a shipment of equipment bound for the alberta tar sands. The protesters locked themselves to two vehicles in front of the trucks root. Organizers say the action marked the sixth against tar sand shipment in the Pacific Northwest in just over two weeks. Archdiocese of philadelphia has placed five more priests only than the continued fallout from allegations of child sex abuse. One of the priests, michael chapman, was found to have terri that molestation while the others were sent said to have violated undisclosed enters the behavior and boundaries. A former top ranking clergyman of the Roman Catholic church in pennsylvania was convicted last year covering up child sex abuse by philadelphia priests. Magazine thes advocate has named pope francis its person of the year. The magazine cited the popes more inclusive stance on lgbt rights than previous pontiffs. Gay priests, pope francis has said, who am i to judge . He is also said god looks upon gay people with love and respect. The applicant writes pope francis is still not pro gay by todays standard, but what francis does say but lgbt people as already cause reflection and consternation within his church. Time magazine named pope francis its person of the year last week. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with nermeen shaikh. Welcome to all our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. Now to the latest in syria. Doctors without borders is reporting more than 100 people have been killed since the syrian Army Helicopters began attacking the rubble held city of aleppo four days ago. The dead include at least 28 children. The u n secretarygeneral has said the situation in syria has deteriorated beyond all imagination. He insisted that both sides stop fighting before attending a proposed conference to find a political solution to the conflict in january. The humanitarian situation continues to worsen. We have started distributing aid to help people cope with the harsh conditions that are taking hold. We must also overcome the severe and chronic underfunding of the relief efforts. Appear for syria launch today geneva is the biggest of the united nations. Meet needsn to inside syria and to help the more than 2 Million People who have fled the country. I call for generous support, including at the present conference i will convene ungenerous 15 in kuwait. Generalhuman secretary speaking on monday. Head of the human Refugee Agency has described syria as the most dangerous crisis for global peace and security since the Second World War era cope meanwhile, the Reuters News Agency is reporting western nations have indicated to the Syrian Opposition that peace talks next month they not lead to the removal of president Bashar Alassad and that his minority will remain key in any transitional administration. Clocks one Senior Member of the steering National Coalition told reuters the United States recently suspended aid to rubble groups after six Opposition Groups came together last month to form the islamic front which a seeks to establish an Islamic State in syria. E go now to Patrick Cockburn his latest piece is headlined, starving in syria the biggest emergency in the u. N. s history. He returned earlier this month from iraq. Patrick, welcome back to democracy now talk about this crisis in syria, what you found and what is generating, the latest developments. Well, it has been getting worse and worse for the last three years and now there are six many people who have been displaced, 2 million out of the 2 million are out of the country. People just getting by before are not getting by now. When you walk around damascus, i keep running into people who just have nowhere to go. Sleeping in parks, buildings are clouded with crowded with refugees. If youre in government held areas, you can get cheap rent. But if youre not, people are living in starvation. Theyre also being bombed. The Government House he seems to depopulate areas they dont hold. Government policy seems to depopulate areas they dont hold. Freezing toiterally death. Patrick, we want to go for a moment to the border between turkey and syria to aitor zabalgogeazkoa, court later for Doctors Without Borders. Just in aleppo last week. Can you describe the situation in aleppo . Hello . Can you describe the situation i know we dont have a great phone line. Can you describe the situation you just came from . [indiscernible] this was by far the worst times in aleppo for the last few years. [indiscernible] 163 dead, 958 wounded and 244 of them were children. , can youzabalgogeazkoa talk of the shortage and medical supplies not just in aleppo, but throughout the country, and especially the difficulties faced by people the millions of People Living in rubbleheld rebel held areas . The supplies that should the area [indiscernible] [indiscernible] aitor zabalgogeazkoa, your organization Doctors Without Borders, has rented the governments involved, demanding an end to the Syrian Government control of age since it limits or bans assistance to opposition areas, particularly medical supplies. Can you talk more about that . Im asking folks to bear with us since the line is so bad. Is right onogeazkoa the syrianturkey border and we felt it was critical to get this perspective with you just out of aleppo. Sorry, are you asking [indiscernible] basically, everything. [indiscernible] they cannot be treated. To regularo Access Medical services. Thank you for being with us. We are sorry the phone line is so bad, but the situation is so difficult. Aitor zabalgogeazkoa is the coordinator for Doctors Without Borders in syria, talking to us from the turkeysyria border. He has just come out of aleppo. We also speaking with Patrick Cockburn who is in london right now, middle east correspondent for the independent. If you could take it from there, patrick, and described i mean, we are talking about the biggest emergency in the u. N. s history, the crisis since the world war ii as the u. N. Is describing up. Do you see this as a proxy war, and between what countries and for what, patrick . It is clearly a proxy war. This may have started off as a Popular Uprising in syria, but by now, it has four or five different conflicts wrapped into one. You have an opposition, but an opposition which is fragmented ,nd really proxies for foreign notably foreign powers. What has changed recently since midsummer is the saudi arabia is becoming the main financier for the rubble military groups inside syria. Guitarist playing a lesser role. R is playing a lesser role. A sunni force. Op a suz even so, this is very much a sectarian force which is already being blamed for sectarian andcks on the Christians Jews and alla whites. You also have the United States and britain and france. A recent defector from the Free Syrian Army. Who joined the Al Qaeda AffiliatedIslamic State of iraq said he was continually attending meetings. He didnt say where, probably in turkey, in which always representatives of Foreign Intelligence Services turned up. One woman, lobbing presided over by the saudi Deputy Defense minister. Patrick cockburn, could you explain what exactly happened to the syrian National Coalition and the Free Syrian Army, the main Opposition Group that the u. S. And britain and other countries in the west were backing and hoping would be a legitimate replacement possibly in the future to the alassad regime . Element was always an of pretense and this, pretending the Free Syrian Army and the steering National Coalition were represented syrians inside the country. It was very much an outside exile development. Theyve never really controlled much on the ground. What they did control is now very little. Their headquarters was overrun by the islamic front, which is a ,ombination of sunni groups appears to be backed by saudi arabia. So basically it has been a disaster. So the socalled moderate elements never had much influence inside syria and now seem to be sort of honest completely marginalized. And the significance of going over into turkey from the who idlib is, and his role . Well, he is the general from to watch i used them and wonder how he had so much time to appear on cnn and so many other programs. It did not leave much time to direct but terry action. It did reflect the fact he was very much a figure who was useful for restroom governments in western media to promote