While the military has not publicly set a date for any major operation in the area, U.N.officials say some 80,000 civilians have fled the region in anticipation of a new offensive.

VOA: standard.2009.10.03

Two years ago, the chief executive of Comverse Technology fled the United States for Israel and then for Namibia, escaping charges that he participated in a scheme to back-date options at the Long Island, N.

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To date, the administration has resisted a prominent U.N. role in the political transition, although it has not flatly ruled out such cooperation.

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The U.N. plans to send 250 monitors at a later date, which would have to be approved by a second Security Council resolution as well as the Syrian government.

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