Links to five reports, one including a map: from the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, and Reuters, and to commentary from Consortium News and Middle East Eye; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Thousands flee as Syrian insurgents advance to the doorstep of the country’s 3rd largest city, Homs, by Bassem Mroue | AP  BEIRUT — Thousands of people fled the central Syrian city of Homs, the country’s third largest, as insurgents seized two towns on the outskirts Friday, positioning themselves for an assault on a potentially major prize in their march against President Bashar Assad. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report and map from Middle East Eye.

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Turkey’s Erdogan backs rebel offensive in Syria, by Ragip Soylu | Middle East Eye  ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared to back a rebel offensive in Syria that has captured several major cities within a week, as indicated by a statement he made today. READ MORE . . . 

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War-weary Iraq eyes Syria intervention as rebels advance, by Timour Azhari | Reuters  BEIRUT — Iraqi Shi’ite Muslim ruling parties and armed groups are weighing the pros and cons of armed intervention in Syria, viewing as a grave threat the advance of Sunni Islamist rebels who have taken two Syrian cities and now bear down on a third. READ MORE . . .

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Inside the Ravi factions’ decision to keep out of Syria, by Suadad al-Salhy | Middle East Eye  Iraq’s Shia forces, including major Iranian-affiliated armed factions, have unanimously decided not to send fighters to Syria to defend Bashar al-Assad from the rebel advance, according to some officials and commanders. Last week . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 2  Neocons try again in Syria, by Ray McGovern | Special to Consortium News  On the neocon list of ways to make the world safer for Israel, Iran originally occupied pride of place. “Real men go to Tehran!” was the muscular brag. But . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 4  How the Syria crisis could reshape the Middle East, by David Hearst | Middle East Eye  It is generally a mistake to read one conflict through the prism of another, even though they might share the same actors. The Syrian rebel offensive took almost everyone by surprise. Rebel groups that had for years been bitter rivals . . . READ MORE . . .