Another Indication That Richard Engel's Kidnapping Story Stinks
Richard Engel of NBC News had been kidnapped in Syria and was somehow rescued by some FSA terrorist gang. He claims about his kidnappers:"They were talking openly about their loyalty to the government," said Engel.Professor As'ad AbuKhalil, the Angry Arab, has reason to not believe that story and has indications that these were not Assad loyalists but FSA insurgents playing the role of Assad loyalists for a fake media stunt."This was … the Shabiha. This is a government militia. These are people who are loyal to President Bashar Assad."
There is now new evidence that this was indeed a fake event and that, whatever Richard Engel may believe, he and the people with him (which included one ever unnamed "British engineer" who is more likely some special operations guy) were not in the hands of Shabiha but in the hand of well known experienced video fakers.
Early this year we have looked at the roles of citizen journalists from Syria. One was Khaled Abu Salah who faked and uploaded many videos of Syrian government atrocities, one day playing nearly dead while playing very well and enraged just few days later. The other fake journalist was one "Danny" who presented his fake videos with Anderson Cooper on CNN.
Khaled Abu Salah "seriously wounded" on February 6
Khaled Abu Salah "enraged" about an "Assad blown up pipeline" on February 16
Months after we did, the British Channel 4 and the Daily Beast picked up and reported about these fake journalists and their fake videos.Both of these fake journalists who produced fake videos of alleged atrocities seemed to be sponsored and/or trained by Avaaz, a somewhat mysterious para-government organization (PGO). Both citizen journalists were involved with Avaaz smuggling "western" reporters into Syria. At one time Khaled Abu Salah was in a video with the "wounded" western journalist Edith Bouviers who Avaaz had smuggled into and later out of Syria.
These guys have already shown that they are willing to blow up pipelines only to explain that "the Syrian government did it". They have used explosives to make videos of how "Assad bombs the people". They put bandages on a little healthy kid to show how on AlJazeerah how "Assad wounds the children". The purpose of these fakes was to influence "western" media coverage of the war on Syria. What else are they willing to fake for that purpose?
Now here is a video, uploaded yesterday, in which the fake citizen journalist Khaled Abu Salah interviews the just freed Richard Engel the evening before Engel returns from Syria to Turkey.
How come that this known serial producer of fake videos is involved in a murky kidnapping case that looks like a propaganda set up for "western" media consumption?
Further:
- Who smuggled Richard Engel into Syria? Was it Avaaz?
- Did "Danny" and Khaled Abu Salah knew that he was coming?
- Did they prepare the kidnapping and the liberation of Richard Engel?
Some of the answers may be found if Richard Engel explains how he came to meet Khaled Abu Salah for this interview. Engel should urgently answer that question.
Posted by b on December 19, 2012 at 13:17 UTC | Permalink
israeli journalists free to walk about jihadi camps
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=419372148135827
so jihadis(from all over muslim world) have no interest in the palesintian people
Posted by: brian | Dec 19 2012 13:46 utc | 2
Syriaonline shared Syrian Truth | الحقيقة السورية's photo.
14 hours ago
Israeli Channel 2 reporter Etay Engel was welcomed into Idlib, in the north of Syria, by armed groups opposed to the Syrian government.
The reporter was given tours around the armed groups' bases in the area, aswell as interviews with various members, including a commander who wished former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was fighting alongside them against the Arab Syrian Army.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=510449032308494&set=a.279553445398055.69041.279535285399871&type=1&theater
Posted by: brian | Dec 19 2012 13:47 utc | 3
The British citizen is Ian Rivers. His "safe" video is here, he says he walked through the night.
Posted by: somebody | Dec 19 2012 13:58 utc | 4
Richard Engel is another one of the pretty people that NBC employ on their news magazine shows, all drama but without any facts on which anyone could could come to a proper conclusion, allowing the ill informed to swallow the propaganda. the last time I didn't switch off when engel popped up on screen was the drought in Somalia and he launched into a potted history of Somalia which totally neglected to mention the US backed Ethiopian invasion as a cause for the rise of Al Shebab.
Posted by: heath | Dec 19 2012 14:41 utc | 5
beleive it or not, there are worse. Ann Curry doesn't even bother with finding a story, she resorts to merely wallowing the misery of others.
Posted by: heath | Dec 19 2012 14:44 utc | 6
Is Danny back? He was fun. This Khaled Abu Saleh dude is the Anderson Cooper of Arabia.
Posted by: dh | Dec 19 2012 14:48 utc | 7
Pity. I thought Khaled Abu Saleh was dead.
Engel is in on it, or he's another gullible simpleton. I can't decide which.
Posted by: Pat Bateman | Dec 19 2012 14:50 utc | 8
I think Danny bit the dust in Homs. I cant remember which videos are fake or authentic. This is all too weird.
Posted by: Hilmi Hakim | Dec 19 2012 15:06 utc | 9
This charade meant to make Al Queida affiliated military groups acceptable to Western audiences and make the Shiites the bad guys.
I trust Angry Arab that Richard Engel's Arabic is really good. I know it is good just watching him change his body language.
I do not see how he cannot know what he is doing.
Posted by: somebody | Dec 19 2012 16:36 utc | 11
I think the recent school shooting has entirely buried this story in North America - especially when no American citizens were harmed in the production of this "story".
See if there's any sign of this in tomorrow's papers (perhaps only some gratuitous self promoting). The whole thing is a big propaganda flop.
Still, well done, ...good seeing them busted.
Posted by: nobodee | Dec 19 2012 17:06 utc | 12
"Fabricating the truth" is nothing new, every totalitarian society have done that, it is their modus operandi, since WWI and The Tavistock Institute inception.
It is done in Vietnam with "body counts", and the most flagrant is Iraq.
CNN Fake Newscast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTWY14eyMFg
In "On the Nature of Totalitarianism," Hannah Arendt writes,
If Western philosophy has maintained that reality is truth—for this is of course the ontological basis of the adequatio rei et intellectus—then totalitarianism has concluded from this that we can fabricate truth insofar as we can fabricate reality: that we do not have to wait until reality unveils itself and shows us its true face, but we can bring into being a reality whose structure will be known to us from the beginning because the whole thing is our product.
In another 1945 essay, "The Seeds of a Fascist International":
It was always a too little noted hallmark of fascist propaganda that it was not satisfied with lying but deliberately proposed to transform its lies into reality.... For such a fabrication of a lying reality no one was prepared. The essential characteristic of fascist propaganda was never its lies, for this is something more or less common to propaganda everywhere and of every time. The essential thing was that they exploited the age-old Occidental prejudice which confuses reality with truth, and made that "true" which until then could only be stated as a lie.
But that there is something new in this era she noticed:
One can say that to some extent fascism has added a new variation to the old art of lying - the most devilish variation - that of lying the truth.
She call it of a "Lying World Order". It has been and stayed state-sanctioned, it is colonial policy driven with racist undertone.
The White Man's - Western - propaganda is in full swing, you can read that Assad 's days are outnumbered although I do not see sign of it. "Fascist International" - NATO is using all available means to topple Syrian Government, they are surprised with resilience that Damascus has showed. Whether there are desperate of not is difficult to say, one thing is for certain Syrian people is the biggest looser in this game of power.
ex-CNN's Ashleigh Banfield if fired after return from Iraq and speaking the truth, Hellen Thomas as well. They do not mix reality with the truth.
Richard Engel will be promoted, he is an assets, just like Chris Amanpour still is, and many others.
Intended targets? They are both domestically and overseas to be "bamboozled". And modern consumers who are stupefied with iPhone, Facebook and video games.
Posted by: neretva'43 | Dec 19 2012 17:13 utc | 13
Syria: Religious Police Patrol Aleppo’s Countryside
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/syria-religious-police-patrol-aleppo%E2%80%99s-countryside
Posted by: nikon | Dec 19 2012 17:47 utc | 14
unbelievable, the guy is just everywhere. you'd think these spinners would get he's already been outed and put someone else in charge of interviewing engel under these circumstances.
Posted by: annie | Dec 19 2012 18:30 utc | 15
Thank you for exposing this story. I saw something on it earlier this morning and it just didn't sound right to me. Too many news agencies and blogs accept anything that the U.S. military tells them, so I'm happy and thankful that this place exists.
Posted by: Kanzanian | Dec 19 2012 19:01 utc | 16
Here Richard Engel recounts his fantastic experience on the 'Today' show. (scroll down)
Victoria Nuland at State, yesterday, implied that the US had a roll in this unbelievable experience.
MS. NULAND: Well, we were made aware by the network. We did what we could. I think for privacy reasons, I’m not going to go into any further details. We are providing full consular services now to him and his colleagues in Turkey. . .Well, let me put it this way. We were asked to do what we could to try to ascertain where he might be, who was holding him, do what we could to facilitate release. Without getting into details, we did try to do what we could in that regard. . . We were in contact with various forces inside Syria.
I've always been suspenseful of Wired and Spencer Ackerman, and this BS proves that.
Islamic Extremists Rescue NBC Reporter Held in Syria
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/12/richard-engel/
Posted by: neretva'43. | Dec 19 2012 19:38 utc | 19
Fucking AVAAZ again, why am I not surprised.
Is anyone else even touching this story?
Posted by: L Bean | Dec 19 2012 19:39 utc | 20
NBC Chief Foreign Correspondent Engel: "While we're obviously very happy, there are people who are still not at liberty to do this kind of thing. There are still hostages and there are still people who don't have their freedom inside Syria and we wish them well."
Nothing has changed.
Dan Rather, an iconic US journalist: "Look I'm an American. I never tried to kid anybody that I'm some internationalist or something. And when my country is at war, I want my country to win, whatever the definition of 'win' might be. Now, I can't and don't argue that that is coverage without prejudice. About that I am prejudiced." So Dan brought us through the criminal war against Vietnam and the Nixon presidency. -- from Norman Solomon's "War Made Easy" -- How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death.
"Islamic Extremists Rescue NBC Reporter Held in Syria"
I do not see anything wrong with them. 30 min. from Turkish border.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0WEvPb47eA
Funny explanations:
The graffiti on the right wall has a Shia slogan. It says "There is no chivalrous man except 'Ali [a figure revered in Shiaism], and there is no sword except Dhu l-Fiqar ['Ali's mythical sword]."
Graffiti on the left wall is a well-known pro-Assad slogan, and reads: "Assad, or we burn the whole country!"
Posted by: neretva'43. | Dec 19 2012 20:28 utc | 22
'"Islamic Extremists Rescue NBC Reporter Held in Syria"'
this still sounds bizarre....islamic extremists are not in the rescue business
Posted by: brian | Dec 19 2012 22:09 utc | 23
Perhaps that new Coalition is behind this staged kidnapping. "See, those extremists aren't so bad." There are so many players now, so many variables, so many motivations, and so much money, that anything is possible.
Speaking of money, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) gave $650,000 to Syrian groups this year, with $500,000 of it going to the International Republican Institute (IRI). Go to the IRI website and they mention other Middle East countries receiving money, but no entry for Syria.
This is US taxpayer money without a trail and without accountability, no doubt going to organizations like Barada TV, AVAAZ and Ugarit News, and to individuals like Khaled Abu Saleh.
On a positive note no one really cares what happened to the NBC drongos. They've heard it all before and at least one Joe Citizen commented to me "How is it pro-Allawi militia getting about FSA territory so easily and how come the journos didn't get shot at the FSA roadblock?
The plot for this fantasy has been lifted straight from that direly improbable 'Homeland' soap opera which even mainstream TV critics have begun intimating "suffers from comic book realism".
Posted by: Debs is dead | Dec 19 2012 23:24 utc | 25
@Debs
Exactly the two questions I had. FSA territory featuring an Allawi roadblock! And look, I didn't get shot and my clothes look like they just came from the cleaners!
I was also taken by the sight, in the "today" video, of the two other guys bobbing their heads as Engel went through the concocted narrative.
Time to uproot Azzam al-Amriki to get to the core of this.
Posted by: Daniel Rich | Dec 20 2012 1:00 utc | 28
@ Don Bacon [#21],
Dan also proclaimed [while standing @ ground zero in Hiroshima] that the Japanese population was glad we dropped the two [2] A bombs...
Posted by: Daniel Rich | Dec 20 2012 1:10 utc | 29
mention of religous police; as well as some embarrassed denials by the FSA supporters:
Syria: Religious Police Patrol Aleppo’s Countryside
A Syrian man paints stripes on a side walk the northern Aleppo province, on 16 December 2012. (Photo: AFP - Prashant Rao)
By: Basel Dayoub
Published Wednesday, December 19, 2012
The Syrian opposition groups that have taken control of Aleppo’s countryside are deploying a religious police force to enforce new laws, such as barring women from driving and making prayer compulsory.
Aleppo – The battle for Aleppo does not get the kind of media attention it did during the early days of the opposition’s offensive to take the city. Neither the regime nor the opposition has been able to make much headway in the past several months.
Residents of the embattled city, whose main concerns revolve around security and survival, were shocked to hear that opposition groups who control the Aleppan countryside are deploying a vice-and-virtue police to enforce a deeply conservative interpretation of Islamic law.
The opposition insists that the new force is the revolution’s version of a civilian police squad, whose primary purpose is to fight crime, particularly those committed by undisciplined members of the armed factions. In fact, there are those who support its creation for this very reason.
One local resident, for example, argued that “there were a number of transgressions committed by some Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters, and this police force will punish those involved – their door is open to whoever wants to lodge a complaint. We shouldn’t judge them before we’ve tried them.”
Then, rumors began to circulate that such a formation was patrolling the streets of the town of al-Bab in Aleppo’s countryside and herding people into mosques during prayer time and preventing women from driving cars. The opposition quickly denied the news.
They insisted that the picture of a religious police officer circulating on the Internet was taken in Saudi Arabia and attributed to the opposition to tarnish its reputation. Regime loyalists responded by taking several pictures of the office from different angles to establish its location.
Then, rumors began to circulate that such a formation was herding people into mosques during prayer time and preventing women from driving cars.The following day, the so-called Revolutionary Military Council in Aleppo issued a statement banning women from driving. The group also released several video clips showing men of various Arab nationalities patrolling the streets and forcing people to pray.
Another video posted on YouTube by opposition activists shows a prominent member of the Saudi virtue police, Abdallah al-Hattel, in a pickup truck in the suburbs of Aleppo calling on people to attend to their prayers.
These developments sparked the anger of many of Aleppo’s women. “This revolution for freedom is driving us further into the arms of the Syrian army and the regime’s approach to social and individual freedoms,” Mais al-Omar declared.
“What we lacked were political freedoms,” she continued, “but instead they decided to take away our social and individual freedoms. All the masks have now fallen and we can see their true nature and the extremist ideas they advocate.” [what foolish people were misled by the FSA]
Secular opposition activists were shocked by the news, with some suggesting that the whole affair was fabricated by the regime.
One activist told Al-Akhbar that if the reports are true, then “it is a crime against the Syrian woman who has been flying planes for many years now and has entered many fields that were once exclusively male, like joining the army and becoming judges.”
Others in the opposition camp belittled the importance of such a development, saying that the decision to form the police force “was taken by an unelected group that does not represent the Syrian revolution, which is seeking to take advantage of the chaos caused by the stubborn regime.”
Another regime opponent, Safa Maarawi, condemned the religious police, but nevertheless blamed the regime for “repressing the secularists and building thousands of mosques. Its first response to the revolution was to throw secularists in jail, thus opening the way for the Islamists, which it then exploited to scare people.”
There were, however, opposition voices who openly supported the virtue-and-vice squad, arguing that “it is part-and-parcel of the freedom revolution, which means that the conservative Muslim majority has the right to impose its views on society, as long as it is the majority.”
The university student, who said he was forced to take up arms to defend peaceful protesters, conceded that “Syrian society will find it difficult at first, as was the case with our Saudi brothers a century ago, but they will eventually discover that their purpose is to apply Islam and justice.”
FSA supporter Salem, for his part, maintained that “the regime’s media is blowing the matter out of proportion, for it is a secondary and minor development compared to the much larger civil and peaceful revolutionary movement,” pointing out that no one should be disturbed by members of this police force, for “they suffered terribly at the hands of the regime and are known for their high religious values.”
Samer Othman also defended the creation of such a force, noting that their primary role is “to pursue criminals, thieves, and those who drink alcohol – the focus on preventing women from driving is merely to cover up all these positive aspects.”
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/syria-religious-police-patrol-aleppo%E2%80%99s-countryside
Posted by: brian | Dec 20 2012 3:11 utc | 30
Wasn't this guy also injured by the bombing of syrian national security HQ?
http://www.presstv.com/detail/2012/12/20/279084/syrian-minister-injured-in-bombing/
Posted by: nikon | Dec 20 2012 3:57 utc | 31
$ 700,000 demanded for Russians kidnapped in Syria
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_12_20/700-000-demanded-for-Russians-kidnapped-in-Syria/
"The kidnappers of two Russians and an Italian citizen in Syria are demanding more than $ 700,000 dollars for their release.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry informed that the kidnappers were demanding a ransom, but did not specify the amount.
It is reported that engineers of Hmisho Steel Company were seized by rebels belonging to one of the opposition Syrian factions.
"A diplomatic source in Moscow said that the mentioned sum was around 50 million Syrian pounds."
Only 700k, a low amount. Sounds like they are serious about getting the money, as opposed to doing it only to spread terror.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 20 2012 4:57 utc | 32
Russians in Syria are ‘legitimate targets’ - key opposition group member
http://rt.com/news/syria-opposition-russian-target-424/
"Russians are legitimate targets for military attacks in Syria, a member of the Syria’s National Opposition Coalition said. The Coalition is recognized by the US and a number of its allies as the only legitimate representative of the Syrian people."
That is essentially Israel-America announcing they will kill Russians in Syria, as the terrorist making that announcement are their toys.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 20 2012 5:02 utc | 33
english subtutles: tunisian tells truth of jihad on syria http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7GHrJdZY3I&feature=youtu.be … … must view
Posted by: brian | Dec 20 2012 13:30 utc | 34
They more than only fill up the media with propaganda, the fascist indoctrination starts in school in America:
Moulding Young Minds: US Public Schools Preaching the Virtues of War On Iran
http://21stcenturywire.com/2012/12/18/us-public-school-is-preaching-the-virtues-of-a-war-on-iran/
Listen to the video. Sick.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 20 2012 16:21 utc | 35
@ 33, thanks for the video. At least one guy meant for cannon fodder, has seen the light. Poor folks, fucking over other poor folks, for the benefit of rich folks. Don't ya just love it when a plan comes together?
Posted by: ben | Dec 20 2012 16:25 utc | 36
Syria: Religious Police Patrol Aleppo’s Countryside
The Syrian opposition groups that have taken control of Aleppo’s countryside are deploying a religious police force to enforce new laws, such as barring women from driving and making prayer compulsory.
...
It could be true or a very good hoax by Richard Engel and NBC ; Richard Engel makes a fine actor....!
Posted by: Carmen D Rivera | Dec 20 2012 18:28 utc | 38
Angry Arab's LOL followup on Engel: "I received a message from a Western journalist in Syria. He tells me that the Free Syrian Army now admits that Mr. Engel was indeed kidnapped by a Sunni armed group but that the hostages were later sold to a Shi`ite armed group. I am not making this up."
A new post by Alex Thomson. He just talked with Syrian Army frontline troops. Very interesting and confirming: An insight into Syria’s frontline
Is anyone else here tired of the western meme "they kill their own people?"
Just the same old tired propaganda rolled out whenever it's time to destroy someone else's country--and naturally, kill their people.
Posted by: RC | Dec 20 2012 19:28 utc | 41
40, sure, that new crime "killing your own people" was invented to suggest that "killing other people" was ok.
Posted by: somebody | Dec 20 2012 19:41 utc | 42
Thousands of Palestinians return to Damascus refugee camp
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/thousands-palestinians-return-damascus-refugee-camp
looks like insurgents have been defeated
Posted by: nikon | Dec 20 2012 20:21 utc | 43
Do not think so Nikon, as in other areas "defeat" necessitates the leveling of the whole area.
You can watch in anna-news.info (use google translate).
I think this here caused the backers of the FSA to retreat.
Posted by: somebody | Dec 20 2012 21:01 utc | 44
I mentioned the US influence of NGOs NED and NRI in my #24 above, and now I see that Russia is concerned about two NGOs funded by National Endowment for Democracy (NED), with money from State/USAID, the National Democratic Institute (NDI)and the International Republican Institute (IRI), meddling in its domestic affairs.As Ron Paul has said, the US would never allow this sort of behavior in USA.
re somebody 43
Your link wasn't worth very much, and doesn't tell us about how the Palestinians in Yarmouk reacted to the opposition infiltration. I can't say otherwise for the opposition attack on Yarmouk, as 'infiltration' is the standard tactic today for the opposition. Put in a few snipers, and claim control of the quarter.
Me, I find this tactic disgusting, put in a few shooters, and then wait for the air bombing, which will kill everyone in sight.
Posted by: alexno | Dec 20 2012 23:11 utc | 46
Richard Engel makes a fine actor
I don't have a teevee myself, but I understand that network "news" was been re-cast long ago into an entertainment function, and of course entertainers are going to make stuff up, particularly when it's patriotic to do so.
The networks aren't kind to high-profile employees who don't toe the US line. The best example is the talk show host Phil Donahue who was canned in 2003. An internal NBC memo surfaced, that stated Donahue should be fired because he would be a "difficult public face for NBC in a time of war."
44
"the US would never allow this sort of behavior in USA."
Not from Russia or China, but from Israel, they allow exponentially more influence than the USA has in Russia. In fact, when it comes to Jewish zionist influence, the USA literally is so completely saturated with it, nothing gets done without a zionist signing off on it. Most of the west suffers under this regimen.
Unfortunately, Russia has not escaped it, either, though it's not nearly so destructive since Yeltsin was finally brought down. The Russian government defends itself against the American corrupting influence, but does nothing to counter the same debilitating corruption coming from Israel. At least publicly. That's one area the USSR was far above the present Russian government.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 20 2012 23:16 utc | 49
@ Don Bacon [#44],
I think I'm a-political or some sort of communal amoeba, but I find it striking that I'm agreeing with a man who's a Rep [RP].
Posted by: Daniel Rich | Dec 20 2012 23:21 utc | 50
side note: More stinking stuff: ‘FREEDOM LOVING’ ZIONISTS FUND THE HATRED ON NEW YORK’S SUBWAYS - Geller told me in an e-mail that “many clear-thinking and freedom-loving Jewish groups approve of my work.”
Posted by: Daniel Rich | Dec 20 2012 23:35 utc | 51
@40: 'Is anyone else here tired of the western meme "they kill their own people?"
Like that monster Abraham Lincoln.
Posted by: Watsonn | Dec 21 2012 1:18 utc | 52
Watsonn 51, thank you for this refreshing perspective!
We humans in the US have a number of flattering, possibly deluding, myths that need investigating in bright daylight so that perhaps we can interpret the world better and make better decisions. The Lincoln story is one of these.
Posted by: lambent1 | Dec 21 2012 1:55 utc | 53
Alex Thomson's reports have been quite interesting. The closest thing I've seen to them are the ones of Russian reporters who seem to spend a lot of time with the SAA.
Posted by: revenire | Dec 21 2012 1:55 utc | 54
@53 It would be nice to see Alex Thomson (or somebody like him) interview Erdogan or al Thani to find out exactly what kind of Syria they want.
Posted by: dh | Dec 21 2012 2:57 utc | 55
"Free Syrian Army" evicted from Yarmouk
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_12_21/Free-Syrian-Army-evicted-from-Yarmouk/
"Thousands of Palestinian refugees have begun to return to the Yarmouk Refugee Camp near Damascus after an agreement was reached between armed Syrian insurgents and the Syrian authorities.
Under the agreement, the Yarmouk camp was declared a neutral zone and the local Palestinian Authority will assist with security.
All members of the so-called Free Syrian Army must leave the camp and Syrian troops are not to seize it or launch an assault on it.
Earlier it was reported that the Palestinian authority had demnded that the Syrian terrorists leave Yarmouk and not use it as a military foothold."
Posted by: вот так | Dec 21 2012 5:37 utc | 56
The creeping crud of Israeli-American expansion:
Anti-NATO Protests Held in Turkey as Troops Deploy on Syrian Border
Across Political Spectrum, Demonstrators Fear NATO Deployment Means War
"Hundreds of US soldiers have arrived already, with another 400 German soldiers expected to arrive in the coming weeks, and more troops from across NATO are also planning deployments on the Turkish border with Syria, at the behest of the Turkish government. All told this will mean thousands of troops on the border.
Turkish officials seem really pleased with this, but across the political spectrum, Turkish citizens are extremely opposed to the deployment, fearing NATO will turn Turkey into a “battlefield.”
From the north to the south, and all points in between, protests are being staged. Organizers of all political stripes, from the nationalists and the Communists to Kurdish opposition parties and even the centrist parties. It is rare for these groups to agree on much of anything, but they all seem pretty sure that NATO’s presence is trouble."
Posted by: вот так | Dec 21 2012 5:57 utc | 57
Japan pulls out its peacekeepers from Golan Heights
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_12_21/Japan-pulls-out-its-peacekeepers-from-Golan-Heights/
"Japan is pulling out its peacekeeping force from the Israeli-occupied Syria’s Golan Heights in the wake of the aggravation of situation there.
This came in a statement in Tokyo by the Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura. The Japanese 50-man strong force, which forms part of the UN peacekeeping contingent, is due to return home within one month.
The peacekeepers have been monitoring the ceasefire between Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights since 1974. But Tokyo feels that the situation has started to spiral out control of the UN force recently."
Posted by: вот так | Dec 21 2012 7:07 utc | 58
Ah, Bot Tak @ 57 -- So nice that a former defensive treaty organization is now the recognized bringer of wars and all it attendant horrors.
Thank you, Nobel Peace Prize president, for extending and expanding the hegemonic terror practices by Bush/Cheney. Not.
Posted by: jawbone | Dec 21 2012 12:19 utc | 59
Watsonn@52, in my post #53 I mistakenly cited your fine contribution as 'Watsonn 51'!
Apologies, and Will do better...
Posted by: lanbent1 | Dec 21 2012 13:24 utc | 60
Thanks for the sentiment, lanbent1. (Speaking of mistakes, I spelled my own name wrong: Watsonn/Watson.)
Thanks to b for another year of first-rate research and analysis, and Happy Holidays everyone!
Posted by: Watson | Dec 21 2012 17:00 utc | 61
Militants fire at Syrian civilian plane in Aleppo airport
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/21/279387/militants-fire-at-syrian-civilian-plane/
"Militants fighting against the Syrian government have fired at a civilian plane as it was preparing to take off from Aleppo airport.
A militant commander told Reuters on Friday that snipers from his brigade had hit the wheels of Syrian Airways flight RB201 a day before.
The commander, who gave his name only as Khaldoun, said the attack was a message to the government that all planes, either military or civilian, are within the militants’ reach.
It was the first direct attack on a civilian flight since fighting escalated between foreign-backed militants and government forces a few months ago.
Meanwhile, Palestinians are returning to their homes in Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus after government forces managed to clear the camp of militants."
Shooting at the tires of an airliner landing or taking off is something a trained terrorist would do, as opposed to some local rebel. Blowing out the tires is the most effective way to cause the plane to crash and kill everybody on board if one were using sniping rifles. The sort of terror a hired terrorist would be looking to do.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 21 2012 18:08 utc | 62
Many learnt that the intertubes, films and vids, coud have an enormous impact (not to mention false texts etc.) so they clue in, participate in modernity. Take over one of the dominating tactics.
Vids. of anything dramatic, slanted, or even made up. There are even circuits that offer courses in how to accomplish these things, with proper camera work, etc.
This lesson they learnt from the US first, the W. in general.
Setting up, or cherry-picking images / vids, creating ‘reality’ fiction, constructing scenarios, featuring living individuals with real identities (even if masked or anonymous), not actors, but ppl in ‘real life’ with ‘real opinions’, ‘real experience’, real 'events', real 'deaths', etc. ...See 9/11 for ex.
Some have the power to make, create, ‘our reality’, or ‘the truth’ right?
It is propaganda, not the traditional to convince or hector, influence. Simply, to present false narratives and pictures.
Clumsy, often, but ppl don’t notice. They see the images and are swayed, disgusted, appalled; or cheering.
The fictitious, constructed, mocked-up portrayal has more impact than whatever is going on in the real world.
In this way, thru the blue screen, or the more clumsy, low-key, less accredited vids, ppl come to act in an ersatz montages, to consider that to exist, or defend themselves, or have their pov taken into account, they must enter a digital fakery world, or moulds of W accepted protest, and posture like actors in the latest blockbuster, in a minor, less splendiferous key, just the local home show with all the conviction one can muster.
Or, the display is purely cynical, a clumsy fiction, that flies - or not. If not, no matter, the action is not illegal: Next time better, maybe.
Posted by: Noirette | Dec 21 2012 19:18 utc | 63
Protests Held in Turkey as Troops Deploy on Syrian Border
If it's at anti-war.com or DEBKAfile it could be wrong.
Probably there will be none on the border. NATO has made it clear that there is no attempt to establish a no-fly zone. The German Patriot missile batteries will be positioned about 120 kilometers from the Syrian border in Kahramanmaras, the US probably a similar distance in Diyarbakir (to be determined), and the Dutch somewhere.
The U.S., Germany and the Netherlands are the only NATO members who have the upgraded PAC-3 missile which has a range of 20 km (12 miles) against missiles, further against aircraft. The missile units, which currently protect the interior, are mobile. They can be transported and then set up in about an hour.
Each country is providing two batteries. Each battery reportedly has four to six missile launchers and each launcher has the capacity to launch 16 missiles. A total of six missile batteries would be able to launch at least 500 missiles in response to attacks.
But of course there is no chance that Syria is going to attack Turkey. Russia and Iran know that and are quite concerned about this escalation in theater weapons.
the islamic fundamentalists of the FSA kidnap murder terrorise extort lie steal rape...yet claim to have returned to the values ofd Mohammed..are these the values of early islam?
Posted by: brian | Dec 21 2012 23:14 utc | 65
Posted by: вот так | Dec 21, 2012 1:08:16 PM | 62
it would be more helpful if the nationality of the 'militants'(terrorists) were identified...my guess is they arent syrian.
Each act of terror they commit is a nail in sunni islams coffin...why havent muslims world wide taken action against the terrorists? most come from outside syria
Posted by: brian | Dec 21 2012 23:33 utc | 66
Militants fire at Syrian civilian plane in Aleppo airport
They aren't Syrian?
Aug 31--The rebel Free Syrian Army warned that it is going to target civilian flights using the airports in Damascus and Aleppo starting Sept. 3 because it suspects flights are used by the government to supply weapons from Russia, Iraq, Iran and Lebanon.
Sep 6--Civilian aircraft flying in or out of airports in the Syrian cities of Damascus or Aleppo risk being shot down from 10 September onwards, opposition group the Free Syrian Army has publicly declared. "The airports of Damascus and Aleppo will be considered legitimate targets as of 10 September," says the group's political advisor, Bassam El-Dada. Speaking on France 24's Arabic channel, he accused the Syrian regime of having "transformed these airports into platforms that serve to transport troops and refill arms and ammunition via Syrian, Iranian and Russian civilian airplanes."
64
"Probably there will be none on the border. NATO has made it clear that there is no attempt to establish a no-fly zone. The German Patriot missile batteries will be positioned about 120 kilometers from the Syrian border in Kahramanmaras, the US probably a similar distance in Diyarbakir (to be determined), and the Dutch somewhere."
"and the Dutch somewhere" - are you sure they will be somewhere?
The places the missiles will be based at have been announced:
Turkey names sites for NATO Patriot missiles near Syria
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/21/syria-crisis-patriots-idUSL5E8NL9FS20121221
"will be deployed near the southeastern cities of Adana, Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras.
Adana, Turkey's fourth-largest city, is located around 100 km (60 miles) from the Syrian border. The joint Turkish-American Incirlik Air Base is also just outside the city.
Gaziantep, a city of around 1.5 million people, is further to the east, some 60 km (35 miles) from the Syrian border. Kahramanmaras, to the north of Gaziantep, has around half a million inhabitants and is some 150 km (95 miles) from Syria."
It didn't say which country's missiles would be stationed in which city. Also it said "The United States, the Netherlands and Germany have agreed to send two missile batteries each". Other info I've seen said 2 Patriot Pac-3 batteries from Germany, 1 Patriot Pac-2 battery from The Netherlands and none initially from the USA. Likely the USA will send 3 to make up the eventual 6. The USA already has Patriots in Israel and Jordan. I didn't look up which type the USA has in those 2 countries and or which type they would send to Turkey.
The type is important, they are very different. Pac-2 are long range systems, while Pac-3 are short range. Pac-2 have at least a 150km range vs aircraft.
The other thing which is important to know is that these are mobile systems, not static. The comment by Don Bacon gives the impression that since the missiles will be deployed x distance from the border, that is where they will stay. This is also the line the Israeli-Americans, NATO are putting out. That is disingenuous. As I pointed out, these missile systems are mobile. Once the fascists decide to overtly attack (no-fly zone), these batteries could be moved closer to the border. Even in the role NATO claims for them, to protect those Turkish cities, their deployment to Turkey is a sign NATO expects Syria to send missiles or aircraft into Turkey. As NATO knows the Syrians would never do this, unless they were responding to a NATO attack originating from Turkey. Unless Israel-America-NATO is planning such, there is no purpose for those Patriot batteries in Turkey, no matter where in Turkey they are deployed. In either possible scenario of their use, offensively, stationed near the border, to shoot down Syrian aircraft up to 150 km inside Syria, or defensively, to defend against a Syrian response to a NATO attack on Syria, the fact they are being deployed there shows an offensive intent by Israel-America & NATO.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 22 2012 11:50 utc | 68
This one covers a lot of ground and mentions quite a few things we are "not supposed to know".
Resisting Genocide: Syria, North Korea, and Cuba
http://dissidentvoice.org/2012/12/resisting-genocide-syria-north-korea-and-cuba/
Posted by: вот так | Dec 22 2012 12:31 utc | 69
The UN report on Syria including its evalution of the military situation is quite an interesting read.
I cannot see "the West" acting against this report.
Posted by: somebody | Dec 22 2012 14:16 utc | 70
disregard вот так #68
The missile units, which currently protect the interior, are mobile. They can be transported and then set up in about an hour. --from my #64
U.S. missiles will be based at Gaziantep, Dutch missiles at Adana and German missiles at Kahramanmaras, NATO said.
Navy Times
The U.S., Germany and the Netherlands are the only NATO members who have the upgraded PAC-3 missiles, capable of missile interception. Each battery has an average of 12 missile launchers, a NATO official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because alliance regulations do not allow him to speak on the record.
translation from Die Welt
Worldcrunch
Has Syria Become Al-Qaeda's New Base For Terror Strikes On Europe?
Al-Qaeda boss Ayman al-Zawahiri is focusing his efforts on Syria and Egypt, trying to build new structures in these two key countries since many of the established al-Qaeda offshoots no longer listen to the network's leadership after the death of Osama Bin Laden, according to information from Western intelligence sources.Al-Zawahiri's contact in Syria is Abu Muhammad al-Julani, the Jabat al-Nusrah leader. In Egypt, Jamal al-Kashef and Sheik Adel Shehato look after al-Qaeda interests. Al-Qaeda's aim is to fight the "heretical regimes" in both countries; to al-Zawahiri the new regime of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi also counts as one of these. In one of his recent speeches, al-Zawahiri called for attacks on the Egyptian military to help bring down Morsi's government.
According to intelligence sources, several al-Qaeda leaders who were originally from Egypt have returned there after years of fighting in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Other leaders and active members have been released from prison by the Morsi government. The al-Qaeda cell in Egypt is thought to have been involved in the attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
Execution of Ukrainian woman in Syria postponed until December 26
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_12_23/Execution-of-Ukrainian-woman-in-Syria-postponed-until-December-26/
"Syrian gunmen who abducted Ukrainian journalist Ankhar Kochneva have postponed her execution until 26 December. They confirmed the ranson sum for her release is $ 50 million.
Prior to that, the rebels had repeatedly insisted they were not motivated by monetary issues. The terrorists said that the Ukrainian side had not communicated with them for more than a week."
Of course they are "not motivated by monetary issues", the Mossad never makes a little cash on the side...., besides, Israel, the USA and their pets take care of those needs plenty. The abduction of this woman and threats against her life are to instil terror among reporters not groveling to the zionist and fascist power brokers.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 22 2012 22:42 utc | 73
The West ‘prays’ Russia and China will continue blocking Syria action
http://rt.com/news/syria-intervention-chemical-lavrov-651/
"The West has “no appetite” for a military intervention in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Saturday. At the same time, Moscow’s intelligence shows the Arab country’s chemical arsenal is “so far” secured, he revealed.
“No one has any appetite for intervention. Behind the scenes, I have a feeling they are praying that Russia and China go on blocking intervention, as sanctioning it would mean they must act – and they are not ready,” Lavrov told journalists on a flight back to Moscow from an EU summit in Brussels.
The FM was assessing the current mood in the UN Security Council after NATO cleared the stationing of Patriot missiles in Turkey. Ankara and the alliance say this is a containment tool to prevent any further Syrian violence from spilling over the border, but political analysts believe the step might signal the West and their Middle East allies are preparing to intervene in Syria."
Regarding Syria, the "west" reminds of the 2 "jills" in the Rickie Lee Jones tune "Easy Money"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCyQOJxWOkA
"A couple Jills with their eyes on a couple bills
Their eyes was statin'
They was waitin'
To get their hands on some easy money
They flipped a dime
One said " well, I'll take heads this time"
One stepped up
One stepped back
One loosened her shoulder strap
She couldn't speak,
Her knees got weak
She could almost taste that easy money"
The zionists, and the other fascists, are drooling buckets, contorting up a storm doing a "tinkle dance", they want Syria so bad. But the time still isn't right. Syria isn't weak enough, yet, the people of Europe are not into another war for Israel-America, and Americans are tired of war, too. More terrorism, more psy-war, more economic warfare, just like with Iraq, is their logical plan, but that waiting...that smell of power curling about their noses is getting irresistible. How much longer will these fascists wait before the addiction overpowers logic?
Posted by: вот так | Dec 22 2012 23:10 utc | 74
Maybe a bit off-topic, but has anyone noticed that for 25 days now the rebels have not shot down syrian army aircraft anymore.
There are two implications:
- The army changed the usage of the airforce in a way that reduces the rebels success chances.
- The army apparently can hold ground without it´s airforce
Anyway the media celebration of the rebels "turning point" due to their alleged neutralization of the armys air supremacy was premature :-)
Posted by: KerKaraje | Dec 23 2012 0:51 utc | 75
Another brick in the wall. Since Russia joined the WTO their support for Syria is beginning to wane.
Posted by: ben | Dec 23 2012 3:08 utc | 76
Today at State there was this exchange regarding Syria.
QUESTION: The day before yesterday, the Secretary General of the United Nations described what’s going on in Syria as basically a full-blown sectarian war, that it’s basically a civil war. Do you concur with that?
MR. VENTRELL: Said, we’ve been very clear about our concerns about the sectarian nature of the conflict. I do (inaudible) you to the UN’s – the Commission of Inquiry, which is an independent body created by the UN Human Rights Council. They just released their report a couple of days ago, and we commend their work and their ongoing investigation. And we are very concerned about the sectarian undertones and we’ve been very clear to especially the Syrian opposition that they need to clearly provide a way forward so that all Syrians are confident that there’s an alternative to the Assad regime where their rights will be respected regardless of their ethnicity, gender or minority status.
The "periodic report" of the UN Commission of Inquiry presents an excellent summary of the situation as they see it including:
II. Military situation4. The Syrian conflict has been marked by a continuous but unequal escalation of armed violence throughout the country. Levels of violence have varied geographically due to the interplay of a number of factors: the strategic importance of a particular area, the deployment and strength of Government forces, the sectarian composition of the local population and anti-Government armed groups’ organisation and access to logistical support.
5. In the southern governorates of Dara’a, al-Suweida and al-Qunayterah, Government forces remain in control of main localities. . .
6. Reports from northern and central provinces describe a different reality, with anti-Government armed groups exercising control over large swathes of territory. . . .
III. Increased sectarianism
18. Most of the foreign fighters filtering into Syria to join the anti-Government armed groups (or to fight independently alongside them) are Sunnis hailing from countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The increasingly sectarian nature of the conflict provides one motivation for other actors to enter into the conflict. The Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah has confirmed that its members are in Syria fighting on behalf of the Government. There have also been reports, still under investigation, of Iraqi Shias coming to fight in Syria. Iran confirmed on 14 September that members of its Revolutionary Guards are in Syria providing “intellectual and advisory support”.
Of course, given the chaotic situation, asking the US/Qatar impotent puppet Coalition to "clearly provide a way forward" is a bit presumptuous to say the least.
Today at State there was this exchange regarding Syria.
QUESTION: The day before yesterday, the Secretary General of the United Nations described what’s going on in Syria as basically a full-blown sectarian war, that it’s basically a civil war. Do you concur with that?MR. VENTRELL: Said, we’ve been very clear about our concerns about the sectarian nature of the conflict. I do (inaudible) you to the UN’s – the Commission of Inquiry, which is an independent body created by the UN Human Rights Council. They just released their report a couple of days ago, and we commend their work and their ongoing investigation. And we are very concerned about the sectarian undertones and we’ve been very clear to especially the Syrian opposition that they need to clearly provide a way forward so that all Syrians are confident that there’s an alternative to the Assad regime where their rights will be respected regardless of their ethnicity, gender or minority status.
The "periodic report" of the UN Commission of Inquiry presents an excellent summary of the situation as they see it including:
II. Military situation4. The Syrian conflict has been marked by a continuous but unequal escalation of armed violence throughout the country. Levels of violence have varied geographically due to the interplay of a number of factors: the strategic importance of a particular area, the deployment and strength of Government forces, the sectarian composition of the local population and anti-Government armed groups’ organisation and access to logistical support.
5. In the southern governorates of Dara’a, al-Suweida and al-Qunayterah, Government forces remain in control of main localities. . .
6. Reports from northern and central provinces describe a different reality, with anti-Government armed groups exercising control over large swathes of territory. . . .
III. Increased sectarianism
18. Most of the foreign fighters filtering into Syria to join the anti-Government armed groups (or to fight independently alongside them) are Sunnis hailing from countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The increasingly sectarian nature of the conflict provides one motivation for other actors to enter into the conflict. The Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah has confirmed that its members are in Syria fighting on behalf of the Government. There have also been reports, still under investigation, of Iraqi Shias coming to fight in Syria. Iran confirmed on 14 September that members of its Revolutionary Guards are in Syria providing “intellectual and advisory support”.
Of course given the current chaotic situation in Syria asking the US/Qatar puppet Coalition to "clearly provide a way forward" is a bit presumptuous, to say the least.
Looks like NATO gave Israel a Hanukkah present:
Turkey Okays approval of Israel’s status in NATO: Report
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/23/279654/turkey-upgrades-israel-status-in-nato/
"NATO has reportedly agreed to increase Israel’s participation in its activities in 2013 after Ankara eased its opposition to the move following the alliance’s approval of the deployment of Patriot missiles to Turkey.
Citing Israeli officials, Jerusalem Post reported on Sunday that “the approval had come as Turkey’s request that NATO station Patriot missile batteries along its border with Syria was granted, leading them to assess that NATO was using the deployment as leverage to induce Ankara to thaw its relations with Israel.”
Israel, a NATO partner participating in seminars, exercises and training courses, has been requesting to increase its role in the military alliance but it was met with an objection from Turkey, a full NATO member."
Apparently Israel want a more direct leadership role in NATO. Their rule by proxy perhaps is no longer satisfying?
Posted by: вот так | Dec 23 2012 8:52 utc | 80
76
"Since Russia joined the WTO their support for Syria is beginning to wane."
That could be true, but something I've noticed lately is Lavrov is wording his statements about western criminality more bluntly now. He's one of those sorts of diplomats who generally stick to politeness and circumspection, but lately he has been sounding a lot more like Rogosin (the ex-ambassidor to NATO noted for being very blunt). Examples of some of Lavrov's comments the last couple of days:
Russia says West is losing influence on Syria opposition
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/23/279624/west-losing-influence-in-syria-russia/
"We are convinced that the UN Security Council must not take any more ambiguous decisions, after our partners behaved so abominably over the resolution on Libya," he urged.
On Friday, Lavrov denounced Western countries for supporting the militants fighting government forces in Syria. "Our Western colleagues have started dividing terrorists into 'bad' and 'acceptable.' That is very dangerous," he said."
The only previous time I've seen Lavrov be so blunt was when Israel-America had their Georgian puppet attack South Ossetia in 2008.
One possible alternate plan behind the Israeli-American terrorist proxy attack on Syria might be to lure Russia directly into the fighting, like these fascists did with the same tactics in Afghanistan, beginning in 1978. It's probably no coincidence that the policy maker responsible for the Afghan war (Zbigniew Brzezinski) is still playing a prominent role behind these recent terrorist regime change ops. As a side note: it still amazes me when I see people praise that war criminal. Especially those hoodwinked by his opposition to a war on Iran and his criticism of Israel and zionists. They seem to think he is opposed to these for humanitarian reasons, which couldn't be further from the truth. Millions of people died in Afghanistan, and are still dying, because of his war there. And that was his plan all along, to get millions killed and keep that country in chaos indefinitely till Russia and China have been colonised. He views war on Iran as poor policy for pragmatic tactical reasons, not humanitarian. He's fine with using the terrorism on them that Israel-America currently is doing. As for Israel, he views them as surplus, and annoying because he thinks they should have a subservient role in the NWO similar to Canada or Sweden. It irks him that ziofascists have veto wielding over the regular fascists he writes policy for. He sees them as an interfering rival influence in the power structure. He doesn't give a damn that Israel brutalizes those around it.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 23 2012 9:25 utc | 81
Syria militants film new chemical test, threaten to poison water supply
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/23/279620/syria-militants-threaten-to-poison-water/
"Anti-government militants in Syria have released new footage, threatening to use chemical weapons against Syrian civilians on a sectarian basis.
The troubling video posted on video-sharing website YouTube shows what appears to be members of the foreign-backed militant group that calls itself the Free Syrian Army, testing chemical weapons on lab rabbits.
The men force a rabbit to drink water contaminated with a lethal mixture to demonstrate what would happen if the militants poisoned the country's water supply.
In the footage, whose authenticity Press TV could not verify, the militants threaten to kill all Alawite Shias and pro-government Syrians.
The militant group had earlier released the video of another experiment, in which they killed lab rabbits by exposing them to poison gas."
Psy-ops, or real intent? Juxtaposing these threats with the Israeli-American attempts to paint the Syrian government as intending to use WMDs on their own population, it is obvious these terrorists making these threats are proxies of Israel-America, and that these threats to use WMDs against Syrian people come from Israel-America.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 23 2012 9:36 utc | 82
yep, it is getting complicated - Voice of Russia
The Free Syrian Army has committed an affront to all humanity by kidnapping and threatening to execute a female Ukrainian journalist and announcing that they will kill all Russians and Ukrainians they find in Syria. This could be taken to be akin to a declaration of war, obviously the armed insurgents in Syria have been emboldened to a point that they have stepped into an area where they are beyond the law.With the terrorists also threatening Russian and Ukrainian Diplomatic Missions this could set off a chain of events that may pull the Russian Federation directly into the conflict. If the lives of Russians are at risk Russia has the right to protect its citizens and to assist unaligned Ukraine if there is such a request.
Posted by: somebody | Dec 23 2012 11:02 utc | 83
Syria militants use chemical weapons against Syrian forces
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/23/279711/syria-militants-use-chemical-weapons/
"Militants fighting against the Syrian government have used chemical weapons against the army in Daraya near the capital, Damascus, military sources say.
According to a commander of the Syrian Presidential Guard, at least seven Syrian soldiers were killed on Saturday after they were attacked by a chemical weapon which produced a toxic yellow gas.
The soldiers were reportedly killed within an hour after inhaling the gas."
An early Christmas gift to the people of Syria from Israel-America.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 23 2012 17:12 utc | 84
Posted by: вот так | Dec 23, 2012 12:12:49 PM | 83
do you hear that? the silence you hear is the sound of the main stream media reporting this
Posted by: brian | Dec 24 2012 4:39 utc | 85
It looks like Israel-America planned the chem weapons attack carefully beforehand. They prepared some propaganda videos for their hasbarats to spread on youtube, twitter and the like for their presstitutes to then pick up as "facts".
Chemical war of words: Syrian govt, rebels trade accusations
http://rt.com/news/syria-chemical-weapons-rebels-696/
Brian's right, don't expect the western media to say much about the terrorists real chem attack on Syrian soldiers, but expect them to hyperventilate about the propaganda their terrorist buddies produce falsifying government use.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 24 2012 18:44 utc | 86
West supports terrorists in Syria: Russia foreign minister
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/24/279869/west-backs-terrorists-in-syria-russia/
"In an interview with Russia Today on Monday, Lavrov said Western countries had dichotomized the terrorists into “bad” and “acceptable,” supporting the latter.
“It's absolutely unacceptable, and if we follow this logic it might lead us to a very dangerous situation not only in the Middle East but in other parts of the world, if our partners in the West would begin to qualify terrorists as bad terrorists and acceptable terrorists,” The Russian foreign minister said.
He said the Western powers "encourage rebels not to negotiate with the [Syrian] government but to continue fighting and [are] giving them arms, money, and moral and political support.”
He said that if the Western sides really want to end the bloodshed in the Arab country, they should encourage all those fighting against the Syrian government to stop violence and sit at the negotiating table without any preconditions.
The top Russian official also rejected reports that Syria might have plans to use chemical weapons during the ongoing turmoil in the country.
“Every time we hear rumors ... that the Syrians are doing something with the chemical weapons, we double-check, we triple-check, we go directly to the government and all the time we get very firm assurances that this is not going to be used under any circumstances,” he said.
He added that Syria was moving chemical weapons’ stocks dispersed in various locations into two sites to make sure that they are absolutely protected and are not going to be accessed by the militants."
I wonder if the increasingly blunt Russian response to Israeli-American terrorism in Syria had anything to do with causing the withdrawal of the 2 American amphib warfare ships and their escorts off Syria recently.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 24 2012 18:59 utc | 87
Meanwhile, the octopus continues to tighten its grip on the world:
US deploying troops to 35 African countries
http://rt.com/usa/news/us-deploying-troops-order-749/
Posted by: вот так | Dec 24 2012 19:08 utc | 88
Angry Arab has a new take on the Richard Engel newsshow.
SO who really kidnapped Richard Engel: my early skepticism is being confirmed
"First, the sources say the gunmen who seized the crew may also have included rogue members of the rebel FSA–something top FSA commanders are keen to obscure. According to one source, “NBC’s security advisers were convinced that there was some FSA involvement in this and contacted wealthy Syrian-American donors of the rebel group, pointing out that Richard had been supportive of the uprising against Assad. They urged them to put pressure on the FSA. They really screwed down on them.” Top FSA commanders were alarmed and promised to help. The disclosure that rogue FSA fighters may been involved in the abduction of the NBC crew will alarm Western correspondents working in Syria, who have to rely on FSA rebels for their safety in a particularly testing war zone of constantly shifting frontlines." (thanks Eric)
Turkey seeks 117 missiles from US
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_12_26/Turkey-seeks-117-missiles-from-US/
They keep building up for a potential war against Syria, a little bit at a time.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 26 2012 20:14 utc | 90
Thousands of Turkish people protest planned deployment of NATO missiles
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/27/280300/1000s-of-turks-rap-patriot-deployment/
"Thousands of Turkish people have taken to the streets to protest against the plan to deploy advanced surface-to-air Patriot missiles near the Syrian border, Press TV reports.
The demonstration, organized by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), was staged in the capital Ankara on Wednesday.
“The current Turkish government is doing whatever it can to please Americans, and that is why they are putting Patriot missiles on the border,” a protester said.
The demonstrators held signs that read “NATO go home”, “No to war”, and “We are against Imperialism.”
“Americans are trying to steal all the resources in the Middle East. We, the Turkish people, will do whatever it takes to prevent them,” another protester said.
On Tuesday, members of the main Turkish opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), said Libyan and Saudi militants are freely entering Syria via Turkey's border..."
Posted by: вот так | Dec 27 2012 5:35 utc | 91
Israelis are persistent little buggers, they are determined to see war in Yarmouk:
Clashes erupt near Palestinian refugee camp in Syrian capital
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/26/280241/clashes-erupt-near-refugee-camp-in-syria/
"The clashes erupted on Wednesday after militants attacked the municipality building near the camp, which is home to Palestinian refugees and is located in the southern outskirts of Damascus.
Similar clashes also reportedly took place near Rijeh Square close to the Palestinian camp.
Earlier in the day, foreign-sponsored militants raided an army roadblock near al-Khalsa neighborhood in the capital.
The clashes came while diplomatic efforts are under way to end the Arab country’s months-long crisis."
Posted by: вот так | Dec 27 2012 5:38 utc | 92
Patriot missiles to be deployed in Turkey
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_12_27/Patriots-to-be-deployed-in-Turkey/
"Two Patriot anti-aircraft missiles batteries will be deployed in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep on the border with Syria.
U.S. radar is now able to detect objects in the airspace over the Syrian city of Aleppo.
On the first of February another four missile systems are to be placed 70 kilometers from the Syrian border in Adana to monitor the air space over the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey appealed to NATO to supply the weapons systems in the end of November.
Representatives of the Turkish authorities stated that the "Patriot" missile batteries are supposedly needed to protect against possible missile attacks from Syria.
Russia, Iran and Syria have been critical of NATO's actions, saying that the deployment of the complexes could exacerbate tensions in the region."
And they will keep adding more offensive military assets in the region in preparation for the planned war against Syria. The creeping crud of the expanding Israeli-American amoeba, slowly engulfing all in its path to total world control.
Posted by: вот так | Dec 27 2012 5:46 utc | 93
#FSA see a passenger plane, they hesitate til a Sheik Ahmad confirms yeah shoot at it & they do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EoO15WJZ6vc … … …
Posted by: brian | Dec 27 2012 13:32 utc | 94
US, Israel major players in Syria crisis: Iran cmdr.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/29/280739/us-israel-key-players-in-syria-crisis/
"Chairman of Iran's Armed Forces Joint Chiefs of Staff Major General Hassan Firouzabadi says the United States and Israel are major players in the Syrian crisis.
“The United States and the Zionist regime [of Israel] play the main role in Syria unrest because Syria was calm but after the victory of the Egyptian revolution, the [global] arrogance made a new plan to give this occupying regime [of Israel] new breathing room, and they chose Syria for this purpose,” Firouzabadi said on Saturday.
The Iranian commander further noted that based on some accurate information, Syria is in the hands of the country’s army and popular forces and the Syrian government is in control of the borders.
“The number of terrorists in Syria, compared with the people and the popular army of this country, is not high and they are weak. However, they have been provided with advanced weapons and shoot people from hiding places, and this is not a coherent and systematic move,” Firouzabadi pointed out."
Posted by: вот так | Dec 29 2012 18:40 utc | 95
The comments to this entry are closed.
The fascists/ziofascists came up with this Goebbelsian clap trap to counter this information about their "special pets":
Syrian rebels set to execute Ukrainian journalist
http://rt.com/news/anhar-kochneva-syrian-rebels-929/
Italian technician, two Russian workers kidnapped in Syria
http://rt.com/news/russians-kidnapped-syria-embassy-250/
Posted by: вот так | Dec 19 2012 13:39 utc | 1