Another Syrian Chalabi
Parts of the Syrian exile opposition installed a new leader. That must be the tenth by now. It is again a Muslim Brotherhood guy, but this time one who has not lived in Syria for over 30 years. But that will not matter. His American and Qatari handlers will certainly tell him "what the Syrians want".As is usual after any repetition of this act parts of the coalition immediately dissented and left:
At least 12 key members of Syria's National Coalition said Wednesday they had suspended their membership in the main opposition body amid a row over the deeply divisive election of the first rebel prime minister.These futile attempts to create another Ahmed Chalabi group aren't even funny anymore. It is obvious that the fighters on the ground are to various degrees extreme Islamists who do not and never will care what those exiles say or do.The group of 12 included the Coalition's deputy Soheir Atassi and spokesman Walid al-Bunni.
From my realist point of view I still do not understand this. Why is the U.S. supporting these schemes? Why is the U.S. so much interested in creating a Sharia law state in Syria? Did it, like the Russians seem to believe, really went insane?
Posted by b on March 20, 2013 at 18:21 UTC | Permalink
I like the last piece posted above by permalink:
"Did it, like the Russians seem to believe, really went insane?"
What I took from the article is that we can be optimistic that things will change. The same way that the crazy Jihadists were allies in Soviet Afghanistan - Foes after 911 - And now best buddies again in Syria.
Its good to be optimistic and hope the Americans will wake up and change their mind. But, I tend to think the crazy Jihadists and the USA were always on the same team.
By the way I prefer the term "Crazy Jihadist" It has a nice sound to it.
Posted by: HIlmi Hakim | Mar 20 2013 18:48 utc | 2
US with alies just wants a cover of legitimacy (however fake it may be). If US would come out and say "now we will rule Syria/Afghanistan/Libya/etc", it wouldnt look too good, isnt? So they push front-man to do US bidding.
Terrorists on the ground certainly wont accept any such "leader", they are ruled by Qatar/Saudis, who in turn are ruled by US. If Syria falls, terrorists will be allowed to be in power too, if (and only IF) they agree to US leadership. If they dont, US and co together with "new legitimate Syria's leadership" will fight against yesterdays allies and tomorrows 'evil terrorists'. Exactly what they did in Libya, etc.
Syria havent fallen yet, so terrorists will keep getting full support until time comes to divide the power. Then "expendable idiots" will be discarded, or sent "to liberate" another country. Much to do - Lebanon still not under full US control, Iraq is moving away, next big target awaits, "where the real man go" - Iran.
Posted by: Harry | Mar 20 2013 18:49 utc | 3
Watching Obama's press conference in Jerusalem.....What has happened to America???
Lies, more lies and innuendos which are beyond all sense of logic and belief...
Posted by: georgeg | Mar 20 2013 18:58 utc | 5
"Why is the U.S. so much interested in creating a Sharia law state in Syria?"
I thought you described yourself as a "realist"? well, the reality is, you have to stir the pot to keep wars going and start new ones with what's in the pot, not what you wish was in the pot. Just like we gotta fight 'em with the army we have. And goddammit, millions of Americans depend on that pot being stirred til it boils over, do they even appreciate the effort it takes to keep them employed? Not to mention the great effort all concerned go through giving youthful Americans their chance to...nah, let's not go there.
Posted by: Mooser | Mar 20 2013 20:51 utc | 6
"Did it, like the Russians seem to believe, really went insane?"
No, not quite, but our syntax was badly broken. A compound fracture, I'd call it.
Posted by: Mooser | Mar 20 2013 20:54 utc | 7
The US isn't interested in creating a Sharia law state. The US is interested in Syria being a failed unstable state and therefore no long a strategic threat to Israel.
I thought everyone knew that. That also has always been the US' fallback option for Iraq, if it failed to install Chalabi to be Iraq's Mubarak or King Abdullah.
Everyone knows this right? The US prefers countries in the Middle East to be controlled by stooges accountable to the US Embassy. Failing that, the US wants countries in the Middle East to be chaotic and unable to project influence in the region in a way that could rival or threaten Israel.
Posted by: Arnold Evans | Mar 20 2013 22:59 utc | 8
The US will continue to wreak havoc in the ME, exploring various seemingly contradictory strategies, for pretty much the reasons Evans says, and until its economy, domestic unrest ensuing, and military overstretch (Russia and China can do work here) prevents it.
Posted by: Ken Hoop | Mar 20 2013 23:51 utc | 9
Arnold Evans - 8
"The US isn't interested in creating a Sharia law state. The US is interested in Syria being a failed unstable state and therefore no long a strategic threat to Israel."
Yup, and also Israel is running out of lebensraum and needs new sources of water.
"I thought everyone knew that."
They do. It's just that some would rather such exposure of Israeli intent remain cloaked behind the nefarious intentions of co-conspirators and proxies. That way Israel, and it's worldwide network of support, remain unsullied, and active, when the merde inevitably hits the fan.
Posted by: вот так | Mar 20 2013 23:52 utc | 10
A story linked to from the Globe and Mail story b links to must be read. An opposition activist gives a real account of life in war-torn Aleppo. Here's a quote:
"I, and many other residents of Aleppo saw firsthand how the armed rebels were acting on the ground, and the various crimes and looting they were committing with impunity. Another reason is that there are foreign jihadi fighters with extremist ideologies here."
He also says the people of Aleppo hate the rebels more than the regime.
Read and distribute this all-too-brief interview as an antidote to the MSM propaganda. Must read! Please link to it in comments on other mainstream news sites. Catapult the propaganda!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/syria-live/aleppo-activist-edward-dark-people-here-dont-like-the-regime-but-they-hate-the-rebels-even-more/article9816335/
Posted by: J. Bradley | Mar 21 2013 0:51 utc | 11
Сирию готовят для вторжения НАТО (Syria is prepared for the NATO intervention)
http://www.km.ru/world/2013/03/20/siriiskii-krizis/706476-siriyu-gotovyat-dlya-vtorzheniya-nato
(It's in Russian, but too long to post a translation. It covers a lot of things about the attack on Syria from a fresh, non-zionist perspective. A google translation of it gives a clear enough understanding)
This article goes into detail about the terrorist chem weapon attack in Aleppo. The material appears to be chlorine based, and probably originated from the terrorists and/or their handlers using a chlorine factory they captured, and still hold, to prepare the weapon. It goes into detail why such a chlorine based chem weapon is useless to a regular army, but quite useful to terrorists whose only concern is to kill and cause fear.
The article also connects the western renewal of the push for an overt and active NATO war upon Syria with Obama's Israel trip and the terrorist use of chem weapons which the west and its zionist media are busy lying and trying to blame the Syrian government for as an excuse for all out war. It also covers the terrorist front organisation's picking of Hitti and his subsequent rejection of any negotiation with Syria, further paving the way for fascist intervention.
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 1:26 utc | 12
(Sorry if this is double posted, but it didn't show up and I wasn't entirely sure I clicked the post button before moving on.)
Сирию готовят для вторжения НАТО (Syria is prepared for the NATO intervention)
http://www.km.ru/world/2013/03/20/siriiskii-krizis/706476-siriyu-gotovyat-dlya-vtorzheniya-nato
(It's in Russian, but too long to post a translation. It covers a lot of things about the attack on Syria from a fresh, non-western perspective. A google translation of it gives a clear enough understanding)
This article goes into detail about the terrorist chem weapon attack in Aleppo. The material appears to be chlorine based, and probably originated from the terrorists and/or their handlers using a chlorine factory they captured, and still hold, to prepare the weapon. It goes into detail why such a chlorine based chem weapon is useless to a regular army, but quite useful to terrorists whose only concern is to kill and cause fear.
The article also connects the western renewal of the push for an overt and active NATO war upon Syria with Obama's Israel trip and the terrorist use of chem weapons which the west and its media are busy lying about and trying to blame the Syrian government for as an excuse for all out war. It also covers the terrorist front organisation's picking of Hitti and his subsequent rejection of any negotiation with Syria, further paving the way for fascist intervention.
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 1:41 utc | 13
The post was short, so length was not an issue. Was it blocked because it contained a link to a Russian news org?
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 1:46 utc | 15
From my perspective, such as it is, the DC crowd, after their defeat in Iraq and the Arab Spring threatening to wash away the cosy set up of dictators and Monarchs, tried to renew their hegemony in one foul swoop; the destruction of Qaddafi's regime and the destruction of Assad's Syria. This would turn the Mediterranean into an American lake again with the Russians totally excluded and Iran boxed up, ready for regime change.
they might have congratulated themselves with at least turning these places upside down with the monarchies breathing a sigh of relief that the crazies have able to have been sent elsewhere to fight but in reality all they have succeeded in doing is bringing Al Queda/Salafist dudes,if not to the doorstep of Jerusalem, Mecca and Medina, than, at least just down the street. But by that time, the cuurent bunch of DC yahoos will have move on and it will be someone else problem won't it.
Posted by: heath | Mar 21 2013 2:15 utc | 16
There is a conspiracy
"In Clark's book, Winning Modern Wars, published in 2003, he describes his conversation with a military officer in the Pentagon shortly after 9/11 regarding a plan to attack seven Middle Eastern countries in five years: "As I went back through the Pentagon in November 2001, one of the senior military staff officers had time for a chat. Yes, we were still on track for going against Iraq, he said. But there was more. This was being discussed as part of a five-year campaign plan, he said, and there were a total of seven countries, beginning with Iraq, then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia and Sudan."
Posted by: clubofrome | Mar 21 2013 2:21 utc | 17
The US just doesn't care anymore: so the guy is a Texan, unknown in his homeland. Chalabi was a De Gaulle like figure in comparison.
The Empire has torn off the mask. It was getting sticky under it anyway and nobody was convinced. It doesn't matter: the only people who need convincing are the Military Industrial Complex, Israel and the pimps who run the media.
It wasn't always like this. The US government once had dreams of hegemony, a world smiling as it bowed before the superior civilisation with its technological wonders, its wealthy and well fed masses, its universal educational system and its traditions of liberty and equal justice going all the way back to Magna Carta. Its whitewashed churches. Its pink skin.
It was largely bullshit but people wanted to believe it, and Hollywood and Rock and Roll helped them swallow it the way they swallowed Jackson Pollock and Encounter.
They've give up on hegemony: but full spectrum dominance is still a very real possibility. It ought to be too, given that the US spends more on arms than the rest of the world, including its satraps like the UK, put together. And for full spectrum dominance all they need is a warm body with a name to put on the ballot.
This guy is from the same stable as the jerk who they foisted onto the Haitian people, the saviour of Libya, the man who won the Yemen presidential election, unopposed, and the new guys in Paraguay and Honduras.
Posted by: bevin | Mar 21 2013 2:28 utc | 18
Bot Tak:
You post here all the time but did you forget to do the captcha spam blocker thing?
Posted by: J. Bradley | Mar 21 2013 2:42 utc | 19
Who is the guy they foisted on the Haitians, Martelly? Also the Gaddafi remenants in Egypt have been rounded up and done away with. It's a good thing some of them are safely ensconced in Algeria. Otherwise they would be locked up somewhere as well. I think all the pro-Gaddafi people should have gone to Syria after Gaddafi's fall. They would have kicked butt.
Posted by: Fernando | Mar 21 2013 2:55 utc | 20
"Why is the U.S. supporting these schemes? Why is the U.S. so much interested in creating a Sharia law state in Syria?"
Perpetual destabilization.
Which = $$$ and power to U.S. war machine and western imperialism.
Simple as that.
Posted by: easy e | Mar 21 2013 3:06 utc | 21
J. Bradley
"You post here all the time but did you forget to do the captcha spam blocker thing?"
The captcha check never came up. It was a short post and these often don't trigger the captcha check, so I didn't think anything of it. The post did initially post, but once I changed pages, and then returned, it was gone. Something in that post caused it to be held, but I don't know what. I would like to know for future reference so I can avoid triggering whatever it was.
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 3:12 utc | 22
The following article has a lot of the same information as the other article I attempted to post a link to here, which got blocked. What is missing, unfortunately, is the details about chlorine chem weapons, and the terrorist captured chlorine factory which could be the source of the weapon used in the recent attack.
US, NATO prepare Syria intervention
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/03/20/syri-m20.html
Hopefully, this one wont get blocked, also.
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 3:49 utc | 24
Land Destroyer Report has a nicely detailed piece on this latest terrorist frontman, and who is behind him.
US' New "Syrian PM" Yet Another Muslim Brotherhood Extremist
http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2013/03/us-new-syrian-pm-yet-another-muslim.html#more
"...This latest round of political "musical chairs" is meant to once again clear the board for the West in hopes of confusing the public, while NATO's proxies remain firmly led and comprised primarily of hardcore terrorists and sectarian extremist intent on the ruination of Syria, just as was done in the now decimated North African nation of Libya. Hitto takes the reins of this Western-contrived front from fellow sectarian extremist, Moaz al-Khatib, also an affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood and an unabashed defender of Al Qaeda's al-Nusra front, who frequently takes credit for the indiscriminate bombings, murder and maiming of civilians across Syria.
Since long before the 2011 violence began, the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia had conspired to use sectarian extremists, specifically the Muslim Brotherhood and terrorist groups linked directly to Al Qaeda as the main force with which to overthrow the Syrian government, not for "spreading democracy," but specifically to undermine and destroy neighboring Iran and reassert Western hegemony across the Middle East.
Hitto has yet to form a "government," and already his ties to extremists are being exposed - even by other members of his own contrived front - perhaps realizing the difficulties that lie ahead with disasters like Libya and Egypt smoldering behind. Any aid or political support the US, UK, France, and its partners in the Middle East including Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar attempt to lend Hitto's foreign-contrived government will be done so with the public's full understanding that such support is being willfully given to sectarian extremists who not only fail to represent the West's ideals of "democracy" or "freedom," but fail to represent even the majority of people living in Syria.
Yet despite these apparently insurmountable difficulties, should the West pick a leader not affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and its terrorist spin-offs, the opposition in Syria would splinter and collapse - because the "secular moderates" the White House keeps telling the world about, simply do not exist. Its otherwise irrational insistence on propping up one discredited Muslim Brotherhood dictator after another is clearly indicative of this."
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 4:00 utc | 25
Posted by: Arnold Evans | Mar 20, 2013 6:59:38 PM | 8
this is most likely correct.stupid muslims are merely useful idiots pursuing a US goal without knowing it
Posted by: brian | Mar 21 2013 6:22 utc | 26
Re: missing post. вот так, try posting the trailing part of the link
as in "en/articles/2013/03/20/syri-m20.html" from your post 22
I'm sure we can work out the Russian news org (Google fu)
Posted by: Yonatan | Mar 21 2013 13:12 utc | 27
West delaying UN probe into Syria chemical attack: Russia
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/03/21/294615/west-stalling-syria-chemical-case-probe/
"Russia has accused Western powers of attempting to delay a United Nations probe into the recent use of chemical weapons by foreign-backed militants in the Syrian city of Aleppo.
During a Wednesday session at the UN Security Council, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin voiced Moscow’s support for the Syrian government’s call for an independent inquiry into the chemical attack by foreign-backed militants in Aleppo.
However, France and Britain reportedly cited new claims by the Syrian opposition that there had been two chemical weapons attacks, one in Aleppo and another in the capital Damascus, demanding that both be investigated.
The Russian envoy strongly disagreed with the idea of focusing the urgently needed UN probe on the recent claims, which he described as “propaganda balloons.”
“As far as I know, there is only one allegation of the use of chemical weapons.... There have been no other allegations,” said Churkin, who holds the rotating presidency of the Council for March.
“To me, a concern which I expressed in the Council, was that this was really a way to delay the need for immediate, urgent investigation of allegations pertaining to March 19 [chemical attack] by raising all sorts of issues,” he added.
The Russian diplomat further questioned the credibility of the allegation about the second chemical attack in Syria, saying, “Instead of launching those propaganda balloons I think it's much better to get our focus right.”
Syria's Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Ja'afari also said he was not aware of an alleged second chemical attack in the country.
“This (second) allegation was set up on purpose to torpedo the investigation on the real use of chemical weapons which took place in Aleppo,” Ja’afari said..."
It's obvious that the west consciously set up the chem attack as a pretext to promote further overt western involvement, probably ran it themselves using their spec ops war criminals they have operating with the terrorists in Syria. When Israel had its Georgian quisling attack South Ossetia in 2008, the west played the same denial game, which the zionist media dutifully repeated as they are here. "Attack by Georgia? What attack? All we see is Russia attacking Georgia."
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 13:19 utc | 28
Yonatan - 25
OK, I'll give it a try.
world/2013/03/20/siriiskii-krizis/706476-siriyu-gotovyat-dlya-vtorzheniya-nato
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 13:25 utc | 29
Seems to have worked. Now let's try the first part of the link.
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 13:29 utc | 30
OK, that seems to have worked, so I tried a second experiment. I tried posting the first part of the link and the filter blocked it. Apparently the filter has been changed so it now intercepts links with Russian web addresses, as I have never had a problem posting a link to a Russian address before.
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 13:33 utc | 31
Russia offers Syria expert help in chemical attack probe
http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_03_21/Russia-offers-Syria-expert-help-in-chemical-attack-probe/
"Russia has offered to send its chemical weapons experts to Syria if it were to set up a committee to investigate the alleged firing of a rocket loaded with chemical agents.
An announcement to this effect was made today by the Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Alexander Lukashevich.
He said Russia would “be pleased to send our experts” to take part in such a committee or expert panel."
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 13:36 utc | 32
I'm familiar with Brighter Horizons Academy in Dallas (Garland to be honest but close enough, Garland is thought to be the "Arlen, TX" of "King of the Hill" a show I deeply appreciate) It's a serious "parochial" Islamic school. I don't think this guy can really be compared to Chalabi, though it's mighty presumptuous to assume it's our role to pick their pres.
"Presumptuous" reminds me of a joke; a man brings his date home after dinner and asks if she wants to go in and get comfortable. She says, "that's mighty presumptuous of you" He replies, "presumptuous is a mighty big word for a 13 year old."
Posted by: scottindallas | Mar 21 2013 13:39 utc | 33
Now that is interesting. The post with a VoR link wasn't intercepted. Apparently it is that specific Russian site that was set to be blocked.
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 13:39 utc | 34
Saudis (and their ilk, but they look and act like Saudis, so the GCC could well be included) do fund mosques and some of the religious schools here. I think it's goodwill stuff, a sensible investment and I'm unaware of any untoward activity. I've helped build (landscape) some mosques in Dallas, and have that insight into their funding. I also have an architect who builds/designs these facilities as well. He's a friend from Iraq, trained at MIT, and I've never heard that guy lie, or misrepresent anything.
Posted by: scottindallas | Mar 21 2013 13:45 utc | 35
So Ocalan calls for a truce, and for PKK fighters to withdraw from Turkey. Only recently was Erdogan boasting about the hundreds of Kurdish fighters 'rendered ineffective' - and now both sides want to make a pact together. There's too much oil in Iraq to be siphoned off to waste time fighting..
And what of the mysterious assassination of activists in Paris? I guess that didn't happen.
Given that Kurdish resistance to 'liberation' by 'Syrian' 'rebels' has inflicted losses amongst the insurgents, it also seems within the realm of reason that Erdogan is trying to nullify the Kurdish hand played by Assad against him.
Equally, Erdogan could simply be electioneering and trying to secure the Presidency.
He's a weasel either way
Posted by: Crayola | Mar 21 2013 14:13 utc | 36
Crayola - 33
"So Ocalan calls for a truce, and for PKK fighters to withdraw from Turkey...And what of the mysterious assassination of activists in Paris?"
A couple of months ago, a blog called Syrian Perspective speculated who was behind the assassination of those 3 PKK women, and why. With Ocalan's agreement with Erdogan, after a decent interval to let the assassination dust settle and be forgotten, SP's analysis may some validity. See these posts from January:
http://syrianperspective.blogspot.com/2013/01/first-post-january-12-2013-france.html
&
http://syrianperspective.blogspot.com/2013/01/second-post-january-16-2013-ocaylan.html
One should also not forget that the Israeli secret services have very close ties to the PKK operating in Iraq, and have had these for a long time now.
Posted by: вот так | Mar 21 2013 14:42 utc | 37
Well, I can call my wife's bra a 'booby-trap,' but that ain't turning her into a D-cup 'doll.'
Posted by: Daniel Rich | Mar 21 2013 14:57 utc | 38
My Turkish buddy does not believe that Erdogan has any interests in destabilizing Syria. He says, "Erdogan is acting out of humanitarian interests only" (Apparently he believes Erdogan is a devout Muslim)
The clown Erdogan is still begging to be part of the EU, even as we see it crumbling faster than the Berlin wall.
At the same time, Erdogan has the chutzpah to train & fund the "crazy jihadists" as they rape & destroy Syria.
--------------------------------------------------
Likewise, my Egyptian buddy thinks that Egypt will become some regional super-state under the control of the Muslim brotherhood.
Apparently, he thinks the Suez Canal is an economic powerhouse that can generate all kinds of cash.
Isn't funny. Everyone thinks their own excrement has no smell.
Posted by: HIlmi Hakim | Mar 21 2013 16:22 utc | 39
The U.S. sees this war as an opportunity to weaken Iran and destroy one of Israel's opponents. Obama said in the last presidential debate his policy toward Syria was guided by Israel.
Posted by: Edward | Mar 21 2013 16:43 utc | 40
bot tak @ 34
Yes, Israel and the Kurdish crowd, some but not all, go way back.
I have a number of posts on my blog regarding that interesting angle to the whole mess in the ME.
The use the same meme " a people without a land" etc
Without the god angle (imagine rolling eyes)
The way people malign the concept of god
Anyway it looks as if the UN is going to investigate the chemical weapon incident in Aleppo
Despite France and UK lying about another attack that took place in Damascus allegedly and the one I had mentioned that took place in December
If interested bot tak link here
BokTak @ 31 - you are right. I posted an entry linking to the home page and nada, rien, zilch.
Posted by: Yonatan | Mar 21 2013 20:35 utc | 43
There you go. For blocked links, enter the url into Google translate, then copy Google's translate url into a posting.
Posted by: Yonatan | Mar 21 2013 20:38 utc | 45
CNN Breaking News: Preliminary investigation reveals chemical weapons were not used! This chemical attack against Syrian civilians may be due to some Chlorine bleach substance!
So Al-Nusra has been dabbling with chemistry and false flag? They must be trying to emulate Zionists.
Posted by: kalithea | Mar 21 2013 21:14 utc | 46
@ kalithea [#42],
Q: They must be trying to emulate Zionists.
R: They would pass that litmus test if you'd find them out here, trying to guide discussions away from the motherland.
Posted by: Daniel RIch | Mar 22 2013 0:29 utc | 47
How about Israel's Chalabi? Way more dangerous to whatever is left of western interests than 1001 different herds of Freedom Fries, Flyers, Fighters.
Posted by: Daniel RIch | Mar 22 2013 0:44 utc | 48
@Daniel RIch
True, their clumsy attempt can't match the Zionist level of sophistication, but it appears these AQ brothers are taking their cues from the former's false flag playbook.
Posted by: kalithea | Mar 22 2013 0:57 utc | 49
Does anyone know when in 2003 Syria called for a WMD ban in the Middle East at the Security Council? Was it before or after the US invasion of Iraq? From Al Akhbar:
"The Syrian government, if it has such weapons, will never use it against its own population," Ja'afari said.He stressed that Syria is a party to most UN conventions on chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and had proposed a Security Council resolution in 2003 when it was a council member that would have required the Mideast to be free of all weapons of mass destruction. He said it was blocked by the threatened veto of an "influential member," an apparent reference to the United States, Israel's closest ally.
Posted by: Rusty Pipes | Mar 22 2013 1:40 utc | 50
@ kalithea [#45]
Q: ... but it appears these AQ brothers are taking their cues from the former's false flag playbook.
R: One can only be a teacher if one has pupils...
Posted by: Daniel Rich | Mar 22 2013 2:22 utc | 51
Okay so I just heard that the US finally admits Assad is not behind chemical attack. Maybe they figured the Russians would have discovered that it anyway and blown the whole scheme apart. The attack was too unsophisticated and chlorine gas was used. So the U.S. had to pretend they arrived at this conclusion first so that the Russians wouldn't suspect an organized false flag.
So AQ bumbles the chemical attack and the US has no choice but to take the heat off Assad.
It's very odd. Just a few days after the U.S. accuses Assad of planning to use chemical weapons in early December the Syrian government discovers that AQ captured a chlorine factory in Aleppo not far from a government munitions plant. So this begs the question: did the U.S. know that AQ captured that chemical plant before Assad got wind of it?
It's strange that AQ and WMDs are the reason for the invasion of Iraq and AQ was the reason for invading Afghanistan. And now here we have AQ conveniently experimenting with chemical weapons in Syria.
And get this, "Israeli Intelligence", no doubt pseudonym for Mossad, were the first to confirm a week ago that the Syrian Regime was planning to use chemical weapons. Now how would Isreali Intelligence know that this chemical attack was going down before it even happened?
Zionist operatives on the ground leading AQ by the nose to a chemical factory? If anyone knows where every chemical factory in Syria is located its the Israelis; they've been in Syria for ages; they've assassinated targets in Syria. They know their way around; Syria's like their backyard!
Posted by: kalithea | Mar 22 2013 3:05 utc | 52
#48 "...Now how would Isreali Intelligence know that this chemical attack was going down before it even happened?
Zionist operatives on the ground leading AQ by the nose to a chemical factory?..."
Perhaps like Western/NATO/Zionist operatives directing the 9/11 event, including the hijackers...who had no idea who was actually directing them. PsyOp compartmentalization keeps the puppets in the dark.
Posted by: easy e | Mar 22 2013 4:29 utc | 53
@ kalithea [#48],
If any party draws 'red lines' in the sand and the other party refuses to step over them, you gotta start pushing, don't you?
Posted by: Daniel Rich | Mar 22 2013 4:34 utc | 54
@ easy e [#49],
Off topic [but related to 9/11]; and then the sheer luck that your kamikaze pilots [that can't fly by instruments] are so fortunate to have miles of clear vision no matter where they flew.
Any recorded changes in building codes after 9/11 or was this one of those 'once in a lifetime' thingies?
Posted by: Daniel Rich | Mar 22 2013 4:41 utc | 56
From the Al-monitor: "he believes that the strong not only do what they want, but also fail to understand what they do". That is an exquisite description of the US psique state. Acting
compulsively just because it had work previously. Buy today the external media of the "system" has changed...and the system remains teleologicaly identical and operatively limited, Limited internally by its own socio-economic crisis and externally being carefully watched and naked and couterweigthed...The MBH seems to be a manipulable invention and the sharia seems to be an extension of the "well" tested despotic regimes west of the PG. Well, that is my opinion...TKYVM
Posted by: Ricky | Mar 22 2013 5:48 utc | 57
easy e and Daniel Rich (49&50)
No doubt Mossad recruits Israelis that have Arab features and speak the language perfectly to guide AQ in the "right" direction. It's hard to imagine AQ brainstorming and coming up with flying U.S. aircraft in U.S. airspace, someone must have planted the seed, opened some doors/connections and cleared the way.
Zionists are masters of illusion and false flag. Like the illusion they created on videotape as justification for the Mavi Marmara Massacre. Right now they're creating an illusion in Syria, except this time they're not working alone, but beyond U.S. intelligence, beyond the Qataris/Saudis, Mossad knows the Syrian terrain like the back of its hand. No doubt Mossad has explored every nook and crany inside Syria. How can foreign fighters know where to look; and how did they figure out what pushes Assad's buttons?
The red line:
Assad is definitely the reluctant adversary who needs to be pushed over the line. There's no doubt in my mind he's wished this nightmare away in his mind. But he's between a rock and a hardplace and he's forced to stand his ground and fight off this invasion, because it is already an invasion, make no mistake about it. They call this a civil war but that's just a proxy for a U.S./Israeli/Saudi/Nato invasion and it's also a proxy for weakening Iranian influence and goading Iranians into the mess. Do you think the U.S. cares that AQ blew up a mosque yesterday and killed a notable iman and dozens of Syrians? It's exactly what the U.S. wants: destroy and weaken Syria by any means; it's the end that matters and the goal is huge. Notice how this proxy civil war is reaching out into Lebanon and Iraq, two other countries where Iran is influential.
This is no small potatoes civil war. All the mentioned parties behind the scene are investing heavily in this war and pretending to their respective citizens (exception Qatar/Saud) that their hands are "clean" and they're barely involved. This is full-blown war against the Syrian people via proxy and Syrians should know that they're expendable and only the end matters to these parties.
This is but a continuation of the neutralization of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan and since Iraq got closer to Iran, the U.S. is again manipulating AQ to destabilize the Malaki government in Iraq and get Iraqi Sunni in tune with what's happening in Syria.
The U.S. knows that if it starts a war with Iran all hell will break loose and Americans won't stand for another war, but by destroying Syria and perhaps destabilizing Lebanon as well they're weakening Iran's hold and creating fragmented states with puppet leaders, and the U.S. and Israel can control the entire region and then work on destabilizing Iran; the biggest prize of all!
Posted by: kalithea | Mar 22 2013 5:54 utc | 58
There are big negotiations coming this year between the USA and Russia regarding Middle East.
NATO tries to gain as much ground as possible before the start.
The time table will be announced after Obama-Putin meeting in Northern Ireland in few weeks.
Posted by: Reason | Mar 22 2013 8:32 utc | 59
re 34
"A couple of months ago, a blog called Syrian Perspective speculated who was behind the assassination of those 3 PKK women, and why. With Ocalan's agreement with Erdogan, after a decent interval to let the assassination dust settle and be forgotten, SP's analysis may some validity. "
The word from people around the Kurdish Institute in Paris is that the murder was inter factional (règlement de comptes, as they say in French). Kurds do a lot of that. No need to place too much importance on the event.
Posted by: alexno | Mar 22 2013 9:27 utc | 60
I read an article few weeks ago that discussed "secret talks between Turkey and Israel" that were designed to yield an Israeli apology for the raid against the aid flotilla in 2010.
Israel is willing to meet two of Turkey's conditions for the resumption of full ties: an apology, and compensation to the families of the victims. "Turkey has also demanded Israel lift the siege," on Gaza, Ha'aretz reported, citing Radikal (the Turkish newspaper), "but is prepared to drop that demand"
Erdogan denied this.
Today, Netanyahu apologised to Turkey for "any errors that could have led to loss of life" during the raid.
He also agreed with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to compensate the families of the nine activists who were killed.
The article also states:
Turkey's request for the deployment of Patriot missile batteries along its border with Syria, its role in supporting the Syrian National Council and its attempt at coaxing various Kurdish groups in northern Iraq and Syria are all proving consistent with old Turkish policies. Indeed, Davutoglu's zero-problems with neighbors doctrine is but a historical footnote.
I consider yesterday's announcement from Ocalan, that called for PKK fighters to withdraw from Turkey, to be a signal of this 'coaxing'.
But what is really driving these latest steps? Seeking regional rapprochement before an assault on Syria, perhaps? An interest that the Israeli and Turkish Government's share.
Posted by: Pat Bateman | Mar 22 2013 17:34 utc | 61
Just spent a fair amount of time putting together a post and it hasn't appeared.
A waste of my life. Although part of yours is saved by not having to read it.
Although you read this, and this...
Posted by: Pat Bateman | Mar 22 2013 17:41 utc | 62
@вот так @Pat Bateman
There is compulsory spam filter in the Typepad software this blog runs on. I have no influence on its algorithm. If a comment does not post just wait until I check the spam queue which I try to do at least once a day. Your comments will appear as soon as I release them (which I just did for all currently trapped ones).
A very interesting take on who put Hitto at his new place : Qatar Trumps Saudi Arabia
On Syrian Opposition Leader
@ Bateman
Just spent a fair amount of time putting together a post and it hasn't appeared. A waste of my life. Although part of yours is saved by not having to read it.
LOL. Yeah, I feel your pain. Many a time I have constructed long rambling posts on this blog only to see it disappear into vapor because of a misplaced pressing of the backup button, or accidentally refreshing before the captcha was entered, or the filter. Best advice is to try and copy/paste after every paragraph. That way if you do lose some of the comment its just the last few lines. Its maddening to lose long comments.....
@ everyone
Yeah the rebel "Prime Minister" of Syria (who lived most of his life in Texas) is a stupid choice. You would think even the Qataris would be smarter when picking a puppet.
Posted by: Colm O' Toole | Mar 22 2013 18:51 utc | 65
Franklin Lamb has a piece on the Qatari Candidate
"...Damascus: For the past year, a plan C or D, depending on how one numbers the failed US-Israel projects in Syria was badly needed for those presuming to topple the Assad government.
And this week, according to Congressional staffers, both Tel Aviv and the White House are pinching themselves in disbelief over their good luck with installing republican leaning conservative Dixie businessman, the congenial, Ghassan Hitto, as Syria’s new interim Prime Minister.
Securing the key position for Mr. Hitto, a decision made last year, was not so easy and had to be approached gingerly. But finally, after weeks of sometimes intense debate within Syrian opposition circles, Washington, Ankara, Doha and Tel Aviv among others, managed to appoint their preferred guy. “The White House thought Hitto was the best of a bad lot”, one Congressional committee source, whose work load includes Syria, explained to this observer. “Bottom line, he’s an American, nearly thirty years here makes Ghassan one of us. And who cares if he came here as young man to dodge military service in Syria. Many of us dodged our draft during Vietnam and what’s important is that we can count of him!”
And just as some Americans were beginning to believe that our government may be afflicted with a congenital incapacity to learn from our past mistakes, installing Hitto, “should keep hope alive and we should not give up”, according to our Ambassador in Beirut, Maury Connelly. “Look what we achieved in Libya” she lectured a visiting delegation recently. After the meeting, one participant deadpanned, “Good lord! If that woman had not been Jeff Feltman’s office favorite for whatever reason, she might still be serving coffee to State Department visitors at 2201 C St NW, Washington, DC!” Having quoted that snide comment, Maury, dear readers, is reputed to be a lovely lady. Just ask her frequent visitor, Samir Geagea of the Lebanese Forces, who is reputed to be her special confident these days.
One recalls how Washington installed nearly one dozen Libya ex-pats during the uprising just as the NATO no-fly zone was being launched. Most of them knew foreign countries better than their birth country and some needed to get their hands on a US supplied “non-lethal weapon” i.e. a GPS and a National Geographic map to find the places in west Libya which they were meant to govern. Not to drop names, but in late June 2011, Saif el-Islam, now locked up in Zintan west of Tripoli, told this observer, referring to the influx into Benghazi and Misrata of “Team USA-UK” as Saif referred to those NATO chose to form an alternative government so they could be recognized quick as the “sole legitimate government”of Libya, “Franklin, you know Libya better than these foreigners do!”
Mr. Hitto’s “election” solves several immediate Syria problems for the White House. Or so they are hoping. At minimum, Hitto will be an American ‘potted plant’ who can be recognized and around whom NATO can corral an implant some of the desperate factions vying for power. Ghassan appears willing to take orders and is now involved in a crash-course to learn what he needs to know about Syria and how to implement the game plan. One congressional aide who helped vet Mr. Hitto clams he has “spunk and can be tough. And we think he will play ball....”
Posted by: bevin | Mar 22 2013 20:07 utc | 67
bot tak @ 66
Did you catch the news that Obama "compelled" Netanyahu to apologize to Turkey for the mavi marmara incident
lol
Theatre
Theatre at it's worst
There was never any issue between the two NATO brethren
Last year in July/12, I put forth the proposition that when this happened, it would be a signal that attacking Syria will be forthcoming.
It will be something that Israel and Turkey may do -with the US leading from behind..like with Libya ;)
After all Israel and Turkey both have an interest in destroying Syria
What with Israel coveting the land, water and mineral resources in Golan. After all these years of illegal occupation....
God said though shalt not covet they neighbours goods
And we see how well Israel follows the edicts set out by the vengeful god of the talmud/old testament ;)
Turkey well it's just a muslim brotherhood expansionist agenda on their part. dreams of glory and all
Anyway....
check it out
Israel/Turkey "kiss and makeup" Ominous for Syrian Situation
Penny - 68
"Last year in July/12, I put forth the proposition that when this happened, it would be a signal that attacking Syria will be forthcoming."
That's interesting.
Posted by: вот так | Mar 22 2013 20:35 utc | 69
bevin - 67
Thanks for posting Lamb's commentary. Much more informative than the al-monitor obfuscation piece posted in #64.
Posted by: вот так | Mar 22 2013 20:46 utc | 70
Is it just a matter of days or will it be weeks before the Red Line is crossed in Syria? US/Israel, Britain, and France are poised.....to pounce.
Posted by: Jake | Mar 22 2013 21:41 utc | 71
@ Pat Bateman [#61],
Q: He also agreed with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to compensate the families of the nine activists who were killed.
R: It would be funny if it wasn't for the loss of life, but when Americans get killed by Israeli forces [USS Liberty, Rachel Corrie and Furkan Doğan] the consecutive administration go into lock-down and blow smoke up their asses pretending it's the result of puffing on a peace pipe.
Posted by: Daniel Rich | Mar 22 2013 22:47 utc | 72
Q: ... what’s important is that we can count of him!”
R: As in 'Hitler Hitto, two, three, four?'
Posted by: Daniel Rich | Mar 22 2013 22:51 utc | 73
@ bevin [#67],
Q: Mr. Hitto’s “election” solves several immediate Syria problems for the White House...
R: As did Karzai, Noriega, the Shah, Pinochet and countless others. To be fair, herding sock puppets is not an exclusive western thing.
Posted by: Daniel Rich | Mar 22 2013 23:00 utc | 74
Penny - 68
took a look at what you wrote and I agree. That is a sharp observation. Very ominous development. The timing with Obama's visit also reinforces that impression, along with the recent intensification of terrorism and propaganda in the {censored] media. Obama is in Israel to get his orders on what role America will be playing in the planned escalation. Right now is a very good time to shut down anti-zionist sentiment on the web, before war making reaches that next step.
Posted by: вот так | Mar 23 2013 0:16 utc | 75
Others have noticed how the pieces are "magically" falling into place for an expanded, and probably overt, war against Syria. The Libya scenario, repeated.
Right on Cue
Syria Teeters on Obama’s “Red Line”
http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/03/22/syria-teeters-on-obamas-red-line/
"...Following the news of chemical weapons being used in Syria, the most immediate conclusion of this observer is that foreign-backed militants, who have used every opportunity to call for more material and support, employed the use of a smuggled chemical weapon of poor quality to bring about direct military intervention in their favor. Right on cue, Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain are frothing at the mouth, urging President Obama to “take immediate action” and consider deploying troops. Graham was quoted as saying, “If the choice is to send in troops to secure the weapons sites versus allowing chemical weapons to get in the hands of some of the most violent people in the world, I vote to cut this off before it becomes a problem.”
There is no surer sign of a pathological mind than when one credits others with the blood on their own hands."
Posted by: вот так | Mar 23 2013 5:11 utc | 76
The Israeli/ZIONIST set up for the expansion of the war against Syria continues:
Obama demands Hezbollah be named a terrorist group
"US President Barack Obama on Thursday demanded that foreign governments brand Hezbollah a "terrorist organisation," slamming the Lebanon-based groupfor attacks on Israelis.
"Every country that values justice should call Hezbollah what it truly is -- a terrorist organisation," Obama said in a major speech in Israel, in remarks apparently aimed at the European Union which has declined to put the group on a list of terrorist movements."
Posted by: вот так | Mar 23 2013 7:59 utc | 77
It's all the old divide and conquer(or emasculate)routine from Machiavellian Zionists who run Washington and Tel Aviv.Shia vs Sunni;Kurd vs Arab;Persian,Turks,religious vs.secular,and the human body count be damned.And before the Iraq war there was almost none of this divide,or at least very little violence based.The security of the Israeli splinter is paramount,so sad that this is mostly of their own making,by their insecure actions of bellicosity rather than working with their neighbors.A nation of PTSD sufferers,and with the passing of the Holocaust generation,one wonders where they got that disorder from,always winning?
And the Cyprus raid on the bank accounts to fill the banksters coffers,Americans should remember that their depressed value on their homes went straight to those same criminals already,so its already happened here,despite the MSM queries about how Americans would react.
Scam world order.
Posted by: dahoit | Mar 23 2013 17:09 utc | 78
#77
In a speech filled with zionist cliches sure to satisfy AIPAC-donors (and provide cover for the Democratic congresscritters who voted overwhelmingly for Hagel in spite of many attempts to demonize him and derail his appointment by the Israel Lobby), Obama slammed Hezbollah. Since Hezbollah's designation as a terrorist organization has been American policy long before Obama came into office, this could just be part of the rhetoric and one of the bases he needed to cover in his speech, or it could be language meant to ratchet up the pressure on the EU which was initiated under Hillary Clinton's tenure.
Posted by: Rusty Pipes | Mar 24 2013 1:18 utc | 79
In the past few days, Al Akhbar has carried a couple of timely analyses of developments in Lebanon related to Syria: Hezbollah’s Role in Syria and Mikati’s Resignation: The End of Dissociation.
Posted by: Rusty Pipes | Mar 24 2013 1:33 utc | 80
The comments to this entry are closed.
I think that US policy makers believe that fundamentalist religion and savage capitalism are the keys to the New Plutocrat World Order. It's the same coalition that Bush the Lesser put together for the US, and many of the same folks are still driving policy today. It works extremely well for them in the Gulf, except in Iran. Mursi and the MB are probably to the right of Mubarak on both religion and economics. And Wall Street loves it!
Posted by: JohnH | Mar 20 2013 18:35 utc | 1