The Islamic State Is Shrinking And Other News
Just some recent new items on Syria/Iraq:
The killed ruthless terrorist and sectarian Salafist insurgent leader Zahran Alloush was mourned by the Turkey backed Syrian Islamic Council, the U.S. backed FSA and affiliates, by Riad_Hijab the former Syrian Prime Minister who defected and who now heads the Saudi formed opposition body, by the terrorist groups Ahrar al Sham, Jabhat al Nusra/al-Qaeda and by the head of Human Rights Watch who gets payed $450,000 per year for such valuable (for some rich people) service:
Kenneth Roth Verified account @KenRoth
Killing Zahran Alloush is part of Assad strategy of trying to reduce choice to him or ISIS.
So, according to Kenneth Roth, Zahran Alloush who lauded Osama bin Laden, shelled civilians in Damascus and put Alawite women into cages as human shields, was a potentially valid "choice" for the Syrian people?
The Islamic State Caliph Baghdadi published an audio speech in which he acknowledged loss of territory but promised victory after more hardship. He announced an attack on Israel or probably soft Jewish targets elsewhere. Baghdadi mentioned "Jews" eight times and "Palestine" five times in the 24 minutes tape. An attack on Israel would probably be a valuable recruiting tool for the Islamic State.
The Syrian Arab Army freed several Islamic State held villages north east of Aleppo.
The Syrian-Kurdish YPG, under its U.S. label Syrian Democratic Forces, took the Tishreen dam away from the Islamic State fighters. The move was supported by Russia and the U.S. There are plans to reroute electricity from Tishreen to the predominate Kurdish Kobane, a prospect that other parts of Syria will not like and a potential reason for future conflicts. From Tishreen the Kurds can cross to the west bank of the Euphrates and proceed towards Jarablus. This would cut the corridor the Islamic State has to Turkey. The Turkish government had announced that such a move by the Kurds would be a grave transgression of its red lines and against Turkish interests.
Iraqi government forces stormed the Islamic State held central government complex in Ramadi, Anbar province. Some IS fighters died there but more fled. The city of Ramadi was announced free of IS by the Iraqi government but I would expect that IS sleeper cells have staid in the city.
The Islamic State is definitely shrinking. It seemingly lacks manpower and is still wasting personal by ruling over far flung but useless areas and in pointless suicide attacks for minor tactical gains.
There is unconfirmed news of a deal between the U.S. and Russia on Syria. Some Syrian businessman currently in London would become new Prime Minister but Assad would stay on as President. There would follow a review of the constitution and new election in which Assad could be a candidate. Assad believes he would win in an election. Any group not following the plan would be declared a terrorist groups by the UN Security Council and Syria, Russia and their allies would continue to fight those groups.
The Russian envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev is traveling to several Middle East countries in an attempt to sell the deal. He so far visited Baghdad, Amman, Jerusalem, Cairo and Abu Dhabi. A visit to Riyadh was postponed after the killing of Alloush.
Posted by b on December 27, 2015 at 19:30 UTC | Permalink
next page »The death of Alloush is a devastating blow to Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. They are now in total disarray and worried that Syria and Russia will not allow any Salafist to get into the opposition negotiation team. If the Jaish al Fatah in Edlib is considered as a terrorist group because of its affiliation with Al Nusra, then there are no more other serious militarized opposition group that the Sunni triangle can support.
They will have to fall down on their political puppets, Khoja (Turkey) and Riad Hijab (Saudi Arabia), now competing for a job in the future syrian government
We will now see Saudi Arabia trying to eliminate Turkey from any role in Syria. Already the Arab league has hit on Turkey about the invasion of Iraq. Also the fall of Barzani in the KRG through a coup that many believe will happen sooner that later, will leave Turkey in the cold and begging Israel and Europe to take it back under their wings.
2016 may see the end of Erdogan and the victory of Bashar al Assad.
Posted by: virgile | Dec 27 2015 20:00 utc | 2
A guy who calls for the extermination of Shiites and Alawites is considered a moderate martyr for peace
Insane how venal Obama and Kerry is
Posted by: Anunnaki | Dec 27 2015 20:29 utc | 3
Meanwhile, all across Africa, currency devaluation and US$ supremacy have cut purchasing power 20%-40% in a single year, as the currencies of a so-called 'BRICS alliance' collapse, affecting several BILLION humans, but some rag-head spittle-mouth tops the ZioNews jibberjabberistas, like we even care.
WHO CARES ABOUT THE LEVANT BUT THE NEOCONS AND THE ZIONISTS? Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. Find something of real human interest, instead of being a Zio war pron hangout.
Posted by: Chipnik | Dec 27 2015 20:37 utc | 4
@4 Chipnik
Your write some righteous stuff but you are being rude to our host. I understand your frustration with the focus of most of humanity but taking that frustration out on lour host is counter productive. IMO I would probably be better spewing my textual white noise over at ALMOST naked capitalism but they have proven themselves to be supporters of private finance which I abhor.
I encourage to continue to regale us with your prose but respect the barkeep for keeping the doors open for us evolutionary types. Try to see what is happening in the ME as part of the bigger struggle. The game is still very much afoot and the financial bleeding to support the war machine is at the point of trust breakdown which will end the US dollar's hegemony.....and hopefully that of private finance.
And before I read Chipnik's comment I was going to thank b again for a insightful collection of ME datapoints. B's postings and the commentary are a great education for me. I try to add (my) perspective when appropriate.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 27 2015 21:43 utc | 5
Interesting.
Minor correction: "The city of Ramadi was announced free of IS by the Iraqi government but I would expect that IS sleeper cells have staid in the city."
Should be stayed.
Posted by: a swedish kind of death | Dec 27 2015 22:04 utc | 6
There is consternation, grieving and sorrow emanating from the offices of John McCaine, Lindsey Graham et al for the death of al CIAduh warlord Zahran Alloush. This is adding to the mourning, sadness and despair coming from Riyadh, Ankara, Doha. MI6 and al Mossada are said to be in emergency consultations to pick a successor.
Posted by: Sun Tzu | Dec 27 2015 22:31 utc | 7
"There is unconfirmed news of a deal between the U.S. and Russia on Syria. Some Syrian businessman currently in London would become new Prime Minister"
I'm sure the Syrians would be happy to have some unknown western stooge, supported by the very countries that have sought to destroy Syria, running the country. Assad-must-go by another name.
Posted by: Yonatan | Dec 27 2015 22:36 utc | 8
Agree with Yonatan @8. That would seem to violate the "Only Syrians decide for Syria" mantra established by Putin, and follows a Chalabi-like trajectory.
Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 27 2015 23:00 utc | 9
@PsycoHistorian
I stop by NakedCapitalism still and they remain true to private finance. Lambert is better but he only posts the news.
This is a great site for geopolitical news and almost all of the news is emanating from Syria or moving parts associated with Syria. I don't know where people should go for that other than znet. Any ideas?
Son wants animal alphabet. Will write more later.
Posted by: AnEducatedFool | Dec 27 2015 23:03 utc | 10
I hear you Chipnik... But I care about the levant, as it represents the latest installment of the empire and friends having it stuck up them. As psychohistorian says, this represents further financial bleeding, a cumulative series of losses that will test the as yet unstoppable 'print money, start war' formula. I arrived at this site having been awakened by the realisation that the 2008 crisis was engineered by private finance in what was the biggest transfer of wealth in history - daylight robbery. Nothing failed as it should have in the west, and I've had the popcorn out at enlightened sites such as this ever since. I believe that what we are witnessing here are equal forces, finally, being pressed back upon the empire, via alliance, technology, diplomacy...and of course necessity. That the empire is finding it tough to have their own way in the Levant should be of no surprise - they have been at this sort of of caper for over 60 years, enough time to well study the dark ways of the beast, and be ready for the myriad ways the beast shifts and moves in quick time. Its funny, growing up in a western country, life was good if only you wished it...was kinda tough to admit we are, more or less, all a cog in the centralised banking machine of evil. Spoils of the last great war. Good will now spoiled.
@kenroth. <--- a crony. A stooge of the beast. What a way to let everyone in on the joke.
Posted by: MadMax2 | Dec 27 2015 23:05 utc | 11
The deal is a face saving exit for Obama. Assad will be allowed to run again if he so wishes. This is what Kerry & Nuland went to Moscow for and what Saudi objected with its immediate creation of the Jihadi-Sunni anti Shia coalition. Meantime, RuAF and SAA AF continue to pound on the takfiris.
Posted by: Sun Tzu | Dec 27 2015 23:13 utc | 12
Remember the look in the face of Lavrov and the smirk by Putin when presented this deal by Kerry, Nudelman and Tefft? I do not think they put much trust in the dealmakers.
Posted by: Sun Tzu | Dec 27 2015 23:23 utc | 13
if there is an election and any of the West's puppets are involved, you can bet on the outcome long before the election and be sure of the outcome.
Posted by: Mischi | Dec 27 2015 23:28 utc | 14
Terrorism's the topic, so this item has relevance; Nigeria isn't much different from Turkey it seems, http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43808.htm
Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 27 2015 23:32 utc | 15
Money quote from linked item,
"West Africa is the next front in these jihadist wars, which have already claimed so many of Sheikh Zakzaky’s sons. The resulting chaos will be used to justify further U.S military penetration of the African continent, under the pretext of putting out the fires that they themselves have set."
Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 27 2015 23:37 utc | 17
○ Correspondent Elijah J. Magnier @EjmAlrai
Unlike so many western analysts, #ISIS
Baghdadi confesses "the loss of many
lands", asking his followers to have
patience & seek martyrdom.
Killing Zahran Allouch indicates the work
of a combination of HUMINT and SIGINT
by #Damascus ops room (incl #Russia
#Iran #Hezbollah).
@ 10 Naked Capitalism
Yves Smith has described herself as a Reaganite. I have her book Econned which is like those websites that proclaim something in the headline and then make no reference to said headline. I think I have bought everything related to 2008 and Yves' book is possibly the worst. At least Michael Lewis knows how to tell a good yarn.
Posted by: Lochearn | Dec 27 2015 23:50 utc | 19
Thierry Meyssan writes (Dec 21):
“The balance of power between Washington and Moscow was progressively inverted, in June 2012 and September 2015. NATO lost its superiority in both intercontinental missiles and conventional warfare, so that Russia has now become the world’s leading military power.”
I don’t wish to dwell on minor points with Thierry (probably less stress on conventional warfare and ICBMs, and more in surface-to-air missile systems that can stop incoming ICBMs plus electronic warfare plus etc.) but that last phrase has resounded in my head over Christmas.
Posted by: Lochearn | Dec 27 2015 23:54 utc | 20
@13. I don't think Putin trusts the deal makers either (they're Anglo- Zionists after all). The Levant and the Ukraine are ground zero for the Great Game redux. The Wolfowitz Doctrine spells it out clearly. As Pepe Escobar said today, it will never end because the Neocon-Neoliberalists can't think in any other way. I mean, Sputnik was reporting this morning that ISIS leadership was being flown to safety out of Ramadi by US helicopters.
Russia should broker no deals or ceasefires of any sort until Daesh is completely rolled up. Putin has no partners in the West, only enemies. They would only be buying time to regroup. Assad and the SAA are the only ones who can ultimately stabilize Syria. That status quo is the only thing that can prevent the jihadists from moving up into the Caucasus and destabilizing Russia.
Posted by: Kraken | Dec 28 2015 0:02 utc | 21
@ Kraken #21 That status quo is the only thing that can prevent the jihadists from moving up into the Caucasus and destabilizing Russia.
Too late. It is already happening. It was reported that unidentified helicopters (NOT made in Russia) had recently dropped black uniformed bearded thugs in Northern Afghanistan.
Last week 13 people died in Dagestan on terrorist attacks. Russia announced today the formation of half a dozen antiterrorists hubs. China just created their first anti-terrorist legislation.
Posted by: Sun Tzu | Dec 28 2015 0:15 utc | 22
@2 Erdogan going for a visit with King Salman on Dec. 29th. Wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall for that discussion. Where have you seen rumors of a Barzani coup?
Posted by: yellowsnapdragon | Dec 28 2015 0:21 utc | 23
I find it hard to believe Syria and allies will put the responsibility for the writing of a new constitution in the hands of the West's hand-picked prime minister.
I also found it interesting that one of the PM's responsibilities will be reconstruction. There are a lot of people on this side of the pond chomping at the bit waiting for those reconstruction contracts. Heck, some of them were ready to roll in mid-2013. The banks and private equity funds will, no doubt, be thrilled to have a London guy giving out those contracts. Does reconstruction include oil and gas production?
http://labusinessjournal.com/news/2013/apr/26/l-banker-announce-syria-reconstruction-fund/
Posted by: Joanne Leon | Dec 28 2015 1:10 utc | 24
@17 karlof1
The events in Africa seem to make it clear why Gaddafi had to go. My understanding is that he was working on a Pan-African economic union and currency, with the aim of allowing Africa to harvest its own resources and profit from them, using Libya as a model, with some part of the revenues used to develop African countries, education, health care, etc.
Posted by: Joanne Leon | Dec 28 2015 1:19 utc | 25
New York Times editorial bored chides Congress for not going to war in Iraq and Syria.
"The omnibus spending bill Congress passed this month includes several explicit mentions of the military campaign against the Islamic State and a $58.7 billion budget line that will allow the Pentagon to continue fighting the terrorist group in Iraq and Syria with bombs and, increasingly, troops on the ground.
That may be as close as Congress comes to authorizing war against the Islamic State for the foreseeable future. After a couple of halfhearted attempts, the White House and leaders in the House and Senate appear to have given up on drafting a new authorization for the use of military force that would set clear parameters for the escalating conflict."
Posted by: Les | Dec 28 2015 1:20 utc | 26
@21 kraken
"I mean, Sputnik was reporting this morning that ISIS leadership was being flown to safety out of Ramadi by US helicopters."
I went looking for this in Sputnik articles about Ramadi but could not find it. Do you have a link handy? Would like to use that.
Posted by: Joanne Leon | Dec 28 2015 1:28 utc | 27
Posted by: Mischi | Dec 27, 2015 6:28:40 PM | 14
if there is an election and any of the West's puppets are involved, you can bet on the outcome long before the election and be sure of the outcome.
Not if Russia, Iran and Hezbollah are involve. I trust The Russians, Iran and Hezbollah more than American exceptionalism.
Posted by: Jack Smith | Dec 28 2015 1:29 utc | 28
Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 27, 2015 6:37:21 PM | 17
"West Africa is the next front in these jihadist wars, which have already claimed so many of Sheikh Zakzaky’s sons. The resulting chaos will be used to justify further U.S military penetration of the African continent, under the pretext of putting out the fires that they themselves have set."
Not if China allows it. Did you know Djibouti welcomes China to build a military base.
http://www.chinaafricaproject.com/djibouti-welcomes-china-to-build-a-military-base-translation/
China is Zimbabwe's closest partner among world powers.
http://english.cntv.cn/2015/12/01/VIDE1448956204453197.shtml
and further Zimbabwe using China Yuan
http://www.zimbabweelection.com/2014/01/31/zimbabwe-to-use-chinese-currency/
Posted by: Jack Smith | Dec 28 2015 1:45 utc | 30
Should be stayed.
Posted by: a swedish kind of death | Dec 27, 2015 5:04:10 PM | 6
How can you be so certain?
Staid ppl are stick-in-the-mud types with no imagination - like IS & its sponsors.
Why can't b deploy an amusing double entendre, on his own blog, without provoking the ire of the (staid) Grammar Police?
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Dec 28 2015 2:03 utc | 31
@29 Thank you, Les. Veterans Today is a site that I have avoided. There have been many juicy stories there that I would have liked to take seriously, but after a few visits I decided that it felt a lot like an Alex Jones type site. I could be wrong.
I'm also not sure of the FARS news agency. I've been leery of the two Iranian news outlets that I know of (FARS and PressTV) but again, it's based on my own instincts and I could be wrong. I've read some things from PressTV and seen some interviews that I found credible, but then I've seen other things that seemed too far out there. To be fair, I haven't assessed their material for a couple of years and maybe they've improved.
I'm open to advice from others here about this. This particular report says that it comes from the Hashd fighters on the ground, and I tend to weight the on the ground reports much higher than other reports if they come through a reliable source.
Posted by: Joanne Leon | Dec 28 2015 2:20 utc | 32
Anyone irritated by my defense of b's writing style should keep in mind that everyone who commits to prose does so in order to COMMUNICATE ideas. The first rule of effective COMMUNICATION is "Keep it simple."
The passing Parade of trolls at MoA is testament to the fact that b's communications are very (inconveniently) clear, and that style, no matter how seductive, should never be confused with substance.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Dec 28 2015 2:40 utc | 33
b's leadin said: "He announced an attack on Israel or probably soft Jewish targets elsewhere. Baghdadi mentioned "Jews" eight times and "Palestine" five times in the 24 minutes tape. An attack on Israel would probably be a valuable recruiting tool for the Islamic State."
I'll believe that, when we see it, although an attack could be used as an excuse for Israel to usurp more Palestinian land by linking IS with Palestine. ISIS and Israel are business cronies.
Posted by: ben | Dec 28 2015 3:06 utc | 34
@Joanne Leon@27
I went looking for this in Sputnik articles about Ramadi but could not find it. Do you have a link handy? Would like to use that.
I second your petition. I went back a couple of days in Sputnik International and couldn't find anything. Posters should, at all times, when making a "game changer" assertion, back it up with a link. Searching a misleading track is always a waste of time.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Dec 28 2015 3:21 utc | 35
believe it or not some leftists have been mourning Alloushes departure!
Lina Arabi @LinaArabii 18h18 hours ago
Al-Qaeda joins Michael Weiss, Kyle Orton, Ken Roth etc in mourning death of self-proclaimed jihadist Zahran Alloush. https://twitter.com/HalaJaber/status/680703347175731200 …
Raymond Gibbs @raygibbs1 Dec 25
Retweeted Michael Weiss (@michaeldweiss):
Reports Zahran Alloush has been killed in an airstrike in Damascus.... http://fb.me/7ytVb2Gqo
Robin Yassin-Kassab(of Pulse Media) even wants revenge
Robin Yassin-Kassab
@Qunfuz1 Robin Yassin-Kassab Retweeted هادي العبدالله Hadi
may Zahran's murder by Russian imperialists be avenged
https://twitter.com/Qunfuz1/status/680492187130302464
i guess journalist and islamist Yvonne Ridley is also upset at his departure...given her support for the jihadis
http://5pillarsuk.com/2014/03/02/yvonne-ridley-we-must-carry-on-moazzams-work/
Posted by: brian | Dec 28 2015 3:21 utc | 36
On Israel/ISIS oil deals:
http://beforeitsnews.com/energy/2015/12/report-israel-is-buying-isis-oil-2458544.html
Posted by: ben | Dec 28 2015 3:27 utc | 37
@ben@34
I'll believe that, when we see it, although an attack could be used as an excuse for Israel to usurp more Palestinian land by linking IS with Palestine. ISIS and Israel are business cronies.
Or, another "excuse for ISrael" would be to pretend to fight IS in the West Bank/Gaza, before "fighting it in Tel Aviv," invade what is left of Palestine, a-la Turkey in Iraq, and prolong their stay arguing "security concerns" and "preventive measures" to avoid "terrorist attacks" in ISrael.
This maneuver IS/ISrael was planned long ago, now IS is running out of time, and the zio-nazis are asking for their money back in the form of a "liberation of Palestine" before IS folds out of Syria.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Dec 28 2015 3:35 utc | 38
@brian@36
Thanks for posting those names. They will go, with Alloush, to the garbage heap of history.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Dec 28 2015 3:39 utc | 39
'There is unconfirmed news of a deal between the U.S. and Russia on Syria. Some Syrian businessman currently in London would become new Prime Minister but Assad would stay on as President. '
and is this business man voted in by the people or appointed by foreigners?
Posted by: brian | Dec 28 2015 4:12 utc | 40
Posted by: brian | Dec 27, 2015 11:12:24 PM | 40
Yeah, I've sent several emails to PM Malcolm Turnbull suggesting that he conduct a preliminary pre-election election to allow Australians to decide who should replace Obama as US Prez. But he hasn't replied and won't take my phone calls.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Dec 28 2015 4:46 utc | 41
Rotten Roth shows us the real dirty face of "human rights watch": another "NGO" serving the empire...
Posted by: guy | Dec 28 2015 5:09 utc | 42
Since we are into related news I just read where Erdogan is saying again that his troops stay in Iraq.
The link: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-12/27/c_134956073.htm
Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 28 2015 5:33 utc | 43
OT
The criticism of NakedCapitalism brings to mind a comment of mine from about three weeks ago entitled "Pundit Malpractice". Any one interested should also read the conversation with Plenue that follows (to #208).
The team at NakedCapitalism does some very good work. As such, it isn't easy for many to see where they fall short. I think I was able to articulate my own concerns in some detail (with some help from Plenue).
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Dec 28 2015 6:36 utc | 44
Who else than Erdo's police would have known the guy was about to leave the country?
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/177554/World/Region/Syria-antiISIS-documentary-maker-assassinated-in-T.aspx
KSA's special WOT
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/177544/World/Region/Saudi-seizes-five-million-amphetamine-tablets.aspx
Posted by: Mina | Dec 28 2015 7:06 utc | 45
Voltairenet and Debka wrote about some deal.
Swiss news media report, that the royal family of Qatar cancelled their skiing vacation in Marocco due to a medical emergency. They flew from Marrakesh to Zurich, arriving outside opening hours. In the following days, up to 8 large airplanes flew in from Doha.
Posted by: jaqwith | Dec 28 2015 7:36 utc | 46
"There is unconfirmed news of a deal between the U.S. and Russia on Syria. Some Syrian businessman currently in London would become new Prime Minister but Assad would stay on as President." -- It's all about deals? No actual elections, huh?
Sibel Edmonds and the "Corbett Report" ("open source intelligence") were exposed as major Putin haters by
http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/
Only thing, right now you only get:
502 Bad Gateway
Hmm?
Posted by: blues | Dec 28 2015 7:53 utc | 47
Paul Craig Roberts seems now to be back on line. This guy has some power. Here's the exposé of Edmonds and Corbett:
Presstitute Ranks Expand
http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2015/12/23/presstitute-ranks-expand/
How naive do these people expect us to be? It's scary.
Posted by: blues | Dec 28 2015 9:16 utc | 48
The changing position of Al Jazeera since the Arab Spring and subsequent Color Revolutions in ME. Under Secretary Hillary Clinton, US policy shifted to favor the Muslim Brotherhood and it's sponsors in Turkey, Qatar and Egypt under Morsi. At one point HRC was called the darling of Erdogan and Al Jazeera. Meet the coming US President ... what a fucked-up world of politics we live in! Found this from [recent] history on the Internet:
Analysis/Op-ed Ghassan Bin Jiddu: resigns from AljazeeraThis is big: the Beirut bureau chief for Aljazeera, Ghassan Bin Jiddu, who hosts the program Hiwar Maftuh (widely watched), has submitted his resignation. It is due to the recent radical shift of Aljazeera’s coverage in alliance with the Saudi-Israeli alliance in the Middle East. Ghassan Bin Jiddu is one of the most visible personalities of the network and he was seriously considered to be the director-general of the network before Waddah Khanfar was given the job. Ghassan belongs to the Arab nationalist mold and is a fierce supporter of resistance to Israel. I last saw him last year when he invited me to dinner with Samir Al-Quntar. Bin Jiddu was very influential in Aljazeera and this step will bring further embarrassment to the network.
[Ghassan Bin Jiddu, a Tunisian-born journalist now manages the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen channel.]
Qatar in the pocket of White House and MIC.
Pls bear with me for quote from ME Forum:
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lauded the channel as "real news," and
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said he was "very proud" of its handling of the so-called Arab Spring.]
○ AJ and Qatar: Muslim Brothers' Dark Empire?
(MediaBistro) March 8, 2011 - “I think Al Jazeera should capitalise on its new-found fame and new-found favour in the U.S.,” Ali Jaber, dean of the Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication at the American University of Dubai told The National. Al Jazeera has made a fan of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, a powerful ally to have in your corner. With social media, it can also gather support from millions of others.
@Hoarsewhisperer
"How can you be so certain?"
I can't be certain. But I have met b, we have similar native languages and this is the kind of error that looks logical, so I interpreted it as an error. Also, as you write in 35 b's style is very clear and direct which also fits with inteding to write stayed.
But nevermind, it is not like it is important.
Posted by: a swedish kind of death | Dec 28 2015 10:49 utc | 51
First two comments from b's link say it all about Kenneth Roth..
"No Kenneth, the Syrian army killing sectarian terrorists is part of the strategy to protect Syrians from being killed by them". @KenRoth
.@PhilGreaves01, "It's comments like this that made @KenRoth a parody of a human rights advocate, nothing but a political prostitute".
This is the face of the moderate opposition Roth is supporting... Alloush threatened non-Sunni Muslim religious groups, referring to Alawites and Shia Muslims as ”filth” that would be cleansed from Syria. He condemned democracy and pronounced himself in favor of a Sunni Islamic theocracy, where sharia law would be applied in the fullest.
Posted by: harry law | Dec 28 2015 11:46 utc | 52
@blues 47
Unelected officials placed at the highest level has been sweeping the Mediterranean in the last half decade. Its all the rage in these times - managing to remove the untouchable Silvio in Italy and a technocrat installed inside the so-called grandfather of democracy, Greece. I see no reason why it cannot sweep all the way east to the new Syria. What else to do when proxy war on the ground is lost...?
Europe: The Rise Of Technocracy
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/nov/13/europe-rise-technocracy-editorial
What price the new democracy? Goldman Sachs conquers Europe
While ordinary people fret about austerity and jobs, the eurozone's corridors of power have been undergoing a remarkable transformation
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/what-price-the-new-democracy-goldman-sachs-conquers-europe-6264091.html
Posted by: MadMax2 | Dec 28 2015 11:46 utc | 53
@52 harry law
Yeah, I have to say that the Roth tweet stunk the most in the author's latest blog post. Caging women as human shields os not very Nelson Mandela.
Posted by: MadMax2 | Dec 28 2015 12:00 utc | 54
@ blues | Dec 28, 2015 4:16:11 AM | #48
Interesting link. I have never trusted Edmonds; something about her does not ring true.
PCR is also a very interesting character; but I do not trust his judgement 100% either. I view these individuals with a great critical eye. This is a very dangerous world not forgiving of fools; all sources suspect and given great scrutiny. Verify, verify, verify...
Posted by: V. Arnold | Dec 28 2015 13:29 utc | 55
@blues@48
Paul Craig Roberts seems now to be back on line. This guy has some power. Here's the exposé of Edmonds and Corbett:
PCR's Christmas message was a bit discombobulated, to say the least. Christmas blues you think?
Presstitute Ranks Expand
http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2015/12/23/presstitute-ranks-expand/
How naive do these people expect us to be? It's scary.
The video is nauseating, and la bitch is a repulsive snake in the grass. They don't think people are naive, their assumption is the masses are brainwashed idiots who can swallow anything they throw at them hook, line and sinker. The mere existence of media whores inform us there is an audience for these people, they corner a piece of the brainwashing market, and survive and prosper in the crushing minds business.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Dec 28 2015 13:38 utc | 56
@blues@48
Paul Craig Roberts seems now to be back on line. This guy has some power. Here's the exposé of Edmonds and Corbett:
PCR's Christmas message was a bit discombobulated, to say the least. Christmas blues you think?
Presstitute Ranks Expand
http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2015/12/23/presstitute-ranks-expand/
How naive do these people expect us to be? It's scary.
The video is nauseating, and la bitch is a repulsive snake in the grass. They don't think people are naive, their assumption is the masses are brainwashed idiots who can swallow anything they throw at them hook, line and sinker. The mere existence of media whores inform us there is an audience for these people, they corner a piece of the brainwashing market, and survive and prosper in the crushing minds business.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Dec 28 2015 13:41 utc | 57
JackRabbit @44
Lambert Strether was too fond of uncritical support for stovepiped evidence supporting US pre-'regime change' corruption charges. I was also not impressed by his ad-hominen attacks on sources provided rather than actually criticising them.
He seems to be rather close to US State Department strategies for my liking. On the other hand, maybe it is simply that he does not like to be revelaed as an uncritical regurgitator of MSM disinfo.
Posted by: Yonatan | Dec 28 2015 13:55 utc | 58
NATO Reassures Turkey by Sending AWACS
German Bundeswehr to deploy more troops to Turkey aboard NATO AWACS planes | Deutsche Welle |Germany's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense informed the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, that several of NATO's Airborne Early Warning and Control planes (AWACS) would temporarily be moved from Germany to the central Turkish city of Konya.
"Since Germany provides 30 percent of all personnel, our armed forces will clearly also be affected by the move," a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said. However, it was unclear how many German soldiers exactly would be affected by the move.
No need to go through parliament
The memo also pointed out that the Bundestag was not required to sign off the operation as this was not part of a combat mission. It specified that the self-declared "Islamic State" (IS) did not have any known air defenses of its own and that there were no indications that other parties involved in the conflict, such as Syria and Russia, would use their air force against NATO member Turkey. Some German parliamentarians have, however, demanded further explanations for the motivation behind the move.
German lawmakers irked by NATO plane deployment | Ahram Online |
5
I think b recognizes that anyone who isn't trolling some ZioPOV war pron, while putting everyone else down as a sub-cretin, is a regular happy follower of MoA, and an unpaid contributor, which we all freely are, rather than have to read the omnimedia pron rag 'integrators' (copyright thieves) at ZioBart or ZuffPost or ZDrudge.
My point was, at SOME point, when you're respamming the words of some junior lieutenant of some al-khabarama merc killer squad, feeding the fear, in other words, at SOME point, you have to say, you know what, I don't GAFF about Levant or ZioNazim or jerbiling about who's on first in Merc World.
That's for the war pron black ops boys. They like to hangout and listen to the chatter. I don't want to feed that chatter. I don't want some close-held knowledge I share on MoA to end up getting someone I know killed by the watchers.
There's plenty of other things to talk about than some dead Salafist that nobody will remember by the end of this week.
Posted by: Chipnik | Dec 28 2015 14:12 utc | 60
11
If you really believe all that end times for empire hogswallup then why would you and PH have the least bit of interest in ex-Alloush, some Salafist murderer, who has nothing to do with the IMF:WB:International Mob (except as their chaos agent).
I spent the weekend reading IMF, WB, ADB and UND tenders for 'think-tanks' to write white-papers and financial prospectus for how to 'penetrate' Africa with better credit-debt hooks, the way that American students are being sold as slaves to the empire. I spent the weekend reading the Defense.gov contracts for 'think tanks' to write white-papers and marketing schemes and technology briefs for how to spin up some of that $1.2 T Omnibus Bill for Empire into more Star War death:kill fantasy.
To me, since I don't believe in end times, not with an ecology like the Pentagon:Fed:State:CIA:IMF:WB and unlimited oil and gas, in other words, *with no natural limits to empire*, the only thing worth reporting is those who somehow survive, not the epochally very short life of Alloush the Salafist merc.
Posted by: Chipnik | Dec 28 2015 14:23 utc | 61
If this news is true, 2015 farewell is delivering good news for the 4+1 front.
URGENT: ISIL's Notorious Abu Omar Al-Shishani Arrested in Iraq
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iraqi forces captured senior ISIL leader Abu Omar Al-Shishani and two of his top aides in the Northern parts of Iraq on Monday.Al-Shishani and two of his senior aides and commanders were captured in the city of Kirkuk earlier today.
Some Arabic-language media reported that Al-Shishani was arrested in a joint military operation with the US special force, but Pentagon rejected that its forces had any role in al-Shishani's capture.
The report on al-Shishian's capture comes as the Arab media outlets had reported his death several times before.
No Iraqi official has confirmed al-Shishani's capture yet.
Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili known by his nom de guerre Abu Omar al-Shishani or Omar al-Shishani, is a Georgian terrorist who was an ISIL commander in Syria. He was a former sergeant in the Georgian army.
A veteran of the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, Batirashvili became a jihadist after being discharged from the Georgian military and served in various command positions with Islamist militant groups fighting in the Syrian war. Batirashvili was previously the leader of the rebel group Katibat al-Muhajireen (Emigrants Brigade), also known as the Muhajireen Brigade, and its successor, Jeish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar (Army of Emigrants and Supporters).
In May 2013, Batirashvili was appointed Northern commander for ISIL, with authority over ISIL’s military operations and ISIL’s forces in northern Syria, specifically Aleppo, al-Raqqah, Lattakia, and northern Idlib Provinces. As of late 2013, he was the ISIL emir (leader) for Northern Syria and was located in and around Aleppo Province. He was also in charge of fighters from Chechnya and elsewhere in the Caucasus.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Dec 28 2015 14:24 utc | 62
Here's my promise to the American Public: If anyone of the major networks -- ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, FOX -- promise to air the entire segment, without editing, I promise to tell them everything that I know,...I can tell the American public exactly what it is, and what it is that they are covering up(Sibel Edmonds, 2006 or so)
but this is pretty much all we ever got.
did they ever come out with the board game btw?
Posted by: john | Dec 28 2015 14:47 utc | 63
"A Pentagon spokesman, however, denied the report by the Iraqi authorities."
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151228/1032407853/shishani-daesh-iraq-us.html
So Omar Al-Shishani wasn't dead then. He's been reported dead a number of times again along with a photo of his corpse. Or, he's like many of the Al Qaeda operatives who seem to assume the same identity based on geographic association or rank.
Posted by: Les | Dec 28 2015 14:48 utc | 64
@Chipnik@60
Why don't start your own blog, so you don't have to come here to rudely dump your whining and resentment with the state of the world? Furthermore, you could illustrate us about your readings, the empire's financial structure, and all other subjects under the sun more important than Syria and "war pron."
AFAIK, b keeps his finger on the empire's axis of the contradiction with the periphery, and at this moment the axis is in Syria and the greater ME. It is around this focal point that all other forces, financial and otherwise, align. A simple, recent example is the IMF allowing Ukronazis to default on a 3b dollars debt to Russia. That's only part of the "war pron" on Russia, but all your readings don't seem to help you connect the dots.
I have a name suggestion for your blog, "No War Pron Please Only The Rest," I am sure you will develop thousands of followers in no time. Arriverderci and good luck with your blog.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Dec 28 2015 14:58 utc | 65
PCR's exposing Corbett/Edmonds or any war-flavored propaganda is good. There is no savior or saint among us whom can be trusted entirely on every issue.
Where PCR got off the rails for me (Reagan mythology notwithstanding), is in his monologue about religion, the fiction surrounding Xtianity and North America's cultural Melting Pot within it.
Even one hundred years ago, many immigrant groups kept their cultural mores, folkways and religions. This was not harmful to the moral virtue of the red, white and blue for which every heart beats true.
This is a great blunder on the part of PCR. Religion has nothing to do with morality except for those who believe that it does. If one requires the cloak of any religion in order to reign in one's desire to harm one's neighbor, I'd wish to avoid that individual in every way possible. I don't care if he goes to church twice on Sunday and Wednesday night bible study.
Moral social behavior is born into human beings just as it is with other social animals. It must be nurtured and maintained by loving parenting. Some among us are sociopaths. This is an anomaly.
Unfortunately, many sociopaths find their way into positions of great power.
Posted by: fast freddy | Dec 28 2015 14:59 utc | 66
@Chipnik@60
Why don't start your own blog, so you don't have to come here to rudely dump your whining and resentment with the state of the world? Furthermore, you could illustrate us about your readings, the empire's financial structure, and all other subjects under the sun more important than Syria and "war pron."
AFAIK, b keeps his finger on the empire's axis of the contradiction with the periphery, and at this moment the axis is in Syria and the greater ME. It is around this focal point that all other forces, financial and otherwise, align. A simple, recent example is the IMF allowing Ukronazis to default on a 3b dollars debt to Russia. That's only part of the "war pron" on Russia, but all your readings don't seem to help you connect the dots.
I have a name suggestion for your blog, "No War Pron Please Only The Rest," I am sure you will develop thousands of followers in no time. Arriverderci and good luck with your blog.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Dec 28 2015 15:08 utc | 67
Turkey will receive the defeated Zabadabi fighters and their families after they transit through Beirut. Is it part of the EU agreement with Turkey?
Posted by: virgile | Dec 28 2015 15:14 utc | 68
That sounds like what's going on. In the raid on the "ISIS" prison, the US freed Baathist leaders of Islamic State and didn't turn them over to the Iraqi government. They've taken Omar Al-Shishani and other high-level leaders out of Ramadi. The Iraqis say he's been captured but they'll never have them in their grasp.
Posted by: Les | Dec 28 2015 15:21 utc | 69
Saudi Arabia’s Phony War on Terror
http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/saudi-arabia-war-on-terrorism-by-brahma-chellaney-2015-12
Posted by: virgile | Dec 28 2015 15:25 utc | 70
Posted by: virgile | Dec 28, 2015 10:14:00 AM | 66
I think the EU would pay Turkey not to pass them on.
Headline in German media on the situation in Turkey:
If this continues the situation will be like in Syria
As far as I can find information, the EU has not changed Turkey's status as "unsafe", meaning that refugees from Turkey cannot be sent back to Turkey ...
Posted by: somebody | Dec 28 2015 15:41 utc | 71
FYI:
Al Jazeera is owned by the government of Qatar. via wiki
Posted by: shadyl | Dec 28 2015 15:43 utc | 72
Last week I realised Putin is a christian.
As is PCG, last week he wrote rubbish like:
"As I explain in my Christmas column, people were able to fight for liberty because Christianity empowered the individual."
"The decorations and gifts of Christmas are one of our connections to a Christian culture that has held Western civilization together for 2,000 years."
http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2015/12/23/christmas-column-2015/
WTF, now I see he wrote the same sentences also two years ago, it looks he copied the whole article:
http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2013/12/23/greatest-gift-paul-craig-roberts/
Posted by: From The Hague | Dec 28 2015 15:45 utc | 73
@Les@63
So Omar Al-Shishani wasn't dead then. He's been reported dead a number of times again along with a photo of his corpse. Or, he's like many of the Al Qaeda operatives who seem to assume the same identity based on geographic association or rank.
We have different versions now. The Russian version says "the Pentagon denied the report by the Iraqi authorities" about the capture of Al-Shishani, and dismissed them as "rumors only."
The Iranian version says "Iraqi forces" captured Al-Shishani and two top aides, reports that "some Arabic-language media" stated Al-Shishani was captured in a joint operation with US SpecFor but the Pentagon "rejected... any role in al-Shishani's capture."
Fars News added that "No Iraqi official has confirmed al-Shishani's capture yet," contrary to the Sputnik version that mentions Iraq's Interior Ministry's "spokesman Brigadier General Saad Maan" delivering the news.
It looks we will have to wait for the fog of war to dissipate in order to know what really happened to Al-Shishani.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Dec 28 2015 15:50 utc | 74
PCG?; sorry, again, I mean off course PCR
From now on I won't forget: PCR Paul the CHristian
Wasn't it Paul, who on his way to Dasmascus (!) got the message from Jesus that he had to go out and tell the world that the message of jesus was for all men (not only for the jews, but also for the gentiles)
Posted by: From The Hague | Dec 28 2015 16:09 utc | 75
And with ISIS defeated now this
Agence France-Presse @AFP
#BREAKING: Saudi Arabia to raise petrol prices by up to 40%: official
Posted by: somebody | Dec 28 2015 16:20 utc | 76
Chipnik;The fact that we don't really care about the ME,is belied by the Zionists who sure do,and spend Americas treasure and honor in attaining their evil goals.Such is our dilemma.
Posted by: dahoit | Dec 28 2015 16:24 utc | 77
My source for the US previously spiriting ISIS leaders out of the grasp of the Iraqi armed forces is NPR and Bloomberg. The Kurds complained the US was protecting ISIS.
Posted by: Les | Dec 28 2015 16:32 utc | 78
Posted by: a swedish kind of glass house | Dec 28, 2015 5:49:52 AM | 51
"...inteding to write stayed."??
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Dec 28 2015 16:37 utc | 79
Posted by: Yonatan | Dec 28, 2015 8:55:11 AM | 57
Did you read what I wrote and the conversation that followed?
My "Pundit Malpractice" comment talks about a guest post that Yves put up that is blatently pro-Sanders. My the discussion with Plenue (an NC fan) goes into some depth about what might be termed NC's "institutional bias". In short, I think that they fear losing credibility if they stray outside the 'Overton Window' (a concept that Yves talks about a lot).
One prominent example I cite is Greece. Yves couldn't see that "Greece is doomed" was a self-fulfilling prophesy once the establishment scared off lefty support. She thought she 'got it right' when instead she played into the Greek smack-down.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Dec 28 2015 16:57 utc | 80
@Chipnik@11
Your posts regarding Mil.Gov; was employed as an engineer for a military contractor country club producing cartoons for the likes of Lockheed, Grumman etc.. Secure a contract, easy street for several years attached to the big teat. Reagan, instructed to vote for, was bashing welfare mothers. Management ate their sandwiches in toilet stalls. Thanks.
Posted by: polka_tulk | Dec 28 2015 17:11 utc | 81
Regarding Sibel Edmonds and Corbett being anti-Russian, well of course they are. In Edmonds' case, I've assumed it comes from her Turkish heritage more than objective analysis. Everyone has biases. Step around hers to find substance in what she knows rather than what she thinks. I'd be interested in evidence disproving her allegations of corruption in USG, CIA, FBI, etc if any exists. I have seen no compelling evidence yet. Enlighten me.
As for PCR, I've never understood the reverence some give his opinions. IMO, he is not worth reading.
FARS and PressTV are about as reliable as CNN and Fox News, RT and Sputnik, Al Jazeera, or Al Arabiya. If you want to know what information a government is trying to spread, those are good sources. Facts can be reported by any of those sources. Or not. Read everything, but trust no one source above all others. Read all sources with their biases and messaging in mind.
Posted by: yellowsnapdragon | Dec 28 2015 19:43 utc | 82
wrt: From The Hague | Dec 28, 2015 10:45:23 AM | 73
You said "Last week I realised Putin is a christian."
Somehow you've overlooked a big chunk of info. Putin has made it crystal clear that he is of the Russian Orthodox faith. As for myself, I just don't think about religion very often. In the same way that I don't think about the mountains two miles to the east of here. I don't care if people are religious.
Probably most countries could be called multi-cultural. Ideally, the various religious or ethnic groups should retain most of their cultural heritage, while also making significant efforts to adapt to the fundamental cultural foundations of the land in which they reside. They should try to obey the laws and learn the official language, to whatever extent they can. Not everybody can be expected to be able learn new languages, however.
In the U.S., I thing the Chinese people have done a very good job of achieving this balance. Other minorities have been far less successful, unfortunately. In Russia, except for many Chechens, and some Taters, this balance has been achieved quite successfully. From the Orthodox Christians in the east to the exotic shamans of the west, they consider themselves Russians, and are not in contention. Here is something Putin has said when he attended the opening of a new mosque in Moscow:
/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BBC.com -- Putin praises anti-extremism efforts as Moscow mosque reopens -- 23 September 2015
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34335519
Moscow's biggest mosque has reopened, with President Putin as well as the Turkish and Palestinian leaders in attendance.
The Jum'ah mosque was demolished four years ago and has been rebuilt to accommodate 10,000 worshippers.
It is one of three large mosques in Russia, along with those in the republics of Chechnya and Dagestan.
Mr Putin said it would be a centre of spirituality and education that would unite people of different faiths.
He praised Muslim leaders in Russia for showing "zero tolerance" towards extremists, who he said peddle propaganda that had nothing to do with true Islam and were seeking to recruit followers in Russia.
"Russia's Muslim community dates back centuries and has made an enormous contribution to Russian history," Mr Putin said. "Its humanist values, like those of other religions, teach justice, mercy and caring for one's loved ones."
\~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It seems that, even despite the troubles with the Chechens, Russia is doing a much better job of integrating religious and ethnic groups than the U.S.
Posted by: blues | Dec 28 2015 19:56 utc | 83
Without reading sources from Iran, Russia, China, etc. it's impossible to understand geopolitics. Can't understand why reading foreign government sources is even an issue.
Posted by: yellowsnapdragon | Dec 28 2015 20:00 utc | 84
@ yellowsnapdragon #82 FARS and PressTV are about as reliable as CNN and Fox News, RT and Sputnik, Al Jazeera, or Al Arabiya.
Is truth relative or absolute? The MSM (aka Murdoch's) rags are in a league by themselves. For them:
1) Debt is wealth 2) War is peace 3) Terrors are Rebels. You can not compare with new kids on the block: RT, Sputnik, PressTv, al Manar with the deacons of disinformation agitpro cointel the MSM. That would be immoral equivalency. Imagine that non conformant alternative views are now as dangerous as suicide bombers. You can put to doubt that hijackers passports buried in tons of ruble were found intact, that is heresy. It would be heretical and hysterical to believe that ZATO created and nurtured ISIS for regime change in a pRESStv OR SPUTNIK tabloid. Don't you understand?
Posted by: Sun Tzu | Dec 28 2015 20:07 utc | 85
Well that's kind of my point. If all you've ever read, seen, or absorbed has been "western" news, reading FARS feels like being assaulted with lies. If you are a civilian living in Iraq, Libya, Syria etc, CNN surely feels like an abomination of falsehoods. If there is an objective truth, I don't know what it is. I have suspicions about what may be true, but my ideas are always evolving as I find information. I accept that I don't know what is true with 100% certainty. I speculate. Everyone does. Not everyone likes to admit it.
Posted by: yellowsnapdragon | Dec 28 2015 20:30 utc | 86
81 and 84
War pron is the biggest industry on earth and the Pentagonal Church of Daeth the largest Corporation in human history, devoted solely to anti-human Chaos. So it's no wonder those of Lone Wolf's ilk feel so threatened when we don't fall down and worship at the latest war pron super-hero action figure.
You must walk CLOCKWISE around the circle, Billy!
They need that affirmation, that stroking. And if they snag some humint by hanging out, they might get a campaign ribbon!
I'll be bringing news of food security and youth education to MoA in the future now, gleaned from all sources, not just the IMF:WB arm of ZioState:CIA. I find war pron rather juvenile, frankly, like being a fan boy for Michael Jackson. Sure the War Machine can rock and roll, if you're into worshipping murderers and pederasts.
No disrespect to b. I'm sure he/she is a fully self-integrated person/group and doesn't need my fawning affectation. If war pron gets clik-thrus, it's good for bidnez, it's good for MoA.
Posted by: Chipnik | Dec 28 2015 20:50 utc | 87
wrt: yellowsnapdragon | Dec 28, 2015 2:43:57 PM | 82
With all due respect, what you have posted is nonsense.
[Side note: Above, I said "From the Orthodox Christians in the east to the exotic shamans of the west,..." -- and that was backwards.]
I've wasted far too much time listening to Sibel Edmonds and Corbett, since they never told me anything of real substance. Some people I respect include Paul Craig Roberts, Dmitry Orlov, James Fetzer, Webster Tarpley, and others. And also of course b, and the Saker (there seems to be some sort of rift between these two which I don't understand; it seems unfortunate). They all surely have their various warts, but at least they seem to provide good info. That cannot be said for Edmonds and Corbett -- It's the difference between eating actual food and chewing gum.
Why on earth Edmonds and Corbett should be anti-Russian has not really been explained at all. IIRC, Turkey and Russia were on good terms for a very long time up until at least a year ago, maybe until Ergodan shot down a Russian plane. And nothing was said to explain why Corbett would hate Russia or RT.
The Russian news website RT and Iran's PressTV are presumably in the service of their governments at the end of the road. But we are not at the end of the road yet, and their strategy seems to be to simply provide us with the truth, at least for now. On the other hand, the radically disinformative Western Imperial Media (like Fox, CNN, etc.) just constantly keeps meeting its quota of 90% lies.
Sometimes the truth is worth knowing.
Posted by: blues | Dec 28 2015 21:10 utc | 88
Reading MoA for war porn is like one-handed browsing of winter wear in an antique Sears catalogue. Really though, why is there so much objection understanding multiple perspectives? Why is that so frightening to some people? That's rhetorical.
Posted by: yellowsnapdragon | Dec 28 2015 21:18 utc | 89
@88 Turkey and Russia have had a complicated, often contentious relationship.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey_Russia_relations
Edmonds is a few years younger than I am, so I assume she would have memories of the 1970's when many Turks blamed the Soviet Union for supporting Marxists who caused a lot of strife and bloodletting leading up to military coup. Plus, Edmonds wound up living in the States, so that would support a US bent. IME Turks don't trust Russia or Russians much. I'm drawing from my own biased experience of Turks and Turkey in the mid 1990's here, not stating absolute objective truth. As for Corbett, he is anti-any government entity. USG, China, Russia, UK... That's his thing. So take their biases into account.
I've seen PressTV (and RT) reports on UFO's and aliens, so I can't possibly believe that everything reported there is true. Sorry. Can't do it.
Posted by: yellowsnapdragon | Dec 28 2015 22:15 utc | 90
ysd - all posts
i agree with all you've said about info. we must either wallow in ignorance, slurp it all up despite the taste, or carefully pick and choose.
Posted by: sillybill | Dec 28 2015 22:56 utc | 91
With all due respect, what you have posted is nonsense.
What are you trying to justify?
Corbett and Edmonds?
Much Ado About Nothing.
Nothing of any significance. Except maybe to Fox News (and friends).
Posted by: blues | Dec 28 2015 23:46 utc | 92
wrt: yellowsnapdragon | Dec 28, 2015 5:15:21 PM | 90
You said: "I've seen PressTV (and RT) reports on UFO's and aliens, so I can't possibly believe that everything reported there is true. Sorry. Can't do it."
No links, huh?
Posted by: blues | Dec 29 2015 0:12 utc | 93
in re 44
"This reminds me very little of the time my guru sent me out to clean up the karma in Artful Dodge City."
When you say developed your thinking "with some help from Plenue" it sounds almost like co-authorship.
@209NC is neoliberal? Now I really have seen it all. Also, 'bordello' again. I know b doesn't like personal attacks and insults in his comments, but you're an asshole, guy.
Posted by: Plenue | Dec 9, 2015 5:13:42 PM | 211
Yes, I can clearly see the influence that that has had on your position.
Posted by: rufus magister | Dec 29 2015 0:18 utc | 94
Ramadi was abandoned as part of a strategic retreat by ISIS. Their exposed communication lines became unsustainable once a serious air campaign was underway and their ability to conduct military campaigns is sharply diminished. The seizure of Tishreen Dam highlighted how vulnerable their vital oil smuggling routes are. My guess is that ISIS will try to establish a defensive redoubt from which they would run their remaining oil economy and export terror.
Posted by: Thirdeye | Dec 29 2015 0:40 utc | 95
@93. Went back to look for links to what I recall seeing and couldn't find any at PressTV. So take it for what it's worth. You prodded me to explain why I thought Edmonds was anti Russian, which I did. Other commenters seemed surprised and disturbed that she and Corbett had been exposed as Russia haters or some such, which is silly. Smart, credible people have opinions that are backwards sometimes. So what.
Some on this thread have questioned whether FARS and PressTV are credible at all. I say yes, but as with all sources be skeptical, understand the agenda and biases of the source, and use common sense when weeding out bs stories. YMMV.
Posted by: yellowsnapdragon | Dec 29 2015 1:19 utc | 96
If ISIS attacks Israel it may garner support - OTOH, Israel is Really good at killing Arabs ;')
Posted by: Jim Mooney | Dec 29 2015 3:12 utc | 97
thanks b..
ken roth... with idiots like this for pr people, no wonder the west look like a group of ignoramus's...
@68 virgile.. i was thinking something similar...
haven't read all the posts.. been too bzzzzzzzzzy..
Posted by: james | Dec 29 2015 5:11 utc | 98
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Posted by: Chipnik | Dec 29 2015 9:17 utc | 99
@brother that whispers to horses
the swedish comrade is an old, old, barfly
once upon a time there was a MoA christmas meeting, he was there, me not, just read the news ;)
Posted by: citizen X | Dec 29 2015 10:46 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
"The Syrian Arab Army freed several Islamic State held villages north east of Aleppo."
I'm afraid there are maybe only some remains of villages, but mostly ruins.
Same for the city of Ramadi.
Posted by: From The Hague | Dec 27 2015 19:59 utc | 1