Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
June 27, 2016

"Jordan Bad," Officials Tell NYT - Pressure For A New Southern Front Attack?

U.S. officials called up the New York Times. They requested to send two reporters to take down dictation. The reporters dutifully stenographed what they were told and copied it into some publishable format.

The main purpose of the story seems to be to blame the Jordan intelligence service that CIA supplied weapons for "Syrian rebels" are ending up in weapon markets and with the Islamic State.

But the officials are also giving a limited hangout, confirming some already known facts to obfuscate and hide others. The reporters never bother to explain that to their readers. They leave all major assertions unchallenged even while those contradict reports already in the public record. "Why confuse the reader with facts?" they might have thought.

Thus we now read that Jordanian intelligence people "stole" weapons the CIA intended to deliver to "moderate" Syrian rebels. Jordan intelligence "sold" those on the "black market". Unfortunately some of these weapons have recently been used against U.S. CIA contractors.

You see, the always bumbling empire and its incompetent CIA never-ever manage to do something right. They have all these good intentions but always make these stupid mistakes like losing arms that then somehow end up with the Islamic State and other Jihadis. Whatever the U.S. does, any negative consequences are -by definition- unplanned or done by some other bad actors.

That weapons for "moderate rebels" end up and are sold to by Jihadis, even on Facebook, was predictable from the get-go and has been known for a long time. It is not a Jordanian problem.

Other myth the piece tries to plant include:

  • the CIA only started to train Syrian rebels and to deliver weapon to them in 2013
  • the weapons all came from eastern Europe via some Gulf countries
  • those U.S. dependent Gulf countries were acting randomly and only since 2013 did the CIA, thankfully, take the lead and set things straight
  • the Jordan state lets the officers who systematically "stole" weapons keep their pensions and the profits from the deal because that's what that weird Jordan state does

There has been quite a bit of reporting that contradicts those fairy tales:

  • the international operations rooms to coordinate the Syrian rebels in Turkey and Jordan started in 2012
  • the CIA supervised smuggling of weapons from Libya to Syria in 2011/12
  • the Gulf countries depend in the U.S. for their intelligence and defense; they do not "go rogue" unnoticed and unchallenged unless it is in U.S. interests
  • no state, not even Jordan, will pamper officers who "stole" and sold weapons if these deeds were against orders and the interests of the state

An open question is why this story was created now. It provides some limited hangouts but its real purpose seems to be to plant the story "Jordan officer stole weapons that killed U.S. people" which makes Jordan look bad. The NYT report was written in collaboration with the Qatari outlet Al Jazeerah.

There are doubts in Jordan that continuing the war against Syria is in its interest. A vehicle used in a recent suicide bombing against a Jordanian border station was earlier officially given to "moderate" Syrian rebels. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. Jordan can not expect anything good from a continuing war and wants to wind it down.

So was this story planted to put pressure on Jordan to again change its mind? Does it convey U.S. and Qatari pressure to renew a "Southern Front", which has been quiet for a while, and for a new rebel attack from Jordan against Damascus?

Don't bet on the NYT stenographers to answer such questions.

Posted by b on June 27, 2016 at 12:16 UTC | Permalink

Comments

Perhaps the story is at least partly intended to insulate Hillary Clinton from her role in arming and abetting...We know she was all up in "the ratline." Change a little date here and shave a little fact there.

Posted by: Benu | Jun 27 2016 13:19 utc | 1

The war is now shifting toward countries that have long supported the rebels and their toxic allies, AlQaiada.
Turkey is under siege fighting two wars and in political tensions.
Israelis tourists coming back to Turkey to replace the Russians and the Germans will trigger a new wave of terrorist attacks. Erdogan is so desperate for allies that he is playing with fire. Turkey risks to burn.
Jordan is now starting to feel the blow back of its collusion with the CIA and its infantile support of the Islamists in the south of Syria.
Bashar al Assad's predictions are coming true. it's time to pay back.

Posted by: virgile | Jun 27 2016 13:23 utc | 2

I can't help but thinking that the earlier story about Russia bombing the rebels near the Jordan border is linked to this ...am I wrong in thinking this ?

Posted by: Terry | Jun 27 2016 14:05 utc | 3

Writing fictitious stories about yellowcake and WMD's in Iraq in order to foment war at the request of Dick Cheney and his stovepiper Scooter Libby, Judith Miller took the cake.

Unfortunately, too many eggheads and wannabes still hold the ridiculous NYT in high esteem.

Posted by: fast freddy | Jun 27 2016 14:21 utc | 4

The question is whether Russia will ever wake up to the fact that it cannot simply allow the Syria situation to drift once again into total chaos. The Assad government's advance has begun to fall back. No one can seriously claim that Putin didn't know that the fake peace he agreed to wouldn't lead to this.

Posted by: paul | Jun 27 2016 14:36 utc | 5

I think this is intended to ultimately blame the whole fiasco on someone and anyone other than the US. My guess is Jordanian in intelligence was acting under instructions and supplied the weapons to the exact terrorists designated by the CIA. But now US involvement with (if not outright creation of) ISIS and Al-Qaida is becoming more and more obvious to more and more people. Someone has to take the blame and it sure isn't going to be the US government. Jordan is low hanging fruit and easy to throw under the bus. If that isn't enough the Turkey, KSA and Qatar are next.

I notice RT is reporting that Erdoghan has written a letter to Putin apologizing for the SU-24 shoot down. Maybe he is beginning to realize who his real enemies are. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part. Once a snake always a snake.

Posted by: Lysander | Jun 27 2016 14:47 utc | 6

thanks b.. personally i think this is putting pressure on jordan to hold steady in it's war on assad.. if a little blow back happens, it won't be as much as will happen if jordan decides to call it quits..

here is an alternative link to the "Islamic State claims attack on Jordan military" from the new arab..

and in other news erdogan has finally apologized to the families of the pilot and russia over the downing of the plane in november of last year.. it is interesting erdogan is trying to make amends with both russia and israel here... with regard to the apology - why now? that is about 6/7 months after the fact..

Posted by: james | Jun 27 2016 14:49 utc | 7

Next Errdogan will apologize to Bashar al assad?

Posted by: Virgile | Jun 27 2016 15:06 utc | 8

Did Erdogan apologize to Russia because he recognizes how U.S. power is declining?

Posted by: lysias | Jun 27 2016 16:27 utc | 9

"Whatever the U.S. does, any negative consequences are -by definition- unplanned or done by some other bad actors."

That quote should be a masthead cover on darned near EVERY history book used by schools and most universities. The mantra "Whatever the U.S. does, any negative consequences are -by definition- unplanned or done by some other bad actors" is why so many people yearn for a past that never was. And that is why any real change will require not just rhetoric (Sanders) but bloody revolution.

Yeah, I know, beating a dead horse ... but the malignant overlords will defuse any incremental change. And real change? That is what Obomba promised ... and we got.

Posted by: rg the lg | Jun 27 2016 16:37 utc | 10

An apology from turd-o-gone isn't enough. He should pay for the jet and support for the family of the pilot.

RFK, who is being called on to run for Pres: http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2016/06/please-join-supporting-rfk-jr-u-s-president.html, stated here: https://ecowatch.com/2016/02/25/robert-kennedy-jr-syria-pipeline-war/, that it's all about a pipeline in Syria. But a pipeline running through Syria will be demolished in the same way that country has been. Ground is no barrier. Maybe I'm missing something. Like they're going deep earth with an indestructible pipeline.

Posted by: Barbara | Jun 27 2016 17:21 utc | 11

Middle-Eastern edition of the"gunwalking" scandal", when ATF was selling arms to Mexican cartels, with those guns being later used to kill US Border patrol agents.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATF_gunwalking_scandal

Posted by: telescope | Jun 27 2016 17:22 utc | 12

rg the lg @ 10
For the reflections
https://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/

Posted by: ALAN | Jun 27 2016 17:25 utc | 13

Natanyahoo told Erdogan to apologize for the SU-24 shoot down. That was part of the deal btwn Israel and Turkey. And it's part of a larger deal allowing Israel to attack the Hezbollah this summer.

Posted by: jean | Jun 27 2016 17:28 utc | 14

ErdoGONE like 0 bama of many other NWO hand puppets benefits from a forged document paper trail ...

"The relevant provision of the Turkish Constitution, in its original 1982 version, is:

ARTICLE 101. The President of the Republic shall be elected for a term of office of seven years by the Turkish Grand National Assembly from among its own members who are over 40 years of age and who have completed their higher education or from among Turkish citizens who fulfil these requirements and are eligible to be deputies."

An article in Al-Monitor, on June 15th, was titled “Is Erdogan’s university diploma forged?” and Cengiz Çandar wrote: “If it turns out Erdogan was never qualified to be elected president, whatever he has signed or implemented would have to be considered null and void from a purely legal point of view.”

source - http://rinf.com/alt-news/breaking-news/252298/

Posted by: ALberto | Jun 27 2016 17:49 utc | 15

"No state, not even Jordan, will pamper officers who "stole" and sold weapons if these deeds were against orders and the interests of the state."

And why not? Because it makes no f...g sense? Is it a reason for anything anywhere? Perhaps, but it would require strenuous studies to find a convincing example.

In particular case of Jordan, the king himself, "Abdullah not so Great" complained at occasion about actions of other countries that he claim happened, and his way of knowing about them was the cooperation of the intelligence of his Kingdom. From purely domestic perspective, passing weapons to radical Islamists, be them ISIS or "moderates", makes no f...g sense because some show up later in actions against his Kingdom. But what you do given this choiceL occasional bother from a domestic violent and armed opposition, or abject poverty? Take Western and Saudi subsidies away and you convert the last Hashemite domain into a sad pile of sand interspersed with piles of stones, a phosphate mine etc.

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Jun 27 2016 17:58 utc | 16

paul @5

"The Assad government's advance has begun to fall back."

Can you source this statement paul?

"The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the National Defense Forces, supported by Russian warplanes, have seized the al-Ramliyeh village and the nearby hilltops in the southern parts of Hama province. Some 60 al-Nusra militants have been reportedly killed and a number of the terrorist group’s vehicles destroyed in the clashes. The village of al-Ramliyeh is located south of the al-Salamiyeh city in the province of Hama."

source - http://www.veteranstoday.com/2016/06/27/syria-iraq-battlespace-june-27-2016/

"Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had an iftar with the Syrian army troops on Sunday on the front lines of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus countryside."

source - http://www.veteranstoday.com/2016/06/27/414524/

Posted by: ALberto | Jun 27 2016 18:12 utc | 17

jean @14

"And it's part of a larger deal allowing Israel to attack the Hezbollah this summer."

This is a statement that contains 'no factual information.'

"Hezbollah is not fighting for “Assad” in Syria. Hezbollah is fighting for Lebanon and the stability of the entire region upon which Lebanon’s future depends."

source - http://www.globalresearch.ca/hezbollah-wages-an-existential-battle-in-syria/5533025

Posted by: ALberto | Jun 27 2016 18:16 utc | 18

To the individuals posting on MoA who do not source their statements. In the year 2016 opinion statements are no longer taken at face value. The U$A/GB/ISR axis of idiocy can no longer deal in unsubstantiated ideo-rumors as they once could. There are various information sources that have proven to be reliable as far as 'truth on the ground.' These various information sources have rendered as nonsense the prattlings of MSM talking heads and their online agents.

Posted by: ALberto | Jun 27 2016 18:25 utc | 19

doesn't seem the NYT piece makes the CIA look so good after all; rather, it underscores the danger of playing with fire

Posted by: claudio | Jun 27 2016 18:40 utc | 20

I'm sure the cia was getting their cut from the sales.

Posted by: jo6pac | Jun 27 2016 18:47 utc | 21

@12, the self-proclaimed MofA moderator

My statement if founded on this and other sources:

https://elijahjm.wordpress.com/2016/05/31/the-drums-of-war-are-beating-hezbollah-versus-israel/

An Israeli attack against Hezbollah might happen in the summer, when the Western countries are on holiday and don't care about ME.

But before going on, they have to cover their ass with Turkey and Russia.

So, I'm I still allowed to write here Mr Censorship?

Posted by: jean | Jun 27 2016 18:53 utc | 22

jean @22

Very interesting read indeed ...

"Sources affirm, “Israel’s calculations are wrong if the decision to initiate a war is taken seriously. Tel Aviv has not considered the devastating force Hezbollah would use in any upcoming war. Moreover, no regional countries have never needed to come to the aid of Hezbollah: on the contrary some supported the Israelis, and lamented that the war ended too soon during the 33 days of war in 2006. Israel is not taking into account the confidence and experience accumulated by Hezbollah in these last few years. Also, Hezbollah has a few tricks up its sleeves that go beyond what Nasrallah has alluded to (striking the Ammonia factories in Haifa). The current arsenal has modern technological features: missiles can be launch from the Beqaa valley, the South Lebanon and the Syrian-Lebanese border which constitutes an area greater than Lebanon itself (10,000 square meter). Hezbollah can strike targets such as the Israeli defense ministry’s HQ and other such sensitive targets, and turn them into rubble: any Israeli unit would become a target. Israel can completely level entire areas but their aerial and naval forces would not be able to manoeuver easily, and Israeli society is not prepared to witness destruction on a level never witnessed in Israel before”.

The sources end: “Nasrallah was serious when he said that the region is heading towards a conflict, and that there would be casualties in the next few months. This is because he has information that tells him Israel is preparing for war, and soon. And because of this Hezbollah is prepared for an armed standoff”."

NOTHINGyahoo. WRONG man at the WRONG place at the WRONG time.

It is summer 2016. When do the hostilities commence?

Just my opinion

Posted by: ALberto | Jun 27 2016 19:19 utc | 23

"It is summer 2016. When do the hostilities commence?"

When do the Olympics start? Big sporting events have been used for cover for major attacks before. And I think Israel might be mad at brazil for refusing to accept a settler ambassador. Two birds with one stone from the zionist perspective.

Posted by: Lysander | Jun 27 2016 19:28 utc | 24

@5 paul @17 AL

Having folded its campaign in the East, and presumably concluded that it had been stretched too thinly over the Syrian map, the SAA seems to be concentrating its efforts now on Western Syria, where the people are.

Russia seems to have been counseling this strategy for quite sometime, either because it seems to them to be the 'right' strategy to secure the West first and then move East, or because it has written off the East of Syria completely.

It is not apparent to me, at least, which of those two alternatives explains Russia's thinking and the SAA's present focus, post-Raqqa.

Posted by: jfl | Jun 27 2016 19:48 utc | 25

@jean:

Please don't be offended by the request for sources. There's a lot of chaff out there as far as information goes, not to mention intense trollage.

Posted by: wwinsti | Jun 27 2016 19:54 utc | 26

wwinsti @ 26

Great point ...

o·pin·ion
əˈpinyən/
noun
noun: opinion; plural noun: opinions

a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

Posted by: ALberto | Jun 27 2016 20:09 utc | 27

When it comes to the evil US empire looking bad, the US terrorist leaders, with servile help from the media propagandists, will always blame their bootlicking allies way before admitting error themselves.

That's because so many self lying cowards among the Western public have faith and believe in the BS benevolence of the evil US Empire.

Just like self lying religious cultists are in denial about the horror show of religion, same goes for political leadership belief. Because politics is where reality and power lies.

Posted by: tom | Jun 27 2016 20:19 utc | 28

@24
August 5th. Guess who handles security at the Olympics? Yep an Israeli firm.. ISDS.

Posted by: Lozion | Jun 27 2016 20:38 utc | 29

Jordan under Abdullah won't take any action against the US (or Israel). The danger of the revolt of the tribes is too great, if he doesn't have US guarantees.

Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 27 2016 20:49 utc | 30

Read the first half dozen or so articles in Information Clearing House: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/

I don't necessarily agree with them, but they are food for thought.

And thanks Alan for the link to No More Fake News: http://nomorefakenews.com/

For every body else, NMFN may be a good place to find stuff to disagree with ... so you can bolster your arguments ... ?

Posted by: rg the lg | Jun 27 2016 20:52 utc | 31

re 31

Can you tell us what you're talking about?

Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 27 2016 21:31 utc | 32

The refreshing aspect of Brexit is that it emboldened long suffering, if diverse, constituency: the idiots. They will not defer to non-idiots anymore, they will boldly charge ahead!

IDIOTS ARE REVOLTING!

For some strange populists reason, Labor Party of United Kingdom decided to elect the national leader by the vote of members, with pretty easy and inexpensive ways of becoming a member. That led to the election of a certain Jeremy Corbyn, an individual perhaps more threatening that Bashar Assad of Syria -- you can accuse Assad of this or that, but at least he never threaten to dismantle the most cherished British institution, Trident missiles and nuclear submarines that bear them. For this reason, among others, he was thoroughly detested by the majority of Labor MPs, but pre-Brexit, they suffered, if not exactly in silence. Quote from news.sky.uk:

The rift between Mr Corbyn and Mr Benn, whose late father Tony was one of the Labour leader's closest friends, dates back to the tense Commons debate on military action against Syria late last year.

MPs were left stunned by the bizarre spectacle of the Labour leader and his own shadow foreign secretary speaking out on opposite sides of the debate.

After Mr Corbyn opposed military intervention at the start of the debate, MPs cheered and applauded a passionate speech by Mr Benn at the end of the debate in favour of bombing Syria.

----

Now a wind of change is blowing in vast empty sub cranial spaces of those MPs. Of course, idiots are not restricted to Labor, or to Westminster.

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Jun 27 2016 23:16 utc | 33

Linguistic quibbles:

1. "Revolting idiots" apparently can mean two things: idiots in the process of making a revolution, or thoroughly disgusting idiots.

2. Initially, I learned English according to "British" (not Scottish, mind you!) standards, my first teacher spend some time in England, and the second, whenever in doubt, asked a question to one of the girls in class who had English mother and grew up in England. But for many years I reside in USA and I found British usages harder and harder to understand. To give a little example, in U.S.A. there are phrases like "often misunderstood" meaning "heartless bastard" or "intellectually incurious" meaning "a bit more intelligent than a vegetable" (applied to very notable people like Presidents and Vice-Presidents). What does "passionate" means in England? I was first alerted to the words when Tony Blair, in a CSPAN-ed meeting with voters pronounced in his sunny tenor voice: "I passionately believe [all the b.....t I was spewing about Iraq]". "Passionate speeches" of Tony Blair and Hilary Benn make me thing that the meaning is "papering over yawning factual gaps in blatant lies with puppy like innocent look and exalted pronunciation". Any Britons to comment on that?

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Jun 27 2016 23:31 utc | 34

@26 wwinsti.. true enough.. too bad some folks here at moa are so very slow to pick up on the white noise from certain posters that shall go un-named, jean not being one of them...

Plight of stranded Syrian refugees worsens as Jordan blocks aid: aid workers - see this..

interesting overview on the turkey - israel re link here..

some of the article turkey-israel link here "The terms of reconciliation seem to favour Turkey insofar as Israel has agreed to Hamas keeping an office in Istanbul on the condition that it will confine itself to political work. Israel also agrees to pay $21 million as compensation to the families of Turks who were killed or injured in the so-called Marmara incident in 2010 when a Turkish boat carrying relief supplies for Gaza was violently interdicted by Israeli forces. (Ynetnews)
What was the impetus for the reconciliation? A variety of factors possibly contributed. First and foremost, the two lonely hearts badly need company – both Turkey and Israel are facing regional isolation."

Posted by: james | Jun 28 2016 1:17 utc | 35

"Natanyahoo told Erdogan to apologize for the SU-24 shoot down. That was part of the deal btwn Israel and Turkey. And it's part of a larger deal allowing Israel to attack the Hezbollah this summer."

No.

Israel does not need anyone's permission to attack hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli politicians refrain from doing so because they and the Israeli military fear hezbollah. They understand that an all out attack on hezbollah in Lebanon will result in lots of dead Israelis and another humiliating defeat OF THE IDF at the hands of hezbollah.

It's pretty clear that Russia has stopped Israeli attacks on anyone in Syria. That was hurting morale and it should have been stopped long ago.

I will further add that erdogan acts on his own behalf. An apology to Russia from turkey has little really nothing to do with Israel. If zionists want to pressure Russia they will do so via Russian Jews or America. Erdogan is probably trying to pacate pissed Turkish business owners who are losing money due to the sanctions.

Posted by: Alaric | Jun 28 2016 1:23 utc | 36

Good call, Lysander. In most of their endeavors it's easiest to find a scapegoat or claim ineptitude than admit they're neck deep in the mess that they had a major hand in.

Jordan must be feeling the squeeze thanks to our efforts in Iraq over the years. Abdullah's father tried everything to prevent the first Gulf War. And they have plenty of refugees and infiltrators from frustrated Palestinians to Mossad to US "advisors" and probably CIA, too. It's a powder keg and surprising they haven't seen the bombings their neighbors have.

Posted by: Curtis | Jun 28 2016 1:51 utc | 37

Obama created ISIS. Here's the proof in an interview with former top Al-Qaeda commander Nabeel Naiem, on Al-Maydeen TV
Interviewer – You say that ISIS is a branch of Al-Qaeda?

Nabeel Naiem: It adopts the ideology of Al-Qaeda. ISIS was established in 2006, we created Al-Qaeda since 1989.

– Explain to me now the position of Dr. Ayman Zawahri from ISIS and Abu Bakr Baghdadi (head of ISIS), what do they consider him?

Nabeel Naiem: He (Zawahri) asked Abu Bakr Baghdadi to pledge allegiance to him (as the Emir..) but Abu Bakr Baghdadi, since he’s basically a U.S. agent, told him: we are the people of cause, the cause of liberating Iraq, Syria and so.. You’re the one who should pledge allegiance to us, Ayman (Zawahri) refused so there was a dispute and a fight between them.

– How he is an American agent? Explain to us how?

Nabeel Naiem: It is known that the USA released him from prison and he spent 20 to 30 million US Dollars to establish these ISIS groups and the first ISIS camps were established in Jordan, and Jordan doesn’t allow camps for charity, when Jordan establish camps to train terrorist groups, it doesn’t do that out of good will and charity, these camps were supervised by the [U.S.] Marines, and the arming of ISIS is all American.. and how do they arrange their expenses? I was in charge of a camp of 120 men, we were spending thousands of thousands (of dollars).. food, drinks, weapons, munition, training..

– Excuse me, you’re talking about ISIS? You were in charge of an ISIS camp?

Nabeel Naiem: No, I am telling you I was once in charge of a camp of 120 men and we were spending that time thousands (of Dollars), imagine how much this ISIS is spending?! Let me tell you something.. The wounded from ISIS during (terrorist) operations, are they being treated here in Lebanon? No, neither in Syria, nor in Saudi nor in Egypt, where do they go? They go to Israel. Now as we speak there are 1,500 of ISIS & Nusra (Front) are in Tel Aviv hospitals.

– From where this information?

Nabeel Naiem: Where are their wounded? Don’t they have wounded? Where are they being treated? This is well known..

– They have field hospitals, and it’s remarkable that they have a number of doctors in their ranks, even doctors from European countries..

Nabeel Naiem: Yes, the field doctor would only give first aid until you reach the hospital.

Posted by: Diana | Jun 28 2016 3:38 utc | 38

Source for above transcription and translation of Naiem interview: http://www.syrianews.cc/isis-the-bombshell-interview-to-impeach-obama/

Posted by: Diana | Jun 28 2016 3:45 utc | 39

@ 33, 34, Piotr Berman - slightly off-topic, but anyone who can master the phrase, "Now a wind of change is blowing in vast empty sub cranial spaces of those MPs", has the right to sit at the head of any English language class, in my opinion.

Posted by: Grieved | Jun 28 2016 5:07 utc | 40

Lysander @6.

That story about the Turkish apology to Russia for shooting down the su-24 seems real. Al jazeera is also reporting it and it also is showing up in the Turkish press. This has to be highly significant. Besides Erdogan's apology the PM said Turkey is willing to pay compensation and Gazprom has indicated that the Turkish stream gas pipeline could be reconsidered. If all of this is correct there is no way that Russia would agree to such a deal if Turkey continued to actively support Islamist terrorists in Syria that Russia is actively fighting.

Stay tuned folks. Something very big could be in the works. It would make those CIA backed forces coming in through Jordan totally irrelevant to the outcome America's war against Syria. It hopefully would mean that those 10,000 islamist terrorists fighting in Aleppo would be totally cut off from resupply of recruits and material. This war could be over in Syria in just a matter of months.

Posted by: ToivoS | Jun 28 2016 8:24 utc | 41

jean @ 22

Ahh nothing like a quote from a guy(Elijah J.Magnier) who pretends he knows a thing or two about Hezbollah's secrets and never shies away from letting us know how "Intelligent" Jabhat Al-Nusra is. Just go through all his tweets. All you see is how one should never underestimate his darling terror group the super Al-nusra!!!

I take his views with a massive piece of industrial salt.

Posted by: Zico | Jun 28 2016 10:39 utc | 42

Toivos

"Paying compensation and apologizing to Russia over the jet downing incident is “out of the question,” Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has said, stressing that Ankara has only “expressed sadness over the incident.”
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-pm-rules-out-compensation-over-downed-russian-jet.aspx?pageID=238&nID=101000&NewsCatID=510

Posted by: virgile | Jun 28 2016 10:55 utc | 43

Zico: I would urge you in strongest terms possible to use only salt approved for human consumption and in modest quantities. Careful corrections make the tricks without suffering health hazards. Example: " The current arsenal has modern technological features: missiles can be launch from the Beqaa valley, the South Lebanon and the Syrian-Lebanese border which constitutes an area greater than Lebanon itself (10,000 square meter)."

Sure, Hezbollah can launch missiles anywhere, the issue is where they can reach. Israeli Defense Ministry building is problematic, IMHO. It is also worth to mention that 10,000 square meter is also known as "hectare", an area that can fit a football field with some space for spectators.

However, if we want to speculate, it is worth to mention that a drone once materialized over the sea and IDF never figured how, then it proceeded to fly across Gaza strip and was finally shot down not far from Israeli nuclear reactor in Dimona. Perhaps it was launched from a submarine. It was reported that "homemade" hard to detect submarines with fiber glass hulls were developed for drug smuggling by Colombian gangs, so Hezbollah could have something like that. So they could also put Semtex on such drones and wreck some havoc along the coast, say, a navy base, oil import facility, residence of the Prime Minister, or simply a gas station (where even a small amount of semtex can cause a spectacular fire).

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Jun 28 2016 11:18 utc | 44

OT sorry but wanted to drop this link to a bunch of Bildeberg files . The 2002 meeting is a intresting one as it has Rummy and Pearl speaking along with others .It would be interesting to correlate the meetings posts to what we have seen show up in MSM following the meetings to see just how much of their agenda gets to the public and how its presented . https://publicintelligence.net/bilderberg-conference-2002/

Posted by: Terry | Jun 28 2016 11:41 utc | 45

Piotr Berman @34 Talking about disgusting idiots,The excellent Peter Oborne talking to George Galloway on 'Sputnick' here..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt-Fy7_Q3QE&feature=youtu.be&t=1440 Said "When David Cameron was making the argument for bombing Syria, he suddenly produced this figure of 70,000 moderate rebels which he attributed to the joint intelligence committee, I thought crikey 13 years on, and the same things are happening the invasion of Libya based on lies, we are still going to war based on lies"
On your comment @44 It is estimated that Hezbollah have over 100,000 rockets, many are guided courtesy of Iran, now think of the Greater Tel Aviv area where the majority of Israelis live and the small area where most of its businesses are, including the vulnerable Ben Gurian airport, it is not hard to imagine Hezbollah laying waste to the Israeli economy, Nazrallah has promised no ship could enter an Israeli port [in the event of war] because of the capabilities of Hezbollah's navy.

Posted by: harrylaw | Jun 28 2016 11:58 utc | 46

The U.S. was planning for their war in Syria throughout the 2000's.

Here's a bit of background regarding the U.S./Saudi-Syrian War:

GEN. WESLEY CLARK has revealed U.S.plans to destabilise and overthrow the secular Syrian Government was in place in 2001. "We’re going to take out 7 countries in 5 years: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan & Iran..” http://tinyurl.com/l45s5vo (Please note that these are all secular countries where women are free to walk or drive bagless and dressed like Western women. Our Saudi "comrades" want these countries to be converted to "Wahhabi" Islamist theocracies populated by bagged up women and bearded male fanatics,,,,just like in Riyadh)
By 2006 the U.S. was funding the so-called "Syrian rebels" (Mainly foreigners) and had established the Barada TV satellite broadcast centre to recruit Jihadis to the CIA-U.S. cause.
U.S. State Department has funneled $6 million to Barada TV between 2006 and 2011 to operate the satellite channel and finance other activities inside Syria, The Washington Post reported. http://tinyurl.com/hxd4sad
U.S. State Department Confirms Syria Invaded by Unprecedented Number of “Foreign Terrorist Fighters” http://tinyurl.com/pszuavg
Syrian rebel city welcomes US ambassador with roses (2011) http://tinyurl.com/ovth3c2
Syrian government criticises Robert Ford for meeting 'saboteurs' in Hama and conspiring to undermine regime.
John McCain Slips Across Border Into Syria, Meets With Rebels http://tinyurl.com/pg2amot
The leaders of the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army told the senator they want the U.S. to provide arms, a no-fly zone, and strikes on Hezbollah.
U.S. Analyst Admits: ‘Moderate’ Syrian Rebels Have Been Working With Al-Qaeda All Along http://tinyurl.com/ovfdwah
Turkey Detains 'Syria Arms Interception' Prosecutors http://tinyurl.com/ore4kun

The Charade is Over: ISIS & A.Q Outed As U.S. Proxies in Syria http://wp.me/p2iCeU-1jI
U.S. Intel: Obama Coalition Supported Islamic State in Syria http://tinyurl.com/oop7b6t
Arms Airlift to Syria Rebels Expands, With Aid From C.I.A. http://tinyurl.com/d4r7fd8
Judicial Watch: U.S. backs AQ & Brotherhood in Syria http://tinyurl.com/pm9vkxj


The United States Code is unequivocal: “providing material support to terrorists” is a crime:

18 USC § 2339A – Providing material support to terrorists.


18 U.S. Code § 2339B - Providing material support or resources to designated foreign terrorist organizations.


The Syrian opposition group "Jabhat Al Nusra" (Al Qaeda) is a designated terrorist group that has received training, weapons, logistic assistance and cash from Hillary Clinton and President Obama, and continues to do so.


The penalty for such crimes is severe. Why haven't they been prosecuted? (Of course we'd have to rescind the immunity that Clinton and Congress has used to conceal their activities as agents for Arab governments.)

Posted by: Michael Travis | Jun 28 2016 12:28 utc | 47

9;Maybe Erdogans tea leaves read Trump?Trump and Russia teaming up to fight the results of our neolibcon scums new reality in the ME,would leave Erdogan on the outside,right?

Posted by: dahoit | Jun 28 2016 13:05 utc | 48

@ Michael Travis | Jun 28, 2016 8:28:04 AM

You can also find a link to the US Sarin Gas in Georgia that may have supplied the rebels in this piece http://journal-neo.org/2016/06/28/bechtel-tmc-bio-weapons-lab-and-collateral-financial-damage-to-us-taxpayer/ ""On December 13, 2015 a person connected with US Naval Intelligence contacted Jeffrey Silverman and said, “I notice you are very familiar with the Lugar Center in Tbilisi. If you have time I would love to speak with you about it.”

Silverman replied: “Yes, I know a few things about the lab and have written a few articles as well. It is part of a larger bio weapons project. I can help you understand what you may already know, mostly on the university side and concerning Fort Dix in Maryland and the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia. There is no doubt in my mind that the projects in Georgia have a military application, e.g. bio warfare.

“Apparently what is going on in Tbilisi is the next stage of dealing with the natives in the Middle East, as we are running out of proxy terrorists. We definitely don’t have enough boots on the ground ourselves. Let’s not forget all the articles over the years, and the press releases claiming that the Lugar Lab in Tbilisi Georgia will not be involved in carrying out bio weapons research.”
http://journal-neo.org/2016/06/28/bechtel-tmc-bio-weapons-lab-and-collateral-financial-damage-to-us-taxpayer/""

Posted by: Terry | Jun 28 2016 13:19 utc | 49

US trained less than 100 rebels to 'fight' ISIS; new program to train unarmed Indian scouts to infiltrate ISIS territory, and of course, handover weapons to the real rebels

http://www.stripes.com/news/us-has-trained-fewer-than-100-in-syria-to-fight-islamic-state-1.416530

In October, the United States halted another train-and-equip program in Syria, which transported whole units of fighters out of the country to train at facilities in Turkey, Jordan and other locations. The fighters were given U.S. equipment, trained and transported back to Syria. But the vast majority of the Syrian units left the program or turned over their U.S.-provided equipment to other groups.

...

On Monday, three U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity described the new train-and-equip program, which was started in March. The revamped program does not try to train entire units. Instead, it identifies key Syrian leaders and trains them in skills such as spotting potential targets for United States and coalition airstrikes.

“We’re not necessarily training large units to maneuver in fire,” said one of the three U.S. officials who briefed reporters on the status of the new Syria train-and-equip program.

“Rather than training 10 people to use a rifle, if you can train a smaller number of people to accurately describe their own position relative to the position of enemy forces, it enables them to better coordinate resupply and describe enemy positions,” one of the officials said.

Posted by: Les | Jun 28 2016 14:36 utc | 50

Yep,For some strange populists reason, Labor Party of United Kingdom decided to elect the national leader by the vote of members, with pretty easy and inexpensive ways of becoming a member. That led to the election of a certain Jeremy Corbyn, an individual perhaps more threatening that Bashar Assad of Syria -- you can accuse Assad of this or that, but at least he never threaten to dismantle the most cherished British institution, Trident missiles and nuclear submarines that bear them. For this reason, among others, he was thoroughly detested by the majority of Labor MPs, but pre-Brexit, they suffered, if not exactly in silence.

Posted by: okie farmer | Jun 28 2016 16:24 utc | 51

I'm just pausing midcomments to say this is one of the best threads I've read here in a long time. Thank you all.

Posted by: juliania | Jun 28 2016 16:45 utc | 52

OT
UK Labour Party Backs No Confidence Motion On Leader Jeremy Corbyn
Corbyn has been at the center of a party revolt following the Brexit referendum.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jeremy-corbyn-no-confidence_us_

Posted by: okie farmer | Jun 28 2016 16:52 utc | 53

Virgile @43

This is how RT is reporting the the conflicting accounts attributed to Turkey's PM.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also wrote a separate letter to his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, saying, “In the near future, cooperation and relations between the two countries will reach a level that is essential for the common interests of our peoples.”

Yildirim told reporters in the parliament on Tuesday that Ankara will not reimburse Russia for the downed jet. However, just a day earlier, he had said that Turkey was ready to pay compensation "if necessary," claiming that both Moscow and Ankara "will put this incident behind us and continue on our path."

One step forward, one step back. It looks like there is some kind of diplomatic dance going on here. Putin and Erdogan will have their first direct communication by telephone on Wednesday since the su-24 shootdown. We'll have to see how that is reported.

Posted by: ToivoS | Jun 28 2016 18:17 utc | 54

I couldn't remember if Jordan was on the "seven countries in five years" list. I was mixing it up with Lebanon. Thanks for posting that, Michael.

Posted by: Jessica | Jun 28 2016 23:07 utc | 55

Posted by: Jessica | Jun 28, 2016 7:07:42 PM | 55

That should be "seven pissy little countries in five years" list.
Which is why some Yankees are beginning to question the wisdom of provoking Russia & China simultaneously.

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jun 29 2016 5:34 utc | 56

Im pretty sure Jordan was part of the "Dahieh Doctrine"

Unless they actually meant the "Aleppo Doctrine" instead lol

Posted by: Deebo | Jun 29 2016 5:47 utc | 57

@39 Fascinating article. Many txs for sharing. Explains alot about the MENA mess..

Posted by: Lozion | Jun 30 2016 4:16 utc | 58

w. regard to Olympics, Munich '72 comes back to haunt Israel every 4 years. Given their propensity for responding with disproportionate force, and to pre-empt any advantage owned by Hezbollah, obliteration of Israel is a tough call, imo.

The dynamic that concerns me is IDF getting entangled in Lebanon and US opens 2nd front in support of its greatest ally, thus bracketing Syria from west, with action so close to Russian AO, that some stupidity leads to that ultimate catastrophe the neodicks insist they are trying to stop by doing all they can to bring it on.

Posted by: 808 | Jun 30 2016 5:21 utc | 59

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