Know-Nothing "Diplomats" Prepare For Hillary's War On Syria
There are at least 51 stupid or dishonest "diplomats" working in the U.S. State Department. Also - Mark Lander is a stupid or dishonest NYT writer. The result is this piece: Dozens of U.S. Diplomats, in Memo, Urge Strikes Against Syria’s Assad
WASHINGTON — More than 50 State Department diplomats have signed an internal memo sharply critical of the Obama administration’s policy in Syria, urging the United States to carry out military strikes against the government of President Bashar al-Assad to stop its persistent violations of a cease-fire in the country’s five-year-old civil war.
Note that it was Ahrar al Sham, Jabhat al-Nusra and other U.S. paid and supported "moderates" who on April 9 broke the ceasefire in Syria by attacking government troops south of Aleppo. They have since continuously bombarded the government held parts of Aleppo which house over 1.5 million civilians with improvised artillery.
Back to the piece:
The memo, a draft of which was provided to The New York Times by a State Department official, says American policy has been “overwhelmed” by the unrelenting violence in Syria. It calls for “a judicious use of stand-off and air weapons, which would undergird and drive a more focused and hard-nosed U.S.-led diplomatic process.”
...
The names on the memo are almost all midlevel officials — many of them career diplomats — who have been involved in the administration’s Syria policy over the last five years, at home or abroad. They range from a Syria desk officer in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs to a former deputy to the American ambassador in Damascus.While there are no widely recognized names, higher-level State Department officials are known to share their concerns. Mr. Kerry himself has pushed for stronger American action against Syria, in part to force a diplomatic solution on Mr. Assad.
...
The State Department officials insisted in their memo that they were not “advocating for a slippery slope that ends in a military confrontation with Russia,” but rather a credible threat of military action to keep Mr. Assad in line.
These State Department loons have their ass covered by Secretary of State Kerry. Otherwise they would (and should) be fired for obvious ignorance. What "judicious" military threat against Russian S-400 air defense in Syria is credible? Nukes on Moscow (and New York)?
In the memo, the State Department officials argued that military action against Mr. Assad would help the fight against the Islamic State because it would bolster moderate Sunnis, who are necessary allies against the group, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
Would these "diplomats" be able to name even one group of "moderate Sunnis" in Syria that is not on the side of the Syrian government? Are Ahrar al-Sahm and the other U.S. supported groups, who recently killed 50 civilians out of purely sectarian motives when they stormed the town of Zara, such "moderate Sunnis"?
These 50 State Department non-diplomats, and the stinking fish head above them, have obviously failed in their duty:
- "Diplomats" urging military action do nothing but confirm that they do not know their job which is diplomacy, not bombing. They failed.
- These "diplomats" do not know or do not want to follow international law. On what legal basis would the U.S. bomb the Syrian government and its people? They do not name any. There is none.
- To what purpose would the Syrian government and the millions of its followers be bombed? Who but al-Qaeda would follow if the Assad-led government falls? The "diplomats" ignore that obvious question.
The NYT writer of the piece on the memo demonstrates that he is just as stupid or dishonest as the State Department dupes by adding this paragraph:
[T]he memo mainly confirms what has been clear for some time: The State Department’s rank and file have chafed at the White House’s refusal to be drawn into the conflict in Syria.
How is spending over $1 billion a year to hire, train, arm and support "moderate rebels" against the Syrian government consistent with the claim of a U.S. "refusal to be drawn into the conflict"?
It is obvious and widely documented that the U.S. has been fueling the conflict from the very beginning throughout five years and continues up to today to deliver thousands of tons of weapons to the "moderate rebels".
All the above, the "diplomats" letter and the NYT writer lying, is in preparation of an open U.S. war on Syria under a possible president Hillary Clinton. (Jo Cox, the "humanitarian" British MP who was murdered yesterday by some neo-nazi, spoke in support of such a crime.)
The U.S. military continues to reject an escalation against the Syrian government. Its reasonable question "what follows after Assad" has never been seriously answered by the war supporters in the CIA and the State Department.
Unexpected support of the U.S. military's position now seems to come from the Turkish side. The Erdogan regime finally acknowledges that a Syria under Assad is more convenient to it than a Kurdish state in north-Syria which the U.S. is currently helping to establish:
"Assad is, at the end of the day, a killer. He is torturing his own people. We're not going to change our stance on that," a senior official from the ruling AK Party told Reuters, requesting anonymity so as to speak more freely."But he does not support Kurdish autonomy. We may not like each other, but on that we're backing the same policy," he said.
Ankara fears that territorial gains by Kurdish YPG fighters in northern Syria will fuel an insurgency by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an armed struggle in Turkey's southeast for three decades.
The Turks have suddenly removed their support for their "Turkmen" proxies fighting the Syrian government in Latakia in north west Syria. Over the last few days the "Turkmen" retreated and the Syrian army advanced. It may soon reach the Turkish border. Should the Latakia front calm down the Syrian army will be able to move several thousand troops from Latakia towards other critical sectors. The Turkish government, under the new Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, is now also sending peace signals towards Russia.
The situation in Syria could rapidly change in favor of the Syrian government should Turkey change its bifurcating policies and continue these moves. Without their Turkish bases and support the "moderate rebels" would soon be out of supplies and would lack the ability to continue their fighting. The Russians and their allies should further emphasize the "Kurdish threat" to advance this Turkish change of mind.
The race to preempt a Hillary administration war on Syria, which the "diplomats" memo prepares for, is now on. May the not-warmongering side win.
Posted by b on June 17, 2016 at 5:14 UTC | Permalink
next page »"The names on the memo are almost all medeival offiCIAls..."
There, fixed it for you. Enjoying the calm before the Goldman Sturm, the takeover of the US Executive in 2017 for the Final Solution on liberating the Fifth Quintile's Last Free Life Savings, and plunging the globe into a New Dark Ages: Trump or Clinton, allatime same-same.
Posted by: Roitan | Jun 17 2016 6:22 utc | 2
The State Department and the CIA's 'Plan C' (or are they on 'Plan D' yet?) is an independent Syrian Kurdistan.
The FSA Sunnistan plan has been going down the tubes for months. With the imminent fall of the last few FSA strongholds, the State Department has gone berserk with their latest standoff bombing memo 'leak' nonsense. A desperate attempt to save the rebels, who now hate them and completely understand how they have been thrown under the bus by the State Department neocons. I really don't think the rebels will be the least bit impressed by the phony theatrics of a internal memo by mid-level bureaucrats.
The Pentagram is in a bit of a different pickle. They have to do something to stop the Wahhabi head-choppers, but its a bit like herding cats. The best they've come up with is ginning up the SDF to take/hold ISIS territory. But they can't arm the Kurds or Arab members with any REAL weapons because that would anger Turkey. So they give them a bunch of eastern European AKs and a few pickup trucks with anti-aircraft guns, promise air support and toss in a few SF guys. This almost works, but not completely. For what it's worth, I don't think the Pentagram cares at all about an independent Syrian Kurdistan, unifying the cantons or who gets what land/resources, as long as it's taken from ISIS. When ISIS is wiped out, the SDF will cease to exist and the SF guys will leave. The SDF and especially the YPG/YPJ will NOT ever be incented to provoke or go to war with Assad after ISIS is gone. That's a problem for the State Department and CIA.
The neocon State Department and CIA - normally at odds with the Pentagon's increasing reluctance to get involved at all - are taking this opportunity to agitate for an independent Kurdistan. This is done by funding the Kurdish PYD political party which purports to speak for all Kurds. The State Department and CIA also fund the PYD's growing Asayish thug secret police 'enforcers'. The PYD took control of Rojava by throwing out all the other political parties last year and crowning itself the King of all Syrian Kurds. But most Kurds don't trust the PYD, figuring that either Assad or the U.S. is really pulling the strings. The Kurds agree with the original PYD ideology, but not its current land/resource-grabbing frenzy NOR the kind of independent Kurdistan the PYD is suggesting. They want more rights and control of their affairs, but they do not want an actual or de facto independent Syrian Kurdistan.
The MSM (as CIA lapdogs are paid to do) constantly try to reinforce the message that the independent YPG/YPJ militias are somehow 'the PYD's army'. Nothing is further from the truth - it's all MSM spin to create the impression that the Syrian Kurds uniformly desire the usurped PYD vision of an independent Kurdistan. In reality, the U.S. State Department neocons and the CIA are the ones that want an independent Syrian Kurdistan for their own scheming (and to deny Assad the land/water/oil). The MSM is constantly on message with this to set the narrative to the American public for Syrian partition - most people have no clue.
For what it's worth, Assad is keenly aware of his history with the Kurds. Even by Kurdish media reports, he is willing to work with the Syrian Kurds as part of a unified Syrian state. He does not object to Kurdish rights or autonomy, just the U.S. meddling to goad the PYD into creating a separate Kurdish state. The U.S. State Department does NOT want Rojava to be part of Syria or the Syrian State and spins the Assad/Kurd relation as antagonistic in the MSM. This is the 'Plan C' Syrian partition scheme. Hopefully, the average Kurd can see through their scheming and will not follow the dictates of a usurped PYD to go to war with Syria for their independence. They would be better off dumping and outlawing the PYD completely and working with the new Syrian government on the future AFTER ISIS (and hopefully without any U.S. State Department and CIA).
Posted by: PavewayIV | Jun 17 2016 6:36 utc | 3
Finally!
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-strike-idUSKCN0Z306L
Russia strikes U.S.-backed rebels in Syria: U.S. official
Posted by: okie farmer | Jun 17 2016 7:45 utc | 4
The whole Syria nightmare was planned from the US Embassy in Damascus in 2006 because Assad was so broadly popular in the country and "the region." Can't have that so a strategy was drummed up:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/syria-and-conspiracy-theories-it-is-a-conspiracy/29596
Your assessment above is a supremely eloquent assessment and a scream for sanity to return. Thank you so very much for your always illuminating writings.
Posted by: Felicity | Jun 17 2016 7:55 utc | 5
re 3 Paveway.
I think you're quite right. That corresponds with what I've thought for some time. I'm sure the US will throw the Syrian Kurds "under the bus" when their usefulness is finished. I'm sure also that a lot of Syrian Kurds know this, and are hedging their bets.
Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 17 2016 9:17 utc | 7
http://www.globalresearch.ca/france-building-military-bases-in-syria-report/5531259 "The use of proxy forces to destroy the secular government of Syria is now starting to give way to stealth methods of direct ground deployment of Western Special Forces and ground troops under the guise of assistance and coordination with “moderate” terrorists.
"With a wide variety of Western-backed terrorist groups ranging from “extremist” terrorists like ISIS, al-Qaeda, and al-Nusra to the “moderate” terrorists of the FSA and the loose collection of terrorists, Kurds, and Arabs like the SDF, the West has a kaleidoscope of proxy forces on the ground already.
"Yet, even as Syria’s military clashes with the West’s proxies, the United States, Britain, and France have begun moving in Special Forces soldiers to assist in the mission of destroying the Syrian government, a mission that Israeli, Jordanian, and Turkish officers have joined in as well. That is, of course, despite the fact that Russian Special Forces are on the ground fighting on the side of the Syrian military.
"Likewise, both the United States and Russia are busy building military bases in the northern regions of Syria to use as staging grounds for new operations."
Posted by: Penelope | Jun 17 2016 9:20 utc | 8
So Russian peace talks with US evil empire in Syria were a disaster, which makes Putin look like an idiot, as well as the supporters of this idiocy.
As well as Russian invitations for the US to join it in Syria makes it one of the most stupidest invitations ever.
Since B is not mentioning it, he might as well not mention that the French terrorist invaders along with the already US terrorists, and possibly German invaders will be occupying parts of Syria.
Oh, but that's alright because Putin invited the evil minions of the Us empire into Syria, you know, because the bad PR opportunity is a much better outcome then world War three.
Posted by: tom | Jun 17 2016 9:31 utc | 9
A preview on America's future strategies?
http://www.cnas.org/sites/default/files/publications-pdf/CNASReport-EAP-FINAL.pdf
Posted by: Nicola | Jun 17 2016 9:37 utc | 10
The Iranians have been warring with Kurds by the border with Turkey. Neither the Turks nor the Iranians - nor the Syrians, but they do need the Kurds now - want a Kurdistan. The Kurds must know by now - must have been betrayed enough by now - to know that the US will tell them anything, promise them anything, and deliver nothing but betrayal in the end.
As regards the State Department, the Pentagon, the US government ... what's required is a neo-con purge, top to bottom. They are all working against American interests and against the American people. and have been for the past two decades. The likelihood of such a purge is about zero. Neither Trump nor Hillary has the will or the backbone to stand up to anyone. Trump's all mouth and looking out for number one, and Hillary's plugged in to the money-mosaic as well. Obama's getting ready to cash in his chips.
It looks to be more of the same, until they really do go after Russia, when it will be all over for all of us. I can't imagine that they really believe they can get away with this, but this bunch is all 'mid-level', 'just following orders', it won't be 'their fault' and that's the level they're working at. The people calling the tune think they can play the real world as they do their fake financial world, making up new rules as they go along, as they redefine success after each of their serial failures.
Talk about boiled frogs. How in the hell have we let it get this far?
Posted by: jfl | Jun 17 2016 9:47 utc | 11
@9 Tom
I am amazed at your unflagging obsession with holding Putin responsible for the US/UK/EU/NATO/GCC destruction of Syria. You've set him up as your omnipotent god and he's failed you, somehow. Putin, Rusia, is not responsible for the death, devastation, and destruction of Iraq, Syria, Libya or the rest of the middle east or north africa. You're throwing your stones at the wrong guy, at the only guy who's done anything at all to help the Syrians and to forestall the monstrous neo-con plan. This letter may be, as b says, a measure of theneo-cons' fear that it will all be over for 'their guys' in Syria by 21 January. If that were to come to pass, Vladimir Putin will have had a big hand in it.
Posted by: jfl | Jun 17 2016 10:00 utc | 12
Nicola @10 from your link 'Extending American power' I had to laugh at this... 4. "All of which provides the basis for our strong belief
that the United States still has the military, economic,
and political power to play the leading role in pro
-tecting a stable rules-based international order". 'Rules based',ha, the US is the leading regime change state, acting always contrary to International law to benefit its hegemonic ambitions. All five veto wielding powers and their friends are above International law for all time. Thankfully, Russia and China cannot be threatened militarily and will confront the monstrous US designs in Syria, once the head choppers are defeated the victors should move against the real source of terrorism in the region, Saudi Arabia and the various GCC satraps. b's article above is excellent and is echoed in this piece in Antiwar.com http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2016/06/16/something-going-worse-thought/
Posted by: harrylaw | Jun 17 2016 11:40 utc | 13
That letter was totally predictable. Bashar al Assad is about to win the war against the Islamist rebels and against ISIS and get back all the land lost with the help of Russia. There is nothing the US can do and is now facing a huge humiliation. The USA wanted to 'contain' Isis, declared that it would take decades to destroy it and now the Syrian army and its allies ( not the USA) are destroying ISIS in a matter of months.
This letter is a clear sign of despair. The proxies ( Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) that were supposed to do the job are quietly withdrawing uncovering the USA failure in toppling Bashar al Assad.
Turkey is stuck.
http://warontherocks.com/2016/06/fear-and-loathing-in-the-levant-turkey-changes-its-syria-policy-and-strategy
Saudi Arabia is desperate to end the disastrous Yemen war and rebuild its economy.
Only 50 US diplomats are left to make a pathetic call for an all out war in Syria hoping that Hillary will act and restore the USA pride that has gone in the mud.
The only reply is compassion and a tap on their back.
Posted by: virgile | Jun 17 2016 11:54 utc | 14
Tbher are other worrying development i n Syroina namely changing og Riusssian attitude to Assaad.
First Lavrov said that Russia is not Syrian government ally, they just fight terrorists together. An obvious nonsense.
And now this.
Israel, following several similar air raids in previous months just bombed SAA installation in Homs province, in the middle of Syria just 45 second flight of S400 rockets located in latakia, while Netanyahu was smiling with Putin in Moscow.
Israeli bombed military base in Homs province with impunity from S400
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.723701
Can you explain WTF?
All of that while IDF artillery provides cover for ANF commanded by formed ISIL commander in Golan Heights foothills,
There is more about Russian de-facto acquiescence for Syrian partition and pivot to Israel:
STRANGE DAYS: Did Israelis Pivoted to Russia? Or the other way around.
https://syrianwarupdate.wordpress.com/
Posted by: Kalen | Jun 17 2016 12:50 utc | 15
On the bright side, maybe the 50 signitores are just trying to get noticed by the Clinton transition crew.
Posted by: Michael | Jun 17 2016 13:14 utc | 16
@ b
Come on, U.S. military have a role to play in helping to export American values. Even with threats, Assad told Powell to "get lost"
This interview says a lot about the US of A:
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2007/04/a-conversation-with-colin-powell/305873/
Posted by: Yul | Jun 17 2016 13:17 utc | 17
@10
A preview on America's future strategies?
This is not preview nor is it a strategy, since strategies are based on more or less professional and realistic, I may add, assessments of the outside world. I do not have any recollection of any serious US doctrinal (policy or military wise)document in the last 20 years written from the position of comprehensive situational awareness--this is a non existent condition among most of US current "power elites". The document you posted is a typical wet dream written by utterly incompetent neocons (Kagan's and Zoellik names are a tell), people who can not and must not be allowed to operate with serious strategic and operational categories in any "advisory" role. They simply have no qualifications for that and are nothing more than a bunch of ideologues and propagandists from Ivy League humanities degree mill. Back to "preview"--it is a dominant ideology of "exceptionalism" which afflicted US "elites" today, this document is just another iteration of this ideology.
Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Jun 17 2016 14:09 utc | 21
i read about 30 of 160 or so comments on this article at NYT. given who the audience of that shit rag is & that comments are vetted, overwhelmingly commenters stated increased military involvement is retarded. of course, many of those speak from ignorance of what's really going on, but the knee-jerk suspicion of US Syria policy & these FSO dickheads seems a good sign.
Posted by: jason | Jun 17 2016 14:11 utc | 22
@Kalen
There is more about Russian de-facto acquiescence for Syrian partition and pivot to Israel:
It is exactly the other way around. How can Russia, which dwarfs Israel in every meaningful category--from economy to military--and who does remember her history well can "pivot" to largely regional player--I don't know. Russian "neocons" are a dramatically different breed than US ones, for starters they are much more educated and, actually, support Assad. Israel's pivot to Russia in some sense is inevitable, albeit it could be fairly protracted, with Russia being observed as honest broker. They are not completely stupid in Israel and are very aware of real situation in American politics, economy and military. In other words--they know how to count and see who pulls the strings. And then there is another "little tiny" factor--Israelis know damn well who won WW II in Europe. It matters, a great deal.
Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Jun 17 2016 14:25 utc | 23
12;I'm amazed at your unflagging obsession in stating Trump will be a pushover for the Ziomonsters.:)
Posted by: dahoit | Jun 17 2016 14:38 utc | 24
Interesting as always.
I note that the 'moderate' Hillary Clinton is a blood-soaked queen of chaos, who if elected is certain to embroil us in pointless wars and spread death and devastation across even more of the world. I say this not because I am psychic, but because that is her unambiguous record.
Donald Trump is admittedly a gamble, but depute his over-the-top stage persona, his track record is of actually getting along with people and brokering stable working relationships.
This November I'm going for the wild-card who at least sounds rational (if you listen to what he actually proposes, and not his style) and has a track record of actually being pragmatic, over certain doom.
At this point I wish I could vote for Richard Nixon (!), but we have the choice that we have...
Posted by: TG | Jun 17 2016 14:49 utc | 25
This piece out of the NYT is pure propaganda. Period.
Here's the big clue - where's the memo? It's not embedded in the article. It can't be found anywhere on the web. It's b/c it doesn't exist. The reader is 'TOLD' by a third party journalist few follow who writes for a MIC/Political/Policy corporate mouthpiece.
If an article does not link to an original source OR quotes only 'anon sources' be skeptical. Journalism, especially alt news journalists, site original sources AND try like hell to get sources to go on the record.
My apologies in advance if I'm being offensive to our generous host. That is not my intent. Rather, it's venting a long held frustration I've had with the division within corporate newsrooms who are there solely to sell the readers the news, even if it's made up out of thin air.
Yeah . . .agree 90%. Here are some minor details that need to be tidied up, and a couple thoughts.
1.
b: it was Ahrar al Sham, Jabhat al-Nusra and other U.S. paid and supported "moderates" who on April 9 broke the ceasefire in Syria
This is not quite accurate. Resolution 2254 exempted al Nusra from the cease-fire, not sure about al Sham and whatever others you are referring to. If they were excluded from the cease-fire, then they couldn’t break it.
2.
The NYT writer is Mark Landler, not Lander. If you’re going to accuse him of being stupid or dishonest, you want to get the name right. Mark Lander, whoever he is, might have a pack of bulldog lawyers.
3.
I don’t see in Landler’s article a link to the memo or a list of the people who signed it. Someone needs to publish that list of signatories to preserve the record of who the DOS idiots are.
4.
We see the point of all the saber-rattling by NATO on Russia’s borders: to get Putin tied up in a diversionary direct threat to Russia, thereby mitigating or eliminating his efforts in behalf of Assad. And you know what? Americans on the street couldn’t care one way or the other what Obama or CIA or DoS does or says about Syria. 280,000 dead, millions displaced and Americans are more concerned by a factor of 1000 about 4 dozen gays in Orlando.
Trump makes reference to this article in blaming Obama and Clinton for Orlando attack
Posted by: Les | Jun 17 2016 15:19 utc | 29
Saudi Arabia rejoining Turkey:
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000441
Posted by: SitoAurora | Jun 17 2016 15:23 utc | 30
Thanks for sharing your outrage, b. I completely agree. I have been ranting about this all morning and it's good to see someone else stating the case so the rest of us don't feel isolated in our anger at this vicious and dangerous stupidity. These 51 useful idiots are IMO auditioning for the Clinton team while also providing cover for the neo-cons above them like Nuland, Powers, etc. And directionless Kerry says he'll rush home to confer with these idiots rather than dismissing them out of hand. Kerry could only be useful to anyone if Lavrov was in the room with him at all times to keep him in line--otherwise he reverts to his normal mindless servant of US empire viewpoint, which is to follow whichever way the winds of power are blowing through Washington, DC.
Posted by: WorldBLee | Jun 17 2016 15:36 utc | 31
CIA .... YPG .... ALNUSRA.... FSL , all these acronyms are so confusing , how about considering the level of sanity and intelligence of these groups ( which is probably below that of a wounded flea .... ) why not call them Scoobidoos vs the Syrian Army
so the article would go something like this :
In the memo, the Scoobidoos State Department officials argued that military action against Mr. Assad would help the fight against the Scoobidoos because it would bolster moderate Scoobidoos, who are necessary allies against the group, also known as Scoobidoos .
:)
Posted by: M | Jun 17 2016 15:45 utc | 32
I thought it was a "cessation of hostilities" not a case fire. The difference is not trivial, and State Department employees should know the difference. The signers are either incompetent or evil (not mutually exclusive, of course).
Posted by: shargash | Jun 17 2016 15:54 utc | 33
I think the key takeaway is b's last two sentences: "The race to preempt a Hillary administration war on Syria, which the 'diplomats' memo prepares for, is now on. May the not-warmongering side win."
Hillary is the neocon's neocon. Pravy Sektor's honorary storm trooper Vicky Nuland is a Hillary protege. NYT has been positioning its readers to embrace Kerry's Plan B for the last month-plus.
Whether during or shortly after Hillary's first 100 days in office, U.S. military engagement with Libya and Syria will likely be significantly greater than it is now.
Posted by: Mike Maloney | Jun 17 2016 16:26 utc | 34
thanks b and thanks to some of the posters here too - paveway, smoothie and a few others..
Posted by: james | Jun 17 2016 16:26 utc | 35
This is the exact reason the Ministers of Defense of Syria, Russia and Iran held meeting in Teheran just recently. My assumption is they are planning on rolling up the acres, so to speak in Syria. All before the new POTUS comes to office. Also, Hezbollah just announced it's sending in reinforcements to the battlefield. All this while the Chinese continue to sleep. Sigh.
Posted by: bored muslim | Jun 17 2016 16:46 utc | 36
How many of these diplomats were bribed by Saudi Arabia?
Posted by: Edward | Jun 17 2016 17:10 utc | 37
@3, paveway.
The Kurds are the last great hope for the oil and especially narural gas pipelines dream from the GCC to Europe, but still, Israel is not happy. They wanted a branch-off pipeline for themselves. Also Jordan was to get a small branch-off too. Israel is no more than a parasite, look up the definition. It's exact. Turkey would benefit economically due to transit fees. That's why the Turks are so heavily involved. Turkey, who's economy is done for due to Chinese cheap products swamping the M.E; is crashed. Jordan is broke(hence they allow the head choppers to be trained on their territory). The U.S is the overlord who want's this project to be implemented so as to deny Russia the European market(see Saudia too).
Netanyahu has visited Russia 3-4 times(not sure)to dissuade Putin on his support for Bashar ( who said yes to the Friendship pipeline- Running from Russia, Iran,Iraq,Syria..to the Mediterranean thru to Greece, Europe). No other World leader makes that many visits is such a short time to another capital. Netanyahu obviously failed in his endeavor, as the Russians are familiar with these Zionist snakes very well. All they have to look at is the genocide perpetrated by said Zionists in their very own 20th Century history. I even read that Putin irked Netanyahu when Putin offered him back the Pale of Settlement if they wanted to make the smart choice. Beautiful if true. Probably wishful thinking tho.
Anyways, Israel runs the U.S State Department(see, the Crazies in the Basement). They don't call it Foggy Bottom for nothing. Must be foggy now due to too many employess smoking bongs in the downstairs cafeteria, hence the ridiculous memo. Also the writer of the memo is most certainly another member of the chosen tribe.
Posted by: bored muslim | Jun 17 2016 17:16 utc | 38
@11, jfl,
Yes, a 'Night of the Broken Glass' or 'Night of the Long Knives' is much needed to save Humanity essentially. But don't hope for it. Congress, Capital Hill leaders , MSM heads and head anchors, most everybody in the Whit house(except the kitchen staff) would have to be rounded up.
The only hope would have been the U.S Military Officer Corp. before the great purges post 9-11. Now it's I'm possible. God help the American people and the World.
Posted by: bored muslim | Jun 17 2016 17:24 utc | 39
@20, smoothie,
This clown Kagan is also the husband of the infamous Victoria Nuland who somehow, defying all logic, still has her job post imbroglio that is the Ukraine today. Hell, she's probably being hailed for that and is an inspiration for lowly State employees.
Thank you Victoria, for giving Crimea back to the Russian Federation where it belongs.
Posted by: bored muslim | Jun 17 2016 17:32 utc | 40
Re: Mike M @ 24 --
There are almost exactly 7 months until either Trump or Clinton takes office (presuming that the elites manage to completely control any bad news prior to the Dem nominating convention in late July; if the email dam breaks after that I have no idea what the Dem elites will do, but I figure they won't choose the obviously best candidate against Trump, Bernie).
Seven months. If Russia lends more of its strength, is it possible to gain the territory and hold it to the point that, oh, the West's illegal bases will have to close down? Or might the West actually directly take on Russia/Syrian government forces? Claiming, of course, some version of R2P
Posted by: jawbone | Jun 17 2016 17:41 utc | 41
@ Edward #37
No , the real question is : how much allegiance do those 51 have for Israel.One of their top leaders at Foggy Bottom is at the Herzliya Conference presently : Antony Blinken
http://www.herzliyaconference.org/eng/_Uploads/dbsAttachedFiles/ProgramE150616_1100.pdf
Some usual suspects were also at the Bilderberg conference in Dresden last week.
When you have Victoria Nuland and the social worker Wendy Sherman at DoS , guess what ? you know the answer. Plus don't forget Jeffrey Feltmann who used to work for the ME bureau at the State Dept and he is still have his tentacles there
Posted by: Yul | Jun 17 2016 17:42 utc | 42
A contemptible swipe at Jo Cox, the British MP who was killed yesterday by a man who appears to be sympathetic to far-right groups.
She was energetic, passionate, and always sought the best for the deprived and displaced. Even if you disagreed with her views, she responded with goodwill and politeness.
Unfortunate that just because MoA disagrees with Jo's specific position on safe havens, you stoop to the cheap insult.
RIP, Jo. You'll be missed.
Posted by: Graham Sheehan | Jun 17 2016 17:43 utc | 43
Oops. Wrong commenter and comment # in my comment #41.
Should be bored muslim @ 36.
Posted by: jawbone | Jun 17 2016 17:46 utc | 44
State Department Diplomats who have captained failure after failure? If these people were Russian or Chinese they would have been executed for their serial failures in the ME and Afghanistan. The main problem with being 'exceptional' is that the 'exceptional' ones never make a mistake.
"War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength"
Posted by: ALberto | Jun 17 2016 17:49 utc | 45
So I was kind of wondering what psychopathic qualities the U.S. War... er, State Department is looking for in potential parasitic career bureaucrats, and came across this self-promotion page on their site. They seem to feel that working for them immerses you in a 'Culture of Leadership'. I guess the 'Culture of Chaos and Death' theme, although more neocon-appropriate, was shot down in favor of tempting potential employees with the possibility of more power and control.
Offered for your enjoyment and/or revulsion: Congratulations on taking the first step towards your new career!
Picture Hillary watching streaming video of Stevens get whacked in Benghazi when you read through that list of Leadership and Management Principles.
Posted by: PavewayIV | Jun 17 2016 18:56 utc | 47
There are times the depressing mood on MoA is mitigated by some of the rather classic spelling errors. I sometimes wonder if they might be intentional in order to lighten the mood?
Or not ...
Counterpunch had a great article: http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/06/17/the-case-for-not-voting-in-defense-of-the-lazy-ungrateful-and-uniformed/
I think maybe (maybe, I think) this is also good advice regarding posting to blogs, or not?
Posted by: rg the lg | Jun 17 2016 19:17 utc | 48
rg the lg,
Many people here does not have english as their main spoken language.
Posted by: Redz | Jun 17 2016 19:26 utc | 49
June 17, 2016 - You cannot make this stuff up ...
In the inner halls of Pentagramagon nothing succeeds financially like serial designed failure ...
KABUL, Afghanistan — "The new U.S. commander in Afghanistan has submitted his first three-month assessment of the situation in the war-torn country and what it's going to take to defeat the Taliban, a U.S. military official has told The Associated Press.
And though the content of the review by Army Gen. John W. Nicholson is secret, the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan received a major incentive this month when President Obama decided to expand America's involvement with more airstrikes against insurgents, giving the U.S. military wider latitude to support Afghan forces, both in the air and on the ground."
Posted by: ALberto | Jun 17 2016 19:39 utc | 50
...
Unfortunate that just because MoA disagrees with Jo's specific position on safe havens, you stoop to the cheap insult.
RIP, Jo. You'll be missed.
Posted by: Graham Sheehan | Jun 17, 2016 1:43:08 PM | 42
When did cheap hand-wringing and R2P mendacity become praiseworthy?
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jun 17 2016 19:40 utc | 51
@48 redz.. imagination and curiousity don't seem to be rg the lg's strong suit.. having all the answers is another matter, lol..
Posted by: james | Jun 17 2016 19:41 utc | 52
No respect for R2P warriors at the State Department, nor for HRC, Susan Rice and Samantha Power. Jo Cox as former Oxfam executive was moved by the same massacres of Rwanda, Yugoslavia and Darfur. Unwittingly (?) the R2P argument was used by the Obama White House to intervene in Libya and Syria. The US took R2P a step further to force regime change which is illegal by International law. See George Bush and Tony Blair to white-wash the cruelty of torture, rendition, Abu Ghraib, extrajudicial assassinations, etc, etc. Former US Ambassador to Syria Robert S. Ford was an apprentice of John Negroponte in Baghdad, Iraq.
White Supremacist Hate Crime
No political motive about the Brexit discussion ... a local incident waiting to happen for more than a decade.
If I were Assad, I would be shaking in my boots right now and having Gaddafi dreams. Russia has clearly allied itself closely to Israel and Nato in Syria. Some kind of sanctions relief deal must be in the works. Syria will be split up soon. Assad is a dead man.
For Israel to bomb the Syrian military right under the nose of Russian s-400s? Russia, supposedly so dedicated to defending sovereignty, smiles and yawns benignly? A dirty deal has been made...
Posted by: paul | Jun 17 2016 20:08 utc | 55
Saudi Arabia desperately needs battlefield success, or there will be a prince, I mean price, to pay
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-officials-fear-saudi-collapse-if-new-prince-fails-n593996
Posted by: Les | Jun 17 2016 20:23 utc | 56
"Earlier this week as America was trying to make sense of the deadliest case of Islamic terrorism on US soil since 9/11, I wrote a detailed article here at Breitbart News that laid out the clear factual case about Hillary Clinton’s top assistant Huma Abedin.
I showed how she has deep, clear, and inarguable connections to a Saudi Arabian official named Abdul Omar Naseef, a powerful Kingdom insider who has helped lead a group called the Muslim World League.
The Muslim World League is the huge “charity” whose goal is to spread Islam throughout the world and which has been connected to terror groups like Al Qaeda.
If that sounds like a serious accusation, you’re damn right it is."
"The three questions are very simple, very straightforward, and, frankly, anybody can research the answers themselves. They are:
1) What is Huma’s relationship with a Saudi Arabian official named Abdullah Omar Naseef?
2) Was he the founder of a Saudi charity called the Rabita Trust?
3) Right after 9/11, was the Rabita Trust put on a list by the U.S. government of groups that were funding terrorism?"
Posted by: ALberto | Jun 17 2016 20:41 utc | 57
paul @54
"If I were Assad, I would be shaking in my boots right now and having Gaddafi dreams."
Interesting opinion? If you made a list of democratically elected Presidents and National Leaders the US/GB/ISR axis have terminated you will fill a book. From Patrice Lumumba to Hugo Chavez the list goes on and on.
Could you supply me with a list of National Leaders that Russia under Putin has terminated?
Posted by: ALberto | Jun 17 2016 20:49 utc | 58
State Dept: ‘No Plans’ to Make Public Memo Urging Strikes on Syrian Gov't
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US Department of State has no plans to make public an internal memo calling for the United States to take military action against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government, US Department of State spokesperson John Kirby said in a briefing on Friday. "There’s no plans to make it public," Kirby stated when asked when the State Department would release the dissent letter.Furthermore, Kirby said there will be no investigation as to how the letter ended up in the public domain.
By 'public domain', Kirby means on some writer's desk at the NYT, never to be seen by the unwashed masses.
To be fair, the State Department's "Dissent Memo" program is supposed to be confidential even within the State Department itself to encourage its use. Mark Landler said in his article that a draft of it was leaked by 'a State Department official' to the NYT. So some skepticism of the existence or eventual submission of the actual memo is warranted. Not that Landry is lying or hasn't verified it, but the State Department official obviously has an agenda by providing it to the NYT. The NYT has its own agenda filled as well by prominently posting the article on the top of the front page.
Posted by: PavewayIV | Jun 17 2016 20:54 utc | 59
re 42
Unfortunate that just because MoA disagrees with Jo's specific position on safe havens, you stoop to the cheap insult.Cox's death was related to her position on Europe, not to her views of Syria, which were idiotic. A situation which she didn't understand.
Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 17 2016 20:57 utc | 60
Nyt participating in these pressures is coordinated with medecins sans frontiere announcing today that they ll refuse eu money to protest on the treatment of refugees and with recent surge in french and uk msm of so called white helmets exclusive pictured
Posted by: Mina | Jun 17 2016 21:08 utc | 61
re 60 mina
I've not fully understood the refusal of médecins sans frontieres of European funding. It's a major source, I think. They've gone American, I suppose.
Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 17 2016 21:24 utc | 62
@ why bother engaging people who change their handle and say the same thing over again?
Posted by: james | Jun 17 2016 21:24 utc | 63
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-usa-cable-idUSKCN0Z3087
Obama, despite dissent on Syria, not shifting toward strikes on Assad
The U.S. administration sought on Friday to contain fallout from a leaked internal memo critical of its Syria policy, but showed no sign it was willing to consider military strikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces called for in the letter signed by dozens of U.S. diplomats.
Several U.S. officials said that while the White House is prepared to hear the diplomats’ dissenting viewpoint, it is not expected to spur any changes in President Barack Obama’s approach to Syria in his final seven months in office.
One senior official said that the test for whether these proposals for more aggressive action are given high-level consideration will be whether they “fall in line with our contention that there is no military solution to the conflict in Syria.”
Posted by: okie farmer | Jun 17 2016 21:27 utc | 64
Posted by: paul | Jun 17, 2016 4:08:30 PM | 54
It's important for Russia to ensure that the remains of the first "Israeli" jet it shoots down falls to earth inside Syria. If you've seen a story about the IAF doing something courageous it's bullshit.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jun 17 2016 21:32 utc | 65
"Could you supply me with a list of National Leaders that Russia under Putin has terminated?"
This does not include the entire year 2010 Polish Government Apparatus who died in a mysterious airplane crash.
Quite 'over the top' as accidental political elimination goes. Yet oh, so Russian.
Posted by: ALberto | Jun 17 2016 21:46 utc | 66
Mid-level bureaucrats trying to establish a case for being promoted when and if Hillary becomes president.
Posted by: lysias | Jun 17 2016 22:01 utc | 67
@55 Les, 'Saudi Arabia desperately needs battlefield success, or there will be a prince, I mean price, to pay'
The Prince is in the Oval office. Looks like the Houthi currency has tanked, Obama is going to (try to) pay off in Assad's?
South Front's map is finally up to date? Eisenhower follows Truman into the Mediterranean.
Posted by: jfl | Jun 17 2016 22:27 utc | 68
Wonder how many of these 51 war mongers were appointed by Hillary.
Posted by: Vollin | Jun 17 2016 22:37 utc | 69
how about know-nothing state dept spokespeople preparing for assad to leave to be replaced by isis?
Posted by: james | Jun 17 2016 23:08 utc | 70
@Laguerre
MSF: Nothing remotely humanitarian about EU policiesThe EU-Turkey deal’s financial package includes one billion euros in humanitarian aid. There are undoubtedly needs in Turkey, a country which currently hosts close to three million Syrian refugees, but this aid has been negotiated as a reward for border control promises, rather than being based solely on needs. This instrumentalisation of humanitarian aid is unacceptable.
Last week the European Commission unveiled a new proposal to replicate the EU-Turkey logic across more than 16 countries in Africa and the Middle East.
These deals would impose trade and development aid sanctions on countries that do not stem migration to Europe or facilitate forcible returns, rewarding those that do. Among these potential partners are Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan and Afghanistan – four of the top ten* refugee generating countries.
kreepy kerry is "running out of patience" since his most desired regime change isn't happening fast enough. How many others are in the works? I'm running-out-of-patience waiting for the regime change anyone with 1/2 a brain wants, right here in the U.S. Regime Change US. It's our turn. I just read Putin's speech at the St. Petersburg Int'l Forum. He must have used the word "cooperation" at least 20 times. We need such a great leader. Terroristic turds like kerry and co. belong in jail.
Posted by: Barbara | Jun 17 2016 23:35 utc | 72
The difference between Hillary and ISIS: the latter "takes" the head of enemies, Hillary "gives" head to donors. Forgive the graphic.
Posted by: metni | Jun 17 2016 23:50 utc | 73
50 diplomats petition president for war. Was that written by Orwell? Isn't it enough that this "peaceful" nation arms the world and places economic "pressure" on those nations that displease her to the point of causing millions to die - do we really have to "kill the village to save it?" Yes, I agree, each and every one of those "career diplomats" should be looking for other work. They have not merely lost their way, they have lost their minds. My contempt for them is manifest, as is my contempt for the entire MIC. That those trained in diplomacy should send such a despicable petition illuminates the deep corrupting influence of American Exceptionalism - a force for the kind of nationalism Germany endured 1933-45. Idiots.
Allow me to further my argument against American Exceptionalism. It is not merely the fact that the U.S. is far from exceptional. From education to infant mortality, the U.S. is woefully behind much of the world. My objection is that belief in exceptionalism leads to moral decay. It is the functional equivalent of the 19th Century preachers who endorsed slavery, who preached that negroes carried the mark of Cain, etc. Whites were God's chosen. The pseudo-righteousness that preaching created in believers was largely responsible for America's Civil War. Americans will be better people, with a better society, if we dispel this myth immediately. We're OK, you're OK. Then we could have peace. Wouldn't that be nice?
Posted by: steelhead23 | Jun 17 2016 23:53 utc | 74
So Hillary, the bloodthirsty Goddess of War, is longing for a second Libya, i.e., a Syria smashed to smithereens, in ashes and ruins, ruled by a chaotic bunch of mad Takfiri extremists, at war all against all. The Queen of Chaos, indeed, loves these scenarios. Especially because her quick attack as first thing should she win the White House would shut the mouths of her critics wanting her prosecuted for her crooked political and business corruption. But she and her State Department surrogates would be in for a surprise: Russian and Syrian defences would not remain silent. And afterwards, what would be left? How would the Exceptionalist who "gets things done" proceed?
Posted by: Enrique Ferro | Jun 17 2016 23:58 utc | 75
The FBI is stonewalling, keeping the contents of Mateen's 911 call unavailable - though it's part of the public record - presumably because it undermines the "ISIS did it" meme poured over the Orlando mass murder. Apparently Mateen may have mentioned ISIS not quite in the same light as has been portrayed.
Now the NYTimes/WSJ are doing the same thing with the 50 dancing diplomats. Releasing what they want us to know and redacting what we want to know : the names of those 50 dancing diplomats.
I suppose it comes under the CIA's blanket excuse for secrecy? "Methods and means", or whatever their boilerplate.
Releasing their names might give us the means to track the 5th column as it winds its way through 'our' government, and that must be prevented at all costs. Think it might lead through Hillary? Seems no doubt here.
Posted by: jfl | Jun 18 2016 0:28 utc | 76
No doubt the State Department dwarves were ginned up by "Cookies" Nuland and Count Kagan by visions of "x memorandum" of 1946 immortality by attacking the resistance to an unipolar hegemony. Mixing it up in Syria with the Russian presence seems civilization limiting at the outer limits of challenge/ response in a military confrontation.
Posted by: Jay M | Jun 18 2016 0:30 utc | 78
I'm not certain why this story has no legs ... it is being picked up slowly Wall Street Journal, then Voice of America .. could be Sunni/Saudi disinformation but that doesn't explain why this hasn't been resolved, mystery solved ... in anticipation of the attack on Fallujah, residents were encouraged to flee to refugee camps .. and many did .. but apparently hundreds of men have gone missing and the camps are filled with women growing increasingly anxious about their husbands, sons, fathers, etc. It's now been days
reuters: Falluja abuses hard to prevent, not systematic: Iraqi minister
A regional governor said this week that 49 Sunni men had been executed after surrendering to a Shi'ite militia supporting the army offensive to retake Falluja, and more than 600 had gone missing between June 3-5 after escaping the city.Interior Minister Mohammed al-Ghabban, a senior member of the powerful Shi'ite Muslim political party the Badr Organisation, said paramilitary fighters from the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) had been referred to court over the alleged violations but that no police personnel appeared to be involved.
The Wall Street Journal had it first but it's paywalled ... they say 643 missing.
Today US/UK media is celebrating the attack reaching the center of town with no mention of these mysterious (we hope) missing throngs. KSA might be expected to have a cow ... how will ISIS react? no clue
(( No explanation has been given either for what happened to or whereabouts of the several hundred thousand Fallujan ... a city that used to number 275,000 in 2010, and now has given population of only 90,000 ))
Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Jun 18 2016 0:43 utc | 79
@54 I agree - Neoliberal Putin may well betray Assad in order to crawl back to the west
Posted by: bbbb | Jun 18 2016 1:38 utc | 80
I Fixed their Headline: ☛ "Dozens of U.S. Diplomats, in Memo, Urge ILLEGAL Strikes Against Syria’s Assad" ☚
Posted by: Goody2Shoes | Jun 18 2016 2:52 utc | 81
I am hoping that "the memo" goes to the UN and that the USA diplomats get schooled about sovereignty and what is legal and ILLEGAL wrt bombing other countries ... particularly wrt conflicts that the UN is already involved in mediating ... I expected protests wrt the Kerry statement essentially declaring that Assad needed to understand that he could not win "simply" by regaining lost territory, reinstating control ... that he needed our permission/approval ... galling, stunning. I think Europe is too freaked by Brexit and Nato expansion (which is also getting zero coverage here in the USA) to really care about such, likely choreographed planted "leaks"
Early days (hours) but it appears it may misfired as Obama's reportedly not budging. (I do wonder about the Obama/Clinton relationship, given her closeness to people who oppose and are damaging to Obama's apparent policies, intentions, coherent policy)
Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Jun 18 2016 3:39 utc | 82
There is no Memo. There never was a Memo. There will never be a Memo.
It's a trope wholly created out of thin air by the Saudi's PR machine - http://presstv.ir/Detail/2016/06/17/470925/Saudi-Arabia-US-Syria-Assad-Daesh
@Paul 54 & bbbb 79:
How many SAM missiles are available to the Russian/ Syrian AD system?
How many planes are available to the Israeli (Jordan, Saudi, Turkish) AF should they try to bum-rush said AD system?
Now do you see the problems caused by downing an Israeli aircraft?
According to a poorly sourced newspaper story a few months ago, Russian fighters have fired on IAF planes. They are very choosey on when and where they use force, and that is with good reason.
Posted by: wwinsti | Jun 18 2016 6:12 utc | 84
h@82 - While I agree it's best to be skeptical about stuff like this h, I have little reason to think that there was no such memo.
This was a message that senior Department of State (DoS) personnel - not necessarily (or just) the mid-level people - wanted to get out.
Senior DoS staff - those specifically involved in Syria - are beholden to the various treasonous chickenhawk neocons that put them in those positions as well as their Israeli and Saudi paymasters. Who is pulling whose strings? Saudis? (((Kagan/Nuland))) types? Kerry and other senior DoS staff? Israel? Tangled web - they are ALL pulling each other's strings for mutual benefit. No grand conspiracies - just a circus of fools each thinking the are manipulating everyone else to serve their own agendas. None of which happen to be in the interests of the citizens of the U.S. or their Constitution, but nobody cares about that.
I doubt the memo was purely spontaneous, but I won't go as far as to say it was ordered by anyone - it didn't need to be. Subtle suggestions from someone (take your pick) would be all that's needed for the Syrian affairs middle-managers at the DoS to run with it and choke out a Dissent Memo they knew in advance would be leaked to a friendly mouthpiece, i.e., the NYT. I don't know why you see a need for an outright fabrication here - it's totally unnecessary. Why bother? Do you actually think these mid-level diplomats would hesitate to produce the necessary propaganda for media consumption at the slightest prodding? Their bosses loved it.
What I don't believe is that this has anything to do with sending a message of dissent to senior DoS staff involved in Syria - mostly because they AGREE 100% with the damn thing. Don't you think it's strange that mid-level people would draft a declaration of dissent on an issue their bosses obviously agree with (and have for what - five years)? It's something the senior DoS people can't just blurt out themselves directly to a NYT reporter. Obama IS still their boss, after all. Nonetheless, it's a message the senior DoS staff wanted to get out without fear of retribution. The Dissent Memo system and a convenient NYT leak was a perfect solution. Message prepared by mid-level flunkies and delivered to the media as senior DoS staff desired, and the mid-level drones are immune from any kind of retaliation because their (fake) dissent is protected by the system.
The one thing I firmly believe is that senior DoS staff agrees completely with this sentiment - right up to Kerry. Why? Because parasitic career DoS bureaucrats know EXACTLY how their bosses treat whistleblowers and dissenters. If senior staff didn't agree, then these parasites could kiss their DoS paychecks goodbye or be relegated to some cubicle in the basement for the rest of their careers. No, there was no dissent here at all. There was a message their bosses wanted to get out but were too cowardly to deliver themselves. Time to make the mid-level parasites earn their pay and 'appear' to be angry about the Administration's Syrian policy. They were expressing the frustration their bosses felt, not what they were experiencing. What mid-level diplomat gets that much of a say in ANY policy decision? They are paid to shut up and carry out the wishes of their superiors, not to think and certainly not to act. They have nothing to get frustrated about.
Now did the Saudis, the MIC or some PNAC lunatic need to tell the mid-level 'diplomats' to do this? No, but I'll bet they all thought it was a damn good idea and are delighted with it. The mid-level parasites will get thrown a few crumbs or other rewards for their efforts. The Saudis can chime in to reinforce the message: bomb the Assad regime NOW! Kerry gets to act all concerned and will get a few sound bites in the coming days - also reinforcing the urgency to destroy the Syrian government until they finally cower at the negotiating table for mercy.
Sorry, but where you see a rather crude fabrication, I see a well-engineered, authentic and somewhat desperate piece of propaganda with built-in media appeal (being an 'inside leak' - it's all the rage today). Like every other nutty neocon scheme the DoS attempts, this one also had unexpected blowback. No problem with the U.S. Department of State, though. Those folks are plenty familiar with failure, unintended consequences and blowback. In fact, I would have to say they're experts at it.
Posted by: PavewayIV | Jun 18 2016 6:37 utc | 85
Obama expresses ‘strong’ support for Saudi Vision 2030
Obama also thanked Saudi Arabia for what he called Riyadh’s help to fight Daesh, despite Riyadh’s support for the Takfiri terrorists and other terrorist groups in the region.“The president expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s contributions to the campaign against ISIL (Daesh)," the statement said.
Saudi FM Backs State Dept Call for Syria Regime Change
A top Saudi Arabian official [Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubei] visiting Washington gave his full backing Friday to State Department officials protesting the White House's refusal to directly confront the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad."The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's relationship with the United States is a bipartisan one," he said. "The one constant is that with every decade it grows stronger, broader and deeper."
Footnote 43 on page 206, Chapter Four, From political revolution through social revolution to violent revolution, Understanding IRAN by William R. Polk, which detailed the bribes delivered to American ambassadors by the Shah of Iran.
Corruption was on a monumental scale. The Shah used the Pahlavi Foundation as a funnel through which funds provided by various government departments were passed to family members, selected government officials, and even American officials. As Fred J. Cook documented (“The Billion-Dollar Mystery,” The Nation [April 12, 1965]), on the basis of court and bank records and both Senate and congressional committee hearings, in the one year of 1962,“some $159 million in American aid funds and Iran oil royalties (those royalties supposed to have been used to supplement American aid) had been deposited in the numbered bank account of the Pahlavi Foundation in Switzerland.”
Not only Iranians were beneficiaries. Mr. Cook lists American officials and prominent Americans whose favor was thought to be valuable who received checks from the foundation for $1 million each. He also furnishes a copy of the Union de Banques Suisses statement for the Pahlavi Foundation that lists Loy Henderson (American ambassador to Iran during the coup against Mossadegh), Selden Chapin (Henderson’s successor as ambassador from 1954 to 1958), and George V. Allen (who was Assistant Secretary of State for the Near East at the same time). Each is listed as having received $1 million.
The State Department has a long tradition of treacherous and traitorous diplomats, apparently.
One million bucks in 1955 would be $8,941,670.07 today. So fifty million for fifty dancing US diplomats would be chump change to the Saudis today. I guess the Saudi Royals have surpassed the Shah, have got down to the 'midlevel diplomats' at the State Department,.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's relationship with the United States is a bipartisan one," he said. "The one constant is that with every decade it grows stronger, broader and deeper."
Posted by: jfl | Jun 18 2016 6:45 utc | 86
This does not include the entire year 2010 Polish Government Apparatus who died in a mysterious airplane crash.
Quite 'over the top' as accidental political elimination goes. Yet oh, so Russian.
Posted by: ALberto | Jun 17, 2016 5:46:18 PM | 65
How "Russian" was it to pack the "entire ... Polish Government Apparatus" into one aeroplane (in lousy weather)?
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jun 18 2016 6:57 utc | 87
The airline industry used to be fond of promoting a bizarre measure of road vs Airline safety by using a millions of miles per death statistic. However, a millions of journeys per death measure highlights the fact that road travel is considerably safer than air travel. And with vehicle design improvements making road crashes 'safer' each year, the gap is widening.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jun 18 2016 7:20 utc | 88
Surprising push back from the Clinton team on the Saudi Foreign Ministers backing of the 51 Dept of State employees.
"A senior U.S. administration official pushed back against the Saudi foreign minister's remarks, however, saying the administration made its decisions based on U.S. interests, not those of other countries.
"There's no question that the Saudis have been pushing us to get more involved militarily since the start of the Syrian conflict, and the reason is simple: They want us to do the fighting for them," the official said. "But if we've learned anything over the past 10-plus years, it's that we must not allow ourselves be drawn into protracted conflicts, especially in the Middle East."
In his remarks to reporters at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in D.C., al-Jubeir also pushed back against criticism from Hillary Clinton and skirted questions about the future of relations with the U.S. under a possible President Donald Trump.
Clinton, the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, called out Saudi Arabia this week in Cleveland, saying that "it is long past time for the Saudis, the Qataris and the Kuwaitis and others to stop their citizens from funding extremist organizations. And they should stop supporting radical schools and mosques around the world that have set too many young people on a path towards extremism." http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/17/politics/saudi-arabia-foreign-minister-syria-clinton-trump/
Note that "They want us to do the fighting for them," To which Jubeir could have replied "What are we paying you for"
Posted by: harrylaw | Jun 18 2016 9:40 utc | 89
@wwinsti | 83
According to a poorly sourced newspaper story a few months ago, Russian fighters have fired on IAF planes. They are very choosey on when and where they use force, and that is with good reason.
I can assure you it never happened. Russia and Israel are friends, i.e. they are closer than Russia with anyone in the Resistance. Their goals on some issues are different (thats why in some cases Russia aligns itself with its situational friends in Resistance), nonetheless they will never fire at each other, IAF is safely bombing SAA, Hezbollah and Iranians in Syria with Russia looking the other way.
Btw, Russia's and Israel's mega gas project is well under way.
Posted by: Harry | Jun 18 2016 10:40 utc | 90
Strange, German FM criticise Nato.
https://www.rt.com/news/347258-steinmeier-nato-drills-warmongering/
Is this big news in Germany?
Posted by: Redz | Jun 18 2016 11:36 utc | 91
Oui 52
Former US Ambassador to Syria Robert S. Ford was an apprentice of John Negroponte in Baghdad, Iraq.
In the 80's, Negroponte was a key player in that old slaughter and destruction of Nicaragua and the Iran/Contra affair. If you need dirty deeds done at great cost, Negroponte is your man. He is a man of wealth and taste. Teflon-coated, too - like Kissinger.
Posted by: fast freddy | Jun 18 2016 11:53 utc | 92
German Foreign Minister Steinmeier came out strongly this weekend against "NATO sabre rattling" so some internal fight is on.
Posted by: somebody | Jun 18 2016 12:13 utc | 93
somebody,
I think its strange that Germany does that since they have been part of just this warmongering on the eastern flank, (having said that it is of course great that Germany have the guts to say this anyway).
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/13/politics/nato-battalions-poland-baltics-russia/
Posted by: Redz | Jun 18 2016 12:30 utc | 94
Someone Speaks Out About NATO Aggression
○ German FM Steinmeier Blasts NATO 'Saber-rattling'
Publication in Bild am Sonntag and Deutsche Welle.
On June 7, NATO launched exercises codenamed "Anakonda-16," which simulated a Russian attack on Poland. The two-week-long drills involve some 31,000 troops, including 14,000 from the United States, 12,000 from Poland and 1,000 from the UK, as well as dozens of fighter jets and ships, along with 3,000 vehicles.
"Nato my ass" ... it's the U.S. Army with Poland and a token group of British forces.
89;Friends?Give it a rest.Why would the US-GB branch of Zion news have a hate fest for Russia if they were friends.Its all smoke and mirrors,the Zionists can't be trusted and you can bet Putin is well aware of it.Yes,there are a lot of Russian Jews in Israel,so there is a cultural connection,but believe it ,the Ziomonsters hate Russians.
The MSM has turned completely to manufacturing dissent re Donald Trump.Every lying rag and media outlet are all on the Trump declining poll number disinfo,when I guarantee the people are climbing on board his train.Enough of this shite,there is no way we want more,and the HB is that personified.
And yes,notice the diplomats? are all unnamed.All traitors.Wheres our Mair?
Posted by: dahoit | Jun 18 2016 12:51 utc | 97
Another analysis on the St. Department's cable from Vijay Prashad:
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2016/06/why-did-51-american-state-department-officials-dissent-against-obama-and-call-for-bombing-syria.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NakedCapitalism+%28naked+capitalism%29
Posted by: GoraDiva | Jun 18 2016 13:02 utc | 98
@96 dahoit 'Wheres our Mair?'
Read FAIR on Mair. Actually on the National Alliance. Mair in a very real sense is 'ours'. Neo-NAZIs are the most under-reported group in the US.
Neo-NAZIs would be more likely working for Hillary than assassinating her. That is what you were advocating, right? I imagine you were, 'only kidding'. You're not a National Alliance member, are you?
Posted by: jfl | Jun 18 2016 13:22 utc | 99
@dahoit | 96
89;Friends?Give it a rest.Why would the US-GB branch of Zion news have a hate fest for Russia if they were friends.Its all smoke and mirrors,the Zionists can't be trusted and you can bet Putin is well aware of it.Yes,there are a lot of Russian Jews in Israel,so there is a cultural connection,but believe it ,the Ziomonsters hate Russians.
You didnt know Russia and Israel are much better friends than lets say Russia-Iran? Its because millions of Israelis are from ex-Soviet countries, including Nutjobyahoo himself. Another reason is because Jews have considerable influence in Russia itself, most oligarchs are Jews too, and Russia is an oligarchy. They have a long standing mutual understanding, and even cordial relationships.
Also you should differentiate zio-neocons in US-UK from right-wing warmongers in Israel. They may look similar, but their goals and interests dont always align. Like US and Israel - sometimes they are fit like a glove, sometimes they go in completely different directions.
You say that Zionists cant be trusted and thats true, but you know what? Putin cant be trusted either. He will keep his word for as long as its beneficial to him, and throw you under the bus the second he can make a better deal elsewhere.
Posted by: Harry | Jun 18 2016 13:37 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
This is the Yankees trying to pretend that they're still exceptionally invincible, in order to conceal the fact that they never were. One only need look at all the tentative tiptoeing around China & Russia to see that they're trying to convince themselves that Russia and China are run by people as loony and disconnected as the self-seducers in charge of AmeriKKKan Foreign Policy.
SmoothieX got it 100% right in the previous thread..
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jun 17 2016 5:43 utc | 1