Syria - The U.S. Propaganda Shams Now Openly Fail
The Obama administration, and especially the CIA and the State Department, seem to be in trouble. They shout everything they can against Russia and allege that the cleansing of east-Aleppo of al-Qaeda terrorist is genocidal. Meanwhile no mention is ever made of the famine of the Houthis in Yemen which the U.S. and Saudi bombing and their blockade directly causes.
by Carlos Latuff - bigger
But more and more major news accounts support the Russian allegation that the "moderate rebels" the U.S. is coddling in Syria are actually in cahoots with al-Qaeda if not al-Qaeda itself.
Reuters reports (though only at the end of a longer story):
In Aleppo, rebels in the Free Syrian Army are sharing operational planning with Jaish al-Fatah, an alliance of Islamist groups that includes the former Syrian wing of al Qaeda.Meanwhile, in nearby Hama province, FSA groups armed with U.S.-made anti-tank missiles are taking part in a major offensive with the al Qaeda-inspired Jund al-Aqsa group.
The Wall Street Journal is more direct and headlining: Syria Rebels Draw Closer to al Qaeda-Linked Group
Some of Syria’s largest rebel factions are doubling down on their alliance with an al Qaeda-linked group, despite a U.S. warning to split from the extremists or risk being targeted in airstrikes.
...
Some rebel groups already aligned with Syria Conquest Front responded by renewing their alliance. But others, such as Nour al-Din al-Zinki, a former Central Intelligence Agency-backed group and one of the largest factions in Aleppo, pledged allegiance for the first time to the front in recent days.
Indeed the al.Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham announced publicly that the CIA's Nour el-Din Zinki and Suqour al-Sham joined its Jihad
As little back as August the State Department defended Zinki after some of its member abducted a Palestinian boy from a hospital near Aleppo and beheaded him in front of a video camera:
[I]n State Department briefings, [..] spokesman Mark Toner downplayed the incidents, or the possibility that the US would stop arming Nour al-Din al-Zinki just because they beheaded a child..
...
Toner insisted [..] “one incident here and there would not necessarily make you a terrorist group.”
The new news reports follow after an interview by the German former politician and journalist Jürgen Todenhöfer with an al-Qaeda commander published in English on this site. The commander said that Nusra (aka al-Qaeda) were directly supplied, via a subgroup, with U.S. TOW missiles. He added about such groups:
They are all with us. We are all the al-Nusra Front. A groups is created and calls itself "Islamic Army", or "Fateh al-Sham". Each group has its own name but their believe is homogeneous. The general name is al-Nusra Front. One person has, for example, 2,000 fighters. Then he creates from these a new group and calls it "Ahrar al-Sham". Brothers, who's believe, thoughts and aims are identical to those of al-Nusra Front.
Another interview recently published by the former military Jack Murphy was with a Green Beret soldier who served in Turkey and Syria. The Green Berets are special forces of the U.S. army. They are specialists in training and fighting with indigenous guerrilla groups against governments the U.S. dislikes. The soldier interviewed was ordered to train "moderate Syrian rebels" in Turkey. Parts of the interview (paywalled) are quoted here:
"No one on the ground believes in this mission or this effort”, a former Green Beret writes of America’s covert and clandestine programs to train and arm Syrian insurgents, “they know we are just training the next generation of jihadis, so they are sabotaging it by saying, ‘Fuck it, who cares?’”. “I don’t want to be responsible for Nusra guys saying they were trained by Americans,” the Green Beret added.
...
Murphy states bluntly: “distinguishing between the FSA and al-Nusra is impossible, because they are virtually the same organization. As early as 2013, FSA commanders were defecting with their entire units to join al-Nusra. There, they still retain the FSA monicker, but it is merely for show, to give the appearance of secularism so they can maintain access to weaponry provided by the CIA and Saudi intelligence services. The reality is that the FSA is little more than a cover for the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra. ...
It is one thing when Russia says somesthing, but another when Reuters, WSJ, and independent German and U.S. subject experts report this as facts. The first can be shunned as "Putin lies" but the others are extremely hard to refute.
The Russians are right. The U.S. did not separate the "moderate rebels" from al Qaeda, as it had agreed to in the ceasefire agreement, because the "moderates" and al-Qaeda are the same. The "moderates" are al-Qaeda. This was not unknown. The 2012 Defense Intelligence Analysis said as much. The CIA of course knew this all along. But the Saudi tool heading the CIA, John Brennan, can not admit such as his masters in the Gulf are also the ones who finance al-Qaeda.
They buy the weapons Brennan's people hadn over to al-Qaeda. The "end-user" according to this certificate for a weapon buy in Ukraine is Saudi Arabia. But who will believe that the Saudi dictators need for example 100 obsolete T-55 tanks? The weapons on the certificate, for an estimated $300-$500 million, are obviously for al-Qaeda in Yemen and in Syria. (Did Joe Biden or his son, both heavily engaged in Ukraine, get a provision from the deal?)
As the facts accumulate how long can the New York Times and Washington Post keep up with their propaganda claims. One has to admit, they really try their best. Unfortunately for them, their best is only mediocre. The NYT today found out that Vladimir Putin Relishes His Role as Disrupter. How does the NYT know what Putin "relishes"? The reporter did not ask Putin himself. But he did ask some knowledgeable experts with insight into Putin's inner mind and those assured the author that this is indeed the case. They know exactly how Putin feels. They are Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, James R. Clapper Jr., the director of national intelligence, James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director and Robert Kagan, leading voice of of the neocons and Clinton promoter. Some "experts".
Add that to dozens of stories on how "Russia indiscriminately bombs civilians/hospitals/bakeries in east-Aleppo" but never hits any "rebels" because none occur in these stories at all. A recent NYT piece of that kind had 14 "voices" in it. Eight belonged to various propagandists associated with the "White Helmets", four were "western" diplomats, one Syrian government official and a Russian spokesperson were quoted at the end. No Russian military and no one from west-Aleppo, where by far most people in the city live under government protection and daily rocket hail by the "rebels", were even asked.
But all those tales we hear about the devilish Russians MUST be true! Even the 7 years old Bana Alabeb now tweets from east-Aleppo about her tragic fate under indiscriminate Russian assaults. This in perfect English and with an excellent WiFi and Internet connection as her many "White Helmets" photo attachments and her videos attest. But the whole city is devastated and in ruins she says, with phosphor bombs going off right in front of her house.
But Bana is a very responsible little lady:
Bana Alabed @AlabedBanaDear world, it's better to start 3rd world war instead of letting Russia & assad commit #HolocaustAleppo
1:53 PM - 29 Sep 2016
Here "mother" phoned up the Daily Mail for an "exclusive" and assures us that this is all true. The Telegraph has her in a slideshow with sad music and the Guardian promotes her too. Another Gay Girl in Damascus media fail. In 2011 the Guardian also was part of that scam. If that 7-year old girl is in east-Aleppo and not in Denmark or the UK, I must be on Mars. No sane reader will take such a stunt serious. What Public Relation company came up with this sorry flimflam?
Like the "moderate rebels" fantasy, such tales and the nonsense the "White Helmet" propaganda outlet distributes, are starting to fail. The UAE's National, a well established international newspaper, recently dug a bit around the White Helmet's creator, a "former" British military agent working for Gulf defense interests. That does not sound charitable. This is noticeable report, even as it still lacks any details, as it is the first in a major paper that shows some auspiciousness against that outlet.
The Obama administration's lies about the "moderate rebels" are now openly discussed in major media. The propaganda of #HolocaustAleppo (isn't abusing the holocaust meme anti-semitic?) is turning into a laughing stock.
Russia is upping its stake in Syria. Additional Russian SU-24, SU-25 and SU-34 jets are arriving. Nearly 6,000 Russian soldiers are on the ground. The CIA's al-Qaeda "rebels" are losing in east-Aleppo and are in stalemate and under pressure elsewhere. They will be bombed to smithereens. A few new BM-21 multiple missile launchers and heavier anti-air artillery was delivered to them. But those are just band-aids on lethally bleeding wounds. Even MANPADs will not change the situation one bit.
The U.S., the Saudis and especially Brennan's CIA have lost that fight. Will Obama and Kerry admit it? Or will they throw another Hail Mary and do something crazy?
Posted by b on September 30, 2016 at 13:55 UTC | Permalink
next page »"Or will they throw another Hail Mary and do something crazy?"
I vote yes on the above. Thanks b
Posted by: jo6pac | Sep 30 2016 14:32 utc | 2
Have you ever thought that Kerry is playing the devil's advocate to avoid hurting USA 'dearest' allies while secretly supporting Russia's actions in Aleppo?
The critics are so exaggerated and out of tone " Barbarism, Genocide..) that they seem artificial.
Turkey is silent. There is still Saudi Arabia and Qatar who are upset but powerless.
I believe that there is a internal war within the US administration as some are horrified that Russia, the Syrian army and the Hezbollah could destroy Al Qaeda and its allies in Syria when the USA has not be able to do it nowhere.
The humiliation of the liberation of Aleppo will be hard to digest and one wonders if the Russia-allergics in the US administration will not to find a spectacular diversion in Ukraine or elsewhere to hide that looming event.
As they are horrified that Trump, a potential friend of Russia could take over the country, they are pushing harder and harder for Hillary, the neo-con candidate.
Posted by: virgile | Sep 30 2016 14:37 utc | 3
@3, Virgile
I believe that there is a internal war within the US administration
I can tell you more--there is a full blown schism (first in a very many years) between US "elites". The issue here are the problems with Pax Americana which is unsustainable and which is now clear and present danger to the whole world. So forget this (pathetically inept) Administration, the war is much wider and deeper.
Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Sep 30 2016 14:46 utc | 4
Another article from b where I just have to pause and admire the journalistic craft of the piece. Lots of research, solid thesis, well told.
I had to click over to the Mail piece just to see the comments. A remarkable vignette from the trenches of the information war.
Posted by: Grieved | Sep 30 2016 14:49 utc | 5
When this (i.e. the leaking or open publication of previously compromising information) starts to happen, it typically means that a real division has formed among the elites (e.g. the NYT would have never published "the pentagon papers", if sufficiently powerful circles in the US hadn't reached the conclusion that it is time to cut their losses in Vietnam).
In this case, the elite factions are the neocon-globalist-bankster crowd, and the crowd convinced that the US needs a breather, and also needs to pay some attention to its domestic problem - basically the crowd backing Trump.
Both are vile assholes, but it is clear which stance is "the lesser evil".
Posted by: comrade comradevich | Sep 30 2016 14:51 utc | 6
Kerry's comments yesterday were not comforting. Sounds like a short-term operation is in the works or at least that's what he and others in Nat Security Council are trying to sell Obama.
Posted by: Joanne Leon | Sep 30 2016 14:51 utc | 7
..If comments by US Spox John Kirby and Defense Secretary Carter are anything to go by, the NATO/Gulf State/Zionist response to events in Aleppo is one that contemplates open war with the SAA , and perhaps, with Russia (see also the most recent disgraceful articles in 'The Guardian' etc)
https://www.rt.com/news/361032-zakharova-kirby-syria-body-bags-attacks/
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/09/27/first-strike-nuclear-doctrine-wont-change-carter.html
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/29/aleppo-attack-foreign-syrian-fighters-plan-shia-islamic
Posted by: bassalt | Sep 30 2016 14:54 utc | 8
Obama should invite moderate jihadists to Chicago or NYC. Aleppo is not a good place to live for them so maybe Chicago will be better. Go ahead Obama, your bearded friends from Al Quaeda are waiting for an invitation.
Posted by: gfxx | Sep 30 2016 14:56 utc | 9
"...Toner insisted [..] “one incident here and there would not necessarily make you a terrorist group.”
Punters getting all sulky over the Russia's long and deliberate efforts in Syria should chill out a bit and witness the beast repeatedly getting tattooed a few different colours evil. I would like to see the war ended as much as anyone, horrific scenes...but, if it cannot be won decisively, then let the spotlight of examination show who owns the bloodiest hands.
Look at unskilled liar Toners' words above. The yank admin is so twisted that this is the type of sick shit we've been seeing it tar itself with recently. Why do you need to attack something that is eating itself...?
The yanks have an impossible sell in Syria. The MSM are 'all-in'...but nobody's buying.
A hearty congrats to the leaders of those nations who once again chose the incorrect side.
Posted by: MadMax2 | Sep 30 2016 14:57 utc | 10
How the CIA and their plants in the press are massaging the sudden revelation in the MSM that their is no meaningful distinction between Al Qaeda and "moderate" rebels is that the two are being driven together by Russian/Syrian saturation bombing of Aleppo. See Max Fisher's Russia’s Brutal Bombing of Aleppo May Be Calculated, and It May Be Working.
You see, longtime Free Syrian Army collaboration with Nusra is all due to Russian ruthlessness. I've seen this meme in other stories besides Fisher's. It is similar to the cart-before-the horse explanation of how ISIS in 2014 become so potent, well armed, and well funded -- because ISIS stole all the assets in Mosul's banks. Thomas Friedman repeated it the other day in his column. The problem here is that the ISIS blitzkrieg that captured most of Sunni Iraq preceded the capture of Mosul.
Posted by: Mike Maloney | Sep 30 2016 15:22 utc | 11
b
May I add my compliment and thanks. Got to go now will digest further later. :-)
Jack Smith
Posted by: Jack Smith | Sep 30 2016 15:35 utc | 12
The Daily Mail on line link is great, Thanks b. The "Don't miss" sidebar had such well researched and document articles that it was hard for me to stop reading them:
"'Don't hate me!' Padma Lakshmi declares moms can be sexy too as sizzles in a saucy lingerie snap"
Oh yeah, the 7 year old in war torn Aleppo... I forgot.
Posted by: Dean | Sep 30 2016 15:49 utc | 13
@11 ".....the two are being driven together by Russian/Syrian saturation bombing...."
I've noticed that argument being proposed in a few places. Basically 'we' have to 'do something' or the 'moderate rebels' will all become radicalized.
Posted by: dh | Sep 30 2016 15:50 utc | 14
The cartoon is by the great Carlos Latuff who has his complete work for download at his wordpress site. Remarkable that this one is from 2011 already. Same old, same old.
@11. Mike Maloney.
At this stage anything which comes out from Anglo-American main-stream media must (I underscore it) be treated as pure propaganda. The track record of these media in regards to war, Russia and, in general, global affairs is abysmal to start with. It didn't improve as of lately, politely speaking.
Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Sep 30 2016 16:00 utc | 16
How many factions are there in Washington?,actually!
Posted by: Nur Adlina | Sep 30 2016 16:02 utc | 17
@17
How many factions are there in Washington?,actually!
Comrade Comradevich summarized it well in his post (#6).
Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Sep 30 2016 16:17 utc | 18
A thought on John Kerry's " I thought I was in a parallel universe" comment at the UN.
JK and co are in a parallel universe no "thought" is required here.
First, you make promises that you can't keep several times (we need more time to separate the moderates)
Second, you keep supplying them with arms etc. and say your not. (Grad 21s from Libya just grow out of the ground in Syria if you water them correctly, TOW grow great there just the right soil type. Were about to try out a variety of MANPADs soon.)
Third, you bomb the SAA in support of ISIS then say sorry it was a mistake.(An SAA officer that lost a lot of his men said they weren't just bombing the frontlines but all the way back to the airbase. Half the casualties were from rear positions.)
Fourth, you accuse Russia and Syria of bombing the aid convoy with no proof what so ever and within moments of it happening. (What point would Russia have in doing this? What was that drone doing around there, "ridin shotgun"?
Then you wonder why Russia is a bit pissed off, and is going to bomb the sh t out of Al -Nusra / AQ in east Aleppo. Wasn't it a US officer from the Coalition that said a while back that East Aleppo was all Al-Nursra. So you don't want them touched? So you support them then? Isn't there a UN resolution that discourages that?
Yes, JK and Co live in a parallel or possibly a perpendicular universe. I'm glad he is beginning to recognise that. Too bad it wasn't an epiphany.
Posted by: Dean | Sep 30 2016 16:17 utc | 19
Anagram for "Bana Alabed": "A bad ale ban"
Is that what the Anglo propagandist themselves are secretly begging for here? It's about time. :oD
Give 'em hell, b!
I just caught the BBC version of the story about Russia saying US is not separating rebels from jihadists. Of course, when these things happen the media blames the Russians/Syrians. (there can be no winners in a fixed game)
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37520793
"Mr Lavrov's central message - that Washington has refused to press its allies to separate themselves from the Islamists of al-Nusra ignores the fact that it is Russia's air campaign that is pushing rebel groups into al-Nusra's arms."
I call Bull crap on that. They've been allies all along!
Haass, Clapper, Kagan know what Putin's thinking? Haass CFR man was feted by Bill Maher (CFR, too?) a while back pushing a book US Foreign Policy Begins at Home. He was supposedly pushing the idea that the US should concentrate on fixing things in the US and limiting its wars. He neglects to mention CFR has played a central role in US foreign policy and pushing these wars. And he knows they've bankrupted the US so we cannot afford to fix infrastructure and the elites still have those external obsessions on the mind and not internal ones.
Posted by: Curtis | Sep 30 2016 16:21 utc | 21
Since the US did not get invited by the Syrian people, nor do we have a UN mandate, nor did Congress declare war against Syria, we are committing a massive number of war crimes against Syria. Not that a congressional declaration of war would legalize a war of aggression, which the USA is committing against Syria.
To those who say the post-9/11 'Authorization to Use Military Force' is in effect, I'll point out that in Syria, we are supporting al Sham, which was al Nusra which had been al Qaeda in Iraq/Syria. So what are we doing supporting the same thugs-that we've been told six million times-that attacked us on 9/11?
Posted by: Greg Bacon | Sep 30 2016 16:21 utc | 22
How many factions are there in Washington?,actually!
Posted by: Nur Adlina | Sep 30, 2016 12:02:54 PM | 17
The one ring that controls them all is private finance. The global plutocratic families that have controlled private finance for centuries make it look like there are factions but that is your optics, not reality.
Think about it, capitalism doesn't exist but private finance does. Which one is more "talked about" as a reality that controls our lives?
Posted by: psychohistorian | Sep 30 2016 16:25 utc | 23
CE 15.
Thank you.
I laughed out loud at this one. So spot on.
https://latuffcartoons.wordpress.com/#jp-carousel-4661
Posted by: Curtis | Sep 30 2016 16:26 utc | 24
Sorry for not tipping my hat to the barkeep as I commented.
GREAT journalism as usual b!
Tomorrow China officially joins the IMF/SDR basket of currencies at a percentage not representative of their current contribution to world GDP. Maybe China's voice for evolution of world financial governance will be heard.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Sep 30 2016 16:33 utc | 25
@8 bassalt | Sep 30, 2016 10:54:38 AM | 8
I read the article you posted from the Guardian and my immediate thought was that the author was performing a call to arms to Sunni combatants to fight Shia invaders. Pretty appalling!
Posted by: Michael | Sep 30 2016 16:36 utc | 26
Who Rules America?
I read the book a few years ago. It was pretty comprehensive on the think tanks, CFR, etc. Their hope at the time was that Obama would not be a sell out like Team Bush. They were wrong but they were informative. This is their website.
http://www2.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/
Posted by: Curtis | Sep 30 2016 16:39 utc | 27
Guardian says Peace in Syria is possible ... pushing the idea of Turkish boots on the ground in Syria.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/30/peace-syria-possible-turkish-forces-nato-russia
But they push NFZ No Fly Zone and we know what that means from what happened to Syria.
Posted by: Curtis | Sep 30 2016 16:43 utc | 28
Ignoring the very public temper-tantrum by the American regime over their terrorist proxies getting wiped out by President Assad and Putin, the immediate danger for Russia is the increasing number of embedded US troops who are effectively acting as human shields for Al-Qaeda in Syria.
The Western media finally having to admit that the 'simple farmers rising up to fight an authoritarian regime' they have been cheer-leading for the past few years are really murderous terrorists who openly promote and partake in sectarian slaughter and ethnic cleansing is going to eventually limit the American regime's liberty in having US troops embedded in these terror groups.
But right now if the SAA and RUAF keep making their rapid advances they are going to very soon start hitting terror groups with American regime troops present.
All the American regime needs to win in Syria and partition the country for their pipelines is for Putin to blink and allow the areas with embedded American regime forces become defacto no fly zones for the RUAF.
Posted by: Stevens | Sep 30 2016 16:45 utc | 29
Will ask for the last time,''how many factions are there in Washington?'' Cos there seems to b load of ''experts'' on geopolitical game in Syria with roughly 24 distinct groups of ''rebels'' with different backers.All here seem to be experts but on these ''head choppers'',am asking who is running the game of ''talk talk make trouble make trouble?'' In Washington?
Posted by: Nur Adlina | Sep 30 2016 16:49 utc | 30
Or will they throw another Hail Mary and do something crazy?
I highly suspect they will.
There is no way that the western establishment will give up. Losing just isn't acceptable to them no matter what the cost is.
It's unclear what form this will take but I suspect some kind of "Plan B/Refugee Safe Zone" as they have been discussing previously.
If they partition Syria who will stop them? Is Putin willing to risk a full scale war with the west to save Syria? I can't see it happening.
Posted by: Bob | Sep 30 2016 16:52 utc | 31
U.S. aircraft bombed two important bridges over the Euphrates:
http://news.antiwar.com/2016/09/29/syria-us-destroyed-eastern-bridges-in-attack-on-infrastructure/
Posted by: kgw | Sep 30 2016 16:55 utc | 32
Nur Adlina @30
I know that you are looking for a number but there isn't one. As an example, I have been reading about JFK's Presidency, he was a President that consulted widely but he made the final decisions on everything that was in his power as President.
As an example, The Bay of Pigs debacle was his decision, and one that he greatly regretted, in hindsight. It wasn't his idea, it was from Eisenhower's days, but he took a lot of counsel from all spectrums, not all of it honest, and made a decision. It turned out badly. But he learned from it.
This is why the "Cuban missile crisis" was able to be resolved, he analysed his mistakes, made corrections, and dealt with Khrushchev differently and gave the Russians a way to save face and back down. This was pulling nuc's out of Turkey secretly. Not secretly from the Russians, but secretly from the US allies. He told Khrushchev that if they went public, the deal was off.
Vietnam was similar, he had many opposing viewpoints and reports to filter. This is no doubt the same now. However, Obama is a weak President and is being rode over by whoever screams the loudest, he left the Whitehouse a while back, is no longer in control and is only worried about nothing major screwing up his historical "legacy", being the narcissist that he is. So the lunatics are now running the asylum, and BO is just counting down the days.
Posted by: Dean | Sep 30 2016 17:37 utc | 33
Whatever factions may or may not exist among us policy makers, losing in Syria means losing everywhere. Once it is clear the US/NATO/EU/zionist collective is beatable, every country that follows only out of fear will start seeing options in making friends with Russia and China. It will be all down hill from there and the elites know it. That is why arguments by the more rational faction (assuming there is one) to back off in Syria are not persuasive.
Posted by: Lysander | Sep 30 2016 17:54 utc | 34
Guardian says Peace in Syria is possible ... pushing the idea of Turkish boots on the ground in Syria.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/30/peace-syria-possible-turkish-forces-nato-russia
But they push NFZ No Fly Zone and we know what that means from what happened to Syria.
Posted by: Curtis | Sep 30, 2016 12:43:57 PM | 28
My two cents: Turkey (Erdogan, AKP) is doing great job about the peace in Turkey (the population).
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Sep 30 2016 17:56 utc | 35
It does not look like they (the US) are giving up. The New York Times editorial board is now calling Russia "an outlaw state". They are not backing down, to me this looks like verbal escalation in preparation for eventual Hillary Clinton's Presidency. It is the Saddam/Milosevic scenario (this time accusations of Syrian War Crimes, downing of MH 17, etc. ).
And you all know who the New York Times is, and the powers it represents. I'm sorry, but there is no change in the air.
Vladimir Putin’s Outlaw State
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/29/opinion/vladimir-putins-outlaw-state.html
"President Obama has long refused to approve direct military intervention in Syria. And Mr. Putin may be assuming that Mr. Obama is unlikely to confront Russia in his final months and with an American election season in full swing. But with the rebel stronghold in Aleppo under threat of falling to the government, administration officials said that such a response is again under consideration."
Posted by: Passer by | Sep 30 2016 18:11 utc | 36
About the scoop in The National: One can say different nice things about UAE, but it is not noted for particularly free expressions. Once in a while I read something there, and I recall editorials a year ago to the effect "We have to put our effort in Yemen, because this is our national interest, more precisely, necessary to have good relations with our most important ally, the Kingdom. " Basically, they are vassals, but not a province of the Saudi kingdom, and their (ruling families) loyalties, or at the very least, enthusiasm in following whims of the Crown Prince of the Kingdom, are waning.
About our (American, British etc.) media: the principle role of the media is to inform the readers and listeners how the world should be. The main scheme goes back to Plato. To those of us who do not appreciate the beauty and goodness of the world as it should be, the reporting seems to be from "parallel universe".
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Sep 30 2016 18:11 utc | 37
There is one metric that could put a lot of the BS over Syria out to pasture - Is there a net "Outflow of Civilians" in Government held Syrian territory, or are the majority of Syrian Refugees coming from the Syrian opposition held territory?
The most accurate vote on who the Syrian population supports is taken with their feet. I'm inclined to guess this info would support the Syrian government because US propaganda is dazzlingly precise when the numbers are on their side, but totally silent on the number of displaced Syrians, and Iraqis, and Libyans, and Yemenis from US foreign policy actions.
Posted by: Enrico Malatesta | Sep 30 2016 18:18 utc | 38
@33, Lysander
Whatever factions may or may not exist among us policy makers, losing in Syria means losing everywhere. Once it is clear the US/NATO/EU/zionist collective is beatable, every country that follows only out of fear will start seeing options in making friends with Russia and China.
US already lost in Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine. This ship sailed long ago. The loss in Syria is also a fait accompli--it is now about how the loss will be formalized: either as an outright surrender (highly undesirable in D.C. but still a very real possibility) or as a number of incremental steps with final abdication and remaking of the World Order. Come to think about it--the remake is already in progress.
Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Sep 30 2016 18:18 utc | 39
Passer @35
Riley Waggaman posts an appropriate response:
"Since the invention of assholes in 50,000 B.C.E., bleached-teethed television pundits and other social parasites have beckoned the young to die or lose limbs in pointless, illegal wars.
Usually these calls to arms — made from the comfort of a Manhattan skyscraper, or a Nantucket "weekend cottage" — come from professional, syndicated assholes such as Thomas L. Friedman, who just yesterday wrote in the New York Times about a recent conversation he had with a Tibetan taxi driver which proves his theories of free markets and blowing up brown people for freedom. (Of course, from time to time America is also graced with a barely literate ejaculation of neo-conservative rage, penned by none other than Anne Applebaum, who writes exclusively for the Washington Post, the Daily Moloch, and Twitter.)
But for special we-really-need-you-to-support-this-dumb-shitty-war occasions, newspaper readers get to see the big guns in action: The New York Times' own Editorial Board, in all its majesty, making the case for war with Russia."
http://russia-insider.com/en/not-drill-nyt-editorial-board-lays-groundwork-war-russia/ri16758
Posted by: Yonatan | Sep 30 2016 18:23 utc | 40
CE @15
Thanks for confimring the cartoon is by Latuff. His style is very distinctive.
Actually, his trademark signature is clearly visible in the embiggened version. I was wondering if it had been cropped out.
Posted by: Yonatan | Sep 30 2016 18:26 utc | 41
3
"...when the USA has not be able to do it nowhere."
Ummm, you do realize, I hope, that USA created Al Qai'da to defeat the Soviets in AF, yes?
Ummm, you do realize, I hope, that USA created Al ISIS to defeat the Russians in SY, yes?
The former was a vaguely geopolitical Zybig-Bolton NeoConism, the later Pure Bush Oil War.
Perpetual oils wars and ZIRP-NIRP financial crises will trump any dying 5th Estate truths.
Hillary 2016...let the Hunger Games begin!!
Posted by: chipnik | Sep 30 2016 18:30 utc | 42
The US cannot admit defeat.
The US wants chaos and war.
Posted by: AriusArmenian | Sep 30 2016 18:35 utc | 43
Well done b.
Excellent research and the green beret quotes especially ring true with what I hear from Syrian friends here (turkey and lebanon).
Posted by: AtaBrit | Sep 30 2016 18:37 utc | 44
b,
Propaganda is more blatant than ever. But will it fail? Probably not by the infowar, but by those who are not interested by it.
How many are here, looking at other sources of info than MSM to have a better idea of what's happening in Syria? 10%?
Then, how many are watching/listening/reading closely MSM garbage and believing it? 30%?
When the 10% try to convince the 30% that the MSM has become a propaganda machine, the others shake their heads in disbelief, accusing the 1% of being conspiracy theorists.
But you got the 60% who barely watch/listen/read the news, but have a pretty good idea that they'll get to pay for all the warmonging being done in their names. It's those no nonsense folks who have the power to stop the war machine. We hear them already (voting for Brexit, Corbyn and maybe Trump). They're fed up and they start to show it.
Posted by: Jean | Sep 30 2016 18:43 utc | 45
@Nur Adlina
Number faction depends on issues. Different alliances for different stuff.
On Syria most generals at the Pentagon are against doing anything against Assad. Brennan, as a Saudi CIA horse, wants Assad killed. In Obama's security council the Israeli opinion, let everyone in Syria bleed as long as possible, is a major driver.
Congress has various opinions, mostly hawkish though (lots of AIPAC and Saudi payments).
Above someone said there is split between the Tumpist (less intervention) and the ruling elite - liberal neocons (more intervention). That is pretty correct and goes right through the society, But there are even many more splits. Blacks don't fit into the above - they have no political home.
One has to look at issue and see coalitions evolve. Kremnilogy essentially.
The cries for war with Russia over the destruction of the America regime's terrorists are nothing but impotent rage over the realization that the end of their empire is rapidly approaching.
There is no serious military option for the American regime.
1. Turkey is now an unreliable ally and the damage the US support for the recent coup is going to take years to measure. Turkey does not want Syria portioned. And will not cooperate with the American regime on any military efforts that are not narrowly directed at containing the Kurds.
2. Israel remembers the ass kicking Hezbollah dished out to them and their IDF terror forces running for their lives back across the Lebanon border. With Hezbollah now the single most effective military force in the Middle East and massively upgraded in their hardware, all dreams of a Greater Israel are gone and they realize the clock is ticking for how much time they have left before Hezbollah, Syria, and Iran are prepared to start taking affirmative action to contain them.
3. Jordan has given up wanting to have anything to do with anyone militarily and is desperately trying to be friends with everyone.
Russia has a no fly zone setup for most of the country and could very quickly extend it to every inch of Syrian territory. The rules of engagement have been changed to allow Syrian and Russian forces to down any American regime aircraft that threaten the SAA and Russian forces.
The American regime's only hope is to get as many of their forces embedded with the various terror groups throughout North and Eastern Syria to create effective RUAF no fly zones and hope Putin backs down and decides it is not worth more Russian blood and treasure to prevent the partition of Syria and the creation of the pipeline's that started this whole sickening terror campaign.
Posted by: Stevens | Sep 30 2016 18:50 utc | 47
Oops. I meant we know what No Fly Zone means from what happened to Libya.
Piotr 34.
I don't really trust Turkey either.
As to factions, that's why I posted the Who Rules America. (sorry I didn't explain) Who is above those in the media, think tanks, CFR, parties, etc? There are lots of theories (with some evidence) that include banking cartels, pro-Israel interests, etc.
Posted by: Curtis | Sep 30 2016 18:52 utc | 48
"The amassed troops, which may include Iranian and other militias, are backed up by Russian aircraft and regime helicopter-launched barrel bombs, which the US said includes cluster munitions and phosphorous bombs."
from:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/29/politics/aleppo-syria-civil-war-crisis/index.html
And now the US claims Russia/Regime use of "cluster munitions and phosphorous bombs." Like the Wendy's woman says "Where's the beef?" There's no proof. And yet the US, Israel, and the Saudis have used them. Pot calls the kettle black.
Posted by: Curtis | Sep 30 2016 18:57 utc | 49
Posted by: Passer by | Sep 30, 2016 2:11:24 PM | 35
It does not look like they (the US) are giving up. The New York Times editorial board is now calling Russia "an outlaw state". They are not backing down, to me this looks like verbal escalation in preparation for eventual Hillary Clinton's Presidency. It is the Saddam/Milosevic scenario (this time accusations of Syrian War Crimes, downing of MH 17, etc. ).
I think that this is very different scenario since both Saddam/Milosevic were CIA/MI6 assets (useful idiots) used to destroy Iraq/Yugoslavia, and then discarded, and I hope that Putin is real Russian patriot.
Posted by: ex-sarajlija | Sep 30 2016 19:02 utc | 50
The "children of Aleppo" meme got thick over the past 24 hours. There was a run of stories discussing "underground schools" which were allegedly deliberately targeted by Russian bunker-buster bombs. The numbers of people supposedly in east Aleppo seem rather fluid. A few months ago it seemed the civilian count was down to 30,000, but is now routinely described as between 200,000 and 300,000. One organization has been claiming there are 100,000 children in east Aleppo (I suppose they did a head count in the underground schools). Same with doctors and hospitals: a few months ago the "last hospital" and the "last paediatrician" were being finished off, then all the hospitals and doctors magically reappear so they can be under attack all over again.
I imagine Obama is under extreme pressure to do something right away. However, the more al-Qaeda is acknowledged as a major faction of the "rebels", the more the credibility of the US national security establishment becomes frayed, and that credibility becomes a factor politically domestically. Even after fifteen years, 9-11 and the resulting War On Terror remain constantly invoked, as does the responsibility of al-Qaeda for the continuing state of emergency as well as the original attacks. To be revealed as in alliance with this group is very bad for credibility, and that the MSM has been constantly running what amounts to propaganda for al-Qaeda is very bad for them too. Therefore, to divert attention, some crisis might well be rigged up in another part of the world such as Ukraine.
An aside, the new Philippine president has turned out to be such a wild card and has gone way off script for the "pivot to Asia" that he is now being referred to in MSM as a Hitler admirer and genocide advocate.
Posted by: jayc | Sep 30 2016 19:05 utc | 51
Syrian government and it allies need to remember the long game. At the end of the Iran/Iraq war it looked like a stalemate, but the years that have gone by have shown that Iran's willingness to shed blood pushed Iraq into the hands of the West as Hussein had to borrow up to his eyeballs to keep going. This led eventually to his downfall. How Iran must have enjoyed the long spectacle of their enemy totter and fall. Assad needs to remember that a quick victory does not necessarily turn into a long term win. Yes, Aleppo is a great prize, but the real aim is the end of foreign interference in his country. So far, the Syrian government has played a very careful and slow game. This is the right way to play it. The war could last for years to come.
Posted by: anitele'a | Sep 30 2016 19:18 utc | 52
Just read the article from former Foreign Secretary David Owen link to [email protected] What utter garbage, he wants Turkey to open a corridor to East Aleppo with NATO backing and air support.
"Only Turkey is in a political and military position to intervene on the ground over Aleppo and it is demonstrating this at present by attacking Isis. Turkey can now, because of changed circumstances, create a crucial balancing factor in Syria by taking urgent humanitarian action with its troops and air power in relieving the siege of Aleppo. Under the UN charter, even if the security council is blocked by a Russian veto, Turkey has a regional locus and a measure of legitimacy, having taken large numbers of Syrian refugees".
So there you have it, Turkish troops with air power to relieve Aleppo.
An American Senior General answering a question from Senator Roger Wicker at an armed services committee.. "What about controlling the airspace so that barrel bombs cannot be dropped?" General.. "Right now Senator for us to control all of the air space in Syria would require us to go to war against Syria and Russia, that's a fundamental decision that certainly I'm not going to make. The look on that Senators face was a joy to behold.
Posted by: harrylaw | Sep 30 2016 19:37 utc | 53
Probably the wrong place to post this link, but it made me laugh out loud - Brits have a love of black humour. Forgive me if it offends!
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-iraq-grandmother-woman-beheaded-cooked-fighters-heads-to-avenge-family-deaths-wahida-mohamed-a7337801.html
Posted by: AtaBrit | Sep 30 2016 19:44 utc | 54
What is the game plan really going to be? Neither Congress or the American public would support a war with Russia. Most Americans wisely see Russia as the ones killing the terrorists. The brainwashed or otherwise clueless liberals that do think Washington is looking to spread democracy would be the first ones crying for peace once American troops start getting killed again in another country that is of no threat to the homeland. A no fly zone will not work. Russia has the S-400 deployed there along with a naval fleet equipped with seriously powerful cruise missiles. Coalition jets have no defense against that system. Theyre not going to back down, everyone involved including Iran and even China know that once the US topples Assad, the jihadists will move on to Lebanon, then Iran and finally to Russia and China. Europe wants no part in a war. Turkey isnt exactly going to want to chance Russian tanks rolling through the Caucasus to attack Turkish cities. The game is over. Arming terrorists with bigger rockets will not change a thing. The neocons in Washington may be convinced they can win WW3 but the cost would be staggering
Posted by: Danny801 | Sep 30 2016 19:46 utc | 55
Just in Syria alone, the majority of western media organisations are war criminals. Why don't people admit that, or say it out loud.
WAR CRIMINALS.
The evidence is copious and irrefutable.
I will vote for anyone or any party who will commit to indicting these media war criminals. Along with political and military leaders responsible of course.
If the war is the greatest evil, like it is, than our number one priority is to stop the warmongers.
Posted by: tom | Sep 30 2016 20:12 utc | 56
"Will Obama and Kerry admit it? Or will they throw another Hail Mary and do something crazy?"
The latter.
As I've said before, Israel, the US military-industrial complex, and all the other scumbags involved in this can NOT afford to let Syria recover because that will put paid to the desired war with Iran and domination of the Middle East. This CANNOT be allowed by these people. It's not even clear that these people are not willing to go to World War III with Russia over these goals.
My concern at this point is that we are looking at an "October Surprise" which will consist of direct US/NATO war on Syria - and Russian forces in Syria. This has been the goal from Day One - before the Russians got involved last year. It would have happened long before this if Russia and China had not vetoed the THREE UNSC Resolutions the US put forth authorizing it.
Does anyone really think they're going to give up now?
Russia is FINALLY doing the smart thing by devoting resources to insuring that Aleppo is cleared BEFORE Turkey can begin its invasion and capture of Aleppo - which is the goal of the Turkish invasion as part of the "safe zone" and as part of the partition of Syria desired by Syria's enemies. The presence of more war planes, more Russian and Iranian troops, and support from the coming Russian heavy cruiser hopefully will be able to accomplish this and present the West with a fait accompli BEFORE the elections and BEFORE the new administration can realistically up the ante some more.
Russia and Iran need to go "all in" and insure the destruction of Al Qaeda and ISIS in Syria as a viable military force.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Sep 30 2016 20:16 utc | 57
Here's the latest investigative work by Vanessa Beeley from Eastern/Western Aleppo. She has a lot to say about the White Helmets and so, so much more -
Journey To Aleppo Part I: Exposing The Truth Buried Under NATO Propaganda - http://www.mintpressnews.com/journey-to-aleppo-exposing-the-truth-buried-under-nato-propaganda/220563/
Journey To Aleppo Part II: The Syria Civil Defense & Aleppo Medical Association Are Real Syrians Helping Real Syrians - http://www.mintpressnews.com/journey-aleppo-part-ii-syria-civil-defense-aleppo-medical-association-real-syrians-helping-real-syrians/220817/
And a video interview w/the Ron Paul Liberty Report - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8mA0h7dCKI&feature=youtu.be
Where does UNICEF gets its numbers from?
Almost 100 children killed in Aleppo since Friday, UNICEF says - The Associated Press September 28, 2016Almost 100 children have been killed, and 223 have been injured amid intense fighting that has gripped the Syrian city of Aleppo since Friday, according to UNICEF.
The children of Aleppo are "trapped in a living nightmare," said Justin Forsyth, deputy executive director of the UN organization, in a statement on Wednesday. "There are no words left to describe the suffering they are experiencing."
UNICEF says 96 children have been killed in Aleppo since Friday. Pro-government forces, backed by Russia, on Thursday launched a massive assault to retake the city from Syria's rebels, following the collapse of a ceasefire.
Nine children were killed Tuesday during airstrikes on the rebel-held al-Shaar and al-Mashad neighbourhoods, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict.
UNICEF repeated warnings that the city has only about 30 doctors left to care for the estimated 250,000 civilians caught in its rebel-held areas.
"Children with low chances of survival are too often left to die" because of limited resources, the group said.
I would consider it a good result, if this weeks bombing would have resulted in the death of 100 nusrats. Evidently #AssadPutin has devised a child-homing system for their smart bombs.
Posted by: Petri Krohn | Sep 30 2016 21:12 utc | 59
The Bear awakens, it must be spring.
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-september-30-2016/
US officials engaged in further brinkmanship with authorities in Moscow, discussing the non-diplomatic responses that could be taken if the Syrian govt. continues operations in Aleppo. In his press conference, spokesman for the US Department of State, John Kirby, made a concrete threat against the Russians by stating that they would have to “send troops home in body bags, and will continue to lose resources,” and “that more Russian aircraft will be shot down.” Kirby also predicted that Russian cities would be attacked by terrorists.
The Russian MOD interpreted such statements as US admission that the “opposition” supposedly waging a “civil war” in Syria is in reality a US-controlled terrorist “internationale.” What is particularly shocking in Kirby’s admission, according to Russian MOD official representative, Major General Igor Konashenkov, that the US direct influence over terrorists is global in scope and extends to Russia, among others.
“Concerning Kirby’s threat concerning possible loss of Russian aircraft and sending Russian soldiers home ‘in body bags’, I will say that we are well informed on where in Syria, including in Aleppo Province, and exactly how many ‘unadvertised’ specialists are engaged in operational planning and commanding the militants.”
Posted by: Dean | Sep 30 2016 21:27 utc | 60
Amy Goodman of Democracy Now and the local Pacifica radio station (KPFA) are running Syrian rebel propaganda pieces without questioning them. Amy might be the last person on earth who believes that there is a viable democratic opposition in Syria. This is very disappointing since KPFA has been one of better radio stations for the last 60 years.
Posted by: ToivoS | Sep 30 2016 22:31 utc | 61
@ToivoS 60
You're absolutely right -- I've been watching Goodman doing this over the past several weeks.
For whatever reason, she has signed on with the Saudi-US-ISIS axis onslaught against the people of Syria. She has joined the propaganda effort backing the terrorists in their fight against the Syrian and Russian liberation forces, and the US effort to break Syria into a number of smaller, permanently warring statelets.
During the years that the terrorists were brutalizing and butchering the population of Aleppo Goodman said nothing. Now that that the terrorists are being driven out and the people liberated, she is suddenly concerned about violence there.
Posted by: AntiSpin | Sep 30 2016 23:30 utc | 62
Audio Reveals What John Kerry Told Syrians Behind Closed Doors
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/09/30/world/middleeast/100000004683024.app.html?_r=0
The 40-minute discussion, on the sidelines of last week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York, provides a glimpse of Mr. Kerry’s frustration with his inability to end the Syrian crisis. He veered between voicing sympathy for the Syrians’ frustration with United States policy and trying to justify it.
The conversation took place days after a brief cease-fire he had spearheaded crumbled, and as his Russian counterpart rejected outright his new proposal to stop the bombing of Aleppo. Those setbacks were followed by days of crippling Russian and Syrian airstrikes in Aleppo that the World Health Organization said Wednesday had killed 338 people, including 100 children.
At the meeting last week, Mr. Kerry was trying to explain that the United States has no legal justification for attacking Mr. Assad’s government, whereas Russia was invited in by the government.
Posted by: Michael | Sep 30 2016 23:51 utc | 63
The USA, Israel and GCC states are creators and sponsors of the modern jihadi terrorist movement. By now that's a common knowledge for everyone who cares to know. Hiding or obfuscating it is nearly impossible, regardless of what western MSM say or write.
Posted by: telescope | Oct 1 2016 0:08 utc | 64
@29 Stevens.
The concept of US troops serving as human shields for the terrorists is already pre-empted by MOD's Konashenko saying in his latest briefing (responding to Kirby and the body bags threat) that US embedded specialists may not be able to get clear in time if the terrorists attack Russians. It's not clear how greatly SAA shares in this equation, but we shall see. Russia gives one warning per each course of action, and then at the moment of its choosing acts with dispatch. So it's already warned that it's eye for an eye, and then some, when it comes to Russian bodies.
What will Russia do next? Much as I'd love to see the US take a serious beating, I think - or at least, I hope - Russia will do everything it possibly can to give the US some deniability when US soldiers are killed. So the losses will be secret if possible. And these losses will carry back to Washington without becoming generally known - delivering the message in private without the public humiliation and incentive to escalate. If there are ways to do this, I'd expect Russia to begin to destroy US assets on the ground starting with the most ambiguous ones first - which means the terrorists. But any US troops on the ground in Syria are living on borrowed time.
Russia is probably the single most seriously prepared nation for war in the world right now, but also one of the most reluctant to engage in direct battle. Note the word "reluctant" not "hesitant". Russia and Putin will not blink.
Posted by: Grieved | Oct 1 2016 0:21 utc | 65
Greece says Erdogan remarks on Greek islands dangerous to relations
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN12021J?il=0
Paraphrasing Erdo
They tried to sell us Lausanne Treaty as victory..
What have Erdogan's CIA Muslim Brotherhood advisors been telling him since their great false coup success?
Dajjal have a good day?
Posted by: C I eh? | Oct 1 2016 0:22 utc | 66
@ToivoS, AntiSpin
Hey guy wanna watch this pretty Syrian child, Sidra lost both her legs and one missing eyes.
Having lost her mother, Sidra was transport to Russia for treatment. Bless Putin, whatever gods he believe..
ANNA News pretty reliable, watched ANNA News since 2013 Ukraine's coup d'état. I missed that beautiful Ukrainian (pro Russian), News reader forgot her name...
Dun waste your time watching Amy Goodman Democracy Now. Amy a proven NeoLiberal. Democracy Now, (KPFA) Pacifica Radio, PBS and NPR - used to be my favorites. No MORE!
Posted by: Jack Smith | Oct 1 2016 0:33 utc | 67
@Grieved | Sep 30, 2016 8:21:44 PM | 64
Russia is probably the single most seriously prepared nation for war in the world right now, but also one of the most reluctant to engage in direct battle. Note the word "reluctant" not "hesitant". Russia and Putin will not blink.
Well said! Putin will not blink (He can’t), but more than willing to extend the ropes for Amerikka and poodles to hang themselves together. However, will China's XI sign on if and when Putin decides that’s the only way out is WWW3?
Posted by: Jack Smith | Oct 1 2016 0:43 utc | 68
Sorrie forgot weblink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBNA8CQCIYY
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGib-bLlq8HTRp2YaEESxeg
Posted by: Jack Smith | Oct 1 2016 0:47 utc | 69
I wonder how much this is a punching match. USA pound position at Deir Ezzar and many casualties (affirmed to have happened by all) for Syrian (Assad) forces. Strategic mt. next to and defending airport supplying besieged city.
Some say that Kaliber attack near Allepo destroyed "allied" command center killing Isrealis, US and NATO types. (Not acknowledged)
US neocon hegemons have their knickers in a twist as they figure the next one up manship.
Meanwhile the woodbine seems to entwine with Al Queda. (kind of like if the Confederates had ended up taking over DC after the Civil war)
Posted by: Jay M | Oct 1 2016 1:03 utc | 70
AtaBrit | Sep 30, 2016 3:44:09 PM | 53
I thought this headline was far funnier.
Explosive belt malfunction kills 16 ISIS terrorists
Al-Sumaria Iraqi media outlet reported on Wednesday that a malfunction on an explosive belt detonated and killed 16 terrorists belonging to ISIS, including senior leaders.
The explosion occurred during a meeting in al-Mahaws village, 55km southwest of Kirkuk.
Al-Sumeria stated, “Today, an explosion took place amid a meeting of ISIS members in al-Mahawes village in Hawija district,” adding that, “The explosion resulted in the killing of 16 members of the Islamic State (ISIS) group, including senior leaders, as well as wounding 16 others.”
“A number of the ISIS members were wearing explosive belts during the meeting, and the explosion took place due to a defect in one of them,” Sumaria explained. “The meeting was held to prepare for an attack on the positions of the security forces in Hamrin Mountains, al-Zawiya area and Ajil area in Salahuddin Province,” the report added.
Posted by: Ghostship | Oct 1 2016 1:04 utc | 71
@ToivoS 60 - I quit DemocracyNow years ago due to Amy's chronic and continuous reporting in favor of the rebels along with reporting that the original reason for the war was citizen protest against the Assad government. She has never veered from this assumption.
Posted by: linda amick | Oct 1 2016 1:10 utc | 72
b, Here's the most outrageous claim by the MSM to fuel their discrediting themselves:
"The Washington Post actually reported that a Nigerian MD, Bennet Omalu, “whose credentials and tenacity are well known,” has concluded that Hillary Clinton’s obvious medical problems could be due to her being poisoned by a Putin-Trump conspiracy.
"One could possibly conclude that Cindy Boren and her Washington Post editor were having fun with Omalu, except that the article repeated the unfounded allegation that circumstantial evidence according to a UK inquiry associates Putin with the poisoning death of Litvinenko.
"In other words, first Litvinenko, now Hillary."
http://www.4thmedia.org/2016/09/western-media-credibility-in-free-fall-collapse/ by PCR
Posted by: Penelope | Oct 1 2016 1:18 utc | 73
About Amy Goodman, people should learn to check ethnicity a lot more often, you will get quite surprised where this will lead you.
Posted by: Observer | Oct 1 2016 1:36 utc | 74
@50 jayc, 'To be revealed as in alliance with this group is very bad for credibility, and that the MSM has been constantly running what amounts to propaganda for al-Qaeda is very bad for them too.'
That's it. They've finally cried wolf too many times. No one listens to them any longer. In fact, people are growing angry at their arrogant persistence, pushing their absurd, insulting, over the top propaganda.
@53 atabrit
If you thought this was the wrong place, why did you go ahead and post it anyway?
@60 TS @61 AS
When push comes to shove Goodman is a Good, Obedient Zionist Woman. She responds to every call.
Posted by: jfl | Oct 1 2016 1:57 utc | 75
@ToivoS#60:
Living in the Bay Area, I am also frustrated with the coverage of Syria by Democracy Now and KPFA. I think it is a combination of many factors with DN. Several of DN's former interns and producers were deeply invested in the "citizen journalism" and "nonviolent protest" narrative of the Arab Spring -- so their perspectives influenced the DN staff (as well as their discrediting others was influential: Jeremy Scahill, a former DN intern, led a campaign to vilify Mother Agnes Miriam and refused to speak at a conference if she did). In addition, DN's coverage has closely mirrored AlJazeera's: it has never covered or questioned the departure of dissenting AJ staff over the change in editorial policy. Further, it has been very sympathetic to the narrative of MB-aligned dissidents in several of the AS countries; although it gives decent coverage to Palestinian issues, it ignored the MB issues in Syria with Khaled Meshaal and gave MB spox more airtime about Palestinian Refugee issues in Syria (like Yarmouk). (Perhaps it is an issue of Liberal Zionists or ex-Zionists bending over backwards to avoid the Islamophobia of the Zionist Right). Goodman also is so heavily invested in the idea of "nonviolent people-powered revolution" that she does not give any coverage to the corrupting power of CIA and State NGOs in fomenting color revolutions. Finally, Goodman is a lifelong admirer of Noam Chomsky (who went to summer camp with her dad), whose ideas about the relative power of American Empire as compared to a "so-called Israel Lobby" can be seen reflected in her choices of guests.
@Michael#62:
Fascinating link to a boilerplate Anne Barnard article. So basically, one of the other country's diplomats taped the conversation with Kerry and then leaked to Barnard to try to pressure the US. Kerry is saying that he's one of the few people in the administration pushing Obama to escalate militarily (much like Hillary and Panetta a few years ago). I take many of the hysterical articles in the MSM (the NYT especially) as indicators that the Zionists and hawks are afraid that Obama might de-escalate military engagements, or worse make some moves for peace, before he leaves office. Whether he might ever be inclined to do so, they want to whip up enough opposition and obstacles to prevent him from even considering such moves before the clock runs out. They just have to keep things busy until the arrival of Hillary, whom they are certain will keep the campaign promises she has made to her major donors. (Obama, on the other hand, continues to keep things on an even keel; so that he doesn't get blamed by any Democratic Congresspeople for angering their donors).
Posted by: Rusty Pipes | Oct 1 2016 2:28 utc | 76
b.
'The soldier interviewed was ordered to train "moderate Syrian rebels" in Turkey. The interview is' U.S. Special Forces Sabotage White House Policy Gone Disastrously Wrong with Covert Ops In Syria
... someone else posted a link to the full interview and I grabbed it.
'The 2012 Defense Intelligence Analysis said as much. The CIA of course knew this all along.'
... I couldn't see it at the link you posted, but I had got it earlier. From one of your links, I'm sure.
Posted by: jfl | Oct 1 2016 2:33 utc | 77
RP @75
Amy Goodman - DN, has unconditional support for JA - Wikileaks, and Chelsea Manning. But she seems to ignore all the evidence they have provided about US plans for Syria to maintain her pro-rebel stance. Amy Goodman will always side with the perceived "Rebel", be it in East Timor, the Dakotas, Arab Spring, or the Color Revolutions. She has been rather muted on Eastern Ukraine "Rebels" though.
Posted by: Enrico Malatesta | Oct 1 2016 3:06 utc | 78
About Amy Goodman, people should learn to check ethnicity a lot more often, you will get quite surprised where this will lead you.
Posted by: Observer | Sep 30, 2016 9:36:35 PM | 73
... such as the possibility that PBS's Russophobic, anti-Trump, Margaret Warner might have Tribal associations with Hollywood's Warner Brothers?
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Oct 1 2016 3:48 utc | 79
@Greg Bacon #22
UNSCR 2249
Calls upon Member States that have the capacity to do so to take all necessary measures, in compliance with international law, in particular with the United Nations Charter, as well as international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, on the territory under the control of ISIL also known as Da’esh, in Syria and Iraq, to redouble and coordinate their efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist acts committed specifically by ISIL also known as Da’esh as well as ANF, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities associated with Al Qaeda, and other terrorist groups, as designated by the United Nations Security Council, and as may further be agreed by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and endorsed by the UN Security Council, pursuant to the Statement of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) of 14 November, and to eradicate the safe haven they have established over significant parts of Iraq and Syria;
Posted by: From The Hague | Oct 1 2016 4:03 utc | 80
@Enrico Malatesta #77:
Amy Goodman … has been rather muted on Eastern Ukraine "Rebels" though.
Well, that redeems her somewhat.
Also, she has covered on her show the reasonable explanation for what happened to TWA 800: that the US Navy shot it down by mistake, and then the Clintons launched a coverup so that that fuckup and tragedy wouldn't affect Bill's reelection campaign.
The Washington Post, Jeff Bezos latest hobby, is trumpeting White House and State Department propaganda in exchange for massive CIA/IT contracts. They print big money lies.
If the German Minister of Information was hung for promoting German War/Crimes Against Humanity, it there a cell at the Hague for Mr. Amazon?
Posted by: Carol Davidek-Waller | Oct 1 2016 4:24 utc | 82
"All the American regime needs to win in Syria and partition the country for their pipelines is for Putin to blink and allow the areas with embedded American regime forces become defacto no fly zones for the RUAF." -- Stevens @ 29
And look at this: (Apologies if it's already posted. Dates back to the 24th, but is news to me.)
TEHRAN (FNA)- The US has deployed its special forces in at least 7 bases in Northern Syria which are located in Qamishli, Ain Issa, Kobane, Hasaka and Tal Abyadh regions.
The Pentagon admitted last week that it has stationed its forces in Northern Syria but didn’t reveal any details.
Based on information obtained by FNA from media outlets and field sources, the 7 bases in which the US forces are deployed are:
1.The US forces are seeking to turn Rmeilan airfield in Syria's Northern province of Hasakah into their new operations room and build helipads in there.
2. Mabrouka village in the Western parts of Qamishli where at least 45 US special army forces have been deployed.
3. The French Lafarge cement factory, which is located between Kobane and the town of Ain Issa in Jalabiya in Northeastern Syria. Informed sources have reported that the US has increased the number of forces deployed in the region, adding that another base is being built for training the militants and helicopter landing.
4. Ain Issa base near a town in Northern Syria, which is hosting over 100 US forces.
5. Kobane base in Northern Syria in which more than 300 US special forces have been deployed.
6. Tel Byder base in Hasaka province and in the Western parts of Qamishli which is equipped with helipad for military helicopters. The US trains militants in this base.
7. Tal Abyadh base which has been the scene of most US forces' moves in Syria. At least 200 US special forces, equipped with armored vehicles, have been deployed in the region and the US flags have been hoisted above certain government buildings in the area.
No official report has been released yet about the exact number of the US forces and weapons transferred to the abovementioned bases but field sources have reported observing armored vehicles, semi-heavy weapons, TOW missiles, thermal cameras, advanced wireless devices and night goggles in them.
Reports said last month that the US has set up a new military base in Hasaka, Northeastern Syria, under the pretext of demining the region, Kurdish sources said.
"The US has deployed tens of its marines in Mabrouka village in the Western parts of Hasaka province under the pretext of demining Ra's al-Ain city which is now under the control of Kurdish forces," sources told FNA.
According to the Kurdish sources, the US forces have set up their base in one of the buildings of Syria's power department in Mabrouka named Housh al-Kahroba.
The Lebanese al-Akhbar newspaper reported in December that the US experts are reconstructing and equipping a desolate airport special to carrying agricultural products in the region controlled by the Kurdish forces in Hasaka region to turn it into a military base.
A number of US experts entered the region to develop and prepare the runways with 2,500m length and 250m width to be used by fighter jets.
Abu Hajar airport which has not been used since 2010 is located in Tal al-Hajar region in the Eastern countryside of Hasaka which is controlled by the Kurdish People's Defense Units (YPG).
The airbase is located Southeast of the town of Rmeilan, which is one of the YPG’s main strongholds and “largest arms and ammunition depots”.
The US has not received or even asked for a permission from Damascus for reconstructing the airbase. The United States does not have a UN mandate for intervening in the Syria war.
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950703001196
Posted by: Penelope | Oct 1 2016 5:56 utc | 83
Thanks b, nice to read something that's not actively trying to gaslight me. Apologies if this was covered earlier and I missed it:
Nafeez Ahmed is an investigative journalist, regularly published in the Guardian until he wrote an piece about Palestine and Israeli oil&gas interests. Since then he's turned to crowdfunding via Patreon, his writings reside at Insurge Intelligence.
Recently he published this: Whistleblower exposes how NATO’s leading ally is arming and funding ISIS
As Mother Agnes Mariam says on Twitter(23 May 2015): "Is it too late toask foraccountability?FalseWMD inIraq with 2M ofdeath. sending Lybia to hell and now NO democracyinSyria But ISIS! Too much"
Posted by: D. Barnes | Oct 1 2016 6:03 utc | 84
b, the US elite lost people's trust long ago. It does not matter what their propaganda bullhorns like Reuters, WSJ, CNN, NYT, indeed all the corporate news outlet offer, people know it is all b-s. I will not ever count on Reuters or WSJ to depart from the zionist narrative that is propelling the policies of the Western elite. So in nutshell this slight aberration from those two propaganda outlets is no reason to think that the house of lies of the US is about to fall apart. The whole edifice will definitely crash down sooner than later, but it is never going to be triggered by the Western corporate media.
Posted by: Steve | Oct 1 2016 8:45 utc | 85
@29 Stevens @65 g
DEIR EZZOR, SYRIA (5:30 A.M.) – The U.S. Air Force reportedly destroyed another bridge in the Deir Ezzor countryside on Friday, marking their third attack on the province this month.According to a military source at the Deir Ezzor Airport, the U.S. Coalition destroyed the Al-‘Asharat Bridge inside the Al-Mayadeen District on Friday; this is the second bridge destroyed in this district over the last 10 days.
Three missiles were reportedly used by the U.S. Coalition to destroy this bridge on Friday morning.
The military source added that the destruction of this bridge is not going to disrupt the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham’s supply line because they already use boats to resupply their forces.
Not going to disrupt ISIS, but depriving the Syrians of access to the east of there own country. The US is systematically isolating eastern Syria from the west. The US is building the inverse of the Berlin Wall along the Euphrates.
There is no reason for the Syrian and Russian forces to sit on their hands while this is happening. Marjorie Cohn outlines the legal consequences of the US illegal aggression in Syria @134, A few links on Syria and other issues.
Indeed, Security Council Resolution 2254, to which the cable refers, nowhere authorizes the use of military force [by US/NATO], and ends with the words,“[The Security Council] decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”
This means that the Council has not delegated the power to attack Syria to any entity other than itself.
If the U.S. were to mount an armed attack on Syria, the Charter would give Assad a valid self-defense claim, and Russia could legally assist Assad in collective self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter.
There is no reason for the Syrian and Russian forces to sit on their hands while this is happening, other than a lack of will or ability to stop it from happening, of course.
Posted by: jfl | Oct 1 2016 8:50 utc | 86
@ Penelope #83 "The United States does not have a UN mandate for intervening in the Syria war."
No.
In the old days, when Russia believed the US hypocrite mantra 'war on terror' , there was a terrorist attack in Paris.
Remember?
Then Hollande phoned Putin and there it was: UNSCR 2249
Last week Russia did understand: US = moderates = al-Queda
Too late.
Posted by: From The Hague | Oct 1 2016 9:41 utc | 87
#86 jfl
Makes it all that more significant to put aside 10-20k of troops, give them plenty of even 2nd tier SAA or even old Soviet armor (say a couple hundred T-62 and T-55s, anything that will do the job and that SAA reserves are familiar with), to cover the likely losses and drive from Palmyra all the way to Deir Az Zor. ASAP. I know that this may have in fact been the diversionary objective of the "accidental bombing" a couple of weeks ago, but the sooner Deir is relieved and the Airborne Bde goes on the offensive and crosses the Firat, the better.
Posted by: Quadriad | Oct 1 2016 10:22 utc | 88
Angry Arab on Democracy now
Interviewing activists in Syria on Democracy Now
This baffled me. That Amy Goodman still, like the Western correspondents in the Times and Post talk to what they call "activists" in rebel-held areas. What does that mean? There was activism in Syria during the early months of the uprising before it became a civil war with outside intervention from all sides. Do they mean that you can live in Nusrah-held area or other rebel-held areas and be an activist? An activist for what? democracy and feminism in Ghutah? What does that mean? And how do they obtain the phone numbers of those "activists"? This like saying that the Syrian regime allows activism and dissent in its areas. It is sad that even leftist Democracy Now does not deviate ONE BIT from the mainstream media narrative on Syria. Not one bit. From Democracy Now to WSJ, passing through the Economist, they all sound the same.
I suggest that the Peace Nobel prize should be given to the now invisible Afghan, Iraqi, and Libyan women.
Posted by: Mina | Oct 1 2016 11:43 utc | 89
and let's add the Saudi women as well (from AA)
"Mohammed bin Salman’s treatment of domestic affairs seemed as headstrong as his treatment of foreign ones. Apparently in return for sanctioning the youngster’s accumulation of power, the clerical establishment secured the dismissal of the country’s first female minister, appointed in laxer times by Abdullah, the late king. Religious police resumed their raids on private premises. A young female accountant told us how they had detained a male colleague sharing her office, in violation of their codes. A spring festival in the south was shut down after prepubescent girls joined in a folkloric dance. McDonald’s revamped its fast-food franchises, and renovated signs segregating their counters and seating areas by sex.
At literary salons, writers recounted stories of people jailed for blaspheming. Some were fed watermelon to fill their bladders, they said, and then had their penises tied. In November 2015 Ashraf Fayadh, a Palestinian poet raised in Saudi Arabia, was sentenced to death for voicing religious doubts. “I am Hell’s experiment on the Planet Earth,” he had written in his offending volume of poems. (After much international protest and a worldwide reading of his poems, a panel of judges upheld the verdict of apostasy but commuted the sentence to eight years in prison and eight hundred lashes.) “For the first time in my life, I’m truly afraid,” a news editor told me. The dearth of names in this review is testimony to how nervous even prominent figures have become."
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2016/10/13/saudi-arabia-can-it-really-change/
Posted by: Mina | Oct 1 2016 11:45 utc | 90
ok fine, and when we are at it, the Jordanian women
"So 24 hours after the buffoonish King of Jordan appointed Malik Haddad as a Minister of Transportation in his new cabinet, Haddad had to resign. Why? Because people on social media reminder Jordanians that back in 1980, this minister (who comes from a Christian family) had killed his own sister because she married a Muslim man. He served only 5 years in jail. When asked about the matter yesterday, Haddad said it was a "personal matter"."
(same source, lonk link to an Arabic website)
http://angryarab.blogspot.nl/2016/09/when-christians-engage-in-honor-killing.html
Posted by: Mina | Oct 1 2016 11:47 utc | 91
Why did America suddenly "switch" to aggression and provoking war with Russia? Because Russia issued ARREST WARRANTS for two pieces of scum --- Rothschild & Soros. http://csglobe.com/russia-issues-international-arrest-warrant-for-rothschild-soros/ http://yournewswire.com/putin-bans-rothschilds-from-russia/
=====================================
Israel has 300+ NUKES --- REFUSES inspections ---- REFUSES to sign Non-ProliferationTreaty.
Israel HATES Christianity & GENTILES and denies the Spiritual and Human EQUALITY of NONJews to Jews.
Israel thinks GREATER ISRAEL should rule the World. "Greater Israel" is all land between the Nile and the Euphrates rivers, Syria, Jordan, most of Saudi Arabia. Greater Israel” requires the breaking up of the existing Arab states into small states. You can find maps they have drawn online. http://www.globalresearch.ca/g... Did you know what the two blue bands on their flag stand for? The Nile and the Euphrates. Israel (using the Gentile USA) is spreading chaos and fracturing all Civilization in the Peoples immediately around it in order to facilitate a land grab for "greater israel".
Israel has "DUAL-citizens"(sayanim) whose true loyalty is to Israel, embedded throughout American government/society. According to the Zionist creed, Israel is the state of the Jews, all the Jews. Every Jew in the world belongs to Israel, even if temporarily residing somewhere else
If Israel could provoke nuclear apocalypse between America&Russia .....and China ..... BY WAY OF DECEPTION.... Israel would be the ONLY NUCLEAR ARMED SUPERPOWER left.........
Especially if it SNEAK nuked many of It's HATED/HISTORICAL "enemies" While they are bombing each other.(Germany, Poland, England, Egypt, Iraq, basically ALL gentiles should "bear the YOKE of Israel")Noted Israeli military historian Martin Van Creveld stated that Israel could find itself one day forced to exterminate the European continent using all kinds of weapons including its nuclear arsenal if it felt its demise neared, stressing that Israel also considers Europe a hostile target.
Does Israel have nuclear missiles aimed at the main world capitals?? -- You bet.
Israel BRAGS about doing similar in Persia/Iran (75,000dead), Jews even CELEBRATE with Purim [slaughter of enemies] and Egypt(all the FIRST BORN CHILDREN)
David Ben-Gurion, one of the father founders of Israel, described Zionist aims in 1948: "A Christian state should be established [in Lebanon], with its southern border on the Litani river. We will make an alliance with it. When we smash the Arab Legion's strength and bomb Amman, we will eliminate Transjordan too, and then Syria will fall. If Egypt still dares to fight on, we shall bomb Port Said, Alexandria and Cairo... And in this fashion, we will end the war and settle our forefathers' account with Egypt, Assyria, and Aram.............. read that again
"and settle our forefathers' account with Egypt, Assyria, and Aram"
They are STILL HATING and planning deadly attacks after 3,500+ YEARS .
How do you think they feel about JESUS CHRIST whom they HATE most of ALL.
Israel's MOTTOES:
(1) NEVER forgive & NEVER forget.
(2) By Way of Deception you will Do War.
(3) Their "god" is a WAR god
Posted by: Winston | Oct 1 2016 12:12 utc | 92
Dnow is Pussy Riot west.All about LGBT and anti deplorables.It was good Iraq War era,as about the only antiwar voice in America,but under the Obomba admin. it's become a parody.
The Graun had a picture of a white helmet clown crying.
Oy,says it all,but for some Oy means antisemitism.Amazingly though, the Oys seem antihuman.
Their fruits are poison.
Posted by: dahoit | Oct 1 2016 13:02 utc | 93
Today's ever changing Guardian headline is amusing.
It started as "Ground offensive begins after aistrikes in Aleppo"
That wasn't implicating Assad enough so it became,
"Cluster bombs and barrel bombs dropped on Aleppo"
Still that wasn't enough so now its
"Barrel bombs dropped on Aleppo's Largest Hospital"
I look forward to the next edit.
Posted by: Bob | Oct 1 2016 13:12 utc | 94
Russian jets pound Aleppo as U.S. clings to diplomacy
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-idUSKCN12133Z
Russian war planes struck rebel held areas north of Aleppo on Saturday as the army shelled the besieged old quarter in a major offensive, rebels and a monitoring group said.
Russia was reported on Friday to be sending more warplanes to Syria to ramp up its air campaign as the United States said it had not yet given up on finding a diplomatic resolution.
The latest strikes come 10 days into a Russian-backed Syrian government offensive to capture rebel-held eastern Aleppo and crush the last urban stronghold of a revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that began in 2011.
Saturday's air strikes focused on major supply lines into rebel-held areas - the Castello Road and Malah district - while fighting raged in the Suleiman al Halabi neighborhood, the front line to the north of Aleppo's Old City.
But Lavrov criticized Washington's failure to separate moderate rebel groups from those the Russians call terrorists, which had allowed forces led by the group formerly known as the Nusra front to violate the U.S.-Russian truce agreed on Sept. 9.
The United States made clear it would not, at least for now, carry through a threat made on Wednesday to halt the diplomacy if Russia did not take immediate steps to end the violence.
Moscow and Assad spurned the ceasefire to launch the new offensive, potentially the biggest and most decisive battle of the civil war, which is now in its sixth year.
Posted by: okie farmer | Oct 1 2016 13:49 utc | 95
While #92's comment seems a little overblown, I can't help remembering that way back in 1958 my barrack cube-mate (we shared a 2-bed+desk cube) at Army Language School, a very secular but strongly Zionist GI from Philadelphia, a good buddy of mine whom I often hung around with socially, solemnly assured me that Israel was destined to rule the Middle East from "the river to the river", which he explained meant from the Nile to the Euphrates. As a young Midwestern farm boy without much knowledge of foreign affairs (but good at languages, I graduated 11th of 107 in Russian, where the 10 above all spoke Russian at home, whereas I'd never taken a language before), it didn't mean much to me at the time. But I never forgot it. Way back then it seemed to be the plan, and evidently still is. The guy didn't seem to have any religious motives, he was entirely non-practicing and completely seculars far as I could tell. But he was very strongly nationalistic, outspokenly so, for his primary loyalty.
Posted by: Seward | Oct 1 2016 13:57 utc | 96
Re: Penelope @ 83 concerning US forces invading Syria.
Hey, it's all OK, right? The US, the hegemon, does as the hegemon can. And it's just fine bcz it's the Exceptional Nation. The US don't need no stinkin' laws....
Invasions Are US. Whether with outright US armed forces or "merely" enabling proxy invading groups with arms, money, propaganda....
Meanwhile, in the US presidential election, Trump goes ape shit attacking a former Miss Universe of 20 years ago. Tweeting his anger at 3 AM. Will this be the action which finally shakes up most of his supporters? Drives away possible voters? Or...will be OK with his supporters bcz she's Latina?
Early on in his campaign, he did say some things which made sensse and indicated he might not be a patsy for the Deep State. Now, he seems to have given in to the demands of the Repub Party leadership to stick to their crazy right wing talking points. I get the feeling he's been given the The Talk: Go along with the status quo of the Repubs or, well, lose big time, maybe even his life.
It also looks like various investigations into Trump's financial chicanery may lead possibly to severe fines or even criminal charges. To be determined....
Posted by: jawbone | Oct 1 2016 14:18 utc | 97
Russia 'driving Syria rebels to jihadists'
BBC News
Russia's increasing military action in Syria is forcing moderate elements within the Syrian opposition into the hands of extremists, a US state department spokesman has said.
Mark Toner said renewed Russian and Syrian air strikes were making a difficult situation "more confused".
The US says it may end co-operation with Russia over its action in Syria.
But Russia has accused the US of trying to spare a jihadist group in its bid to oust Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the US had broken its promise to separate the powerful Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly known as al-Nusra Front) and other extremist groups from more moderate rebels.
Mr Toner said the Russian allegations were "absurd". He told reporters that the US had not targeted al-Nusra for months because "intermingled" with other groups and civilians."
Posted by: okie farmer | Oct 1 2016 14:20 utc | 98
Vanessa Beeley was recently in Eastern and Western Aleppo. There are two links I posted above @58 where she chronicles what is truly happening on the ground. She discusses the three hospitals that are still functioning and the Syrian docs/nurses who are providing emergency medical care in Eastern Aleppo. This link to the Ron Paul Liberty Report is an interview with Beeley discussing her work - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8mA0h7dCKI&feature=youtu.be
@83 and @87 - No U.N. mandate trumps war powers of the U.S. Congress. And as of today, congress has not authorized military force in Syria, Libya or Yemen. They can't b/c none of these countries governments pose any threat to the U.S. Thus, the U.S. military has either gone rogue, which I can't imagine, but then again...OR they are operating under Title 10 which the CIA is using as their authorization to conduct this miserable covert war. This would mean Brennan is in charge of those military assets and how they are employed.
Demian @81:
Thanks for the link. Was a trip down memory lane. I remember it well and Unz does a great job at reconstructing the event and media coverage afterwards.
I don't think any thinking person bought the 'official' version that emerged but what are you gonna do when it's shoved down your throat until all dissent is silenced?
TWA 800 is a great case study in obfuscation and outright lies through media control that is commonplace today. Believe it or else!!!
Posted by: woogs | Oct 1 2016 14:33 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
Thanks for the info b. I hope that Kerry and co will give up trying to save Aleppo because it will just prolong the operation and cause more civilian deaths.
I'm curious on your opinion if you can see an end to the Syrian conflict and if so how. I believe that there is too much invested in this war and the us and Saudi will not give up and just keep trying to escalate the war. I'd like to know your opinion.
Thanks
Posted by: Manny | Sep 30 2016 14:11 utc | 1