http://www.unz.com/article/god-emperor-no-more/
Never betray your friends to court the favor of your enemies. If you betray your friends, the most principled and perceptive among them will drop you, leaving only the delusional and venal. That is not a good trade, given that the approval you gain is bound to be fleeting and contingent, whereas the contempt and distrust you create will be permanent.
Going to be so fun to watch those cucked by Trump are going to do next.

Posted by: ThatDamnGood | Apr 10 2017 11:29 utc | 4

#1 pic 13 does not contain a photoshopped ufo! Wtf ruining this board.

Posted by: Au | Apr 10 2017 13:13 utc | 6

blues: not all that wild a theory. Everything, especially the stock market, is in bubble territory, and politicians are frantically seeking in advance a scapegoat to point at for when the bubble pops. I have been thinking that a war with Russia would serve that purpose, but maybe a war in Syria would do the job as well.

Posted by: Bill H | Apr 10 2017 14:17 utc | 8

Now they’re going for Tuksi Gabbard
https://www.rt.com/usa/384169-tulsi-gabbard-syria-strike-assad/
“[Howard] Dean, who served as Vermont Governor from 1991 to 2003 and led the DNC from 2005 to 2009, branded Gabbard’s stance on Syria “a disgrace.”
“Gabbard should not be in Congress,” he wrote on Twitter on Sunday. Asked by one of the users why the former Governor did not display a similar indignation over “Hillary Clinton’s mistakes,” Dean responded: “Engaging in dialogue isn’t the problem. It’s claiming there is doubt Assad uses chemical warfare.”
…
Major Gabbard:
Despite being repeatedly pressed by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer to
unconditionally accept the so far unrevealed intelligence, Gabbard
retorted: “Last time I checked, Wolf, the Congress has the authority
and responsibility for declaring war, for authorizing use of military
force.”
“Whether the President or the Pentagon or the
Secretary of State say they have the evidence the fact remains that they
have not brought that evidence before Congress, they have not brought
that evidence before the American people and have not sought
authorization from Congress to launch this military attack on another
country,” Gabbard said.

Posted by: el sid | Apr 10 2017 14:40 utc | 10

Trump has lost control of his administration — he is being blackmailed by the deep state (they have finally got him.
The false flag was arranged by some rogue elements of the United States, Nusra, and Turkey (possibly Israel) because the Syrian Arab Army was kicking so much ass that the United States was in danger of loosing the East altogether — which would mean that it no longer would have anything to negotiate with, — it wants to partition Syria, and to keep that part for themselves — Israel is very interested in breaking up Syria, so that it becomes the Top Dog and easily able to dominate the region after the landscape there is full of broken, non-functioning stateltes (small states that had been divide through internal strife engineered from the outside).
This is the reason the Syrian Hit was ordered. And Trump had no choice. He is useless now. Although he will still want to convince his base that it will deliver on other things.
But how will he find the money? All our treasury has gone into these wars, all for Israel — the only veheicle which enables largest transfer of riches from the many to the few.

Posted by: susetta | Apr 10 2017 14:46 utc | 12

@ el sid | Apr 10, 2017 10:40:00 AM | 10
[Howard] Dean, who served as Vermont Governor from 1991 to 2003 and led the DNC from 2005 to 2009, branded Gabbard’s stance on Syria “a disgrace.”
Gabbard should be proud of this attack by the scumbag Howard Dean. Like most of the rest of the Democrat Party shitstains, including Pocahontas, he’s for Yinon first and USA last.

Posted by: PhilK | Apr 10 2017 14:57 utc | 14

@13 He lost me at NORKs, Chicoms, & Russkies.

Posted by: dh | Apr 10 2017 15:07 utc | 16

@13 much too easy and simplistic Russian ships provocative give me a break and no concern on the stupidity of this “message” of “brush back” and inaccurate four children were killed. Trump exchanges dead chem children for dead missile strike children. Brilliant.

Posted by: Pislyak | Apr 10 2017 15:41 utc | 18

@ 13 & 16
Persisted until the following, only part way thru point 1 of 3, then abandoned all hope, counter-factual Cold War 2.0 propaganda for the Empire, tripe:

That said, the strike was a multifaceted message, and unfortunately one that absolutely had to be sent, somewhere, somehow.
Recall as many of you have posted, in the past two years, the Russkies have been getting extremely provocative, doing flybys of American ships, sailing into our waters, and so on. Forget who is “responsible” for Ukraine, the fact is Ukraine unloaded its nukes cuz we promised them we would protect them via NATO. Now that promise is vanishing. Our word certainly is not good from the Ukrainian perspective…

Re Tulsi Gabbard, more power to her, courageous articulate intelligent principled … sadly fear they will take her down one way or the other, sooner or later, as she fails to comply nor conform to the requirements of Neocon/lib Chickenhawk Warmongers R Us Inc.

Posted by: Outraged | Apr 10 2017 15:48 utc | 20

the free republican article lost me. I think Russia/Putin has shown great restraint from the taunts that the US has been throwing at them. my view of the ongoing Ukraine episode – when the elected admin turned to Russia after nixing a deal from the EU in favor of a better one from Russia – Victoria Nulan (fuck the EU) set in motion the coup (with the Neo Nazi snipers (that the leaked phone call from Estonian foreign minister said they were hired by the coup coalition). Then the civil war, Crimea going back to Russia, then the Malaysian airliner downing – the downing by Turkey of the Russian bomber – the Deir Ezor bombing by the coalition and coordinated ISIS attack – happening when russia and the US were working on coordination – then less clear -the downing of Russian civilian aircraft in Egypt – the assassination of Russian Turkish ambassador – and more… Now the false flag chemical attack and the bombing of Syrian air base days after Tillerson said Assad can stay. It is obvious Russia does not want WW3 with the US – the US knows this and is pushing – hoping to get Russia to do something stupid.
I can remember when Chas Freeman was nixed for an important foreign policy position because he was not a fawning Israeli stooge. Howard Dean who was promising as a Presidential candidate – until the DNC kill switch was pulled (amazing how hard they had to work to stop Bernie) – has turned into a creature of the blob. The system is broken. Competent people interested in the general welfare of US citizens no longer get hired by the government. progressive reformers now longer have any influence to keep the system working for anybody but the top .1% Well actually it still works for the credentialed upper middle class for now.

Posted by: gepay | Apr 10 2017 15:53 utc | 22

In terms of manufacturing consent, did outrage at Russia over the election loosened the nuts and bolts in many minds wrt some sort of purported payback to Russia/Putin by supporting military intervention in Syria (since obviously few Americans cares — or has ever cared — about Syrians or Iraqis or Afghans or Yemeni or Libyans … or, etc.)?
oh, over at Juan Cole, I think I saw a rising meme asking where proof from Syria/Russia that it was a routine strike on a warehouse (that accidentally exploded chemical weapons/raw materials)…

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Apr 10 2017 16:02 utc | 24

@smuks 23
Agree. I didn’t vote for either Trump or Clinton because why bother. One or the other, I figured it would be bad no matter what. There were many, though, who pinned some amount of hope on Trump to be different. I didn’t see it, myself. I always figured he just ran as a lark and as a way to improve his family’s brand and make some money.
Trump talked a “game” – I wouldn’t even call it a good game – of supposedly helping US citizens who truly are desparate and really doing badly. Ignored by both so-called Republicans and Democrats, they’ve lost their livelihoods and aren’t well enough educated (not that education prepares you for much anymore) to get jobs in another location. Supposedly Trump would bring jobs back for them, but I could never see it happening. Would be nice, but wasn’t really credible.
Plus why would someone like Trump give a sh*t about “those people”?? He’s only ever screwed over his workers and contractors countless times. He hires H1 visa workers from Eastern Europe to pay them less than US workers. He’s hired many many undocumented workers to build his casinos and hotels. THIS is someone you “trust” to give you a helping hand?
But some people online, whom I generally trust, kept saying: give Trump a chance. People are desparate. You’ll see: he’ll do some good.
Well color me utterly unsurprised at what a complete clusterf*ck his first 100 days in office have been. Trump isn’t exactly dumb, but he’s clearly not very smart, nor is he clever enough to figure out what to do now that he’s the dog that caught the car. His cabinet picks highlight how all Trump wants to do is rip off the USA as much as feasible before declaring bankruptcy – massiver bankruptcy – once again.
Would it have been “better” with Clinton? It’s arguable, but possibly somewhat less disasterous than this is proving to be, imo. That said, I’m glad to see the Clinton dynasty kicked to the curb, and not sad about the Bush juggernaught also being kicked to the curb. Those 2 things may end up being the only 2 worthwhile things that Trump accomplishes.

Posted by: RUKidding | Apr 10 2017 16:08 utc | 26

Xi’s visit to Trump was a bit of an anti-climax judging by the platitudes from each leader in the aftermath. The only substantial outcome was an unsolicited suggestion from Xi that Trump visit Pyongyang with ROK and starts talking with them to resolve the issues.
My guess?
EVERY time AmeriKKKa blusters about the existential threat of North Korea, Xi will be on the phone to Trump…
“Hey Trumpster, ol’ pal, have you actually TALKED with NK yet?”

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Apr 10 2017 16:23 utc | 28

@10
The more I see and hear of Gabbard the more I like her. No surprises she is smeared and hated, she brings much needed sense to the circus.
I’ve seen people calling her a fascist too. Political “debate” is pointless nowadays it’s just a bunch of charlatans slinging hatred at anyone who shows them for what they are.

Posted by: Bob | Apr 10 2017 16:31 utc | 30

Things are going to be heating up in the Deir Ezzor area very soon. This is the lynchpin to any plan to partition eastern Syria away. If I were the Syrian Army General, I’d be asking the Russians to drop in a brigade of paratroopers soon…The Americans are on the way.

Posted by: str8arrow62 | Apr 10 2017 16:55 utc | 32

Two interesting things in the last 24-48 hours
#1. apparent ISIS attack on US ‘moderate rebel’ training base on the Jordanian border its Syria, required air strikes to defend base. In the same timeframe you have rebel forces pushing into Dara’a pressuring SAA defending city.
Is the ISIS attack in Jordan going to be used as a pretext to introduce US troops into southern Syria, allowing them to consolidate an area with the ‘moderate rebels’?
Is the ISIS attack simply another attempt to draw US intervention into Syria and it is being orchestrated by other countries to manipulate the US?
#2. China moves 150,000 troops to the border with North Korea as the US strike group heads towards NK coast.
Is this a sign from China that any US attack on NK will result in Korean War 2.0? Surely China must realize that if NK government is overthrown by US that the THAAD missile defence will be shifted northward like a dagger into the heart of Chinese rocket forces.
Is the intent of this deployment to block any refugee flows after/if the NK government is toppled?

Posted by: WG | Apr 10 2017 17:09 utc | 34

The attack on Tulsi Gabbard (notably led by Borg-State Democrats like Howard Dean and neoliberal media conglomerates) is interesting – looks like questioning the basis of the “Assad launched a chemical attack” stories is a major sin. The only non-Internet media coverage that questions those claims is outside the American-British system, see dw:
http://www.dw.com/en/is-assad-to-blame-for-the-chemical-weapons-attack

The Syrian regime may not have had a compelling motive, believes Günther Meyer, the director of the Research Center for the Arab World at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. “Only armed opposition groups could profit from an attack with chemical weapons,” he told DW. “With their backs against the wall, they have next to no chance of opposing the regime militarily. As President [Donald] Trump’s recent statements show, such actions make it possible for anti-Assad groups to receive further support.”

A real investigation would look for direct evidence, circumstantial evidence (motivation), and reliable witnesses. For direct evidence, if chemical tests of the composition of the poison gas matched various reference standards (Syrian sarin stockpiles? ISIS or Al Qaeda-manufactured sarin? Turkish sarin stockpiles? Libyan sarin stockpiles?) , then you can say it probably came from such-and-such a stockpile. So where are the victim’s clothes, soil samples, etc.? Why haven’t they been sent to testing labs around the world?
Then, as with any crime, one always wonders about motivation. Assad’s government has no plausible motivation since it is winning back territory from armed opposition groups using conventional means. Opposition groups do have the motivation, since a U.S. attack on Syrian government forces helps their agenda.
Thirdly, we have to ask, who is credible? If someone repeatedly lies about WMDs to justify military intervention, as the U.S. government has since Iraq WMD 2003, Syria Ghouta 2013, etc., are they a credible source? Is Donald Trump believable when he says there is “no doubt” the Syrian government launched a chemical weapons attack? Do major American and British media outlets have any credibility on such claims?
So in a real investigation, those are the questions: Is there direct evidence tying the suspect to the crime? Is there circumstantial evidence, i.e. is there a clear motive? Do we have reliable witnesses? If the suspect is the Syrian government, the answers are no, no and no. But if the suspect is armed opposition groups, then the answers are no, yes, and no.
This kind of analysis, the Borg-State doesn’t like it at all. Not allowed on MSNBC, FOX, NYTimes, Guardian, WaPo, CNN, CBS, etc.

Posted by: nonsense factory | Apr 10 2017 17:12 utc | 36

@36
According to the Guardian “activists” have sent samples to Western intelligence agencies. No guessing what their findings will be.
I found this interesting because how does one send sarin to the CIA through the mail? They must have direct communications to facilitate such a transfer, which begs the question, how did these arrangements come into being?

Posted by: Bob | Apr 10 2017 17:21 utc | 38

http://blogs.rediff.com/mkbhadrakumar/2017/04/10/turkeys-role-in-idlib-chemical-attack-needs-to-be-probed/#comments

Posted by: Mina | Apr 10 2017 17:57 utc | 40

@karlof1
It’s good that the Russian Foreign ministry tries to set the record strait but I was a little disappointed like their reference to the Nobel Peace Prize for example. It’s as co-opted as any MSM news agency so why giving it legitimacy by making a reference to it. Amongst the Peace prize winners are Barack Obama as US president who didn’t knew how the oval office looked from the inside yet, the European Union for doing what, destroying Libya? Even Al Qaeda’s crisis support team white helmets nearly won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Posted by: xor | Apr 10 2017 18:08 utc | 42

@RUKidding 26
“Trump talked a “game” – I wouldn’t even call it a good game – of supposedly helping US citizens who truly are desperate and really doing badly.”
Standard operating procedure of right-wing politicians. Once people realize they’re being f*cked over worse than ever, the govt. will resort to nationalism & either aggressive foreign (war) or domestic (racism, divide and rule) policy to distract them. Or both.
While Clinton herself is hardly better, I saw a certain chance that progressive democrats like Sanders would gain influence under her, esp. after the midterms. Not very probable I agree, but the best hope there was imo.

Posted by: smuks | Apr 10 2017 18:16 utc | 44

@35 Yul
I hope you haven’t fallen for the latest & greatest “problem creation” part of the problem-reaction-solution triptich…
This entire Syrian mess has been staged since the very beginnings and to this very day, so why should you suddenly believe in a report (coming from Mordor’s mouthpiece, nevertheless) about coalition partners infighting? Oh, were both sides suddenly out of film so we can’t see any video reports of the attack circulating the web?
So, what do you expect the US reaction to be concerning the problem with ISIS attacks on An Tanf Garrison?

Posted by: LXV | Apr 10 2017 18:28 utc | 46

“low-life, know-nothing, worthless braggart con-man” Posted by: RUKidding | Apr 10, 2017 11:22:53 AM | 17
The person referred here is rich, completed good school and occasionally can behave properly, so I would edit it to “know-nothing braggart con-man”. Additionally, Trump is not that much of a con-man, he is basically a master of marketing. Did he praise neo-cons before elections? Yes, he did, e.g. John Bolton. If you can praise John Bolton then you can send missile flying in about as much time as it takes to prepare them (if rather few reached the target, that may be cause by the Navy personnel being flabbergasted by the sudden order, but they should not be).
Some were mislead by word salad in which sensible sentences appeared now and then, but when you buy a salad, you should pay attention to all its ingredients.

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Apr 10 2017 18:37 utc | 48

xor @42–
I don’t know what the intent was for the inclusion of what I’d call a throw away phrase that referenced OPCW’s Nobel, as it certainly isn’t necessary for context. I’m very pleased to see them suggest the investigation by the Swedes as reported in The Indicter, which I referenced here several days ago. Maria Zakharova has already used their investigation extensively; her presentations are all must sees, IMO, and can be found here, http://www.mid.ru/en/main_en I also highly suggest this presentation by Lavrov despite its being 2 years old since it details the historical background of Russia’s foreign policy, http://www.mid.ru/en/themes/-/asset_publisher/p12AYJypFaxg/content/id/2132855
IMO, the MFO release ought to be read in tandem with this excellent Sputnik article based on a long interview with Syria’s Ambassador to Ukraine Hassan Haddur, https://sputniknews.com/politics/201704101052493885-ambassador-haddur-why-assad-must-stay/ I wonder how much longer truth telling Mr Haddur will be allowed to remain in Ukraine?

Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 10 2017 18:40 utc | 50

Sputnik debunks “chemical” attack – https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201704101052502141-white-helmet-syria-chemical-attack/ – with an interview by Professor Marcello Ferrada de Noli of Swedish Doctors for Human Rights – all a show.
One really wonders who can believe this stuff anymore… outside of the haley woman and UK’s FM.

Posted by: GoraDiva | Apr 10 2017 19:20 utc | 52

https://consortiumnews.com/2017/04/09/bill-mahers-muddled-attacks-on-islam/
Excellent article!

Posted by: FecklessLeft | Apr 10 2017 19:52 utc | 54

The latest, it seems:
OFFICIAL: RUSSIA KNEW IN ADVANCE OF SYRIAN CHEMICAL ATTACK
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_UNITED_STATES_SYRIA_MILITARY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-04-10-15-16-17
“The United States has concluded Russia knew in advance of Syria’s chemical weapons attack last week, a senior U.S. official said Monday.
The official said a drone operated by Russians was flying over a hospital as victims of the attack were rushing to get treatment. Hours after the drone left, a Russian-made fighter jet bombed the hospital in what American officials believe was an attempt to cover up the usage of chemical weapons.
The official said the presence of the surveillance drone over the hospital couldn’t have been a coincidence, and that Russia must have known the chemical weapons attack was coming and that victims were seeking treatment.”

Posted by: Madeira | Apr 10 2017 20:41 utc | 56

@smuks | Apr 10, 2017 11:57:44 AM | 23
Hamon is an avatar of Hollande and a strong ally of Macron. He will become the French PM if Macron wins.
Like Macron he is a globalist and a strong supporter of NATO and sanctions against Russia.
If you want a progressive French President consider one of the six “minor” candidates such as Asselineau or the more environmentalist Melenchon!

Posted by: Krollchem | Apr 10 2017 21:12 utc | 58

more then anything it is a propaganda war.. i guess it always has been.. countries are throwing a lot of good money after bad it seems, and it ain’t just by supporting the financial and military sector.. i guess the msm, hollywood and all their servants have to get into the act too..

Posted by: james | Apr 10 2017 21:19 utc | 60

– In early april the US, Japan & South Korea held a 3 day military exercise.
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/04/03/516509/South-Korea-Japan-US-joint-drill-North-Korea-submarinelaunched-missile
– “Mattis: North Korea has to be stopped”
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/03/31/516273/James-Mattis-North-Korea-nuclear-attack-ballistic-missiles

Posted by: Willy2 | Apr 10 2017 21:39 utc | 62

@ susan sunflower.. if you read more and posted less you would know the answer to your question ! see @ 57

Posted by: james | Apr 10 2017 21:45 utc | 64

Willy2 @62–
I differ with Mattis rather forcefully: It’s the Outlaw US Empire that must be stopped–an opinion shared by the vast majority of the planet’s people!

Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 10 2017 21:58 utc | 66

#9 Jules
Le Pen vs French Commies. That would be awesome. In theory, it would usher in the end of the entire NATO Zio-abomination.
Sadly, I don’t trust either Le Pen or the Commies to stay true to Anti-Zionism. In fact, Marine’s already abandoned all of it. And Commies have been compromised since the Bolshevik revolution or since their inception, depending on who you ask. They’d just go Syriza-cuck in all likelyhood.
So even in that scenario, a Trumpian final outcome is possible = a Kushner could still emerge as the ultimate winner. Still, it would be an awesome spectacle, and it would certainly expose more fakeness to not just the French but all other who still don’t forcefully shut their eyes blind.

Posted by: Quadriad | Apr 10 2017 21:59 utc | 68

This report by two real USA scientists deserves full read.
It contains the best technical descriptions and illustrations of what did/did not happen at Ghouta
along with the false assertions of Sec/State Kerry
Possible Implications of Faulty
US Technical Intelligence in the Damascus
Nerve Agent Attack of August 21, 2013
Richard Lloyd
Former UN Weapons Inspector
Tesla Laboratories Inc.|Arlington, VA
Theodore A. Postol
Professor of Science, Technology, and National Security Policy
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Washington, DC
January 14, 2
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Syrian Improvised Chemical Munitions that Were Used in the August 21,
Nerve Agent Attack in Damascus Have a Range of About 2 Kilometers
This Indicates That These Munitions Could Not Possibly Have Been Fired at
East Ghouta from the “Heart” or the Eastern Edge of the Syrian Government
Controlled Area Depicted in the Intelligence Map Published by the White
House on August 30, 2013.
This faulty Intelligence Could Have Led to an Unjustified US Military Action Based on False Intelligence.
A Proper Vetting of the Fact That the Munition Was of Such Short Range Would Have Led to a Completely Different Assessment of the Situation from the Gathered Data
Whatever the Reasons for the Egregious Errors in the Intelligence, the Source of These Errors Needs to Be Explained.
If the Source of These Errors Is Not Identified, the Problems That Led to this Intelligence Failure Will Go Uncorrected, and the Chances of a Future Policy Disaster Will Grow With Certainty
https://www.voltairenet.org/IMG/pdf/possible-implications-of-bad-intelligence.pdf

Posted by: mauisurfer | Apr 10 2017 22:19 utc | 70

Amazing! The Artist of the Deal has invented a whole new Deal (Reality?) The ReRepublic! Where the non-exceptional people pay money to the exceptional people who lie to their faces while mass murdering brownish humans. Continually. Without end. How’s that for getting your money’s worth.
“There’s one born every minute.” P. T. Barnum

Posted by: ALberto | Apr 10 2017 22:37 utc | 72

Perhaps a good time to pause for a little recap. Donald is going to bmob the crap out of North Korea and by extension give China a good spanking. He will also dismember Iraq and Syria and create friendly new states in the region. Israel will become safe and welcome in the area. Russia is going to be in big trouble if they don’t smarten up. Iran is toast. NATO will pay their fair share of the costs or else. I’m not sure exactly how all this will make America Great Again but I’m sure Donald knows.

Posted by: dh | Apr 10 2017 23:08 utc | 74

@71,75
Indeed my ass!
Where the f@@@@ck did I write they should run with the duopoly???
So who do you think should replace the grandpa Trump if he doesn’t destroy the entire planet first???
I’m waiting…don’t let the crickets beat you to it.

Posted by: Circe | Apr 10 2017 23:33 utc | 76

Clarification on DW. Their video version on PBS World hews to the MSM side on this story like most. In fact, their coverage of the Syria story today had a couple of snippets from Khan Sheikhun with one little girl with a golden toy gun in her mouth and another little boy standing inside a stripped, bombed out car. Totally staged for effect.

Posted by: Curtis | Apr 10 2017 23:46 utc | 78

An interesting, and highly respectful, article about the new Syrian President, Dr. Bashar al-Assad, from the NY Times in 2000 (“The Shy Young Doctor at Syrias’s Helm”). I wonder when they stopped referring to him as Dr. Assad?
http://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/14/world/man-in-the-news-the-shy-young-doctor-at-syria-s-helm-bashar-al-assad.html

Posted by: Madeira | Apr 11 2017 0:09 utc | 80

@33,34
No doubt YES to 34.
Is the ISIS attack in Jordan going to be used as a pretext to introduce US troops into southern Syria, allowing them to consolidate an area with the ‘moderate rebels’?
Is the ISIS attack simply another attempt to draw US intervention into Syria and it is being orchestrated by other countries to manipulate the US?
Southfront is reporting:

The US military is reportedly concentrating troops and military equipment at the Syrian-Jordanian border. Local sources said that about 20 US Army armoured vehicles (including battle tanks and artillery pieces) carried on trucks were spotted in Al-Mafraq. US troops were allegedly accompanied with the Jordanian Army’s 3rd Division.
The US Special Operation Forces, the UK Special Operation Forces and units from some other countries [ which countries? KSA, Israel???] –have been conducting operations across the Syrian-Jordanian border for a long time. They even had a secret military facility inside Syria where members the so-called New Syrian Army militant group were deployed. However, it was the first time when a notable number of US armoured vehicles was reported there. The US Ro-Ro ship Liberty Passion, loaded with vehicles, had arrived to the Jordanian port of Al-Aqapa few days ago. These moves followed a meeting between the Jordanian King and the US president.
Thus, the US-led coalition could prepare a large-scale military operation in southern Syria. The goal of the operation will likely be to get control over the Syrian-Iraqi border and to reach Deir Ezzor.

It’s as some of us suspected, the U.S. is aiming to control the Syrian-Iraqi border and Trumpster must be greenlighting troop escalation on the sly.

Posted by: Circe | Apr 11 2017 0:15 utc | 82

Curiosity killed the cat… or so they say.
Joint op statement – fake or not ?
At 5.02am twitter entity @NatDefFor, linked to al masdar news posts this tweet…
#BREAKING
Allied forces in Syria(Russia&Iran&Syria&Hezbollah) will release an important statement soon
At 5.17am twitter entity @C_Military1 posts photo/screenshot of statement.
At 5.26am @NatDefFor (al masdar?) posts screenshot plus English translation.
The story was run in al masdar news in both English and arabic. Arabic version has full copy of statement. No English language news articles anywhere carry full translation.
Now it gets interesting. Russia officially declared it was “unaware” of the joint ops statement when asked by journalists.
Leith Fadel….This is kind of awkward: https://twitter.com/leithfadel/status/851405657957904384
The English language article then disappears from view at the al masdar news site, but the Arabic version remains.
It seems al masdar news, plus the @c_Military1 entity is where the story originated, with al masdar news having links to somebody involved in the joint operations room.

Posted by: Peter AU | Apr 11 2017 0:28 utc | 84

@81

Trump saw a bump in his own poll numbers as well. The president’s approval jumped to 43 percent after the missile strike. “The increase in approval is driven mainly by independents, who are now at 42 percent approval up from 34 percent, while Republicans have held steady,” CBS reported.

http://freebeacon.com/national-security/trumps-approval-ratings-increase-after-missile-strike-in-syria/
The increase in approval is driven mainly by independents I’m not buying this. His approval increased among Neocons and Neolibs.
It’s not deep state twisting his arm to bomb Syria; it’s all politically motivated.

Posted by: Circe | Apr 11 2017 0:40 utc | 86

To add to my 86: It’s not America First; it’s Trump First.

Posted by: Circe | Apr 11 2017 0:48 utc | 88

@71 jfl
@75 MadMax2

Kucinich/Gabbard 2020 ?!

From the mouths of babes 😉
IIRC last position was option D, neither party, no-one, none of the above. Now ?

Posted by: Outraged | Apr 11 2017 1:34 utc | 90

The signals coming out of the White House right now are too confusing to draw any conclusions about Trump’s intentions for Syria. I don’t think he knows himself.
He’s got his cassus belli now. There’s no amount of evidence that the chemical attack was a false flag that will make the slightest bit of difference. Does anyone seriously think it will? Sean Spicer said today that maybe barrel bombs are a red line. So they will do what they want.
One can hope that the Tomahawks were a one-off meant to put the shit up everybody’s back. Mission accomplished. Putin can live with the one but if the strikes continue it put’s him in an untenable position. Does he pack up and fuck off? What about Iran and Hezbollah? Is it fight here or fight at home later?
We will have to wait for Tillerson and Lavrov’s conflab to see if there’s any hope of dialing this back.
So the war drums are beating in the ME and the home crowd is largely lapping it up. They say now that Trump is presidential. He has gravitas, In fact, he’s got so much fucking gravitas that he’s got a battle group steaming towards North Korea while at the same time poking a stick in Putin’s cage in Syria. In a worst case scenario he could find himself embroiled in two wars on different sides of the globe. Did Mattis and McMaster dream this shit up? I guess if you got military guys at the top end then you’re gonna get military solutions. Trump fired all the diplomats.
Anyway, if Trump elects to make war in Syria he’s gonna need more of everything. The run-ups to the Gulf Wars took weeks and months and they are impossible to do discreetly. When we see that happening we’ll know it’s on.
It’s too bad that he will get an inevitable bump in the polls. Trump desperately wants approval and if sabre rattling is what it takes then that is what we’re gonna get.

Posted by: peter | Apr 11 2017 1:48 utc | 92

Anyone still here that thinks Mr. Trump is the progressive answer for the American workers? Americans, as a whole, have to be some of the most gullible morons on the planet. “Make America hate again.”

Posted by: ben | Apr 11 2017 2:15 utc | 94

Re: Posted by: peter | Apr 10, 2017 9:48:44 PM | 92
In a worst case scenario he could find himself embroiled in two wars on different sides of the globe.
In a worst-case scenario?
No, that’s not worst-case at all, that’s almost guaranteed.
China will go the grab on Taiwan as well, they’ll pour troops into the Korean Peninsula and try and kick the US off, sink the naval group.
As for Syria – a similar scenario.
The question, as it often seems to be, is what will European NATO countries do.
Will they try and support a NATO march on Moscow or will they yank support for NATO and leave the Yanks out to dry?
I’m less talking about the Eastern Euro nutcases here (Baltics, Poland, Ukraine), and more about Western & Central & Southern Europe.
If things really get serious, I’d expect a mass withdrawal from NATO in Europe.
A few phone calls from Putin/Lavrov should set them straight.
Withdraw from this insane venture and we’ll re-program our nukes to other destinations far and wide.

Posted by: Julian | Apr 11 2017 2:20 utc | 96

Required logistics lead time for materiel pre-deployment in advance of ~100,000-150,000 conventional combat troops deployed ‘on the ground’ is minimum ~3-6 months. Cannot be realistically fully hidden/disguised/concealed. And no, the support for existing SF/Advisors and support units in Syria nor reduced existing deployments in Iran locale/region nor in SK/Japan, doesn’t count in any of the theaters. Same same whether Syria, Iran, North Korea. All very unlikely re current speculative ‘chatter’.
The ‘Threat of’, sanctions, warmongering/profiteering and an escalated sustained strategy of ‘tension’ to feed the MICC, and corral vassals, yes indeed.
Actual War with Iran, North Korea or a conventional ‘Invasion’ of Syria all risk known catastrophic results and WWIII, especially NK/Syria. Chickenhawk warmonger neocon/libs have not a clue re the real world military risks/consequences involved. Then again, we do have Afghanistan/Iraq … though Afghanistan was feeble and Iraqi forces/capabilities had been incrementally obliterated for 23 years, between ’80 and 2002 via two wars and endless daily ‘No-Fly-Zone’ bombing for over a decade …
Syria, Iran, NK are not comparative …
Might even see a General/Admiral resign again, so as to speak freely, if it was being prepped for real. They’re not all keen to commit their soldiers/sailors/airmen to death and maiming nor risk war with near peer militaries or nuclear Armageddon.
Abandoning Incirclik for supposed permanent facilities in NE Syria is fanciful. Such bases represent a massive sunk investment/asset, and are where they are for stability reasons, would expect Erdogans assassination/removal/couped before ever giving up Incirclik. If it was to be abandoned, however unlikely, then an equivalent would be runup or expanded, in advance, where ?
Just sayin’.

Posted by: Outraged | Apr 11 2017 2:55 utc | 98

@ Jackrabbit
Suspect there is significantly more to it than just a never-Trump ‘Idée fixe‘ … yet hardly worth the effort nor even the pixels … just abuse, mis-attribution, evasion/diversion & radio-silence in response. C’est La Vie.

Posted by: Outraged | Apr 11 2017 3:13 utc | 100