Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
April 11, 2018

Syria - A U.S. Attack Would Be Futile - But Serve A Purpose

by M. K. Bhadrakumar

The United Nations Security Council turned down a compromise resolution on Syria, proposed by Sweden and seconded by Russia seeking investigation on the alleged chemical attack in Douma. Five countries supported the resolution with two permanent members – United States and Britain – opposing it. Earlier, a resolution on the same lines which was supported by Russia and China was also opposed by the US and Britain.

This is a significant political and diplomatic victory for Russia insofar as only two other countries joined the US and Britain to oppose the Swedish resolution. Six countries abstained.

The big question is whether this development portends an impending US attack on Syria, bypassing the UN. The UN has refused to confirm there has been any attack at all. Russia and Syrian government insist there has been no attack and have approached the Organization for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for an international investigation. The good thing is that the OPCW is deputing two teams of experts to go to Douma later this week. Russia has offered to give them full security protection.

So Trump has a major decision to make. Logically, punishment follows a crime that has been committed and it seems no crime has been committed. This appears to be a false flag operation – that is, a fabrication with a view to trigger a sequence of events. That was how the US invaded Iraq in 2003 and it is an established fact today that Saddam Hussein did not have any program to develop weapons of mass destruction, as then US Secretary of State Colin Power had misled the UN Security Council. (Powell later admitted that he was misled by his own administration.)

One difference in the present case is that Trump has been on record that he wants the American military presence in Syria to end. That stance and the present threat to launch an attack on Syria are contradictory. Because, a US attack on Syria will have serious repercussions, including possibly a showdown with Russia, which would mean a US drawdown in Syria may not be possible in a conceivable future.

Perhaps, Trump is indulging in doublespeak and the backdrop could be the criticality that has arisen over Robert Mueller’s investigation into his collusion with Russia, which has now dramatically expanded in scope. The FBI raid on the office of Trump’s attorney in the White House is a very serious development. Trump is just inches away from being implicated in the charges against him leveled by porn star Stormy Daniels. The CNN says, “There could be dark and unprecedented times ahead.” A US attack on Syria can distract attention from the stormy controversy that may arise if at this point Trump axes Mueller and derails the investigation against him. There are precedents when beleaguered American presidents resorted to diversionary tactic. Bill Clinton fired cruise missiles at Kandahar when the scandal over Monica Lewinsky peaked and he was facing the prospect of impeachment.

A US That brings us back to the alleged chemical attack in Douma last weekend. Who would have staged a false flag operation? The finger of suspicion points toward Israel’s role. Israel is desperately keen that the US should have a permanent military presence in Syria. To that end, Israel is fueling tensions that will take matters to a point that a US withdrawal from Syria somehow gets stalled. This is also the impression conveyed by DebkaFile, the Israeli website with links to the intelligence, which specializes in disinformation tactic.

The coincidental Israeli attack on a Syrian air base on Sunday had all the hallmarks of a deliberate act of provocation. Four Iranian military advisors were killed in the Israeli raid. Israel must be hoping against hope that the Iranians will retaliate, leading to a flare-up where the US would get pitted against Iran at some point. Such subterfuges are typical of Israel’s strategy. The point is, Israelis lacks the capacity on its own to tackle the challenge of the expanding Iranian influence in next-door Syria.

Trump has reportedly cancelled a planned trip to Latin America. The New York Times has reported that Trump is weighing “more robust” military strikes against Syria. No doubt, tensions are rising. To my mind, however, Trump may not order an attack on Syria. Maybe it’s wishful thinking — frankly, I am a man of peace and am terrified of war — but I’ll explain why there is reason to believe still that sanity will ultimately prevail in Washington.

First, a US attack on the Syrian regime at this stage of the 7-year old war doesn’t make sense insofar as it cannot stop President Bashar Al-Assad on his tracks from attaining total victory. Bashar’s victory is a fait accompli. Period. On the other hand, in order for the Syrian regime to be degraded to a point — like in Libya for example — and deposed from power, there has to be a massive western military intervention, including deployment of ground forces in tens of thousands. That seems improbable, given the level of disenchantment in Europe regarding Trump. So, the US has to go alone — at best with the (British) poodle. In such an enterprise, what does US hope to gain? Again, the chaos that follows will be beyond imagination. Indeed, the risk of escalation is exceedingly high and that is not in the interests of Trump’s ‘America First’. By the way, hey, what about the “trade war” with China? What about the meet with Kim Jong Un? What about Afghanistan? What about Yemen? Above all, will another Middle Eastern war go down well in the US opinion? Will the US Congress support an attack on Syria when American interests are not directly facing threat?

Finally, the US cannot afford to overlook the explicit – and repeated – Russian warnings at various levels that an American attack on Syria will have grave consequences. Trump would know Vladimir Putin is “smart” and means business when he says something to the effect that Russia will ensure that what happened in Libya does not repeat. (TASS) However, the Syrian conflict is approaching yet another new flashpoint. Make no mistake, Israel will have to pay a price for the killing of the Iranian 4 military advisors. The powerful Iranian statesman, Ali Akbar Velayati has has explicitly stated as much. Indeed, Israel is going to be in real fix if Trump now decides not to attack Syria.


---

M.K. Bhadrakumar served as a career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service for over 29 years, with postings including India’s ambassador to Uzbekistan (1995-1998) and to Turkey (1998-2001).

This column was first published at Indian Punchline, Mr. Bhadrakumar's personal blog. It is republish here with his permission.

Posted by b on April 11, 2018 at 6:34 UTC | Permalink

Comments

Putin is under pressure. General Gerasimov, Sergei Shoigu and Dmitry Rogozin all wish for a response of at least equal force. There comes a time when Putin must remember those who have passed in Syria because of the actions of the US/NATO. Pieces of posthumous metal and meaningless pieces of paper will not suffice any longer for the leaders of they who serve.

Posted by: 07564111 | Apr 11 2018 6:54 utc | 1


The US neocons, zionists and crazed politicians like L Graham are blood-thirsty psychopaths obeying his master's voice in Israel. All these years of lying !!! And the mainstream media is complicit. Also the anti-war movement has been castrated to an impotent Russia basher.

Posted by: Chan Pooi Hoong | Apr 11 2018 7:00 utc | 2

What is your take on the situation b?

Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Apr 11 2018 7:10 utc | 3

Trump is like a cornered rat. The Deep State's Team Mueller is moving from the Russia collusion nothingburger to investigating everything else about Trump including his past sex life and business deals. There's a possibility of something there that could cause a perjury trap or an indictment for violating some obscure criminal statute. Now they may have important documents seized from his personal attorney Michael Cohen.

The same Cohen who was allegedly in Prague meeting with the Russians according to MI6 man Christopher Steele who wrote parts of the Steele Dossier which turned out to be a fabrication.

In the mean time his DOJ and AG is slow rolling the investigation into the conspiracy against him by Obama's top law enforcement and intelligence officials. The Deep State continues to confound Trump. He doesn't seem to have a good strategy against their continuous attacks on him.

Bhadrakumar believes a Wag the Dog confrontation with Russia may bail him out. I don't think so. The Deep State are out to get him. They failed the first time when the American voters in the mid-west didn't buy their electoral propaganda. Now they are executing their insurance policy using Team Mueller as the attack dog.

Posted by: ab initio | Apr 11 2018 7:27 utc | 4

A question for psychohistorian, who views the battle between the AngloZionist Empire and the rising powers of China and Russia and its strategic allies such as Iran as fundamentally a battle for determining the form of global finance: would not, in the event of a victory for the opposition to the Empire, the dynamic mechanism of Capital nonetheless continue? The fall of the Empire would end its dominance through the dollar, but capitalist exploitation through wage labour would still continue, as would the exploitation and oppression of black and brown and indigenous peoples especially in the Global South, though one hopes of course not nearly to the same extent as under 500 years of Western imperialism. I agree totally that finance must be made a public utility, but China and Russia as great powers are not going to be the ones to implement that (not that I take you to necessarily be claiming this).

Posted by: George Lane | Apr 11 2018 7:33 utc | 5

Could we get a link to the Swedish compromise resolution?

Posted by: Sven Lystbak | Apr 11 2018 7:37 utc | 6

The Syrian regime. I stopped reading Bhadrakumar's blog when he said something along the lines of Russia fucking monkeys.
Generally his stuff isn't too bad so perhaps he just didn't get a leg over that morning?

Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Apr 11 2018 7:51 utc | 7

Was it a chemical attack or just a case of mass food poisoning?

Posted by: ralphieboy | Apr 11 2018 7:56 utc | 8

British retired General Richard Barrons has just confirmed on BBC Radio 4 that a Russian attack on American ships offshore Syria would result in a wider war. Macron (France), seems on board. I dunno if this signals a UK about-face or if


Posted by: David | Apr 11 2018 8:11 utc | 9

ah, ignore last sentence. Barrons is retired and doesn't represent British state, IIRC

Posted by: David | Apr 11 2018 8:12 utc | 10

Here are the votings in the UN, look how the pathetic eu states (france, uk, poland, netherlands) do what ever US tell them to!
https://tinyurl.com/y82t65yg

Posted by: test | Apr 11 2018 8:28 utc | 11

Israel, the Israeli lobby and Saudi Arabia are the greatest threats to mankind.


That said it wouldn’t hurt Russia to increase its military capabilities in Syria as a deterrent and Iran and Russia need to end this conflict already. The slow grinding victory provides too many opportunities for Israel, Saudi and the neocons to create trouble. China should help.

Lastly, Israel and Saudi should be struck if Syria is attacked. Those two promote wars because they have impunity. The risk and damage of war must be theirs too.

Posted by: Alaric | Apr 11 2018 8:39 utc | 12

I liked the first part but the second part is a bit far off.

"there has to be a massive western military intervention, including deployment of ground forces in tens of thousands": 10k NATO grunts aren't necessary, just like it wasn't necessary in Libya. Just destroy every working infrastruction and government institution and wait for barbarism to prevail.

"So, the US has to go alone — at best with the (British) poodle": France also seems eager just as Israel and uber opportunist Erdogan wouldn't flinch to make good use of a situation

"risk of escalation is exceedingly high and that is not in the interests of Trump’s ‘America First’": It's good for Israeli, Turkish and Saudi expansion + USA military weapons industry ('America First').

"will another Middle Eastern war go down well in the US opinion? Will the US Congress": as long as USA ambassodors don't get burned/asphixiated they don't care about far away places they can hardly pronounce let alone point on a map.

The only thing which is stopping further escalation is Russia, it's military potential and it's willingness to not let another rape of international law go by without consequence.

Posted by: xor | Apr 11 2018 8:41 utc | 13

This is absurd!

"The failure of an "innocuous" draft in support of an impartial investigation into the alleged chemical incident in Syria's Douma is a "litmus test which speaks volumes," Russia's UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia said. The draft was based on, and "almost completely copied," an earlier proposal by Sweden. Nebenzia argued that the proposal was stonewalled simply because it ultimately came from Russia."
https://www.rt.com/news/423762-syria-investigation-draft-rejected/

Seems like states like Sweden, Nethetlands, Poland cover the coming warcrime of US bombing in the UN while
US, UK, France will be the ones that do the bombing.

Posted by: test | Apr 11 2018 8:43 utc | 14

Russian fleet in Sevastopol put on high alert.

Posted by: David | Apr 11 2018 8:44 utc | 15

Bhadrakumar predicted that Putin would sell out Assad about 5 years ago. I have stopped reading his opinion pieces since then. Still, this post makes a refreshing change from your obsession with EJ Magnier's point of view, b. You need to step back, take a look and use your own gut on this.

The Americans know this latest 'attack' is bullshit and its planning predates any FBI raid on Trump's attorney. The Russians were calling this out a month ago. At the same time that they were being accussed of poisoning the Skripals. There has been scant consideration of the link between the two. Yet it is a chain of events that was designed to bring us to the point where the US could form a military alliance with the likes of Britain and France (Britain of course already exposed to 5 weeks of anti-Russia chemical weapon hysteria, thereby setting up a win in the minds of the public and in parliament for a vote on intervention/payback) will launch an attack on the seat of power in Damascus.

This is going to be shock and awe, and Putin is not going to stop it. When dozens of Russians were killed in the East by US bombing recently, there was no response. Only a denial that these men ever existed. It was the green light the US axis needed to power up the engines for the attack we are about to witness.

The only question that remains is whether Assad will be left standing.

Posted by: Pat Bateman | Apr 11 2018 8:45 utc | 16

Pat Bateman:

"This is going to be shock and awe, and Putin is not going to stop it."

"The only question that remains is whether Assad will be left standing."

Indeed,
I sense US, UK, France will do the bombing, it will start thusdays night (europe time) and carry on until sunday I am afraid,
yes Russia cant do nothing and it perhaps "good" since the senseless west will trigger WW3 if they do. Thats the reality have unfortunately.

Posted by: test | Apr 11 2018 8:56 utc | 17

..in NATO/US's view they will most likely bomb Assad's palace and government buildings, it will basically be Libya all over.

Posted by: test | Apr 11 2018 8:58 utc | 18

I think Russia will respond though. They didn't warn weeks in advance for nothing. Low level Russian experts are murmuring about possible Russian response, but the Kremlin hasn't said anything. That's worrying. I think that means it's preparing for war and the responses have already been war gamed. There is no time left for only words. It's action from here on out.

Posted by: David | Apr 11 2018 9:03 utc | 19

"The Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak states that, the blow will be inflicted by the troops of the United States, Britain and France within the next 24 hours.

According to sources, a total of 22 targets have been identified in Syria, which will be destroyed by Western aviation – these are facilities in Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Hama, Deir ez Zor, and Rakka. In particular, it is planned to strike the area of ​​the Russian military base in Tartus."

Posted by: David | Apr 11 2018 9:15 utc | 20

I agree with David, 19. Russia has already warned once at the level of General Gerasimov. There is no need for further warnings as it starts to show weakness. Russia is likely planning the most unpredictable response and is using misdirection and maskirovka to maximum advantage.

Posted by: lysander | Apr 11 2018 9:17 utc | 21

Looks like www.craigmurray.org.uk is under attack again.

Posted by: TJ | Apr 11 2018 9:20 utc | 22

Let me repeat the end of the last line from Mr. Bhadrakumar's posting
".......
Israel is going to be in real fix if Trump now decides not to attack Syria.
"

Israel is the bottom line to this evolving story. The coming confrontation may play out in Syria but the real prize is not Assad but the future of Israel......and private finance unfortunately conflated with the former.

@ George Lane who commented above about whether labor would be as exploited under a different social contract......I think we are stupid not to try something else.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 11 2018 9:25 utc | 23

Indeed, 10.29am UK time, Craig Murrays' blog is down.

Posted by: Neb | Apr 11 2018 9:29 utc | 24

Add this warfare US wage on Russia

US sanctions spark ‘black Monday’ on Russian stock market
http://tass.com/economy/998640

US playing with fire now, isnt there anyone that could stop this madness?

Posted by: test | Apr 11 2018 9:31 utc | 25

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Russia’s ambassador to Lebanon said any U.S. missiles fired at Syria would be shot down and the launch sites targeted, a step that could trigger a major escalation in the Syrian war.


https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-diplomat/russian-envoy-to-lebanon-any-u-s-missiles-fired-at-syria-will-be-shot-down-idUSKBN1HI0PU

Posted by: Neb | Apr 11 2018 9:34 utc | 26

Sputnik is citing NYTimes as saying Trump is considering large attack, Turkish source cited as saying 22 targets including those with Russian troops are being considered https://sputniknews.com/us/201804111063429837-trump-mulls-strike-syria-chemical-attack/

Posted by: Perimtr | Apr 11 2018 9:40 utc | 27

The following is a short posting from Reuters

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Wednesday it hoped all sides involved in Syria would avoid doing anything that could destabilize an already fragile situation in the Middle East and made clear it was strongly opposed to a possible U.S. strike on its ally.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 26, 2018. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin
The United States and its allies are considering whether to hit Syria over a suspected poison gas attack that medical relief organizations say killed dozens of people in the rebel-held town of Douma near Damascus on Saturday.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday allegations that Syrian government forces had carried out the chemical weapons attack were not based on real facts and said it wanted an impartial investigation into the incident.

Asked about comments by Russia’s ambassador to Lebanon who said that any U.S. missiles fired at Syria would be shot down and the launch sites targeted, the Kremlin said it did not want to comment on such matters.

“As before, we would like to hope that all sides will avoid any steps that a) are not provoked by anything and b) could significantly destabilize an already fragile situation in the region,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters.

Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Katya Golubkova

Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 11 2018 9:42 utc | 28

Murray is back

The Four Horsemen Gallop By

The media onslaught has moved past the attack in Salisbury by a “weapon of mass destruction” (quoting Theresa May) which could only be Russian, except that was untrue, and was extremely deadly, except that was untrue too. It now focuses on an attack by chemical weapons in Douma which “could only be” by the Russian-backed Assad regime, except there is no evidence of that either...


https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/

Posted by: Neb | Apr 11 2018 9:51 utc | 29

I suppose under some scenario the global optics of an attack on Syria could be sold.

But as I sit here in what should be the middle of my sleep cycle and ponder my/our future, I find it humorous to think of this Grifter in Chief of my country, who just had his personal attorney's records taken, etc. and has not enamored himself with the leaders of the rest of the world, would LEAD the battle to overturn the momentum of the past year in Syria on a pretext.

If this is how our species preens to the Cosmos, I think it is time to hit the reset button on the not so Sapien, Homo Sapien linage....we have become a sick soap opera, not worthy of our precedents.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 11 2018 9:54 utc | 30

@ 23

yes,and this is a large part of that reason. Israel needs both land and water and also the Syrian and Lebanese oil and gas.

Racing toward disaster: Israel's unsustainable population bomb

http://www.jpost.com/Jerusalem-Report/Racing-toward-disaster-Israels-unsustainable-population-bomb-504249

Posted by: 07564111 | Apr 11 2018 10:01 utc | 31


I am bit annoyed by the hype in here by some,
Russia has said that they COULD respond IF US strike RUSSIANS inside Syria.
Russia have of course communicated this and WHERE russians are located for US NOT TO bomb these places.

Posted by: test | Apr 11 2018 10:08 utc | 32

"Trump has been on record that he wants the American military presence in Syria to end."

I suspect some of the apparent paradox in recent statements about Trump's troops 'leaving Syria' relate to the future definition of Syria. Erdogan's on the same script with returning occupied territories to the 'rightful owners' etc.

No one NATO-side is leaving (voluntarily): the old Syria is 'off the map' as far as they are concerned and the new borders will be drawn -- a la Palestine -- wherever it is convenient, and by definition, meeting Trump's and Erdogan's criteria.

Posted by: Outside the box ... | Apr 11 2018 10:22 utc | 33

@32
Well, that's a bit short-sighted. One of these days, Russia needs to make a stand, as it doesn't make sense at all to let the 'coalition of the willing' incinerate the Syrian Arab Forces and Syrian civilian infrastructure. After all, what would it be worth fighting for/having forces deployed once the primary reason for having forces there has vanished.

Posted by: Hmpf | Apr 11 2018 10:37 utc | 34

Seems about the the right time to MLK SpartUSAs ass or using Nikki Haley's words, slap it down.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27ve_Been_to_the_Mountaintop

The GREATEST daily voting right we have is the £$ in your pocket. Don't believe me?

Ask Starbucks (UK) what they think on the subject.

Ask Israel what they think on the subject.


We ALL have the ability to invoke 'Couch Potatoe Politics'.

Send SpartUSA a message.

Honor MLK.

Stop buying Coke. Stop using Facebook. Stop using Google.

Posted by: TFS | Apr 11 2018 10:44 utc | 35

Le Monde has a title saying that Russia blocked an inquiry into what happened at UNSC...
When BHL came back to the stage ten days ago with the Kurds, it was all in the pipeline
Iraqi and Syrian Christians will remember that the pope did not show up on his balcony

Posted by: Mina | Apr 11 2018 10:56 utc | 36

@32

I agree. I'm no expert, but I also can't see this being a Libya/Iraq re-run; history has moved too far for that, I believe. The forces opposed to NATO/Israel have made too much progress, and have everything to lose if the US tries something more than symbolic measures. Also, I'm hoping that Russia has something up its sleeve to make the US feel some pain without triggering WWIII. To me it's the latter that's the risk, not some replay of Libya.

Posted by: xpat | Apr 11 2018 11:00 utc | 37

George Lane #5

While it appears that wage slavery, capitalism/feudalism in a fancy dress will go on some big changes may occur in the system of finance if China gains power. It will be a 100 years before it is understood whether or not China really means its "community of common destiny" or is just another empire builder. But for now China has done amazing things - over 700 million people have been lifted from poverty, the extreme poverty rate is now under 1%. This scale of poverty relief has never before been seen in history. If mankind has any hope at all it is China. The West seriously misunderstands China and is seriously ignorant of Chinese culture and thought. China may look like it has gone capitalist but take another look, it is very different.

Posted by: Babyl-on | Apr 11 2018 11:08 utc | 38

James from previous thread
as i understand it we went from mythos to logos.

No. You went from logos to chaos. Every concept including mythos is contained in logos, and chaos is not the polar opposite of logos but it's felt absence. Nuff Sed.

Posted by: Nuff Sed | Apr 11 2018 11:08 utc | 39

Under strong pressure after the raid on his lawyer's office Trump has obviously decided to strike

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/984022625440747520

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump

Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!
10:57 AM - 11 Apr 2018

Posted by: b | Apr 11 2018 11:09 utc | 40

"Destroying Syria’s air force is one option for Trump"

Ewen MacAskill Defence and intelligence correspondent

Yes, the "liberal" Guardian the "progressive" Guardian full of peace loving people seeking peace in the world. They would never ever warmonger would they?

Posted by: Babyl-on | Apr 11 2018 11:13 utc | 41

16 Pat
Putin recently: "What is the world without Russia in it."
Sounds like a man who will fight. He said with a heavy heart. Also don't you know Russia has Hawks too - the men who walk in with briefcases-
So what will happen? Putin has the assets in Southern Russia, properly fly time 13 minutes. Ship killers missiles which are indefensible. I hope Trump goes small or equal to last time with forwarding warmings. If not I think Putin statement about the 'world' comes into play. For the world sake I hope sanity prevails.

Posted by: col from oz | Apr 11 2018 11:23 utc | 42

Reading comments suggesting, as Xpat @ 37 puts it, that Syria will be a re-run of the Iraqi and Libyan invasions ignores the fact that the US, the UK, France and other Western nations already have boots on the ground in the form of "advisors" among the jihadis, of whom very many - most likely even the great majority of them - come from foreign countries. In other words, Syria has already been subjected to a de facto global invasion. Moreover many of these "advisors" plus perhaps US and other soldiers wearing rebel insignia and uniforms have been captured by the SAA recently in East Ghouta.

Also Syrian society is not really comparable to what Libya was in 2011 and Iraq in 2003. Libya could be overcome because the eastern part of the country, centred around Benghazi, was less loyal to the Libyan government than the western part. In Iraq, there was significant Shi'ite resentment towards Saddam Hussein's government - and Shi'ites were one of the larger religious groups in that country. On the other hand, there is much less sectarianism in Syria. Syria also adopted a new constitution and political reforms in 2012 which made the country a parliamentary democracy and reduced the Ba'athist Party to just another (albeit large) political party with no special privileges.

Posted by: Jen | Apr 11 2018 11:39 utc | 43

1. Can the OPCW investigate without a UNSC resolution?

2. I bet that Poland voted with the U.S., UK, and France because of, how shall I say, a little puppetry?

'Dance for me Pinocchio, dance. We might have a little shipping problem with those fancy weapons that you just bought.'

Posted by: Christian Chuba | Apr 11 2018 11:45 utc | 44

Posted by: b | Apr 11, 2018 7:09:35 AM | 40

:-))

never underestimate the Donald's gift for contradicting himself

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump


Our relationship with Russia is worse now than it has ever been, and that includes the Cold War. There is no reason for this. Russia needs us to help with their economy, something that would be very easy to do, and we need all nations to work together. Stop the arms race?

Russia watched the Donald playing chicken with North Korea and drew conclusions.

It is an extremely dangerous game, playing chicken, should you decide not to play chicken.

Posted by: somebody | Apr 11 2018 11:52 utc | 45

07564111 @ 31: Any way of finding out how Israel uses water and whether the country is able to fulfill its water needs or has to import water?

There are old online newspaper articles about how Israel had to import tens of millions if not several hundred million cubic metres of water from Turkey. This was during Ariel Sharon's period as Prime Minister (2001? - 2006). Most recent articles are now about how Israel conserves its water resources and uses desalination and recycling - but not much about whether such conservation measures are enough to supply all of its needs and certainly nothing about Palestinians' access to water.

Interestingly Israel limits water use in agriculture but seems not to limit water use in settlements in the West Bank, compared to the severe limitations placed on Palestinians.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/israel-cuts-water-supplies-west-bank-ramadan-160614205022059.html
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/adri-nieuwhof/israeli-settlers-use-six-times-more-water-palestinians-new-report

Posted by: Jen | Apr 11 2018 11:53 utc | 46

Maybe someone should tell Trump that Russia *is* ready . . . Russian military forces are on combat alert.

Posted by: Perimetr | Apr 11 2018 11:56 utc | 47

Considering the deep silence of Arab states, will we see KSA and Egypt join the so-called coalition and attack Shiites simultaneously in Yemen and Syria? KSA certainly dreams of it.

Posted by: Mina | Apr 11 2018 11:57 utc | 48

- In the 1st quarter of 2017 there was someone who said that there was a "Civil war" going on in the US between the Democrats and the Republicans. For a long time I thought that this person had "gone bonkers". But now with Mueller and the FBI raiding the offices of Trump's lawyer Micheal Cohen I have changed my mind. There certainly is such a "civil war" going on. And I fear this "Civil War" will NOT increase "stability" in the US political system.
- David Stockman made a prediction that Trump won't be president when the year 2019 starts.

Posted by: Willy2 | Apr 11 2018 12:02 utc | 49

Leaks of British military personnel captured during the military operation in the eastern Ghouta.

Posted by: Leaks | Apr 11 2018 12:02 utc | 50

The claim in this article that Assad's victory is a fait accomplis is often heard these days. I think it is flaming bunkum. Assad is doomed. He's been set up by his pal Putin, who repeatedly allowed Syria's enemies to reset, to consolidate and strengthen their positions. Now Assad 'governs' a chunk of Syria that is crammed full of desperate people and destroyed infrastructure but lacks resources. Russia appears ready to work out deals with the US and Turkey and Israel in which they will be guaranteed control over large pieces of Syria. Assad is in the way of that process going forwards. I doubt he will survive the coming bombing. If he is smart, he has already left Syria. Perhaps Russia will allow him to take refuge in Russia, if he finally bows to Russia's 'realpolitik'. Meanwhile Russia is sending the usual signals that they will only respond to attacks on Syria that directly affect Russia (in an undeniable way). Perhaps a bit of symbolic fracas will happen between Russia and the US just to keep up appearances a little bit. Humanity desperately needs some people with good hearts to take on some leadership roles, but instead we get a steady diet of realpolitik creepos.

Posted by: paul | Apr 11 2018 12:03 utc | 51

Tweet from Trump warns that an attack is coming.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/984022625440747520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

All Russian forces at home and in Syria are now mobilized.

Posted by: 07564111 | Apr 11 2018 12:15 utc | 52

If indeed they have foreigners, they will be paraded on TV and the West will blame the evil dictator to use such practices (another problem is how you prove that the bearded guy is here for SF and not for djihad as any kid). This and the OPCW landing (it's always possible to bomb something in Abu Kamal while people travel between Damascus and the Ghouta) will have a flavor of Irak 2003 redux.

Posted by: Mina | Apr 11 2018 12:18 utc | 53

Poor Hamid, he has been calling to bomb Syria since 2011 and now he will see that this happens only when there is something to gain from it against the Palestinians... F*ing idiot!
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/media-mass-deception-180409092703608.html

Posted by: Mina | Apr 11 2018 12:21 utc | 54

So this is Trump on Twitter:

Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!

I have no words left..

Posted by: test | Apr 11 2018 12:28 utc | 55

By now 18 months in office, agent orange will have reached the same SOP as everyone else who has political power does when
they are dealing with circumstances where A) they lack much experience of dealing with the issue, and B) there are to quote that other donald who
isn't a duck. "There are many 'known unknowns'".

That is you must defer to the 'experts' not because you necessarily believe their assessment to be correct, but because they are
the types whose job it is to make such assessments. So that if things do go tits up, king manderin cannot be blamed.
He was acting upon "the best advice available at the time" & if things work out then the trumpet can trumpet his genius strategy.
If they don't work out that's tough, but the bossfella did his/her part.

This has long been held to be the only way an elected leader can survive a war. Everything is a gamble, so unless you
really know what you are doing/have great outside the loop intelligence, following the advice of the military bosses is
really the only option they can see. They are weak, vain, self-obsessed and incapable of understanding how Jo/Joe Shitkicker feels about stuff.

A couple of examples.
The first worked out OK for humans but bad for the warmongers. When GH Bush snared Iraq into Gulf War 1, the plan had always been to use Iraq's reclamation of their traditional lands from the anglo amerikan puppets as an excuse to grab all of Iraq - Kuwait's oil was running out, which was why the emir had been siphoning off Iraqi oil in the first place. So the amerikan led band of greedies, crooks & charlatans chased the retreating Iraqis back - bombing shooting and poisoning em with depleted uranium absolutely mercilessly. But for whatever reason (who knows? honour, honesty, maybe even humanity or mebbe someone paid him off we will never discover the truth) Norman Schwarzkopf wasn't down with such ruthless murder.

He publicly declared the military objectives had all been met and continuing on wasn't just pointless it was inhumanity approaching a war crime. GH Arsefeatures must have been ropeable, but he knew going against Norm's advice was just too fraught. If anything, absolutely anything went wrong with what was a pretty damned risky plan, as Iraq hadn't been put under siege for long at all before the attack, there were big numbers of Iran/Iraq war veterans - troops who hadn't been deployed in Kuwait waiting in Iraq. Bush would take the fall as he had gone against 'expert' advice. No redemption thatcher style for him, so he declared victory and began the siege which junior tried to finish.

The second example? This is a link to part 17 of a 26 part documentary on the 1914 to 1918 half of the 20th century eurowar.
It is made by the bbc, but I hasten to add during an all too brief moment in the 1960's when the BBC had been forced to resile from spewing spurious tales - propaganda, and calling it fact.
If you haven't seen this series I strongly suggest you get a copy and watch it. This is the people who fought, chiefly the shitkickers
in the trenches on all sides doing the talking. In addition there is input from the pols' & military bosses via daily journals & diaries.

Episode 17 is about Ypres which was a piece of Belgian western front which protruded east across the line the Austro/German troops occupied, aka a salient.

The Brits held the western side, Germany the other.
By 1917 everyone was well sick of the war and the politicians had begun to distrust the judgement and sometimes the
motives of the military. The Battle of the Somme which cost more than a million brit casualties had been fought in the
summer of 1916, nothing had been gained. More than a million young men had died for nothing - absolutely fucking nothing.
Now that the summer of 1917 was approaching the army wanted another 'offensive'. Ypres was the battlespace they had selected. Once a beautiful town even more striking architechturally than Bruges, Ypres was levelled by the arseholesi - few if any of whome were Belgique.

So all the brit military bosses (army & navy - the airforce hadn't taken off yet [pun alert]) were meeting with all the political leaders in the cabinet room.

Lloyd George, the consummate brit pol of the early 20th century, was Prime Minister and he was extremely skeptical of any big plan, as logic dictated that when both sides were as dug in & evenly matched as the allies & axis were, the chances of either side achieving anything beyond the deaths of another million or two humans were slim as New York model.

Watch the doco - Lloyd explains how Haig and his gang had bundles of colourful maps with arrows pointing every which way, plus a fine art in talking absolute bullshit.

When Lloyd George detects that some of the more gullible pols are lapping up Haig's nonsense, so he interjects with his doubts - that any further "send em over the top" strategies can achieve anything other than the death of millions more humans.

The meeting adjourns for lunch. When they all come back the Sea Lord, Admiral Jellicoe, the man now believed to be responsible for the brit navy's worst maritime disaster ever, the 1916 battle of jutland where 5000 brit sailors were killed in the space of a few hours and Admiral Beatty who was Jellicoe's 2IC was heard to say offhandly "I say, there seems to be something wrong with our bloody ships today". Thousands of men die and the elitist prick believes it's time to be droll. Check out pix of Beatty he always wore his naval cap 'rakishly' forever playing the jaunty gentleman sailor.

Anyway Jellicoe whose incompetence as the head of the British Grand Fleet resulted in badly designed ships adopting really dangerous explosive handling prcctices was so bad the brits had to make him out to be a hero & promoted him to First Sea Lord, pipes up at the Ypres meeting straight after lunch , with the claim that the attack must go ahead because if the Germans keep control of Zeebrugge which is a Belgian port just north of Ypres that was in German hands & was being used as a submarine base, England will face famine and mass starvation within a few months as the navy cannot protect their shipping supplies to england.

It was complete nonsense which Haig and Jellicoe likely dreamed up at lunch. We know it was a crock because Lloyd George was left with no alternative but to approve warmonger/mass murderer Haig's plan. The battle went ahead, another million or so died in what the diggers termed the worst bloody stunt of the war. Long story short; the farmland around Ypres was like Dutch lowland, constructed below sea level. The artillery barrages had wrecked the drainage system and the entire battle space turned to mud blood, and corpses - fall into a shellhole which was easy on the slippery duckboards and you're toast, the mixture of bacteria bubbling away in the Ypres Soup guaranteed that if you could swim with a full pack and gear, any cut or wound would become irretrievably infected. The medics played catch up footy behind gangrene, chopping bits off a bloke until there was nothing left.

These then are the roles:
The experts just make it up, the pols know this but unless they can prove the military bosses are lying, they have to go along with it.

We, us the people, we die, that is our role

ps watch the doco and see how documentaries can be made.

Posted by: Debsisdead | Apr 11 2018 12:47 utc | 56

Not sure how public opinions in France and the UK will react to their officials following such a clown. That he is the puppet of the Deep State now that Muller got him is a fact for Americans but will be hard to understand for Europeans.

Posted by: Mina | Apr 11 2018 12:48 utc | 57

I think that the read target here is the Nord Stream II pipeline. They're currently unwilling to cancel it out of economic considerations, but they think that they could get away with cancelling it if NATO attacks Syria and Russia responds with "unprovoked aggression." NATO's attack IMO will be just large enough that Russia has to respond, then Trump and co. will cease further military action and continue with economic warfare.

Posted by: Timothy Hagios | Apr 11 2018 12:50 utc | 58

add to 45

That was the Donald's latest tweet, by the way. Like an hour ago versus two hours ago.

The crisis is over - till the next one.

Posted by: somebody | Apr 11 2018 12:51 utc | 59

Isnt this the Cuban crisis all over?

Posted by: test | Apr 11 2018 12:55 utc | 60

@57
I think that the real target is the Nord Stream II pipline?

This about a desperate attempt to hold on to a 300 year domination and looting of the planet, which runs the risk of killing us all.

Posted by: Lochearn | Apr 11 2018 12:59 utc | 61

57
Could very well be. Some Eu countries (NL) are already starting to oblige people to move away from gas for individual cooking because they want everybody to support France's nuclear plants.

Posted by: Mina | Apr 11 2018 13:08 utc | 62

Who on earth would agree to such a tweeting moron to speak in his or her name? Let the public decide in an online referendum which tweets are acceptable. Hashtag publictweetcensorship.

Posted by: radiator | Apr 11 2018 13:09 utc | 63

"Will the US Congress support an attack on Syria when American interests are not directly facing threat?"

WTF?? Seriously??? Is this even a question? Israeli interests vs American interests - no contest.

Where has Bhadrakumar been for the last 30 years? Does he truly not understand that Congress (and MSM for that matter) has been thoroughly zionized to the point of unanimity in their unconditional support for Israel and Jews? Any analysis of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East that ignores this basic fact is both flawed and naive.

Posted by: hobo | Apr 11 2018 13:10 utc | 64

radiator

‘Not in my name’: Galloway calls on British public to reject calls for Syria military action
https://www.rt.com/uk/423805-galloway-syria-war-uk/

But who cares about us? Now is Trump and the brainwashed journalists that want a war, nothing seems to be able to stop and reverse this sickness.

Posted by: test | Apr 11 2018 13:12 utc | 65

add to 58

more Donald Trump thinking in progress 11 minutes ago


Donald J. Trump
‏@realDonaldTrump

Much of the bad blood with Russia is caused by the Fake & Corrupt Russia Investigation, headed up by the all Democrat loyalists, or people that worked for Obama. Mueller is most conflicted of all (except Rosenstein who signed FISA & Comey letter). No Collusion, so they go crazy!


Posted by: somebody | Apr 11 2018 13:14 utc | 66

My concern is what Russia(and apparently China) believe the Globalists are capable of, and that the West IS going to attack...it would not be the first time the West has started wars of aggression...

Its very obvious that Russia has prepared for what they believe the West is going to attempt...

Trump is impossible to read, as he lies on both sides of an issue at all times...I believe he is being pressured by the Globalists to "get the hint" and start the war...

I see a final major false flag being perpetrated...by the Zionists most likely...they have the assets in place ...

I believe U$A will get hurt in this war...

regards

OY

Posted by: oldenyoung | Apr 11 2018 13:19 utc | 67

Help! The blog ate my post

Posted by: Debsisdead | Apr 11 2018 13:21 utc | 68

Regardelss of this apologetic tweets that Trump tries to send while communicating to the
both sides in Syrian conflict I think that still some very limited action might happen,
Probably tailored to satisfy his side then to really hurt Syria or Russia for that matter.
It is a cornered situation that we see right now, as US and its allies have no real end game plan.
The only real long-term plan is how to prolong the chaos and prevent stability in the region.
Stable Middle East means loss of control over the oil prices and and end of weapon sales, (not only,
but those are most crucial, for sure)

What so far has been overlooked is that US forgot how not to issue an order that they cannot reverse.
And that makes those tweets really dangerous.

Posted by: laserlurk | Apr 11 2018 13:35 utc | 69

I'd suggest that the UK with all their May issues probably declined ahead of time to be involved in an overt Syrian 'last gasp' desperate offensive -- especially given Blair's past record and Corbyn's rise to likely next government leader. Also given the number of UK special swimming pool 'gas' personnel possibly trapped/caught in Ghouta. A lot of swimming required in ISIS land it seems.

And in token 'payment' may probably pulled off the 'poisoned door-knob' scenario ahead of time to prepare the ground etc.

Posted by: imo | Apr 11 2018 13:42 utc | 70

Must be hard for a bipolar to contemplate the possibility of a bipolar world. That would make 4 poles?

Posted by: Mina | Apr 11 2018 13:49 utc | 71

I am afraid that US is going to strike Syria in the early morning (European Time) on Friday 13th April, given the treacherous and perfidious nature of Trump and those psychopaths sitting in Congress and Senate, who value their own intest (next election) and Isreali interest ahead that of American people.

What we can do is an online petition to try to stop the madness.

Water can carry the boat but can also turn it upside down.

Posted by: mali | Apr 11 2018 14:00 utc | 72

If the war starts, one of the first things China will do is sell of large amounts of US government bonds to attack the US financial system. That will cause big problems for the US side.

They may also take military action in the South China Sea forcing the US to fight on two fronts.

One thing that interests me at this stage is Germany. what is the opinion of the German people? What are German MSM saying? What are the policies of CDU vs SD vs AfW with respect to this war? How will it affect a weak and unstable coalition? This could have a major impact on how things unfold over the coming days.

Posted by: BM | Apr 11 2018 14:02 utc | 73

I wonder what China is doing behind the scenes.

This seems to me like the time that China needs to stand next to Russia and say NYET!

Thanks for the forum for online community b. It has been very meaningful for me and I am sure others. Hopefully it will continue to be through this coming world event. I apologize in advance for the aggressive actions of my country ruled by the world elite.....sad

Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 11 2018 14:16 utc | 74

Russia Federation (fucking Putin) must retaliate. Any missiles attack on Syria is against humanity and act of war. If the missiles came from one of US's poodle warships (Germany, UK or France) Russia must destroy that ship include USS Donald Cook.

Posted by: OJS | Apr 11 2018 14:20 utc | 75

Re: the fate of Trump. History repeats itself. An investigation motivated by some alleged abuse deploys drift nets, finds nothing so it changes the focus to the sexual history of the target. Hush money for consensual sex is legal as far as I know -- I do not know the law, but it became known and studiously ignored by the special prosecutor. So he tries to discover any possible past deal that is somehow illegal, and recorded as illegal? A bit of a fat chance.

Re: the fate of Syria. IMHO, letting Erdogan snack on Afrin was a masterful investment by Putin. With Turkey opposed to NATO intervention, Iraq not daring to collaborate overtly (no popular support, no majority support among the various armed forces) and Iran working in concert with Russia to support Syria, opponents of NATO bombing or other escalation can painfully and rather gradually retaliate. My guess is that Tanf enclave would be first to suffer. I listed Iraq and Iran because NATO can hinder Russian/Syrian logistics in Mediterranean, but the air+land route through Caspian, Iran, Iraq is secure, barring WWIII type of escalation.

Re: Syria, longer term. Some commenters are too pessimistic, or too gleeful. Lebanon largely recovered from a long civil war. Syrians are quite industrious and civilized, given some elementary supplies and credits from China, Russia and Iran they will rebuild the country, and they do not need to wait for "complete liberation". Current plan is to remove all enclaves in the core Syria, so the majority of people can live securely and securely travel, with highways and railroads cleared from jihadists obstacles. When people work for themselves they do not need such an enormous external aid, and the benefits of the trade with the West (and the access to Western finantial services) are overrated.

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Apr 11 2018 14:28 utc | 76

Taking a shot at American assets is like mopping the floor to dry it
while the faucet that causes the flood is left open.

To stop all the madness, Russia should -at the first salvo of incoming missiles-
rain cruise missiles on all Israeli govt buildings with special aim at Netanyahu
and his Likud.

Why mess with the dog when the tail is the guilty party?

Posted by: CarlD | Apr 11 2018 14:37 utc | 77

Good post, b. It's interesting, but not at all surprising, that MKB fully accepts Trump's legitimacy as POTUS.

The goto message in his assessment is the closing sentence...

"Indeed, Israel is going to be in real fix if Trump now decides not to attack Syria."

Imo that's 100% true. One suspects that Trump thinks MAGA is unrealistic until the Shekel Spigot is shut down. It's also looking possible that he'll work toward re-relocating the US Capital from Tel Aviv to Washington DC, in due course.

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Apr 11 2018 14:48 utc | 78

The constitutional question at the end of Boehner's Syria letter to Obama is as relevant to Trump as it was to Obama:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/28/john-boehner-obama-syria_n_3832374.html

The Blob is looking for grounds to impeach, from their insane perspective, a war in Syria with Russia is a twofer.

Posted by: jsn | Apr 11 2018 15:02 utc | 79

Transcript of emergency UNSC meeting contains Swedish delegate Olof Skoog's bizarre explanation why Sweden abstained from voting for it's own resolution: ie the compromise resolution which the media deliberately covered up and did not report on.

Note also predictable tactics of US, France & Britain in assigning guilt before any UN investigation has even begun. "First the sentence, then the trial!", as the Red Queen said to Alice.

Posted by: rackstraw | Apr 11 2018 15:18 utc | 80

thanks for posting this b......... the part about iran and if the usa doesn't attack syria, israel is in trouble - sounds kinda scary... it all sounds scary.... i see @78 hoarsewhisperer quoted what i was referring to.. i agree hoarsewhisperer..


Posted by: james | Apr 11 2018 15:59 utc | 81

B- thank you, once again an excellent article.
Could I ask a question, and I apologize if it has already been addressed elsewhere.
What is the Daniels related crime??
As I understand it: he (maybe)cheated on his wife ten years ago and a year or so ago Daniels signed a NDA regarding their relationship for $130,000. The money being provided by his attorney via a bank loan taken out for that same amount. She later reneged on the NDA, he denies they had a relationship.
How is this a crime?? And why is Muller even involved, I presume she is not Russian???
I would appreciate any insight into if and why this may be deep state leverage for an attack on Syria, thank you.

Posted by: frances | Apr 11 2018 16:05 utc | 82

This looks like an invasion of Syria. I am predicting April 19, Israel Independence Day, and also the day of praise when Christians comes to Israel to praise Israel Independence and it is the most important day of the Satanic Calendar, the day of Fire.

The Jew state(Deep State) has been planning this operation for a while. It was Mossad doing the chemical attack.(Trump had to have the Rosenstein Mueller dog collar to do it, Mueller, Sessions are both fanatic Jew crazy, all of his team are Jews lawyers, the Trump lawyer raid was a warning to play along for this event or be canned.)

Jordan over 4000 US troops and other mercenaries combined with Jordanian troops paid for by Saudi Arabia. Code name Eager Lion. April 18-26. New drone and helicopter base, added drones, helicopters and B1 bombers.

Israel 2500 troops on the ground, new US Army base, Israel Command, Iwo Jima helicopter carrier in port, USAF combat aircraft in Israel, amazing USAF general speech relinquished his command to Israel IDF air force general.

US Carrier battle group with 7 warships, French and UK troops and aircraft.

Mercenaries paid for by Saudi Arabia, out of UAE, where is Eric Prince?

It looks like an invasion to take the oil. Golan 3 billion barrels, off shore block 9 natural gas Lebanon waters.

Genie oil, Cheney, Lord Rothschild, etc. look at the list.

https://genieoilgas.com/about-us/strategic-advisory-board/

The Bilderberg meeting before Bush II invaded Iraq it was decided since the North Sea was running out of oil, the US military would take the oil for the Crowns of Europe and the Jews.

Russia has been boxed in a corner. It is interesting way before Crimea, Cheney, Nuland etc. representing the US and Mossad were trying to take over a country called Georgia for the strategic mountain pass into Russia. This was when Putin and his generals began to rearm.

Bush I, Clinton I, Bush II, and Obama I were in on it. The so called smart wars which Obama coined the phrase was Libya, Syria and Egypt.

Turkey will annex it's part of Syria.

Trump is on a dog collar for the event which was well planned by the Jew deep state through the NDAA, National Defense Authorization Act, that's how they feed the dogs of war, and direct the dogs of war.

Saudi Arabia is feeding the mercenary dogs and has proved my research they were one of the ancient snake tribes out of India after the last ice age. Saudi Arabia royals are Jews or whatever name.

These Bilderberg royals are all snake kings, etc. I have explained before.

There is going to be a massive kill off of people in the US. The population has grown and we're not obeying the narrative of NYC main stream media.

Censoring the internet wasn't enough and the arrival of Trump proved they do not have control.

I could explain more, but recall the Bush II speeches, he was the last Republican president and not to back out of one world government and all that. Recall during Iraq, he said Order out of Chaos, or Bush I Thousand points of light, and New World Order, well those are evil mason slogans. New World Order is on the dollar bill. The Masons work with the Jews, the one's at the top of each mason pyramid must have reptile genetic code. ALL of these players have reptile genetic code.

I've explained it before, they came out of India at the end of the last ice age, there weren't that many humans on Earth, tribes from the north came south because of the ice age. The cannibals have been feeding on them all the way north through time.

There were no Jews in the Bible, these are gypsies who have taken over the world. They don't care if they die, they are the most sophisticated killing species in the history of man. We're conditioned to serve them, just like the royal serf system.

We are not a free people and everyone should be able to see.

Posted by: norm | Apr 11 2018 16:13 utc | 83

The Times reports that the UK's Prime Minister Theresa May has urged Mr Trump to provide more evidence of the suspected chemical attack.
What do we make of that? Cold feet?

Posted by: Pnyx | Apr 11 2018 17:00 utc | 84

My impression since the late 1990's was that we were already in a period like the 1930's. The Islamic terrorist groups were used in the same manner as the German partisan groups in the targeted countries. We're now at the stage where the war has been encroaching on Russia's borders a number of times over the last decade. They are already backed in a corner.

Posted by: Les | Apr 11 2018 17:12 utc | 85

@ BM: My take on the situation in Germany: the MSM - leftish or rightish, doesn't matter - mindlessly repeat what our US colonial masters are telling them to. There is not a shred of independent, intelligent journalism left anywhere around here - and interestingly there is an amazing number of people who have completely given up believing the MSM and/or our government. But what can you do when the published opinions are completely manufactured and anyone has to suppose his neighbours all believe this idiocy?

Posted by: Martin MS | Apr 11 2018 18:17 utc | 86

norm 83

Such an anti Jewish rant does not enoble this site .

Posted by: ashley albanese | Apr 11 2018 18:39 utc | 87

@Mina 36 The news on French ARTE TV also said tonight that Russia had vetoed a resolution for an independent investigation. ARTE's "28 Minutes" nightly news-analysis panel show has on its permanent panel Nadia Damm, who is the French Rachel Maddow. Often they don't even bother anymore to pretend to call in a balanced panel when the subject is Russia or Syria.

Posted by: Gene Poole | Apr 11 2018 20:54 utc | 88

87 - Agreed, Ashley. If nothing else it provides an example of hate on MoA that will be quoted on right wing sites.

Posted by: Bart Hansen | Apr 11 2018 21:04 utc | 89

@ BM 73

If the war starts, one of the first things China will do is sell of large amounts of US government bonds to attack the US financial system. That will cause big problems for the US side.

Ultimately, the only thing that would happen is that the Federal Reserve debits China's interest bearing account (the treasury bonds) and credits China's non-interest account with the same amount.

That's assuming that the seller, China, has no buyer on the financial markets and China is forced to redeem the bonds at the Fed.

China sold 15% of its US securities last year and nothing happened at all.

Posted by: sleepy | Apr 11 2018 22:52 utc | 90

The support of zionism is wide but inch deep.us is wide open for anti-zionism politics.

Posted by: dahoit | Apr 11 2018 23:10 utc | 91

Dear Bernhard,

Please remove the comment @ 83.

Thanks!

Posted by: Jen | Apr 12 2018 0:03 utc | 92

b - i echo @91 jens comment...

Posted by: james | Apr 12 2018 3:58 utc | 93

The Times reports that the UK's Prime Minister Theresa May has urged Mr Trump to provide more evidence of the suspected chemical attack.
What do we make of that? Cold feet?
Posted by: Pnyx | Apr 11, 2018 1:00:57 PM | 84

Yep. Cold feet does it for me.
My pet theory about the motive for all the recent anti-Russia drivel is that the Nuclear Posture Review showed the world, beyond a shadow of doubt, just how much of their own cockamamie bullshit the Yanks are capable of believing. Putin obviously came to a similar conclusion and decided to make them look almost as stupid as they really are, by showing them just how Yesterday the NPR really is and in a "Tell someone who cares!" moment, unveiled a new-ish suite of weapons which made much of the NPR redundant overnight.

It's not often that Yanks are rendered speechless but Putin's March 1 Culture Shock left them in stunned silence.
It's sorta funny that the best idea they've had since Putin's Culture Shock has been to threaten to teach Putin a lesson by organising a Daffy Duck-style Suicide Crusade to Syria.
How dare Putin help Syria to restore its Sovereignty!!??
Onward Christian Soldiers!!!!

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Apr 12 2018 5:08 utc | 94

The analysis is flawed since its main premise is wrong. It is assumed that the main goal of the strike is to distract Americans from the investigation against Trump. This is demonstratively untrue.

Posted by: Oleg Poloff | Apr 12 2018 8:43 utc | 95

Apologies b I must cross post this piece I wrote for the Duran as I believe it is relevant here. It was written in response to Yulia Skripal's request for privacy as she recovers.

Well Yulia, on this occasion you cannot have it your way as far as who speaks on your behalf and your desire for privacy to assist your recovery. The world is on the brink of war because you and your father were poisoned or perhaps NOT poisoned at all. You do not own your privacy in this age at all, ask Google or Facebook. Your antics have placed the world in the most dire jeopardy it has encountered since the Cuban missile crisis.

Yulia, your silence condemns humanity to an agonising and distressing circumstance, even the prospect of extermination if the spiral of war is triggered. And all because you might want a secret identity with stipend and a new life in New Caledonia or somewhere nice. You cannot take that advantage from humanity at the cost of war. That would be unconscionable and the most depraved logic that no subhuman would be allowed to exercise. Your action in silence or even play acting this poisoning is grievous crime against humanity. You are a sinister and malevolent threat to my and my fellow humans existence. I will prosecute you in the International Criminal Court as soon as I can muster the momentum to drag you both into that court.

Yulia, your compliance is more depraved than Stalin, Pol Pot, Henry Kissinger, Adolf Hitler. You dare to bring humanity to the brink of annihilation and you want privacy?

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 12 2018 11:24 utc | 96

@87-89-92-93.

Where are the calls for post removal when Americans are referred to as murderous fiend's, vermin or disgusting, where is the outrage when Brits are referred to as idiots, or Turks as F****** idiots.

Would the term Zionist be preferable? To be clear I don't support the Norms statement, and I certainly would not do not support calls for censure. The narrative presented by B's blog would be enough to bring it down without succumbing to the occasional rant by acting like the enemy and censoring. Speech is free or it isn't. The citizens of countries, especially 'democratic' ones are culpable in the actions/inactions of the country.

Posted by: Tannenhouser | Apr 12 2018 17:02 utc | 97

Apologies b I must cross post this piece I wrote for the Duran...
...
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 12, 2018 7:24:36 AM | 96

Did the Duran publish it?
What, specifically, persuaded you to believe that the whims attributed to Yulia by the British ratfuckers came from her?

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Apr 13 2018 4:26 utc | 98

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