UN Sanction Monitor: U.S. Stands By While ISIS In Syria Recuperates, Gains Money From Oil
Since November 2017 the U.S. largely stopped the fight against ISIS in north-east Syria. It gave ISIS the chance to regain power. A new report to the UN Security Council now confirms that ISIS in north-east Syria recuperated. It again profits from oil extraction under the nose of U.S. forces.
As noted here in April:
The U.S. military in Syria has refrained from fighting ISIS for months. The map of the territory held by ISIS (grey) at the Syrian-Iraqi border in the U.S. controlled zone north of the Euphrates (yellow) has not changed since November 2017.
Livemap: Nov 30 2017, Apr 24 2018 - bigger, bigger(The yellow corridor going south east towards Iraq on the map is misleading. The U.S. has no forces there and ISIS crossed it several times to attack Syrian forces (red) across the river.)
The British group Airwars documents the U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. ... The U.S. strikes hit, if anything, only very minor targets.
...
It is obvious that the U.S. wants to keep ISIS alive and well to again use it, if need be, against the Syrian and Iraqi government.
The Sanctions Monitoring Team of the UN Security Council recently released its 26nd report (pdf). It notes in the summary:
[The] Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), having been defeated militarily in Iraq and most of the Syrian Arab Republic during 2017, rallied in early 2018. This was the result of a loss of momentum by forces fighting it in the east of the Syrian Arab Republic, which prolonged access by ISIL to resources and gave it breathing space to prepare for the next phase of its evolution into a global covert network. By June 2018, the military campaigns against ISIL had gathered pace again, but ISIL still controlled small pockets of territory in the Syrian Arab Republic on the Iraqi border. It was able to extract and sell some oil, and to mount attacks, including across the border into Iraq.
Under the nose of more than 2,000 U.S. forces in north-east Syria ISIS recuperated and again gained force. It is still able to pump oil from the ground and sell it into the local market.
In the details of its report the Sanctions Monitor writes:
It appears that ISIL can still draw on some of its traditional funding streams, including hydrocarbons and extortion, earning millions of dollars per month. In its previous report, the Monitoring Team highlighted the group’s loss of control of oil and natural gas fields however, the slowdown of military progress against ISIL in early 2018, mentioned earlier, allowed the group to regain access to some oil fields in north-eastern Syrian Arab Republic. As a result, oil remains a primary source of revenue, with the group using primitive methods to extract it, both for its own consumption and for sale to locals, in addition to the extortion of distribution networks.
Oil extraction can certainly be seen by surveillance drones of which the U.S. flies plenty in the Syrian airspace. But there is not one report of an airstrike against oil related targets in the U.S. military reports collected by Airwars for April, May or June 2018.
After a slight uptick in May and June airstrikes against ISIS in July were again down at a very low level.
Source: Airwars - bigger
Publicly announced U.S. operations against ISIS in north-east Syria have a Groundhog Day feeling to them:
Zana Amed @zana_med - 11:17 AM - 13 Jul 2018
#DeirEzzor - After a short surveillance tour by Gen. Funk, Gen. Jarrard and #SDF commander in Middle Euphrates River Valley heval Çiya yesterday, operation to liberate #Hajin to start today in the evening.
Para Keta @ParaKeta - 8:55 AM - 14 Aug 2018
#SDF commander said they will launch “Operation to Liberate #Hajin” in a few days to clear the final places held by #ISIS to the east of the Euphrates.
The U.S. claimed that it had to stop its operation in east Syria because its Kurdish proxy ground force, the SDF, was busy fighting the Turkish invasion of Afrin in north-west Syria. But U.S. air attacks against ISIS in Syria already slacked in November 2017. The Turkish invasion of Afrin started on January 20 and ended on March 24. Hardly any Kurdish units from east Syria were involved in the fight.
Giving ISIS time and liberty to recuperate and to make more revenue seems to be a deliberate strategy.
It is a repeat of the earlier U.S. coddling of ISIS. During the ISIS occupation of eastern Syria in 2014 and 2015 oil extraction and its sale to Turkey was ISIS' main financial resource. But the U.S., despite declaring a grand coalition against ISIS, never made the lucrative ISIS oil operations a target. Only when Russia's President Putin showed aerial pictures of thousands of oil tankers, waiting in the desert to load ISIS oil, to his colleagues at the G20 summit in Turkey, was U.S. President Obama shamed into attacking them. A day after the G20 summit the U.S. airforce started to bomb the long lines of oil tankers.
The UN Sanctions Monitor also notes another ISIS relevant area under U.S. protection:
The densely populated Rukban camp in southern Syrian Arab Republic contains some 80,000 internally displaced persons, including families of ISIL fighters, a situation which Member States fear might generate new ISIL cells.
The Rubkan camp in the semi-desert at the Jordan border is within the 55 kilometer protection zone of the al-Tanf border crossing to Iraq which the U.S. military occupies. Syrian government forces got bombed by the U.S. when they tried to reach it. Currently the Syrian Army is fighting ISIS forces which earlier attacked Suweida and massacred some 250 people there. Those ISIS forces are now surrounded at the Safa lava field nearby. They will be defeated because the Syrian army isolated them from their sources of supplies in the U.S.protected zone:
Desert Hawk @Syrian_Uruk - 7:31 utc - 14 Aug 2018
The #SyrianArmy surrounded ISIL gatherings at #Safa after cutting off their supply lines between the Zalaf & Rahim Dam while the #SAA secured a wall between the #US #tanf base to cut off roads from Al-Rikban and Al-Tanf camps and separate them from each other #Syria #OpDignity
The Syrian army is still preparing for the operation in Idleb governorate which is mostly under al-Qaeda's control. Under the Astana de-escalation agreement Turkey has been given until early September to solve the al-Qaeda problem in the province. It is unlikely that Turkey will succeed with that.
The Sanctions team finds:
[The Al-Nusra Front (ANF)] is assessed to remain the controlling force within the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) umbrella, which has accordingly been added by the Sanctions Committee as an alias of ANF. Syrian national Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani is the leader of both ANF and HTS. HTS maintains a position of strength in Idlib province, but is under pressure from other Syrian opposition groups.Member States assess that HTS and its components still maintain contact with Al-Qaida leadership. ... According to one Member State, HTS recently seized territories from Ahrar Al-Sham and other armed groups after being reinforced by the arrival of military and explosives experts from Al-Qaida in Afghanistan. Some ISIL fighters, such as the leader of the ISIL Green Brigade in north-western Syria, have also joined HTS.
...
Extortion remains a primary source of financing for ANF, which earns money through its control of Idlib and checkpoints, including by “taxing” the movement of commercial commodities. Kidnapping for ransom of locals is another source of revenue, and the group may earn some funds through external donations.
'Western' media continue to play down the Idleb problem and al-Qaeda's influence there. Their 'experts' cry crocodiles tears about the upcoming Syrian operation. But these ain't 'moderate rebels'. Al-Qaeda in Syria, under the Nusra or HTS label, continues to be a danger not only to the local population and not only to Syria. It must be eliminated as soon as possible.
But the same way the U.S. continues to use ISIS for its imperial interests, it will likely continue to use al-Qaeda in Syria to exercise pressure on the Syrian and Russian government. As soon as the Idleb operation starts we can expect another full propaganda onslaught with daily news of the "last hospital bombed", more faked 'chemical attacks' and fake rescue videos.
Posted by b on August 14, 2018 at 17:38 UTC | Permalink
I do bet on one thing. If the Syrian or the Russians cross the Euphrates to attack ISIS they're going to be thoroughly bombed. This article gives a new light about a bombing killing hundred Russian troops or Syrian troops. I forgot the nationality but it's very coherent. Of course, the US mistaken them for ISIS fighters and Russia downplayed it.
@2
US didnt mistake them for ISIS since their base is filled with them and their giving them their special training and they coordinated the extraction of white helmets
it was very deliberate to bomb SAA army and they did it many times before and after that incident
Posted by: occidentosis | Aug 14 2018 18:23 utc | 3
Interesting post as always! Foolish question perhaps, but I wondered about this from the quoted report:
As a result, oil remains a primary source of revenue, with the group using primitive methods to extract it, both for its own consumption and for sale to locals, in addition to the extortion of distribution networks.
When they say "own consumption," does ISIS have a refinery, or are there vehicles that can use crude oil? I believer I have heard that ships can burn it, but they aren't using ships. What other uses would there be?
Posted by: PrairieBear | Aug 14 2018 18:28 utc | 4
"oil extraction and its sale to Turkey was ISIS' main financial resource"
This "ISIS-oil" is most likely a straw man that has been made up for covering up the REAL main source of weaponry and finance, that is the US and friends. The oil was small change.
Posted by: nyolci | Aug 14 2018 18:58 utc | 5
"A day after the G20 summit the U.S. airforce started to bomb the long lines of oil tankers". That must have let a right mess.
This reminds me of those long lines of Daesh Toyota pick-ups we used to see on TV, and which seemed great targets for A-10s, but were apparently ignored by the Air Force. That was several years ago, so the fix was on early.
Posted by: Bart Hansen | Aug 14 2018 18:59 utc | 6
Everybody knows it but no one calls them on it including Russia and China. So long as the Empire has them all bullied,,, nothing will change.
Posted by: ken | Aug 14 2018 19:15 utc | 7
Since when has isis not been a Western proxy. Since when has the US not been a terrorist state. Israel knows its friends
Posted by: Sadness | Aug 14 2018 19:16 utc | 8
The protection of Daesh by the empire of chaos is so insidious that it's downright evil in its intent. To think of the Syrian citizens suffering needlessly so the US can use its pawns when they want to unleash pain is hard to stomach when it's so unfair. The people of Syria did nothing to the world to deserve the hell that was unleashed on them from the outside.
Posted by: worldblee | Aug 14 2018 19:20 utc | 9
ken @7:
IIRC, Russia has called out the US on supporting ISIS. On the other hand, China has been a disappointment.
Posted by: Ian | Aug 14 2018 19:35 utc | 10
@9 In a sense what the Empire is doing to Syria is worse than what the Nazis did. At least the Nazi aggression was in plain sight; they did not pretend to be virtuous white-knight humanitarians, tearing up over the photos of dead children.
Posted by: S | Aug 14 2018 19:42 utc | 11
The Russians will blast these scum sooner than later.
Putin has ramped his diplomacy with Shoigu and Gerimasov enforcing the "diplomatic" message.
The Russian Federation, for all intents and purposes, is at War Council stage. They know the US will kill hundreds more Russian troops in Syria if they can. Last time, at Deir ez Zor, it was Wagner contractors killed.
The favor has not been returned. It will.
al Tanf, Hassake, Deir ez Zor and all the East will fall from US hands. This will come later. For now, Idlib. 50,000 terrorists. Tough terrain in many places.
Erdogan playing wild card for as long as he can. But the die is cast. The smart play is work with Russia. The Kurds will gain enormously by helping Assad. Turkey can no longer play both sides. If he comes in now and helps kill off these freaks, he will benefit in the final political settlement of Syria. Holding on to his proxies will leave him holding on to the dead and destroyed.
Erdogan still has time, a few weeks. The US has run out of time. It will be blasted out of Syria. What the US has on the ground cannot be protected from the skies. They will never have air superiority, and thus won't be able to fly cover for their 4000 sets of boots nor the 30,000 or so pieces of human waste their ISIS proxies constitute. It's all targets for Kalibr missiles and thermobaric missiles and bombs from Tu-22m3s.
Could be a Christmas Bombing, ironic presents from Russia to the heathens.
Posted by: Red Ryder | Aug 14 2018 19:46 utc | 12
At least Russia and its allies from Iran, Iraq and the Hezbollah were capable of preventing regime change in Damascus. That's not a minor achievement on the ground, so the Axis of Resistance is still alive and ready to face the enemies of humanity in southern Lebanon or Iran.
Posted by: Guy Moyssen | Aug 14 2018 19:58 utc | 13
thanks b.. excellent coverage here as usual.. as others have noted - the west under usa leadership are working with isis/al qaeda and etc etc - trying to convince others of their support for ''moderates'' while doing something very different.. meanwhile we will get bombed with news from the west on the atrocities of russia, syria and irans actions on the ground... the story is very predictable at this point.. the only thing missing here is another false flag - this time in idlib at the opportune time...
i agree with @12 red ryder.. it is only a matter of time.. the jig is up.. as for turkey - the wiggle room is getting smaller and smaller as we move forward here.. count down to 2020 is happening fast..
Posted by: james | Aug 14 2018 20:27 utc | 14
limited hangout as usual
"Since November 2017 the U.S. largely stopped the fight against ISIS in north-east Syria"
The US never fought ISIS- only aided them.
As did Israel as is evidenced by this statement
"Under the nose of more than 2,000 U.S. forces in north-east Syria ISIS recuperated and again gained force."
"despite declaring a grand coalition against ISIS, never made the lucrative ISIS oil operations a target"
obviously, because the oil sold through the pipelines via northern Iraq- saw most of the oil sold to Israel- this paid for operations
That could not have happened unless it was the desired outcome
And since "ISIL can still draw on some of its traditional funding streams, including hydrocarbons ..."
And we know Turkey isn't assisting in this because they never were- and with the US and Turkey so severely at odds at this time we have to look again at the fact the smuggled oil was always going from eastern Syria to northern Iraq and shipped via the Kurdish operated pipelines.
The ISIS/Turkish cooperation with pure Israel/US lies. Passed on via the always lying media
Posted by: anonymous | Aug 14 2018 20:32 utc | 15
Thanks for the update b. Afraid I've given up waiting for the appropriate response from Russia for the blatant support given ISIS by the U$. At the very least, how about some loud rhetoric for the world press?
If presented with enough passion, maybe, just maybe, some of the news would filter down to the massive numbers of dumbed downed bovines, the Amerikkan public has become..
Posted by: ben | Aug 14 2018 20:52 utc | 16
ISIS is a U.S. proxy. Are you admitting you do not know that?
Posted by: Steve | Aug 14 2018 21:00 utc | 17
@Posted by: PrairieBear | Aug 14, 2018 2:28:42 PM | 4
I was wondering the about the same...Most probably there is much of what @Posted by: nyolci | Aug 14, 2018 2:58:44 PM | 5, comments....
Posted by: Sasha | Aug 14 2018 21:27 utc | 18
This "ISIS-oil" is most likely a straw man that has been made up for covering up the REAL main source of weaponry and finance, that is the US and friends. The oil was small change.
Posted by: nyolci | Aug 14, 2018 2:58:44 PM | 5
Yes, indeed nyolci.
"For example, the United States investment fund and rival of the Carlyle Group, Henry Kravis’ KKR (market value 150 billion dollars). It employs General David Petraeus and transferred funds and weapons to Al-Qaeda and Daesh [2]. Or Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota, which furnished all of Daesh’s new vehicles (market value 170 billion dollars) [3]. Or again, Caterpillar, the manufacturer of construction machines, which sold to the jihadists the tunnel-building machinery necessary for the construction of their underground networks (market value 76 billion dollars). Not to mention the Franco-Swiss cement producer Lafarge-Holcim, which produced 6 million tonnes of cement for the construction of their bunkers (market value 40 billion dollars) [4], etc."
http://www.voltairenet.org/article202418.html Seize the Transnationals to Rebuild Syria?
Just like when GM supplies Hitler w vehicles https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/daily/nov98/nazicars30.htm
Posted by: Penelope | Aug 14 2018 21:47 utc | 19
ISIS recuperate under the nose of the presence of US forces or because of the presence of US forces? There is nothing to indicate that the US is serious about destroying ISIS and much that indicates strong support for them.
Posted by: CD Waller | Aug 14 2018 22:01 utc | 20
@ Red Ryder | 12
Last time, at Deir ez Zor, it was Wagner contractors killed.The favor has not been returned. It will.
There were news Russia and SAA laid waste on 2000 of US soldiers and contractors in East Ghouta. If its true, revenge got served for Wagner contractors.
And yes, oil/extortion/artifact sales depicted as "the main source of IS income" is a red herring. The main financing (I would bet over 90%) came from the usual suspects. Massive convoys of weapons and supplies for terrorists werent from the "black market" either. Neither were thousands of brand new Toyota pickups.
Posted by: Harry | Aug 14 2018 22:58 utc | 21
Penellope@19
The Transnationals were all paid by the states for their roles. The states and transnationals are one and the same. Some call it corporatism. Meyssons pro Trump stance bothers me. His lead in states "From this standpoint, he (Trump) considers that war damages owed to Syria should not be paid by the United States, but by transnational corporations". No evidence in the article that this is Trumps position other than his blaming Bush and Obama for the war , which he has continued.
Posted by: Pft | Aug 14 2018 23:04 utc | 22
#4 PrarieBear
Yet refineries of today had surprisingly humble origins. For example, Kern County pioneers in the 1860's used mule-drawn wagons to haul a primitive still to a spot near the modern intersection of Twissleman Road and Highway 33 to erect the Buena Vista refinery. This pioneer operation boiled a few barrels a day of tarry oil, dipped by hand from shallow shafts that represented Kern County's first oil wells, to produce kerosene for lamps, lubricants for wagon wheels, waxes for candles, and gasoline--a clear, lightweight liquid that was usually thrown away as a useless byproduct.
Posted by: Hal C | Aug 14 2018 23:05 utc | 23
@Posted by: Penelope | Aug 14, 2018 5:47:18 PM | 19
My problem with Thierry Meyssan is his bombproof trust, and one even would say that faith, on the innocence of Trump in all this. If I would be able I would ask him how, the signature yesterday of the hugest military budget in US history and the continuing carnage in Yemen and Afghanistan, fits into his paradisiacal prospect of The Donald´s administration.
Only for this, eventhough most of what he publishes is highly likely true, I am taking him with a grain of salt since time ago...The same happens to me with Assange, btw...When you are a real truthteller, you do not fall only on one side of the scale, as if the other side had nothing to reproach ...I fail to see, why The Donald, who is himself a transnational businessman ( as they really are their direct relatives who work as advisers at the WH, all of them financed by transnational capital,like Kushner being financed by Soros, as well ) was going anytime to fight the hand that feeds him...a man whose main aspiration seems to be playing golf at luxury resorts with his cronies and marrying women every time younger his age...for what huge ammounts of money are needed....
Posted by: Sasha | Aug 14 2018 23:08 utc | 24
@Posted by: Pft | Aug 14, 2018 7:04:30 PM | 22
And, one would say that, what transpires from that statements, since he is the representative of the USA now, as they were Bush Jr. and Obama at their time, is going from Syria scot-free, leaving the debt payment on reparations to others, as it seems to be his "style", like was on that scandal/Ponzi-scheme about students loans he was immersed on...
I fail to see there anybody standing against any transanational entity, but a scoundrel mafiosi leaving the crime scene as if nothing went with him...
He is the POTUS, and that implies that he assumes the responsabilities of the country he is charge of related to war crimes, war debts, war compensations, and so on...Everybody around the world is taking note of his "style"...and this is why, in spite of the efforts by Meyssans, Assanges, or whatever "freedom speech fighters", sooner than later, it would not be any country which would make any deal with the US...at this pace....Strange way of MAGA...
Posted by: Sasha | Aug 14 2018 23:49 utc | 25
I recall about a year ago a report on PBS (Propaganda Broadcasting Service) on a story about U.S. intervention to halt ISIS oil exports which featured a combat video supposedly showing the U.S. AF bombing ISIS gasoline tankers. I looked closely at the video and discovered Cyrillic characters! I immediately contacted the PBS ombudsman, pointed out that it was a RUSSIAN video featuring RUSSIAN intervention. After a couple days he eventually admitted PBS had made an "error" but of course no correction was ever issued.
Posted by: Trisha Driscoll | Aug 15 2018 0:34 utc | 26
Perhaps it's a naive question, but is there any reason the SAA could not go around the US-held area, i.e., through Iraqi territory, to engage ISIS and/or get their allies in Iraq to help from their side of the border?
Posted by: farm ecologist | Aug 15 2018 0:34 utc | 27
Pft @22, yeah, I agree on the pro-Trumpism. In a related article, Meyssan says Trump campaigned against globalist capitalism and for productive national capitalism. I don't think so. The only good thing I can see about Trump is that the establishment had to pretend to be against him to get him elected.
Note that I quoted Meyssan not on his analysis, but on his citing of data-- re aid to those attacking Syria. Everyone's looking for a hero & it's surprising how many people pin the badge on Trump.
I don't agree w you that the state (govts) ARE the transnationals. To be sure, global corporatism is the goal and we are moving in that direction. I think we all tend to forget that there are many voices and much opposition to our current direction: Just because you don't see it on oligarchic media doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
Posted by: Penelope | Aug 15 2018 0:59 utc | 28
Sasha @24, Yes I agree that Trump is a transnationalist. Impossible to get the funding he got for his real estate projects w/o being an insider. Wm Engdahl has written a bit de-masking Trump.
The very long-lasting theatre play that the extablishment is against Trump, trying to get rid of him is just distraction. Were he a threat to the establishment he couldn't have been elected. It's all distraction to keepus from realizing the real steps being taken to move us further towards global corporatism.
EG: the longstanding global warming hoax which is the excuse for Agenda 21's total dictatorship thru land use regulations.
http://www.votefortheconstitution.com/californias-land-and-water-wars.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3NbhgZUZQo Agenda 21 - Rosa w the wild white hair is nevertheless a knowlegeable and dramatice speaker. Very good single source on Agenda 21.
Posted by: Penelope | Aug 15 2018 1:20 utc | 29
@Posted by: Penelope | Aug 14, 2018 9:20:08 PM | 29
Of course, I have read some of W.Engdhal´s unmasking of Trump.
But, if everything is so clear, even for us, common people, what is your point on people like Meyssan´s stance on continuing spreading this really fake story about Trump, The Savior?
I mean, which could be the motives of this kind of people who many of us trusted for long time and even with whom we initiated ourselves in the researching in the net, money too?
I wonder whether all was planned so as to get us, at the end, without anybody whom to trust, any media which to believe, any state or international institution which to respect...not being even able to trust our peers of years of convivence in the neighborhood because of race, gender or political correctness matters....I am starting thinking that everything is about that, of throwing us against each other, while leaving us indefense, unable to stand for anything which could remain from the organized civil society, as to create chaos where they will plunder at pleasure when everything falls apart, while we remain shocked, without knowing where to go, even what to think, like it happened in the former USSR...This is, I fear, the Shock Doctrine applied to the US and the Western world...
Posted by: Sasha | Aug 15 2018 1:46 utc | 30
@21, Harry,
East Ghouta, had many Brits trapped, but I think they ultimately got away, though there was no help given by Russia. Thereafter, Theresa May and Mi6 concocted "Highly Likely"-Skirpal poisoning.
Same thing happened with US advisers in Raqqa. They were caught with ISIS elements and had some near misses. Later, the US attacked the Russian PMC formation at Deir ez Zor.
There never was 2000 troops of NATO country killed in Syria. Fantasy story.
Russia has yet to payback for the incident that killed scores of their mercs.
Posted by: Red Ryder | Aug 15 2018 2:42 utc | 31
Irag government and the PMU must be aware of the US aid and protection for ISIS pockets, how long until they demand US let the Iraq military and militias be allowed to come clean them up? How long till Iraq can ask US troops to leave its country? How can the Kurds collaborate with the US occupiers under the SDF mantle when they see them protecting these pockets? Doesn't the YPG want to go eliminate these monsters who murdered and raped their people?
Posted by: Jason | Aug 15 2018 3:02 utc | 32
@ Sasha who wrote: " This is, I fear, the Shock Doctrine applied to the US and the Western world..."
I agree and have posited that in comments here multiple times.
That social safety net thing is just getting out of hand in their minds and a smaller population would be easier to control......
I hope they do not succeed.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Aug 15 2018 5:16 utc | 33
Penelope @ 29 said:"The very long-lasting theatre play that the extablishment is against Trump, trying to get rid of him is just distraction. Were he a threat to the establishment he couldn't have been elected. It's all distraction to keep us from realizing the real steps being taken to move us further towards global corporatism."
Bingo! Absolutely. Cannot be stated enough..
Posted by: ben | Aug 15 2018 5:22 utc | 34
Sasha @ 30, You ask for my point about Meyssan? I'm not making one, except to agree w others that his analysis re Trump seems to be w/o foundation.
I only brought him into the discussion to quote his DATA on who's helped those attacking Syria-- as opposed to his ANALYSIS.
One always has to do one's own analysis, often after considering that of others. Nothing tragic about this: Minds are individual, and we can't delegate thinking to others, just like we can't delegate self-govt. Which I'm sure you know.
All intelligence operations-- including the massive one of bringing us into global oligarchy-- require cover stories. The way to make a cover story credible is to mix in elements of truth. (limited hangout) So it's always up to us to figure out whether a source is credible or not; whether analysis on a particular topic is correct or not. We can never simply accept on faith everything that anyone says. But that's ok.
Posted by: Penelope | Aug 15 2018 7:02 utc | 35
Could be a Christmas Bombing, ironic presents from Russia to the heathens.
Re: Posted by: Red Ryder | Aug 14, 2018 3:46:30 PM | 12
You're way off base buddy. There will be no Christmas bombing by Russia. Putin is not going to blow the prestige and hard won admiration achieved by a successful holding of the World Cup in the lead up to some very important elections!!
Surely you've learnt by now just how patient Putin is?
Might I remind you coming up in the next 9 months are:
US Mid-Terms (November 2018)
European Elections (May 2019)
Ukraine Presidential Election (May 2019).
You do understand that several of the so-called populist parties poised to do very very very very well at the next European Elections are very sympathetic to Putin don't you?
Play his cards right over the next year and Putin could get rid of Juncker (he is gone for certain but still worth mentioning), Merkel (a poor result in the European Elections will see her knifed and replaced - finally), T-Bot May following a disastrous Brexit which will rightly be blamed on her pathetic non-leadership & Russian sanctions GONE! From the EU - and if Trump goes well in the Mid-Terms maybe the US as well - oh and that fat pig in Kiev Porky gone as well!!
That is quite a bloody excellent 12 months coming up if Putin plays his cards right - there will be no 'rocking the boat' by Putin before Summer 2019 - not a chance!!
The opportunity presented by the next 9 months is exactly what Putin has been waiting for for the last 4 years since 2014 - he is not going to stuff it up in the last 6 months of that time period!!
No way.
I think Thierry Meyssan is trying to explain the complexity of the manouevers the present administration is carrying out, while there is a genuine opposition against them from PART of the deep state.
That part may be more closely associated with Britain and the neocons they have encouraged for decades.
I dont think Meyssan believes that the Us has become less driven by selfinterest only that they need to change the strategy in a more realistic direction. Legal moves using tariffs, not just terror. And since there is no concensus among the elites Trump needs to crisscross in a seemingly erratic manner as I understand Meyssan.
William Engdahl's analysis seems to concur with the view that Trump is just as much a Deep state follower as his predecessors.
I dont think there is a big difference between their viewpoints.
Posted by: Peter Grafström | Aug 15 2018 10:59 utc | 38
@Posted by: Peter Grafström | Aug 15, 2018 6:59:05 AM | 38
But, what kind of complexity of manouvers the last bill on defense budget includes, if not more of the same in military spending, mainly for adventures abroad, but elevated to the higuest potence, ideated by comprador senators to enrich their paymasters before the whole edifice crushes under the galloping augmenting debt, which such bill does not but accelerate? Not to mention circumventing Congress in matters like declaration of war on Iran which falls directly on Mattis´ hands....This is the official signature of the US military junta, to my view...
https://www.mintpressnews.com/trump-thank-mccain/247699/
Posted by: Sasha | Aug 15 2018 11:50 utc | 39
Peter Grafström
There is a big difference between a viewpoint of Trump as insider vs. Trump as outsider.
>> complexity of manouevers?
What do you mean by this? 'Complexity' is a mask. 'Complexity' oils elite malfeasance.
>> genuine opposition
You are mistaking divide and conquer as "genuine opposition".
>> PART of the deep state ... associated with Britain and the necocons they have encouraged for decades
Misdirection. How has Trump not served the interests of the 'deep state'? And just how does the British 'deep state' differ from the American?
>> no concensus [sic] among the elites
There's that 'complexity' again. LOL.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 15 2018 11:50 utc | 40
More on the same....in the sea of lies...
Debunking another myth, Trump´s disengagement from the Middle East...
Posted by: Sasha | Aug 15 2018 12:05 utc | 41
farm ecologist @27:
The SAA does not have the necessary resources to venture out beyond their own borders. They can barely secure their nation. IIRC, Iraqis have been dealing with ISIS and friends inside their own nation, so no need for the SAA.
Posted by: Ian | Aug 15 2018 12:35 utc | 42
@ Sasha who wrote: " This is, I fear, the Shock Doctrine applied to the US and the Western world..."
Posted by: Sasha | Aug 14, 2018 9:46:14 PM | 30
I also have serious questions about Thierry Meyssan. Some of what he writes appears to be factual, but a significant minority appears to be pure fantasy. Until recently I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt to his intentions, if not to his quality, but I generally avoid following links to his site.
To those who are questioning the authenticity of some of the supposed "alternate" sites, have a look at this, then compare the link that follows:
http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2018/08/another-theory-bites-the-dust-ttg.html
Note in particular the statements attributed to William Binney and how they are worded.
In the second article the statements from Binney are cited more fully and given in a broader context, and it is clear that the turcopolier article deliberately distorts the context of the Binney quotations to give the opposite intention to what Binney intends. It is so worded to give the impression that Binney claims that the analysis of the Guccifer files was manipulated and a fabrication, when actually he was saying the Guccifer files themselves were manipulated and a fabrication. The Turcopolier article strongly implies that Binney regards the "leak not hack" VIPS report as discredited, when the opposite is true.
The Turcopolier article, which directly paints the original (Forensicator) source of the leak not hack analysis as a fraud, uses indirect speach to misrepresent Binney:
The Guccifer 2.0 files analysed by Leonard’s g-2.space were “manipulated”, he said, and a “fabrication”.
The original speech of Binney cited by the 2nd article makes clear that Binney was saying the Guccifer files were fabricated not the Forensicator (Leonard) analysis.
I have no idea who "TTG" is, but as Turcopolier host Pat Lang is 100% responsible. Deliberate Fake News.
Posted by: BM | Aug 15 2018 14:58 utc | 43
What are German laws regarding suspected ISIS in their country? Did the fact that a migrant report this about an incident in another country have some bearing? This isn't just Germany - there are reports from other European countries about identified ISIS/al Qaeda walking around freely.
Source: https://www.daeshdaily.com/#x2
KURDISTAN NEWSA Yazidi woman told her story of returning to Kurdistan after being kidnapped and tortured by Daesh. The young woman, “Ashwaq,” was 15 when she was abducted during a terrorist attack on Sinjar in 2014. She said that the night of her kidnapping, they were driven to Shaddadi (in Syria) and locked up together with many other kidnapped Yazidis in a 3-story building. After 10 months of torture and physical abuse, “Ashwaq” escaped to a Peshmerga-controlled area and lived with some relatives. Under a refugee program, she moved to Stuttgart, Germany, together with her mother and 1 brother. There she again met the same Daesh man who had bought her in Mosul for $100, as he came to the same refugee camp in Stuttgart. She told the German authorities about it, but says they did not take any action against the Daesh member. Disillusioned, she returned to Kurdistan after 3 years as a refugee in Germany. [BasNews]
BasNews link in brackets end:
http://www.basnews.com/index.php/ar/news/kurdistan/459200
Presumably, this head-chopper is still wandering around Germany today. I guess as long as he doesn't deny the Holocaust, he's a free man.
Posted by: PavewayIV | Aug 15 2018 15:00 utc | 44
Presumably, this head-chopper is still wandering around Germany today. I guess as long as he doesn't deny the Holocaust, he's a free man.
Posted by: PavewayIV | Aug 15, 2018 11:00:32 AM | 44
Is he a BND asset/patsy? Most of the publicly known ISIS members and ISIS cells in Germany, UK, France etc seem to be working as assets for the local intelligence agencies, especially when linked to terrorist incidents. What are the similarities between ISIS and the Nazis (the origin of the BND)?
Posted by: BM | Aug 15 2018 15:14 utc | 45
Another serial Fake News suspect in my opinion is Tyler Durden:
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-08-13/sweden-burning-migrant-gangs-unleash-coordinated-fire-bomb-rampage-across-multiple
The neo-Nazis are fast rising in power all over Europe, and everywhere they have immense power and influence inside the intelligence services. I'll bet those fires in Sweden were set with the connivence of the police, using immigrants who are working for the intelligence services. Part of the idea behind the populist revolt is to channel popular anger against the establishment through right wing extremist and neo Nazi groups where it remains under the thumb of the deep state (and even assists a fascist takeover), rather than let it flourish under leftists. The fascist groups are intentionally portrayed as more effective opposition to the establishment than the leftists.
Posted by: BM | Aug 15 2018 15:47 utc | 46
https://thewallwillfall.org/2018/08/15/the-road-to-idlib-and-beyond-where-next-for-syria-peter-ford/
Posted by: MR | Aug 15 2018 15:49 utc | 47
I'm not sure that this situation is worth getting into a tizzy over and I'd be VERY surprised if Russia isn't fully aware of this ISIS re-birthing. I'm thinking back to the warning Erdogan received before Russia incinerated his tanker truck convoy (5 or 6 seconds).
I've just been refreshing my memory of Stone's Putin Interview part 3. About 10 minutes from the end, during a discussion about de-confliction arrangements in Syrian airspace Putin mentions that the US-led "International anti-ISIS Coalition" makes 2 to 5 air strikes while the Ru Air Force makes 70 to 100.
"Per day?" Stone clarifies. "Yes every day, 7 days a week" says Vlad.
So the optics of the wimpy US-NATO role in Syria is much more like a bookmark, or a 'RESERVED' sign on a cafe table, than a combat outfit.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Aug 15 2018 16:01 utc | 48
Written by Peter Ford, former UK Ambassador to Syria 2003 – 2006 https://thewallwillfall.org/2018/08/15/the-road-to-idlib-and-beyond-where-next-for-syria-peter-ford/
Posted by: MR | Aug 15 2018 16:01 utc | 49
@36, Julian
Did you predict the Russia Aerospace bombing on both sides of the Syrian border, to clear out the SW DEZ?
That Russia stiff-armed the US and Israel with the swift and torrid air attack in the US controlled DEZ?
And during what period of time has the re-capture of the SW, Deraa occurred?
I think Putin is very patient and shrewd and willful and dangerous when you think (and I think) you know what he will or won't do.
The future is a guess for all of us.
Russian MPs on the Golan. 4 posts up, 6 planned, maybe 8. Who thought Russia would be so bold as to forearm shiver to the face of the US, Israel, and Iran ?
Posted by: Red Ryder | Aug 15 2018 16:13 utc | 50
Sasha@41
Agreed.
Eric Zuesse point out that Trump is all in to protect the petro-dollar:
"America’s political class now have two competing ideas to deal with this danger, Obama’s versus Trump’s, both being about
how to preserve the dollar in a way that best serves the needs of ‘defense’ contractors, extractive firms, and Wall Street. Obama
chose Europe (America’s largest market) as America’s chief ally (he was Euro-centric against Russia); Trump chose the
owner of Saudi Arabia (he’s Saudi-Israeli centric against Iran) — that’s the world’s largest weapons-purchaser, as well as the
world’s largest producer of oil (as well as the largest lobbies)."
https://www.globalresearch.ca/why-trump-cancelled-the-iran-deal/5650309
Posted by: Krollchem | Aug 15 2018 16:28 utc | 51
PavewayIV says:
Presumably, this head-chopper is still wandering around Germany today
well, if i think about all the individuals wandering around today who have partaken in one atrocity or another i'm somehow not particularly alarmed. outside of a command system most of these individuals revert to what they were before they joined the force...individuals.
except for the occasional raving lunatic, you pretty much have to join a military to engage in this kind of barbarity.
Posted by: john | Aug 15 2018 17:11 utc | 52
A trusted "personality" is, obviously, easily compromised. He makes a name for himself with truthful reporting over time - or perhaps he is thrust onto the scene - guided and sponsored all along by the C!A.
He works for money and he is aware that his life or the lives of his loved ones are in constant danger if he does not toe the line.
Therefore, Limited Hangouts abound. These are the vast majority among the alternative blogosphere.
Posted by: fastfreddy | Aug 15 2018 18:52 utc | 53
BM @43, I share your skepticism about Meyssan's analysis. In fact, I even wondered if the same person is still writing under his name.
The reason is that he is the one who informed us, fully 3 weeks before anyone else, that the Russians were entering Syria militarily. However-- get this!-- he said they had been invited by the US to do so. The US & NATO withdrawing their Patriots lent credibility to this, as Russian operations in that part of Syria wd have been impossible otherwise.
I personally find this credible, since I had earlier noticed that a mere skeptical glance at the Russian passenger liner that "crashed" in the Sinai establishes it
as one of the poorest hoaxes: No impact craters at all; even the motor sat light as a feather on the sand. This was the excuse for Russian escalation remember. But it was UK & US intelligence who announced that a DAESH or ISIS bomb had brought it down. Why wd they help Russia to escalate?
Same doubts about the Ukraine crash which was the excuse for sanctions against Russia.
I don't know about the total relationship between Russia & US, but there's clearly more cooperation than is admitted.
Anyway, Meyssan originally had US & Russia cooperating to prolong Syrian conflict, now this Trump plus Putin scenario to SAVE Syria? Sure sounds fishy there's such a turnaround w/o any explanation.
Posted by: Penelope | Aug 16 2018 4:45 utc | 54
Re: Posted by: Red Ryder | Aug 15, 2018 12:13:59 PM | 50
You may be right - but what is the US still doing on the Jordan/Syria/Iraq border at al-Tanf??!?
Get them out of there! It's insane to me that they haven't been chased out of there - but there you go - it is the vaunted patience of Putin.
I'm sure he has a cracking point - but his timetable extends out to 2024 - so he has time, and that's why he's patient.
Turkstream
Nordstream II
These are set to be in place sometime around 2020/2021 (NordStream II) - so I can foresee plenty of patience on the part of Putin yet - until past the next US Presidential Election at least.
@55, Julian,
Two months ago, US/NATO announced a deal with Kazakhstan which seemed to give the US access to base in the Caspian Sea.
Twenty-two years of stalled negotiations of the five Caspian nations suddenly climaxed and Putin stole the Caspian Sea away from the Hegemon! It took Putin a few phone calls and one meeting. Bingo! Stalemate broken. Convention of the Caspian Sea is signed. US is butt-busted.
Same thing several years ago with the Russian-China border war. From 1968 to around 2014, nothing but animosity.
Putin calls up Xi, they meet, end of war, new map and border drawn, now bridge and rail connection.
Putin has gathered in numerous partners in Eurasia, ME, NA, South Asia and SE Asia. He's even drawing in Japan for some of his pet projects in the Far East.
Look at North Korea. He laid the ground work with Kim four years ago by sending Shoigu there and to Pakistan to deal with nuclear weapons development. (It's part of Double Helix:China-Russia, written as a prediction that Russia would move in on NK to denuclearize the Peninsula.) So, now we see the "news" about Kim and Putin and projects to bring rail and gas to NK. A surprise?
You see what goes on? Necessity creates the timetable. Other issues do not handcuff Putin. That's the 'talk', the 'smart thinking'. But he has tools he uses that we don't see.
Posted by: Red Ryder | Aug 16 2018 15:27 utc | 56
The comments to this entry are closed.
but might Russia retaliate by sending armd to Taliban?
Posted by: Ragheb | Aug 14 2018 17:52 utc | 1