Syria - Back In The Arab Fold
Following Syria's military success against its enemies, Arab states which supported the war on Syria are again making nice with it. The United Arab Emirates will reopen its embassy in Damascus. Kuwait and Bahrain will follow. Today a delegation of parliamentarians from Jordan visited Damascus and met with President Assad.
The members of the delegation affirmed that the pulse of the Jordanian street has always been with the Syrian people in the face of the terrorist war against the, as Syria is the first line of defense for the entire Arab region and the victory in this war will be a victory for all the Arab countries in the face of Western projects aimed at destabilizing and fragmenting these countries in service of Israel’s security.
First signs that this was going to happen appeared a few month ago when a Kuwaiti TV personality spoke about the pleasure of visiting an again peaceful Damascus. In June the Foreign Affairs Minister of UAE called the expulsion of Syria from the Arab league a "mistake". In an interview with a Kuwaiti paper Assad said that he had reached "major understanding" with Arab states.
The Saudis though are not yet welcome back in Damascus. They were one of the largest financiers of the Jihadis and will have to pay an equally large price to come back into good standing. Negotiations are ongoing. A formal reentry of Syria into the Arab League can not be far away.
Behind this change is a fear of renewed Turkish ambitions. Not only Saudi Arabia but all the Arab states do not want Turkey to expand and become more powerful. They do not want to see Arab land in Syria under Turkish control. The sole exception so far is Qatar which is allied with Turkey and has Turkish troops on its land to protect it from Saudi imperialism.
The three blocks that form the larger Middle East, Turkey, Iran and the Arab states north of the Red Sea are roughly of the same population size. Each block also represents a religious-political stream with Turkey leading the political-Sunni Muslim Brotherhood, Iran the political-Shia and with the third block consisting of Sunni majority countries with more or less dictatorial rulers. The three blocks compete in their borderlands of Iraq and Syria. The Arabs finally noticed that their attempts to dispose the Syrian government led to gains for Iran and Turkey and put them on the losing site.
For Syria the new Arab position is a very welcome change. While it will certainly not end its alliance with Iran, it will welcome any help against the Turkish ambitions. It also needs investments to rebuild and the rich Gulf states will surely provide some. That will also sabotage U.S. and European plans to starve Syria of money unless it submits to their will.
Posted by b on November 19, 2018 at 17:33 UTC | Permalink
As shown in this article, at least two American politicians believe that Washington's version of the war in Syria is wrong:
http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2018/09/american-politicians-and-syria-what-if.html
Unfortunately, the mainstream Western media has swallowed Washington's narrative hook, line and sinker.
Posted by: Sally Snyder | Nov 19 2018 18:14 utc | 3
There were under currents of change earlier but it now seems to have sped up. The Khashoggi killing seems to have knocked Trump and MBS out of the middle east great game. The Syrian S-300 plus domestic politics seems to have shut down Netanyahu and Israel for the moment and US now seem stalled by their domestic politics with the anti Trump group looking to be sabotaging his foreign policy on top of his other setbacks in foreign policy.
Plenty of room for the GCC mice to play.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Nov 19 2018 18:27 utc | 4
Russ @2--
I read Crooke's most recent essay earlier and second your motion of its importance. As I wrote yesterday, it seems Idlib Dawn will finally be given the go-ahead since the Iraqis aren't yet ready to participate in the East Euphrates operation.
Unmentioned by Crooke is the escalating energy drama over drilling around Cyprus. Also announced today and noted by a ceremony involving Putin and Erdogan is completion of Turk-Stream's underwater segment across Black Sea, thus gas deliveries will commence in 2019. The article provides a map illustrating Russia's sensitivity to Ukrainian and NATO aspirations to conduct war games in the Sea of Azov and surrounding area that it will never allow to occur, which is why NATO's been pushing it as a flashpoint.
Overall, the forces of reaction are in disarray and retreating, although paradigm change still has a long ways to go.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 19 2018 18:45 utc | 5
@3
The Media hasn't swallowed Washington's narrative: they wrote and propagated it.
Posted by: Castellio | Nov 19 2018 18:47 utc | 6
This is for me, very positive news. Hopefully, Assad and the Syrian people will move forward together, providing they are wary of the empire's games, and don't except any rhetoric coming from the West.
IMO they should ask the Russians to stay and move closer into the Russian/Arab orbit.
Posted by: ben | Nov 19 2018 19:51 utc | 7
@ Ben 7
Yes, Russia deserves most of the credit for turning this around, IMO.
Posted by: Stumpy | Nov 19 2018 21:23 utc | 8
thanks b.. you forgot the 4th block in the middle east - usa-israel-ksa... look to them to figure out a way to throw a monkey wrench into any hospitality that might otherwise enter in..at present usa is still in al tanf and a few other places trying their best to play a game with the kurds, and the headchoppers they are also responsible for - isis/al qaeda.. thanks god russia got involved.. after witnessing what happened in libya, they realized they had to act.. a lot of those dictator states, i wouldn't trust, uae in particular.. will be interesting to see how idlib is resolved, or what crazy game erdogan comes up with next..
Posted by: james | Nov 19 2018 21:29 utc | 9
Curious to see how Iraq decides which power bloc it will join. Despite Arabic being the first language for most Iraqis, they are tied to Iran by religion (Shi'ism) and shared history: the area known to the British as Mesopotamia (between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and surrounding territories) used to be part of the Sasanian and Safavid empires (both Persian) before passing to the Ottomans.
The area south of the Persian Gulf which is currently part of the KSA is also mostly Shi'ite and was also ruled / influenced by the Persians and the Ottoman Turks in the past. So we can't assume that the Arabic-speaking populations in that part of the KSA and in Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE will be necessarily loyal to their current Sunni royal family rulers.
Posted by: Jen | Nov 19 2018 22:18 utc | 10
Ham-fisted USA forceful, aggressive, big-stick foreign policy by full spectrum rectum has served to force alliances btw China and Russia and Arab States. How much longer will the EU states stay on board? They are fools to follow the USA.
Posted by: fast freddy | Nov 19 2018 22:19 utc | 11
It seems some EU countries are finally starting to assert their independence in regards to the US, as so many of their interests have been increasingly conflicting. Between that and KSA and Israel embarrassments, and the improved state of Syria, I’ve been surprised and delighted at the direction of recent Geopolitics.
Posted by: Featherless | Nov 19 2018 22:45 utc | 12
@ Stumpy | 8
Yes, Russia deserves most of the credit for turning this around, IMO.
Out of foreign powers Iran did more heavy lifting than Russia in Syria, they are just happy to fly under the radar and allow Russians to take all the credit. BTW, it was Iran who convinced Russia to go all-in as well in 2015.
Posted by: Harry | Nov 19 2018 22:50 utc | 13
Thanks Russ @2
Erdogan has gone out on limb and is now a serious threat to Sunni (non Islamic Brotherhood) factional dominance. His longevity is not certain. Time will tell. Clealy Cooke's assessment is valuable and helps focus the dimensions at play. Trump and Kushner have invested a hugely vulnerable gambit in making nice' with the KSA after his shakedown of most contenders for the throne. It's not over yet and Muhammad bone salmon has a step ot two to go.
Meanwhile the CIA has flagged it's independence from the President yet again. Interesting times ahead.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Nov 19 2018 22:51 utc | 14
Jen @10--
IMO, Iraq will remain within the Arc of Resistance. Once freed from occupation by the Outlaw US Empire and able to unify its polity, Iraq will seek its own path perhaps mimicking Iran's dynamic, revolutionary Islamic Socialist Republic; but whatever its eventual path, it must strive to strongly stamp-out the rampant corruption existing since 1991's Balkanizing of its territory. As such, it must implement a moral Rule of Law instead of the Western modeled immoral Rule of Law now in existence--Law must be written to favor no faction--it must be neutral to be moral. With that in mind, the monetary/financial system must be public, not private, although outliers to the primary system ought to be allowed. Furthermore, all national assets must be nationalized with the state holding majority ownership in all joint-venture projects--One of the most visible mistakes of the Western model is allowing private ownership of public assets and natural monopolies. Iraq was once on the path to Socialism and it must resume it for the benefit of its citizenry. (Many areas of the polity are subject to great pressure thanks to being victims of the Outlaw US Empire's War Crimes and Iraq's partition, the rise in birth defects and cancers are one of the main issues here, and thus state help's needed to cope.)
Syria and Iraq both need to rebuild infrastructure and restore and heal their polities. Both share the opportunity to emerge as much better, more advanced nations as a result, and pointed in a direction that will allow them to positively overcome the current and future crises facing humanity. Both can become new Laboratories for Social Democracy based on sustainable, resilient, economies promoting the vast majority instead of a tiny faction. But such goals must be articulated properly and desired by their polities--and as such, they fit within the ambit of Islam.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 20 2018 0:01 utc | 15
Syria should not return to that fold of wolves.
Every embassy, every regular council, every meeting increases Syria's "attack surface". Who remembers Castro's warning to Chavez about weaponized cancer? The possibilities abound. (Indeed, I cringe whenever I see pictures of anyone shaking hands with Oceania officials.)
Monitoring all those activities "closely enough" pulls resources from other activities for security. Can Syria afford that? I doubt it.
Syria and Russia would be wise to defer re-opening of relations until there's regime change in the countries that facilitated Syria's near extinction.
Posted by: dumbass | Nov 20 2018 1:45 utc | 16
Wow... what kind of happy juice has everyone been drinking? How do you think Muslim brotherhood ( think Qatar and Tyrkey - 10 billion in two years) and salafist ( think SA and Kuwait another 7 billion or so) were able to make their recruits??
Posted by: les7 | Nov 20 2018 1:54 utc | 17
Under Bashar there was increasing openness and those vultures used it to create destruction and chaos. What makes you think they will not do the same thing again??
Posted by: les7 | Nov 20 2018 1:56 utc | 18
When someone from outside offer a wage that is 3 to 5 times what can be made in the local economy, it is inevitable there will be takers.
The Middle East has never been about ' rule of law' - it has always been about a balance of power between the tribes and communities that make up the country
Posted by: les7 | Nov 20 2018 1:58 utc | 19
>> Meanwhile the CIA has flagged it's
>> independence from the President yet
>> again. Interesting times ahead.
>> Posted by: uncle tungsten
The bullshitter-in-chief who found his cabinet by draining the swamp is being undermined by the swamp? You know better.
JackRabbit is right. The swamp chose Trump.
Posted by: dumbass | Nov 20 2018 1:58 utc | 20
ISIS, The Muslim brotherhood and the salafists do not accept a sharing of power or an equitable arrangment between communities in the country. In their view all other communities only have a right to exist if they become totally subservient to their version of belief and practised.
Posted by: les7 | Nov 20 2018 2:00 utc | 21
OT guesses related to Trumphole:
- The bullshitter-in-chief is sitting on billions of real estate assets written down via depreciation to a zero-dollar tax basis and plans to use the "capital gains tax exemption for public service" to not pay a dime on the gains. A 15% fee on gains of $5 billion is $750 million.
- The bullshitter won't divulge his taxes because of how bad that will look. Decades of gains, no or low taxes during those decades thanks to depreciation, and then no taxes upon sale either.
- Democraps don't protest too loudly lest they jeopardize a law they benefit from too.
Posted by: dumbass | Nov 20 2018 2:00 utc | 22
And now they seek renewed access in Syria to push their views.. what is good about this??
(My phone only allowed a paragraph at a time)
Posted by: les7 | Nov 20 2018 2:02 utc | 23
...
Meanwhile the CIA has flagged it's independence from the President yet again. Interesting times ahead.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Nov 19, 2018 5:51:25 PM | 14
I haven't heard that. Please post a link.
If it's true then it's...
1. Extraordinarily, unbelievably stupid.
2. The beginning of the end of The Swamp.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Nov 20 2018 3:27 utc | 24
I have the feeling that the other Arab states that are now making nice with Syria after waging a 7 year genocidal war of terror against the Syrian people are only doing so to be in a better position to stick the next knife in after their war failed. Things throughout the middle east certainly feel that they are building towards a major crisis like the Suez crisis, after a 30 year reign of terror the US looks is unwilling to take a single step back in Syria, is trying to use the Kurds to breakup Turkey, Syria & Iraq with the Kurds and is clearly trying to instigate another major war in the Middle East to overthrow Iran (if successful this would be what, the 6th major war in 30 years).
At this point a crisis event seems unavoidable because Middle East countries will never be able to recover or modernize their economies and political structures while under constant threat of US invasion. right now my money is on either the US/Saudi Arabia attacking Iran or the US attacking Syria. The US still hasn't forgive the Iranians for overthrow their US backed dictator in the 70's, the US will likewise never forgive the Syrian people fought off the US backed Terrorists, the US will be seeking revenge against both countries. Heck, Mike Pompeo flat out said that the US will force the Iranian government to chose between their policies or "feeding the Iranian people", spoken like a true heir of Madeleine Albright!
Posted by: Kadath | Nov 20 2018 3:39 utc | 25
Imo, the CIA is the quintessential "enemy within" referred to in the Oath sworn by US Military Officers. The CIA was created by President Truman and I assume that Trump, who is not allergic to research & homework, and has a memory like a steel trap, has discovered that a President can kill it, if necessary. And it is necessary.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Nov 20 2018 3:49 utc | 26
@15 karlof1
I'm rooting for the path you describe. It hangs in the balance. One can wish very hard.
Will we see Cuban doctors volunteering their skills to help the mass of victims of this sad time, a time now finally become filled with hope?
Why not? There is no limit to the wish, and it does sometimes come true.
In solidarity,
Posted by: Grieved | Nov 20 2018 5:20 utc | 28
@Kadath 25, I'll take that bet. I bet all escalations will be defused and the US Zio SA troika further marginalized to feast upon their own carcasses or some other weak state. Syria et al. are the future.
Posted by: jezabeel | Nov 20 2018 6:37 utc | 29
Kadath, you seem to have overlooked the anglozionist empire's current state of decline-and-fall. All the rest of the world, including the ME states, have to do is to hold things together as best they can, whilst the Swampies' actual physical capacity to create mischief in the world drains away down the tubes of history, as has happened to every single human empire so far... Patience!
Posted by: Rhisiart Gwilym | Nov 20 2018 8:17 utc | 30
It doesn't really matter how nice the opportunist emirates make, or any of the other players, to the degree the US has them all by the balls. And Israel has the US by the balls.
It seems to be coming very clear that Israel, however, is on a downward slope of popular support, and seems to be becoming more desperate every day.
What happened in South Africa, is happening, slowly, there. Eventually the populace supported by referendum a single state solution, and that was that. Now Im not saying that Israel is there, yet, but it is coming.
Just know that if that analogy holds, the last years of apartheid in South Africa were the most bloody in its history that century.
Buckle up...
Posted by: dan | Nov 20 2018 8:42 utc | 31
A few somewhat random thoughts further to Syrian “military success”, considerable and very hard won, with much help from Russia, and help from Iran and Hezbollah: One might ask how likely is it that the US will eventually cooperate, and actually withdraw from occupying parts of the east of Syria? How long will they be there? Will they leave willingly, or by force? If willingly, by what alchemy of cleverness and good fortune can this be achieved? If by force, can they be removed without sparking a bigger war?
One of the ongoing scourges of Earth is this more and more dumbfounding American military empire project, which involves military bases in very many countries of the planet, and subversive activities in just about all, and has been enabled by American global media and financial system domination, and messianic enthusiasm at home. All of those – military dominance, media dominance, financial dominance, home brewed enthusiasm, are in decline.
Although the occupations of Germany, Japan and South Korea, as big examples, continue, those are seeming more and more contrived, bizarre, counterproductive. Russia as once again an essential propaganda system enemy, and China once again also taking on that role, don't quite sustain the same gravitas and enthusiasm that the cold war and its crusade against communism had.
NATO has found a new life by becoming a American dominated aggressive military alliance, but that again requires a lot of effort at keeping a straight face while doing propaganda to justify. Britain has transitioned as Galloway has noted (paraphrased) - from Empire to Post Empire to pretensions of Empire, but has had to recently stay the course by furnishing much material for becoming a global laughing stock. 'In any case, Russia did it!'
The extremely disproportionate influence of Jews over US foreign policy does not fully explain the American empire project, nor can this perpetually control it.
One explanation for the ongoing, generations long, American military empire is that the American military and its beneficiaries and supporting cast – The vast MIC and intelligence agencies and the many millions of people with financial dependency on that – have been determining much of the US national and foreign policy. But the US economy is now fragile, and tens of millions are either destitute or on the verge of such. Socially the Americans are an assortment of basket cases, living in a kind of nutty police state. Empire increasingly not working well at home.
And here I'm going to venture into again an endorsement not of Trump per se, but for one of the key 'meanings' of Trump: Trump's arrival and behavior and many contradictory utterances have thrown many monkey wrenches into the previously relentless grinding on of the American Empire Project. Obama could make war and just about nobody noticed: The empire grinds on; Bush made war and lots cheered, and the Empire grinds on. With Trump's coming , well, in regard to Syria and Germany and Korea and NATO and Turkey and Saudi Arabia and many other places, there are many signs that the Empire project is becoming much more – problematic, weaker, more hollow.
In the United States itself, the many millions of people who have concluded that the term 'fake media' is an accurate description of ABC, CNN, CBS, NY Times, etc., signifies that the ability of traditional mass electronic and print medias to completely 'program' US citizens beliefs and attitudes is in deep decline. The awareness of deeply corrupt and dysfunctional Washington is solidly embedded in much of America. So the support for Empire would seem to be weakened.
And nature itself may also reassert itself in a way to make the American military policy and criminality seem more obviously the wrong priority or insane: As one example, if the Grand Solar Minimum as predicted by Zharkova does its thing, staying warm and having food over the next decades will become far more of a national security concern than military bases in who knows where or another aircraft carrier etc.
Posted by: Robert Snefjella | Nov 20 2018 10:54 utc | 32
Great Crooke's article as usual
What is at stake is indeed the whereabouts of thousands/hundreds thousands MBs now creeping in "Syrian" refugee camps and in Egyptian/Gulf jails.
By dropping the SissiDonaldBS' "vision" some are trying to keep the MBs as part of Egypt society instead of thinking they can be kept forever in overcrowded jails. The vision otherwise has been producing only more violence for the bordering EU countries, and no one believes in it anymore except a bunch of specialists of kickbacks.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-red-sea-islands-luxury-tourism-resorts-holiday-no-conservative-kingdom-rules-egypt-a7873301.html
(and you put a cop behind every employee to prevent stabbings?)
Posted by: Mina | Nov 20 2018 11:02 utc | 33
B,
The 'Globalists' are ramping up their efforts to liquidate Mohammed bin Salman (see https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-11-19/dozens-princes-turn-against-mbs-king-salmans-brother-waits-wings). It is this attack on MbS that, I believe, is behind the 'new Arab position' of the Saudi led block regarding Syria and Yemen
It is also (likely) 'Globalist' enticements that are behind Erdogan's newfound boldness on the geo-political stage. However, he should be careful. Playing all sides off against each other ('Globalists' vs Russia vs MbS) could end in tears for Turkey.
Posted by: dh-mtl | Nov 20 2018 12:35 utc | 34
@ Karlof1 15 at 7:01
(If I were to make a list of those whose comments I trust more than others, you would be at the top of the list, with the single exception of this one topic.)
Islam and Democracy
https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/democracy.aspx
(scroll down to the heading “Democracy”)
“Islamic law is absolutely incompatible with true democracy. It is a theocratic system with Allah alone at its head. Allah's law is interpreted by a ruling body of clerics. There is no room for a secular political system in which all people are treated as equals.”
This is actually a very mild statement of the reality, as can be seen by the 15 direct quotations from the Koran, the Hadith and the Sira that follow.
Posted by: AntiSpin | Nov 20 2018 17:27 utc | 35
@ dumbass 16 8:45
I absolutely agree with these warnings. I remember getting extremely worried when Cuba announced they would permit the US embassy there to be re-opened.
William Blum has a list on his site, of all the countries invaded, bombed, subverted, bribed, assassinated or otherwise “interfered with” by the US since 1945. At the bottom of the list is this question:
Q: Why will there never be a coup d’état in Washington?
A: Because there’s no American embassy there.
Posted by: AntiSpin | Nov 20 2018 17:37 utc | 36
@ Hoarsewhisperer 26 10:49
The CIA was established under Truman but by an act of congress in 1947.
Though a number of different individuals of the time have been credited with its establishment, the real driving force behind it was the execrable Alan Dulles.
Posted by: AntiSpin | Nov 20 2018 17:55 utc | 37
Good comments (in French)
https://www.franceculture.fr/emissions/du-grain-a-moudre/du-grain-a-moudre-du-mardi-20-novembre-2018
Posted by: Mina | Nov 20 2018 18:04 utc | 38
AntiSpin @35--
Thanks for your reply. My prescription's based on the Iranian model as described by Ramin Mazaheri:
"Iran’s solution was both Islamic and modern; the latter is proven by its rejection of antiquated monarchy and the implementation of democratic structures, and Islamic because many of its rules which were inspired by Islamic knowledge. (That Iran’s government is not based on “religion” but based on “religious knowledge” is literally the first piece of ignorance I sought to overturn in my recent 11-part series on modern Iran.)"
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 20 2018 18:26 utc | 39
It appears Iraq's solved its political issues and has begun an offensive South of al-Bukamal and told the Outlaw US Empire to piss off:
"Today, #PMU forces 🇮🇶 , in the western #Anbar province prevented #USAF aircraft from landing at H3 airport and forcing it to leave the area on the border to #Syria."
I'd expect this to be combined with an SAA/Russian move on the Syrian side of the border but have yet to get confirmation of such a move. If the description of Iraqi behavior's correct, it will be seen as the first act in the effort to evict Outlaw US Empire forces from the region once and for all time.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 20 2018 18:41 utc | 40
karlof1
Iraq has also bombed ISIS in the US protected zone east of Euphrates. According to Reuters with permission of the Syrian gov and US coalition. Watching Iraq, it looks as though they are putting steadily increasing all round pressure on the US occupation forces.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Nov 20 2018 19:01 utc | 41
#40
With the benediction of CIA vs Trump thus time?
One wonders what is in the file the Saudis have on Trump...
Posted by: Mina | Nov 20 2018 19:43 utc | 42
@40 karlof1... thanks for that and the note from @41 peter au, which i had heard too..
there is no way we are not going to see a more full out war in the syria area in the next year... that is my take.. as @25 kadath notes - we are moving towards a major turning point and it looks like war on syria from the usa... in today's rt - US promises to ‘disrupt’ oil shipments to Syria, sanctions Russian & Iranian companies ... it can't continue in this direction, as the end result is obvious.. usa may be working for the neo cons and israel, but it isn't working for the rest of the world...
Posted by: james | Nov 20 2018 20:04 utc | 43
more of the latest bs from the usa.
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/all-foreign-troops-except-russia-must-leave-syria-us-envoy/
All foreign troops except Russia must leave Syria: US envoy
exceptional nation talking.. everyone listen up, lol...
Posted by: james | Nov 20 2018 20:31 utc | 44
@ 15 karlof1
Thanks for a great comment. It seems that some form of state capitalism (Russia to an extent, China more) is the model of the moment as an alternative to neoliberalism. But, hey, let’s keep striving.
In John Charmley’s book “Splendid Isolation” from Lord Salisbury, British Prime Minister from 1885-1892 and 1895-1902, we have this staggering statement in 1885: “Time and chance might provide the answer to the Russian problem: revolution, Islamic revival or war against Germany.”
Revolution occurred in 1917, war against Germany in 1914, but we had to wait well over a century for the real Islamic revival to which he refers – the Caliphate in Syria and Iraq - which, had Russia not intervened, would have gone straight into the Islamic underbelly of Russia. Plus ca change.
Posted by: Lochearn | Nov 20 2018 23:11 utc | 45
Lochearn @45--
Thanks much for your reply! I wonder if Salisbury contemplated the fall of the Ottoman Empire when he made his statement.
The key ideals being promoted on behalf of a third of the world's population is One Vision, One Identity, One Community (ASEAN Summit slogan) that's clearly a product of Xi's Win-Win BRI initiative also seems to be occurring in Western Asia within the Arc of Resistance, and Xi's made no secret that he covets their participation in his idea, which he urges others to make their own as a way to solidify partnership. Such solidarity has always been the #1 foe of Imperialist ventures that always rely on Machiavellian manipulations of people into divided, competing factions that are easier to control. Thus is framed the ideological battleground between what remains of the West and the Rest--Inclusion and Equality versus Division and Submission. The world's seen several thousand years of the latter and I believe is quite ready to embrace the great potential of the former. Yes, the Times are Extremely Interesting!
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 20 2018 23:45 utc | 46
@ 46 karlofi1
Phil Butler wrote a good article in New Eastern Outlook "Drowning in Debt Forever: the Fate of Africa seems irreversible. While China loans a lot to Africa the interest payments are low compared to Western investors:
According to the Economist, China only owns 17% of Africa’s interest payments, while private sector interest on loans amounts to a whopping 55%. The economic expert goes on to do minute analysis, but it’s easy to see somebody is fleecing African borrowers. These “opaque” lenders are in the game as privateers, and this is the reason most of the debt being paid is from countries in crisis. The report tells us:
“Of the 16 African countries rated by the IMF as in debt distress or at high risk of being so, on average 15% of their debt is owed to China. China is therefore on average a less significant lender in debt crisis countries than across the whole continent.”
Posted by: Lochearn | Nov 21 2018 0:06 utc | 47
the empire of the city of london a book from the 1930s shows what demonic snakes the anglo zionists are.
add in the mix the 70 odd ashkanazi adviser around trump washington and new york and chums in house of saud and tel aviv
a toxic brew.
qatar and the turks jordans little prince or is it king all helped deconstruct syriana.
assad must not make up he must not be wined and dined by these devils. the first chance they get they will cancer dose him.
they will ngo plot from within what they could not do with takfiri zionist hard power they will do with soft.
these are the times to be guarded and on the watch.
Posted by: keith | Nov 21 2018 0:24 utc | 48
A March 2018 ORB poll:
"......There is a total rejection of dividing the country up; 83% oppose the country splitting into autonomous regions. There is also a great appetite for free and fair elections (and 41% say Assad should be allowed to stand)......."
Free and fair elections have never happened in Syria and there is NO hope for free and fair elections in the future. Just as Egypt went back to square one with the coup to remove the elected Morsi and put the dictator, al-Sissi, back in charge, the anti-Assad protests calling for more political rights in 2011 are back to square one as well after the brutal crackdown by the Assad military.
The war in Syria is still far from over, but Assad is now clearly in control. The Assad regime was weakened considerably by the war (to Israel's benefit).
This is the contact information for Johnny Heald (whoever that is) for questions on the poll
(LONDON)
JOHNNY HEALD
[email protected]
+44 207 611 5270
Posted by: craigsummers | Nov 21 2018 0:45 utc | 49
cs - why do you share that bullshit here? i am curious... i am sure aside from this bozo johnny heald being on the payroll from uk/usa propaganda money, we are told nothing of the poll... anyone who is an idiot is likely to believe it.. anyone who asks questions, isn't... how does one factor in all the money the usa-israel-uk-ksa-uae-turkey-qatar and other western poodles, have thrown at this country to try to get the regime change they wanted?? i wonder how any of these countries would stand up with a similar satanic expression? probably not very well.. and this is the environment the polls are done in, LOL...
take it elsewhere cs... no one believes this horseshit..
Posted by: james | Nov 21 2018 1:21 utc | 50
@30 Rhisiart Gwilym,
I don't doubt that the American Empire is in terminal decline, but I agree with The Saker, namely, that the Neo-Cons within the US government will always double down and within the general US population a negotiated settlement with the demonised figures of Putin, Assad or Iran is tantamount to appeasement and is inconceivable. I fear that as the US's economic and diplomatic power declines it will rely further and further on it's military power, which while also weakening is still very lethal. Given the behaviour of both the Democrats and the Republicans and their bipartisan warmongering, I doubt there would be any breaks on a possible military escalation.
Posted by: Kadath | Nov 21 2018 2:14 utc | 51
Karlofi @ 15: I'm sure I read somewhere online that Colonel Muammar Gaddhafi tried something similar to what you suggested in your comment. Unfortunately his vision was incomplete as he still had to contend with tribally based social and communal networks in parts of Libya and he and his followers were beholden to their clans in western Libya. This meant that eastern Libya (based around Benghazi; the area in antiquity known as Cyrenaica) was less favoured for funding and development and it was in this area that the US (through Chris Stevens) cultivated the opposition that brought down Gaddhafi's government and vision.
Alexander Mercouris (he of The Duran) had a very different opinion of Libya under Gaddhafi in which Libya (1969 - 2011) was comparable to the KSA in how Gaddhafi's family was privileged and Libya was effectively a constitutional monarchy run under faux socialist principles.
https://mercouris.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/the-gaddafi-regime/
Posted by: Jen | Nov 21 2018 4:32 utc | 52
@Jen 52 re: "the opposition that brought down Gaddhafi's government and vision."
The primary "opposition" to Libya's government and Libya's incredibly successful cultural/societal development - including financial strategy - had for long been the Western power structure, culminating in a near half year massive bombardment by several NATO countries in 2011 of Libya, which was what "brought down" the government and destroyed the country.
In 2010 Libya was easily leading the UN's human development index for Africa. Lurid lies about Gadaffi attacking his own people enabled a SC no fly zone to be declared which was then used to bomb the hell out of the country.
Fur a forthright and well informed firsthand description of events and background re Libya prior to its destruction and the destruction of Libya I know no better source than Joanne and James Moriarty, American business people.
Here's a link to one of their reports: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OypVvkCx1Yc
Posted by: Robert Snefjella | Nov 21 2018 13:00 utc | 53
James @50
"......i am sure aside from this bozo johnny heald being on the payroll from uk/usa propaganda money, we are told nothing of the poll... anyone who is an idiot is likely to believe it.. anyone who asks questions, isn't...LOL......"
Why? Because Syrians want free and fair elections? ORB was clearly out of line asking people in Syria if they want political rights. Arabs certainly are unique. They want to be oppressed and live in a police state. And when a few get out of line, they support bringing in the military to level neighborhoods. As Rick Sterling said:
".......The following video shows the Syrian President and first lady meeting with some of the civilians and gives a sense of the joy......."
Posted by: craigsummers | Nov 21 2018 14:45 utc | 54
@ Hoarsewhisperer 26 10:49
The CIA was established under Truman but by an act of congress in 1947.
Though a number of different individuals of the time have been credited with its establishment, the real driving force behind it was the execrable Alan Dulles.
Posted by: AntiSpin | Nov 20, 2018 12:55:53 PM | 37
Thanks. I've no quibbles with that correction.
My #26 was a speculative expansion of my remark at #24 which was a response to what appears to be an unverified claim about the CIA. I doubt that Trump would have run for Prez if the CIA can tell the POTUS to "G.F**k.Y".
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Nov 21 2018 15:36 utc | 55
Posted by: paid jerk-off | Nov 20, 2018 7:45:25 PM | 49
ORB polling is suspect, as you well know and providing contact info for ORB Intl is just what we would expect from a pompous and obtuse blowhard.
Your clients are fools to pay for your third-rate propaganda.
Take your hand out of your pants and get a real job.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 21 2018 15:46 utc | 56
Jen @52--
The Outlaw US Empire since WW2 has always opposed the "threat of a good example" and been very vicious when it comes to "neutering" them. Europe and Korea were first, then Southeast Asia, and always Latin America.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 21 2018 16:18 utc | 57
Posted by: Robert Snefjella | Nov 20, 2018 5:54:45 AM | 32
Extraordinary analysis; such clarity. Thank you.
Likewise, the astute observations offered here:
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 19, 2018 7:01:26 PM | 15
After Lybia, link (> the facts are correct) Russia (pres. at the time Medvedev) swore, Never Again. So they stood up for Syria. Anything less would have signalled terminal weakness and defeat (along with temp partner Iran.)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/18/libya-no-fly-resolution-split
Featherless at 12 wrote:
.. seems some EU countries are finally starting to assert their independence in regards to the US, as so many of their interests have been increasingly conflicting. Between that and KSA and Israel embarrassments, and the improved state of Syria, I’ve been surprised and delighted at the direction of recent Geopolitics.
Imho the small signs of objection - disturbance, talk is cheap after all (e.g. Macron, a valiant, new shiny, EU defense, etc.), signal that certain forces in the US hate Trump so much that they coerce / influence ‘allies’ (vassals) to be horror!-shocked! too, though of course that also happens naturally.
All are just waiting ‘n sitting out the Trump Pres. as a dismaying parenthesis. To return to the status quo ante. After the disgusting deplorables - such an aberration - are wiped away.
Syria should not return to that fold of wolves. dumbass at 16.
Yeah that would be nice but it ain’t realistic. Syria is in terrible shape, it can’t live in autarky, it needs ‘peaceful’ relations with neighbors / Intl. ‘organisms’, to deal with amongst others — drought (ressource management, climate change), energy (ditto), war reparations, trade (food!), return of refugees, etc.
The fight is only 3/4 won, the US and others (Turkey ..) will continue to make as much trouble as possible. As I wrote in a previous post the US cannot admit defeat so that has to be finessed.
Posted by: Noirette | Nov 21 2018 16:36 utc | 59
Many excellent comments in this thread:
Hits it on the head.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Nov 19, 2018 1:27:15 PM | 4
Trash-talking the bots.
Posted by: james | Nov 20, 2018 8:21:28 PM | 50
@60 guerrero... have you ever noticed how the folks asking for free and open elections in middle east countries, are the same people who are okay with the military industrial complex going into a country and murdering countless innocent people - collateral damage - as we have witnessed in iraq, libya and syria under the rube of 'regime change'? either these people are getting some of the money going into propaganda directly from the military industrial complex, or they are brain dead and unable to connect the dots... my feeling is the former... it is a sick job, but i guess they feel someone has to do it so it may as well be them...
Posted by: james | Nov 21 2018 18:08 utc | 61
@60 guerrero... have you ever noticed how the folks asking for free and open elections in middle east countries, are the same people who are okay with the military industrial complex going into a country and murdering countless innocent people - ...
Posted by: james | Nov 21, 2018 1:08:42 PM | 61
I HAVE noticed that!
The comments to this entry are closed.
That is good news ... what we need now is some good news for Yemen
Posted by: BM | Nov 19 2018 18:01 utc | 1