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July 15, 2021
U.S. Announces Retreat From Iraq (And Syria)?

I did not expect this. Great – if true:

Nafiseh Kohnavard @nafisehkBBC – 13:57 UTC · Jul 15, 2021 Breaking

White house coordinator for MidEast, Brett McGurk has informed Iraqi officials that US troops will withdraw from Iraq.

“step by step”, sources tell me. “First combat troops will leave and then others” he has told his Iraqi hosts
…
“Withdrawal from Iraq will not be like what happened in Afghanistan and it will be step by step. The schedule for this will be agreed during Iraqi PM’s trip to Washington” official sources told me
…
And here is the statement from PM office that “mechanism for combat troops withdrawal” has been briefly mentioned in

link

The link is to a tweet of the Iraqi Prime Minister account which says (in Arabic) of the McGurk – al-Kadhimi meeting:

During the meeting, they discussed coordination and joint cooperation in various fields, and preparations for holding the next round of strategic dialogue between Iraq and the United States of America, as well as the mechanisms for the withdrawal of combat forces from Iraq and the transition to a new phase of strategic cooperation.

My first thoughts on this:

  • The pressure the resistance has put onto the occupation force has achieved the desired result.
  • No time frame is given but I expect weeks rather than months for the retreat to take place as the pressure will otherwise increase.
  • Leaving Iraq likely also means leaving Syria as supplies and support to the U.S. occupied Syrian north-east and to the al-Tanf base at the border triangle of Syria, Iraq and Jordan runs through Iraq.
  • The Kurds in north-east Syria must immediately start talks with Russia and the Syrian government. They will have to give up their autonomy or they will be eaten alive by Turkey. Expect them to (again) make the wrong decision. That means that the Syrian government, with Russian support, will have to use force against them. So be it.
  • The U.S. occupation has denied the Syrian government access to two of its greatest resources, oil and grain. Syria will be much better off after regaining these.
  • Expect a huge attempt by the usual hawks and the media to change the decision.
  • The U.S. has dragged its feet over the renewal of the nuclear deal with Iran. Removing the troops from Iraq and Syria moves them out of the target area in the case of an eventual war on Iran.

While there are now first denials from some anonymous 'officials' I do believe that the decision has been made.

It is only rational. A further occupation of Iraq and Syria makes absolutely no sense.

Posted by b on July 15, 2021 at 15:54 UTC | Permalink
Comments

There are no signals of a thaw between Russia and the Financial Empire. Biden and Merkel differed significantly on Nord Stream 2, Russia and China. This further validates this inference too. However, time will expose reality & propagandists. The latter are identified. All the propaganda in the comments is OBFUSCATION.
With regards to Thierry Meyssan, he obfuscate, as seen in his article, “Who does Emmanuel Macron owe?”
“President Macron is often presented as a Rothschild Boy. This is true, but secondary… he owes his electoral campaign mostly to Henry Kravis, the boss of one of the world’s largest financial companies, and to NATO…
Bearing the double recommendation of the Kravis couple and Jean-Pierre Jouyet [3], he integrated the closed circle of François Hollande’s campaign team… A few days later, proposed by the Kravis couple, he was invited to the Bilderberg Club, where he delivered a violent intervention in perfect English against his boss, François Hollande. When he returned to Paris, he resigned from Hollande’s cabinet. The Kravis couple are among the main pillars of the Bilderberg Club, which is administered by Marie-Josée Drouin-Kravis. Contrary to a commonly-held belief, the Bilderberg is not a place where decisions are made. Its archives attest to the fact that it was created by the CIA and MI6, then became an organ of influence for NATO, which directly looks after its security… With the help of essayist Alain Minc (admitted to the Bilderberg Club in 2008), he obtained a post at the university of Berlin and another at the London School of Economics, but was unable to find a place at Harvard…
In December 2014, Henry Kravis created his own Intelligence agency, the KKR Global Institute. He nominated at its head the ex-Director of the CIA, General David Petraeus. With the Kravis couple’s private funds (the KKR investment funds), and without referring to Congress, Petraeus pursued operation « Timber Sycamore » which had been initiated by President Barack Obama. This was the largest weapons traffic in History, implicating at least 17 states and representing many thousands of tons of weapons worth several billion dollars [7]. As such, Kravis and Petraeus became the main suppliers for Daesh [8]…
During his campaign, Emmanuel Macron regularly met with the ex-President of the IMF, Dominique Strauss-Kahn… When the Yellow Vests crisis began in France [12], it quickly became evident that this was a profound problem which could only be resolved by addressing the question of global finance,…
During his electoral campaign, he surprised sponsors at a dinner in New York by making accusations against the financialisation of the economy. It was no more than electoral rhetoric. He was taken to task by the Mr. and Mrs. Kravis – financialisation is the system that enables them to operate the « leveraged buy-outs », which have made them what they are.”
Russia betrayed humanity in WWI & WWII, and got betrayed in the Cold War. Betrayal begets betrayal. Similarly, deceivers decay to demise. What goes around comes around!
Who are Macron’s masters? Who does Thierry Meyssan owe?

Posted by: Max | Jul 16 2021 16:21 utc | 101

Had Trump done the pulling of troops out of Afghanistan the Democrats would have tried to impeach Trump. Oh, wait, the Democrats did threatened Trump with impeachment had Trump removed troops from Afghanistan.
If it was Trump making the announcement we all would be deaf from the Democrats screaming “impeach Trump, impeach Trump, impeach Trump, …”
Do not get me wrong, I welcome the news. I hope it is true.
BUT … what is the catch?

Posted by: JaimeInTexas | Jul 16 2021 16:27 utc | 102

BM at 92 wonders who the enemy is that the US is being redeployed to fight.
General Mike Milley informed us that the enemy is “white supremacist domestic terrorists”, i.e, those Hillary Clinton called “the Deplorables”, the working class of America finally realizing that their ruling overlords do not consider them Exceptional, but rather, a disposable class of people to be stripped and looted of everything they naively thought was theirs to earn and keep.
The battle over the vaccines is a showdown, a war over human rights and body sovereignty, an attempt to show Americans that their precious “God given rights” mean nothing when it comes to corporate profits and imperial decrees, and our rulers are dismayed that almost half the country is stubbornly resisting the over-the-top propaganda, the bribes, and now…the threats.
I’m not bringing this up to get in a battle over the merits of the vaccine. It is obvious to me that a ruling class that allows millions of people to live in squalor on the streets, bringing back long vanquished diseases like bubonic plague and cholera, has no interest in “public health”, so I hope that no one is triggered to defend their motives here.
This is a corporate power grab, the likes of which they tried to push through treaties before, such as NAFTA, TPP and TIPP, but failed to complete. So now they are using a different tact, but the aim, in my opinion, is to use national governments solely as a repression instrument, a way to keep populations under control and able to be exploited, while corporations call the shots (so to speak).

Posted by: wagelaborer | Jul 16 2021 16:29 utc | 103

People should stop looking at tea leaves and wait and see real action. I have discovered myself with the habit of writing a shitload of prediction and analysis for nothing to happen.
The biggest news on the block is that both China and Pakistan have confirmed they got car bomb’d:
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1228870.shtml

Posted by: Smith | Jul 16 2021 16:29 utc | 104

@wagelaborer | Jul 16 2021 16:29 utc | 103
Yes, they retreat from unprofitable external wars to fight the next enemy to be looted: Their own people.
It is all about money.

Posted by: Norwegian | Jul 16 2021 16:38 utc | 105

@ max 101… now you are doing the same with meyssan that you did with michael hudson… it is called throwing out the baby with the bath water.. if you wonder why people are ignoring you – look no further…
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
look up the rest if you are receptive…

Posted by: james | Jul 16 2021 16:39 utc | 106

i personally have a hard time thinking usa-uk-isreal and company are going to stop destroying and making havoc on others reality… thanks arby for your pointing out the transition from afgan to yemen…. the fact is this gang of hoodlums have boxed themselves into a corner…. they don’t want to be defanged either…. the way i see it the new leaders of this century are doing the right thing to not approach it directly… this is what a hunter would do…

Posted by: james | Jul 16 2021 16:42 utc | 107

BM | Jul 16 2021 13:39 utc | 92

If intent is not peaceful then that presumably must mean that the military forces are urgently needed for a major envisioned military action. It is well known that the US military is strapped for manpower due to decreasing recruits, over commitment around the globe, and low morale – not to mention issues of incompetence, drug addiction, corruption, wokeness, etc.
If that is so, the obvious question is who is the intended target?

Earlier this year there were several articles talking about a possible Civil War in the USA. Recently, I have seen no mention of such a possibility. Is it possible that some or all of the numerous spook agencies in the US are warning that troops may be needed at home? (As someone who has never been in the US, I can make only ill-informed guesses about that country.)

Posted by: foolisholdman | Jul 16 2021 16:48 utc | 108

Earlier this year there were several articles talking about a possible Civil War in the USA. Recently, I have seen no mention of such a possibility. Is it possible that some or all of the numerous spook agencies in the US are warning that troops may be needed at home? (As someone who has never been in the US, I can make only ill-informed guesses about that country.)
Posted by: foolisholdman | Jul 16 2021 16:48 utc | 108
Yes. It is hard to see much out here in TV-land, but I think domestic civil unrest in on the table. A very spooked vibe coming from the anti-Trump faction, the establishment, and Washington DC in general. The freaking out about the Jan. 6th demo is one example.

Posted by: Bemildred | Jul 16 2021 16:55 utc | 109

@foolisholdman #108
“Earlier this year there were several articles talking about a possible Civil War in the USA. Recently, I have seen no mention of such a possibility. Is it possible that some or all of the numerous spook agencies in the US are warning that troops may be needed at home?”
Here is an article from Russia Today outlining massive divisions in the US.
Remember, secession preceded/precipitated the US Civil War and a surprising number of people want their home state to secede.
https://www.rt.com/usa/529285-republicans-southern-us-secede/

Posted by: Mar man | Jul 16 2021 17:05 utc | 110

@ james (#106), just raising issues with narrative fallacies of propagandists. Most don’t like accountability. Time will tell…
The propagandists of the Financial Empire have a well defined modus operandi for their narrative fallacies and DECEPTIONS. We have studied those narrative patterns and identified those Orcs of the Empire over the last decade. Light is shining on their deceptions!
An interesting FRACTAL emerges of these propagandists and their propaganda strategic flows. They come up with narrative fallacies which are published, then the lackeys and the next layer in the propaganda chain share and promote those fallacies. The core purpose of these narratives is DECEIT, through misdirection, obfuscation and dismissal. When these narrative fallacies are challenged then the next layer in the propaganda chain defend them. Overtime these misleading narratives are proven wrong. This is the way in which the mist of lies, myths, propaganda,… is maintained in our world. Their days are coming to an END!
If you were to look diligently online you will see Michael Hudson, Ron Paul, Noam Chomsky, Dennis Kuccinch, and others challenged and their deceptions exposed! Please do a thorough investigation instead of being dismissal.

Posted by: Max | Jul 16 2021 17:27 utc | 111

“A further occupation of Iraq and Syria makes absolutely no sense.”
If we assume that helping Israel is the top goal of US strategy then doesn’t the occupation make a lot of sense? Doesn’t this mean there is now a ground-based supply link between Iran and Hezbollah? The effect on Israel’s ability to dominate its neighbors is devastating.
(My point is based on viewing strategy from the way things are, not what they ought to be. I’m not arguing it’s a good thing for Israel to dominate over its neighbors. I’m not debating the sanity of US foreign policy based on Israeli goals.)

Posted by: ifwesay | Jul 16 2021 18:04 utc | 112

@ max… i am certainly not into dismissing anyone.. . if you have some links that refute michael hudsons position, i am happy to review them… thanks..

Posted by: james | Jul 16 2021 18:17 utc | 113

It is obvious @Gordog:
The US is either
1) pulling back from fire at large in the MENA
2) reshuffling the area.
In the face of a rising china, I suspect it will be more of jihadist americanism in asia (close to china’s borders) for the next 50 years, and of course eastern Europe.

Posted by: Cicero | Jul 16 2021 18:32 utc | 114

@ James (#113),… Checkout the comment section on his articles at “nakedcapitalism”, particularly from 2010-2014. Now those folks are screened out or given up.
Here is a framework to understand propagandist like Michael Hudson. They don’t talk about private money, but mask it as “private credit.” How is that private credit? Michael’s term validates the textbook definition of banks as an intermediary between savers and borrowers and makes it look legitimate to the reader. It doesn’t raise questions & alarm bells. It is PUBLIC CREDIT as the money lent is created. It would be a private credit if was lent from accumulated funds. So the first thing is that propagandists never talk about PRIVATE MONEY, which will expose the U$A as a private plantation of the Global Financial Syndicate.
We have to focus on both the spheres: problems & solutions.
What is Michael Hudson’s solution for the “Rent-seeking” problem? “In more modern times, democracies have urged a strong state to tax rentier income and wealth,…”, – Michael Hudson. Why not prevent the theft in the first place? What good does it do the victims if the villains have to pay high taxes? None? With great tax lawyers rent-seekers can avoid taxes. So his solution doesn’t solve the problem. All good socioeconomic specialists know this problem, Michael’s value is what?
Similarly, he promotes debt jubilee, so looters can walk with the loot. He is not a problem solver and not credible in the solution sphere.
I was referred to Andrei Martyanov’s blog here regarding Russia, which I had already been perusing. However, it seems folks just read without comprehending and learning. If one were to just learn from this sharing about Mike Pompeo then they would view critics skeptically. “Once a critic of Donald Trump, whom he called an “authoritarian”, Pompeo became one of his biggest supporters after Trump became the Republican nominee.”

Posted by: Max | Jul 16 2021 18:56 utc | 115

@foolisholdman, #100:
I assume you are not yet aware of talks regarding revival of F-15 and F-18 fighter jet programs to become America’s next generation arial weaponry instead of F-35. F-15EX or F-18EX, they call it. If that’s not an admission of F-35 being a sucking thump, I don’t know what is.
Oh, they still hope to sell plenty of F-35 to foreign suckers, by hook or by crook of course.

Posted by: Oriental Voice | Jul 16 2021 19:28 utc | 116

Max @Jul16 18:56 #115
So you’d support cryptocurrencies, once they’ve solved the problem of transaction speed?
!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jul 16 2021 20:18 utc | 117

No one will regret Hariri son, but that is interesting
“Egypt today has gas. If we used gas in our stations, we would save 50-60 percent of the cost,”
“Since the [tenure] of the Hassan Diab’s government and my government, we have been trying to convince Americans so that we can bring gas through Jordan and Syria for our stations,” Al-Hariri said.”
https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/417315/Egypt/Politics-/Hariri-says-he-tackled-importing-Egyptian-natural-.aspx

Posted by: Mina | Jul 16 2021 20:32 utc | 118

Thanks for that fine comment, Grieved, @ 70.
I would venture that US is leaving Afghan because the initial goal of becoming the big player in central Asia is obviously toast at this point.
Russia has succeeded, quietly, in pulling the stans solidly into its orbit. They know where their bread is buttered, and millions of stanis work in Russia and the remittances they send back home are vital.
China is now building huge infrastructure projects in the region. What does the US have to offer.
The key takeaway for many here is the big change in direction–away from fantasy, and more to reality.

Posted by: Gordog | Jul 16 2021 20:34 utc | 119

@ Jackrabbit (#117),
I don’t support cryptocurrencies. They’re speculative financial instruments. Those who support cryptocurrencies are like gamblers who prefer to operate in a private casino, private plantation.
I only support sovereign money, created by a sovereign monetary authority, not by private banks. However, I am a real capitalist/investor, entrepreneur and an innovator, like Steve Jobs. I have launched successful payment services and real innovations in the global markets. One of my innovative products became #1 in the global arena in its category! I have real world experience. Interesting innovations on the way!

Posted by: Max | Jul 16 2021 20:53 utc | 120

@ Foolisholdman about F35
The U.S. Air Force Just Admitted The F-35 Stealth Fighter Has Failed

Posted by: Gordog | Jul 16 2021 20:55 utc | 121

Arch Bungle #91
—–I’m going with “2.”.
Me too and I will happily serve a tankard to all for a month if it’s “1”
Abe #81(?)
Management Shifting Manure… yes that’s always true for the MSM
I see this as Trump II tactics only marginally better played but same level of deceit.
Same malign circus, different barker.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jul 16 2021 21:05 utc | 122

It’s worth repeating what I said earlier. This is an Iraqi report of what McGurk is is supposed to have said to them. The Iraqis, unanimously, want the US to leave. McGurk may have spoken to them in language that suited them, but would not repeat the same language in Washington. It is not a commitment.

Posted by: Laguerre | Jul 16 2021 21:27 utc | 123

I do think, though, that the Americans will leave soon. It is difficult to maintain the occupation of a country that doesn’t want you. The Katyusha attacks may not have much effect, but one day they may. US troops having to remain in bomb-proof bunkers is a sign.

Posted by: Laguerre | Jul 16 2021 21:44 utc | 124

Could it be someone in the Pentagon has read the multiple Rand and other war game results?
Strategically, to prevail in an all out war both the western [Europe] and the eastern [SE Asia] flanks of the ‘world Island’ need to be held. Afghanistan and Iraq are a drain on resources. A three flank war.
This, coupled with the crumbling US economy, means the US and its allies are in no position to continue the misadventures and wars of choice. The troops need to come home.
The US has changed it’s military doctrine from fighting ‘terrorism’ to fighting a peer adversary. Thanks for the excellent link supplied by Gordog:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/02/23/the-us-air-force-just-admitted-the-f-35-stealth-fighter-has-failed/?sh=3071df31b169
Alternatively, the largest natural graphite resource in the world is in Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique. This was supposed to feed the new processing giga factory in Louisiana for the EV market. The USG has poured buckets of taxpayer money into this and other EV projects. There is a major insurgency underway in that ‘forgotten’ province. Expect US ‘help.’
http://www.syrahresources.com.au/balama-project
http://www.syrahresources.com.au/spherical-graphite-project

Posted by: Paul | Jul 16 2021 22:58 utc | 125

Grieved @ 70 wrote:
Speculation: why at the Summit was Gerasimov not matched by a general of equal standing from the US side, when all other officials
Thank you for that astute observation! That is the only fact I have seen that validates the possibility that the US military is being sidelined here. Many other comments in the thread, such as those about F-35, offer reasons why they should be.
Like you, I also feel there is some unknown undercurrent here driving these actions. Those here who read blogs like Taxi @ Plato’s Guns it get the impression that Hamas and Hezbollah are prepared to level Tel Aviv, with support from Iran and possibly soon a reunited Syria looking to reclaim the Golan Heights. What if a guarantee of Israeli security, backed by Russia, is on the table? That could be a powerful motivator for US elites coming to the realization they can no longer provide that. No evidence, pure speculation!

Posted by: Citizen621 | Jul 17 2021 0:27 utc | 126

It is important to remember that the US still has troops in Germany, Japan and South Korea as commenter AK74 also noted above.
Others have identified movements or potential movements of troops to other countries as well as sheer number challenges for the US military as supported by National Guard usage…..lots of data points….and the last I saw today was that the US landed a military plane in Taiwan against the wishes of China…..
I agree with others who conjecture that there is lots going on behind the geo-political scenes that us plebes may never know about except as seen in the big moves.
Even if the retreat from Iraq and Syria are feints by either side, the reality of that possibility in any media indicates its potential future.
Is humanity putting an end to the ongoing banker’s wars? One can hope this is true now.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Jul 17 2021 0:37 utc | 127

I figure they did a centuries worth of damage in the Region and they are mostly happy with their accomplishments. The idea that they need the troops to turn towards China is not very believable. They will need one hell of a lot more than that.
Who knows, they might need them to knock on your door to plunge a needle filled with a vaccine in your arm every year. It does appear to be a serious movement out of the Region. The damage and regional chaos will feed on itself with a small kick here and there.

Posted by: circumspect | Jul 17 2021 0:48 utc | 128

Maybe they are concerned about their dollar. Pretty sure that when they went off the gold standard they got the petro dollar by convincing the Saudis to only accept dollars for their oil.
Perhaps China has said we will buy your oil in Yuan. Sawbones told the US that he will stick with only the dollar if they get him the Yemeni oil.

Posted by: arby | Jul 17 2021 0:49 utc | 129

The more I look at the situation, the more it seems that the US is not leaving the Middle East for any other reason than that it is being forced out.
I just watched a recent bit by Richard Medhurst where he breaks down the three recent attacks on US bases, two in Iraq and one in Syria. Obviously coordinated, a mix of rockets and drones, and all so far sparing of casualties:
Axis of Resistance Responds to Biden’s Aggression in Syria & Iraq [July 10 – 17 minutes]
Medhurst quotes Professor Marandi and Elijah Magnier to the effect that the message being sent to the Biden administration is very simple: Get Out. They’re actually not messages, they’re warnings. And the only question is, how long will the generosity of not killing US soldiers last?
Because (in my view) when the resistance starts to kill US soldiers, we will see that for the first time in recent decades, the US will have no means to escalate in retaliation – the longer that the US takes the hit, the more its blood will flow, and, most crucially, become visible.
Marandi is saying that the US is being driven out of the region the same way that it was driven out of Afghanistan. I think these two things are the plain and simple truth.
It doesn’t matter where the troops redeploy – and if to Yemen, we know that the resistance will drive them out of there also.
I don’t know why I expected the script to portray these events in more dramatic ways – Hollywood must have dulled my wits. The fact is that we are seeing an occupier thrown out of the lands it has invaded, and this is how it looks – it appears as quietly as this. But it is only quiet because the US is leaving. If it stays, I guess I’ll get my Hollywood action.
And it will be the same when Israel quits the field. We won’t see a lot of drama, merely a shuffling away as the surrender terms are finalized. Multitudes of Israelis, perhaps, will depart for Argentina and other bolt-holes. Both the Crimea and the Middle East will be closed to them.
~~
And where these criminals all end up will be a problem for those lands to deal with. But the examples shown by many nations over the many decades will remain to show the way to end that problem.

Posted by: Grieved | Jul 17 2021 1:46 utc | 130

In order to “build back better” after the “Great Reset” (as rebuilding implies first destruction), a major financial crisis needs to be manufactured via rupturing of chains of supply, hence a redeployment of troops closer to home is needed to mitigate the fallout..

Posted by: Lozion | Jul 17 2021 6:54 utc | 131

on Yalta II
@ Gordog | Jul 16, # 36 & 46 &…

On the whole, I find Meyssan’s analysis to be quite insightful, which I must add, is not always the case with his writings, lol!
In this introductory segment he argues that the US, at this point in history, has no choice but to face reality

Yes, Thierry Meyssan is sometimes hard to believe. But after some time… And he don’t flip-flop with his own analysis.
I provide sometimes links to Meyssan’s Réseau Voltaire.
We always must remember about Plate’s Tectonics. What we see today is the result a long run subduction.

Everything’s changed: 1.3.2020
2 days later, at the exact time of Soleimani burial,, IRGC launched Operation “Martyr Soleimani” Code name “Ya Zahraa” https://english.iswnews.com/10115/irans-missile-attack-to-american-terrorists-in-ain-al-assad-base-full-details/
The Americans understood within hours that the only acceptable revenge for the assassination of General Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis would be their expulsion from the entire region.
What has been demonstrated is the incomparable superiority of will and precision on the military-industrial big bucks debauchery.
A big nail in the coffin of arrogance that had been well prepared in Syria.
In Iran. Wasn’t the 6.20.2019 a David vs Goliath moment? Just an other “divine” or a joint-team victory?
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/drone-downed-how-iran-proved-us-military-not-invincible-182538
Thierry Meyssan is sometimes hard to believe.
But on 9.11, Syria War…..
As far as I know, he is the only one to affirm so clearly, both the military & economic and political defeat of the USA and therefore of all those who are loyal to it.
Military subduction by Russia/Putin
Economic subduction by China/Xi
[Was it a good cop/bad cop maneuver?]
His analysis of the Putin meeting-Biden in Geneva as a second Yalta is confirmed day by day. What looked like nothing but a nothing burger actually hid around the two characters more than 400 experts from both countries and at the highest level.
The two “trees” were used to hide the forest.
As summarized by LAVROV, there are “The Law, the Rights and the Rules “.

The documents adopted at the Cornwall and Brussels summits cemented the rules-based world order concept as a counterweight to the universal principles of international law with the UN Charter as its primary source.
In doing so, the West deliberately shies away from spelling out the rules it purports to follow, just as it refrains from explaining why they are needed.
[…]
Clearheaded politicians in Europe and America realise that this uncompromising policy leads nowhere, and are beginning to think pragmatically, albeit out of public view, recognising that the world has more than just one civilisation. They are beginning to recognise that Russia, China and other major powers have a history that dates back a thousand years, and have their own traditions, values and way of life. Attempts to decide whose values are better, and whose are worse, seem pointless.
[…]
Taken as a whole, the historical West dominated the world for five hundred years. However, there is no doubt that it now sees that this era is coming to a close, while clinging to the status it used to enjoy, and putting artificial brakes on the objective process consisting in the emergence of a polycentric world.
[…]

https://www.mid.ru/en_GB/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/4801890

The passage from post-feudal societies to so-called “democratic” societies, it is precisely the transition from a society of orders with specific rules, to a society of [“universal”] rights with common laws.

“We will always remain open to honest dialogue with anyone who demonstrates a reciprocal readiness to find a balance of interests firmly rooted in international law. These are the rules we adhere to.”
S. Lavrov

Posted by: الجزائرa‎ | Jul 17 2021 7:40 utc | 132

FWIW the tweet b linked is no longer available. Not sure if the author is having regret or if some external force is at work, but that probably make the announcement premature.

Posted by: fx | Jul 17 2021 14:54 utc | 133

re: Gordog | Jul 15 2021 20:16 utc | 36
Thanks for highlighting those Thierry Meyssan articles. I agree with your positive assessment of them. And I also agree with some commenters general remarks about Meyssan’s writings. Far too many years ago, at the beginning of the Syrian “regime” change obscenity, I started sporadically reading his voltairenet articles. More than several times I found myself confused by some things he wrote. Too much trying to be an intellectual and maybe lost in translation I thought. So I had to chuckle when I read
Posted by: Nuff Sed | Oct 6 2017 9:05 utc | 95 at http://www.moonofalabama.org/2017/10/syria-russia-issues-third-warning-against-us-cooperation-with-terrorists –
“…The problem with Thierry, bless his heart, is that his penchant for sodomy has him all cross-eyed so that he cannot distinguish between the political Islam of Shi’a Iran and that of the heretics of Wahhabistan. …”
And I knew I should bookmark that one!

Posted by: tucenz | Jul 17 2021 14:58 utc | 134

More than even we living in the US realize, the actions of those in ‘power’ depend to a large part on having unseen others beneath them do their bidding. The story of King Canute is applicable – a tide is turning. It is not so much the ignomy of being recognized to have no clothes, but the ignomy of giving orders which are not obeyed. The US has been using threat and inducement for longer than many of us would have thought possible, and the chain of command has held.
It has no other tools. But even those tools depend not on the ones giving orders but upon those who carry out the orders. Every citizen rich and poor has a tipping point. And even those who before could be persuaded by force or be lured by the promise of gain are turning their heads, like the Afghanis, and seeing that the forcers and the promisers are no longer there. We are seeing emptiness. On shelves; in malls; on streets — even online. Emptiness in dealing with covid. Emptiness in exaggerated attempts to persuade us that everything is still as it has been – a facade that is cracking. The emptiness is all they have left to be because it was all they really were in the first place.
We should prepare ourselves and not panic. The same folk who have kept things together in the country will go on to do exactly that. There are as we all know more of us than there are of them. And the world will sigh with relief, and recover.
We don’t even need to try to convince others; they increasingly see it for themselves and say to us, ‘this we can understand, this should not be’. Never mind if they think they are the first to see; they are joining us. And as others are saying here, this process is multiform, has many sources, many outflowing streams. I would say it is organic.
A peaceful planet. That’s my dream. It no longer feels as foolish as it used to.

Posted by: juliania | Jul 18 2021 4:07 utc | 135

@135 juliania – The emptiness is all they have left to be because it was all they really were in the first place.
I believe you are right.
I’ve read what you said three, four times now. I’ll come back tomorrow and read it some more. I don’t know where you got this from, but it’s pure wisdom, and thank you for this picture.
It’s funny, juliania, how you are one of the “softer” commenters here, and yet as your logic and perception come together the flaming sword you wield cuts through all the stratagems of the hard ones. The female was ever the wisdom holder. And her truth was always more powerful than any harsh forcefulness could dream of being.
And there is grand strategy here as well, to anchor to. As go the people of Afghanistan, so go the people of the USA. And no one needs to tell anyone anything, because how we are is not subject to the overlords anyway – it comes from a more universal source, something that works even before the words of lies take hold. It is indeed, as you say, organic.
And this is our only refuge.
I don’t know how we will live through this awful time upon us. It may be that telling the truth will be the only noble thing left.

Posted by: Grieved | Jul 18 2021 5:59 utc | 136

Max, James gave you some serious life advice about LISTENING to people. But you didn’t open your ears to hear it.
This is the ENDLESS pattern with you. You don’t hear, you don’t stop to think about what is said.
You simply write one rant after another—all of them exactly the same, as if from a cookie cutter.
That in itself would not be so bad if you didn’t attack ideas and people about which you obviously know nothing. Hudson’s gem of a book Super Imperialism is available free to download as a pdf on his website.
It is quite obvious to everybody that you know almost NOTHING of Hudson’s huge body of work.
I am, personally, incredibly annoyed with your histrionics at this point. It is a physical fact that you have NOTHING to contribute here.
Either go away, or change your attitude!

Posted by: Gordog | Jul 18 2021 6:32 utc | 137

@135 juliania
I too am impressed by your observation re emptiness.
So much of what mainstream media is publishing is unreadable empty rubbish. And the fact that much real news cannot be published because it offends any of the so called accepted viewpoints of those in power, means that those publications effectively run out of readers/viewers.
While all this is going on a host of new outlets are springing up.
From my perspective almost every MSM channel is full of propaganda. Those who have critical thinking skills are getting their information elsewhere. Unlike decades ago where a few newspapers, radio and TV channels were the only source of information we now have access to so much more.
I suspect that there are is a great synergy between the 80% of people who don’t have much faith in mass media and the growth in influence of an unofficial but very knowledgable pool of individuals who are alternately informed.

Posted by: Cyberhorse | Jul 18 2021 9:29 utc | 138

@ Gordog (#137), stop your BS. Your promotion of PROPAGANDA has been duly noted. Time will validate this hypothesis.
Reading a book doesn’t make one smart. A propagandist defines some problems correctly but betrays on the solutions.
Let’s see how much you know about Michael Hudson (MH).
– Summarize concisely MH’s problem definition and SOLUTION ideas with regards to the financial system.
– Which PLAN is Michael Hudson promoting as solutions? Who are backers and BANKERS of that plan?
– Which NETWORKS does Michael Hudson belong to?
– Based on the MH’s association with Levy Institute and its board of the status quo financiers, what does it REVEAL?
– Even in the recent engagements Michael continues to not state the core REALITY clearly, even though it has been brought to his attention over the last decade, many times. Why? It is good that the people challenged him and brought to his attention the same topics that I stated here and many have done previously. Please share this engagement of MH. Propagandist can’t hide anymore!
Your answer to these questions will reveal how much you know about Michael Hudson. If you don’t answer them then your propaganda and ulterior motives are exposed! Reality trumps delusions!

Posted by: Max | Jul 18 2021 15:59 utc | 139

@ juliania | Jul 18 2021 4:07 utc | 135.. thanks juliania.. very nice post!!

Posted by: james | Jul 18 2021 19:51 utc | 140

Posted by: james | Jul 18 2021 19:51 utc | 140
RE juliania, yes, “they have no other tools”. That is exactly it. Bombing us is not going to work. in the end, attacks on your own citizens won’t work, not for what they want. You won’t beat Russia or China that way. Much too late. They went full tilt Bozo with the bullshit, “propaganda works!!”, and now that is all they have left, and it’s all they really know how to do.

Posted by: Bemildred | Jul 18 2021 20:04 utc | 141

– Perhaps the US is getting serious about their “Pivot to Asia”.
– According to former army veteran major Danny Sjursen the US used to send their best & brighest people/soldiers to the Middle East. That was between say the year 2000 and 2016. But now the US is sending their best & brightest of their soldiers to eastern Europe. That clearly would indicate the shifting priorities of US foreign policy away from the Middle East & Afghanistan. and putting more emphasis on Asia/the Far East & Russia.

Posted by: Willy2 | Jul 19 2021 15:51 utc | 142

Four years of ridiculous fake gas attacks and over the top Mockingbird mass media histrionics to kneecap Trump’s efforts to get out of Syria and suddenly the Deep State is going to quietly let Biden largely abandon the Middle East? I don’t buy that for a second.
Posted by: William Gruff | Jul 16 2021 1:43 utc | 64
The fact McGurk’s statement specified “combat troops” first and “other troops” later, strongly suggests a rerun of the Obama formula for “NOT leaving Iraq while pretending to leave Iraq”.
Pull out a few thousand, to much media fanfare, then get your proxy terrorist forces to commit a range of atrocities which naturally, completely against their will of course, forces the US to reluctantly “re-enter” somewhere they never really pulled out of in the first place.
Rinse and repeat.
Most of the people commenting here seem to have very short memories

Posted by: Triden | Jul 19 2021 16:58 utc | 143

Yeah Strait of Hormuz, my bad.

The fact McGurk’s statement specified “combat troops” first and “other troops” later, strongly suggests a rerun of the Obama formula for “NOT leaving Iraq while pretending to leave Iraq”.
Pull out a few thousand, to much media fanfare, then get your proxy terrorist forces to commit a range of atrocities which naturally, completely against their will of course, forces the US to reluctantly “re-enter” somewhere they never really pulled out of in the first place.
Rinse and repeat.
Most of the people commenting here seem to have very short memories
Posted by: Triden | Jul 19 2021 16:58 utc | 143

Good point, but…everyone forgot about the Bear in the Room.
in iraq, isis appear 2011 “seemingly” out of nowhere, this time, no such forces will be appear without being crushed immediately by Russia.
Russia can deploy troops in the thousands in less than two weeks and will likely do so if the US really pulls out of Syria. like they did futher north as the US withdaw from the bases their.
With this they will support the SAA to regain the Oilfields and the general North East. and the SDF have not the Power to do anything about it. Look at the “resistance” they put up as Turkey pounded them with impunity. Without help from the “Friend” the SDF is only a littlebit better than all of those “Resistance” forces.
Also Al-Tanf will be under Pressure. To what degree will be seen then.
And that Russia and US get along?
Well EVERYBODY here seems to forget that their are over 10.000 Warhead directed at each other STILL!! The Mutual Assured Destruction is still in force even today and Russia has right now, the upper Hand with his Hypersonic ICBMs and far better Air defense. So NOBODY wants a direct US vs Russia.
Did anyone recognize that in this WHOLE Theater, NEVER, EVER, a SINGLE US Soldier has shot on a Russian Solder EVER? Or vice Versa?
Even if BOTH sides are standing directly against each other? EVERY soldier KNOWS what could happen if they try to shoot. nobody is insane enough to even try. i wonder why…
The Kalibir Attack in Syria a few Years Back made the US clear that Russia has now also Cruise Missiles. Another tactical advantage that was taken from the US.
It seems that the US has plain overplayed his hand with the killing of Suleiman and is now pressured to various degrees to get out their or get vitanamised. Look at all the “warnings” they get recently. Non lethal, but it could be. this is how this game is played. you send “Warnings”, nobody got hurt, but everybody understand the message.
If you are really pissed you make a surgical strike and kill few clandestine Black Ops of the other side to get the point across. That’s it.
Because, to kill official US soldiers is one thing, but to kill a mercenaries or someone how isn’t “official” there, was never a problem ever, in the whole of mankind’s history.
We live in a age you could kill someone with a drone one the other side of the world from your damn couch, with weapons that can level a whole building in one Shot.
So why the “numbers” in this conflict are so “low”? because they kept them low on purpose, to not anger the other side to a degree, that they step up the game of aggression.
If they would make a point they did it other wise. like the Russians did as the level a command center with “Resistance adviser” that happens to be MI6 agents…ups Russians are too drunk to aim.
Or the US “tried” with the cruse missiles back then but got a slap in the face by Russia with intercept the shit out of them.
But the message was very clear received ant soon the IS goons lost footing all around Syria due to lack of support.
So what do you guys think will happens if they replace the the official US Troops with blackwater?
I can guess here:
They will not reach this point of replacement. A swift and VERY aggressive SAA march at the Oilfield will happen (Probably the Tigers again), with an RAF that work overtime to give them Air cover and an EW environment even a Nokia will go up in flames.
I guess the SAA will go out with all they have and max aggression to get to those fields no matter what. And if the US dares to step in the Russian will be suddenly in the way.
The SDF? will step aside or die, the Kurds had chances enough to switch sides and they made clear that this is the side they die on. They are far to poor organized and armed to put up real resistance to a determined battle hardened Army with substantial support of one of the superpowers. They have to retreat and looking at the map the only place the can retreat without being trapped are Iraq right now, but stupid like they are they will go to the north, thinking that Turkey will let them live…their will be some battles in the north, then Turkey will step up their Aggression and Russia and SAA will likely counter maybe in Iblib how knows.
In the End SDF will be crushed and vanish and Turkey will hoist their colors or retreat (i guess the latter after some “warnings” from the northern pond of theirs).
Turkey by now, is a NATO ally in Name only, and will carefully think about to anger the reliant Partner they won recently. Russia will stick to their commitment of an sovereign Syria and their Mediterranean Bases. Israel? Will do shit. they don’t dare to do anything after the upgraded S300s damaged one of their useless F-35 (bird damage, my ass). SAA have made it clear that this game is over for IL if they don’t want to go all out. And right now IL isn’t capable of, even “lost” to hisbollah in their very won open Air KZ that is Gaza right now, for what reason i not care but they don’t do shit.
Lebanon “could” be a staging ground? Nope, not as long as hisbollah is their. KSA? how? they have enough trouble in Yemen. any other “Ally”…you forget Iran do you?
So, if the US even pull out a single Group of theirs they have to retreat full or step up their game of aggression significantly to stop any advance of the SAA and their allys. But i doubt that they do that, looking at the greater Picture with the AFG retreat of Bagram and the ‘stan’ negotiation recently.

Posted by: Kerwas | Jul 19 2021 20:37 utc | 144

Well reality proofed me otherwise. IL DO shit. Wonder what happens to the S300 System that was upgraded and interconnected with the russian AA network on the coast.

Posted by: Kerwas | Jul 20 2021 4:55 utc | 145

Well reality proofed me otherwise. IL DO shit. Wonder what happens to the S300 System that was upgraded and interconnected with the russian AA network on the coast.
Posted by: Kerwas | Jul 20 2021 4:55 utc | 145
Thats the problem with predictions : they’re hard.
Especially the ones about the future.
Get a few wrong myself, from time to time.
Though, admittedly,rarely on the very same day I made them.
Anyhoo, my comment/prediction above @ 143 refers only to Iraq.
Re: Kalibr and sending messages. That message was sent quite some time ago, and the US has not instituted any significant alterations in their tactics nor their positions in Syria since then.
So perhaps you have misread the message, perhaps the message sent was not quite the one you percieved it to be?

Posted by: Triden | Jul 20 2021 10:46 utc | 146

SAA have made it clear that this game is over for IL if they don’t want to go all out
Not to flog a dead horse, but what has Syria made clear exactly?
I get that they can now threaten any Zio aircraft which cross their borders, but the vast majority of Zio air attacks on Syria involve missiles launched within Zio borders. Air attacks launched within Syria borders were never the major Zio tactic.
Syria can’t do much about that other than what they have already one, installing the S300. Attacking Zio aircraft within Zio borders would be leaving itself open to serious escalation and retaliation, irrespective of any right one might feel it has to do so.
The S300, while it is an improvement on past defences, still falls far short in terms of offering a reliable air defence from attacks launched within Zio borders. In fact the Zios easily tricked the Syria air defences into taking down a friendly aircraft not so long ago, so the S300 is clearly not quite the all purpose air defence panecea you seem to think.
The quick Zio popup attacks will continue because they are effective and essentially no-risk. After all Damascus is barely 100k from Zio borders, easily within range of Zio jet fighter launched missile attacks.
That won’t change unless Mr Putin gives Syria the S400, and even then it may not substantially change the risk or reward from quick popup attacks from the Zio p.o.v. given how easy it is to hit the Syrian capital

Posted by: Triden | Jul 20 2021 11:12 utc | 147

Yeah after thinking through this it makes sense. SAA is still to weak to take the IDF Head on. so they have to take the beating by the bully so they not get murdered.
Even with this network capabilities. Sad thing thou.

Posted by: Kerwas | Jul 20 2021 17:10 utc | 148

Posted by: Triden | Jul 20 2021 11:12 utc | 147

That won’t change unless Mr Putin gives Syria the S400, and even then it may not substantially change the risk or reward from quick popup attacks from the Zio p.o.v. given how easy it is to hit the Syrian capital

All we know is that Israel is hitting Syria just about once a week and just about anywhere on its territory still under government control. Any discussion on the nature of Syria’s defensive systems should start with the basic question: are they operative?
– If not, how come? answering this question can then open the discussion to the subject of balance of power and escalation dominance.
– If yes, then I’m afraid these vaunted systems aren’t very effective.
Incidentally, this is a massive, chronic, act of aggression which, strangely enough, is barely acknowledged anywhere. Quite amazingly, the principal belligerent is more loquacious than the aggrieved party on what can only qualify as blatant acts of war. One can only lament the lack of strategic thinking which drives the aggrieved party and its supporters to react strictly according to their ego. Yes, let’s pretend these regular attacks on civilian and military targets are nothing more than mosquito bites and maybe we can establish a more palatable reality. In any case, the belligerent could never dream of operating in a more accommodating narrative environment. He can, and will, keep pummelling his victim until she can no longer walk.

Posted by: robin | Jul 20 2021 17:49 utc | 149

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