Craig Murray - The End of Pluralism in the Middle East
by Craig Murray
Republished from craigmurray.org.uk
A truly seismic change in the Middle East appears to be happening very fast. At its heart is a devil’s bargain – Turkey and the Gulf States accept the annihilation of the Palestinian nation and creation of a Greater Israel, in return for the annihilation of the Shia minorities of Syria and Lebanon and the imposition of Salafism across the Eastern Arab world.
This also spells the end for Lebanon and Syria’s Christian communities, as witness the tearing down of all Christmas decorations, the smashing of all alcohol and the forced imposition of the veil on women in Aleppo now.
Yesterday US Warthog air-to-ground jets attacked and severely depleted reinforcements which were, at the invitation of the Syrian government, en route to Syria from Iraq. Constant, daily Israeli airstrikes on Syria’s military infrastructure for months have been a major factor in the demoralisation and reduced capacity of the Syrian government’s Syrian Arab Army, which has simply evaporated in Aleppo and Hama.
It is very difficult to see the tide turning in Syria. The Russians now have either to massively reinforce their Syrian bases with ground troops or to evacuate them. Faced with the exigencies of Ukraine, they may do the latter, and it is reported that the Russian navy has already set sail from Tartus.
The speed of collapse of Syria has taken everybody by surprise. If the situation does not stabilise, Damascus could be besieged and ISIS back on the hills above the Bekaa valley within a week, given the speed of their advance and the short distances involved.
A renewed Israeli attack on Southern Lebanon to coincide with a Salafist invasion of the Bekaa Valley would then seem inevitable, as the Israelis would obviously wish their border with their new Taliban-style Greater Syrian neighbour to be as far North as possible. It could be a race for Beirut, unless the Americans have already organised who gets it.
It is no coincidence that the attack on Syria started the day of the Lebanon/Israel ceasefire. The jihadist forces do not want to be seen to be fighting alongside Israel, even though they are fighting forces which have been relentlessly bombed by Israel, and in the case of Hezbollah are exhausted from fighting Israel.
The Times of Israel has no compunction about saying the quiet part out loud, unlike the British media:
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In fact Israeli media is giving a lot more truth about the Syrian rebel forces than British and American media just now. This is another article from the Times of Israel:
While HTS officially seceded from Al Qaeda in 2016, it remains a Salafi jihadi organization designated as a terror organization in the US, the EU and other countries, with tens of thousands of fighters.
Its sudden surge raises concerns that a potential takeover of Syria could transform it into an Islamist, Taliban-like regime – with repercussions for Israel at its south-western border. Others, however, see the offensive as a positive development for Israel and a further blow to the Iranian axis in the region.
Contrast this to the UK media, which from the Telegraph and Express to the Guardian has promoted the official narrative that not just the same organisations, but the same people responsible for mass torture and executions of non-Sunnis, including Western journalists, are now cuddly liberals.
Nowhere is this more obvious than the case of Abu Mohammad Al-Jolani, sometimes spelt Al-Julani or Al-Golani, who is now being boosted throughout western media as a moderate leader. He was the deputy leader of ISIS, and the CIA actually has a $10 million bounty on his head! Yes, that is the same CIA which is funding and equipping him and giving him air support.
Supporters of the Syrian rebels still attempt to deny that they have Israeli and US support – despite the fact that almost a decade ago there was open Congressional testimony in the USA that, to that point, over half a billion dollars had been spent on assistance to Syrian rebel forces, and the Israelis have openly been providing medical and other services to the jihadists and effective air support.
One interesting consequence of this joint NATO/Israel support for the jihadist groups in Syria is a further perversion of domestic rule of law. To take the UK as an example, under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act it is illegal to state an opinion that supports, or may lead somebody else to support, a proscribed organisation.
The abuse of this provision by British police to persecute Palestinian supporters for allegedly encouraging support for proscribed organisations Hamas and Hezbollah is notorious, with even tangential alleged references leading to arrest. Sarah Wilkinson, Richard Medhurst, Asa Winstanley, Richard Barnard and myself are all notable victims, and the persecution has been greatly intensified by Keir Starmer.
Yet Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) is also a proscribed group in the UK. But both British mainstream media and British Muslim outlets have been openly promoting and praising HTS for a week – frankly much more openly than I have ever witnessed anyone in the UK support Hamas and Hezbollah – and not a single person has been arrested or even warned by UK police.
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That in itself is the strongest of indications that western security services are fully behind the current attack on Syria.
For the record, I think it is an appalling law, and nobody should be prosecuted for expressing an opinion either way. But the politically biased application of the law is undeniable.
When the entire corporate and state media in the West puts out a unified narrative that Syrians are overjoyed to be released by HTS from the tyranny of the Assad regime – and says nothing whatsoever of the accompanying torture and execution of Shias, and destruction of Christmas decorations and icons – it ought to be obvious to everybody where this is coming from.
Yet – and this is another UK domestic repercussion – a very substantial number of Muslims in the UK support HTS and the Syrian rebels, because of the funding pumped into UK mosques from Saudi and Emirate Salafist sources. This is allied to the UK security service influence also wielded through the mosques, both by sponsorship programmes and “think tanks” benefiting approved religious leaders, and by the execrable coercive Prevent programme.
UK Muslim outlets that have been ostensibly pro-Palestinian – like Middle East Eye and 5 Pillars – enthusiastically back Israel’s Syrian allies in ensuring the destruction of resistance to the genocide of the Palestinians. Al Jazeera alternates between items detailing dreadful massacre in Palestine, and items extolling the Syrian rebels bringing Israel-allied rule to Syria.
Among the mechanisms they employ to reconcile this is a refusal to acknowledge the vital role of Syria in enabling the supply of weapons from Iran to Hezbollah. Which supply the jihadists have now cut off, to the absolute delight of Israel, and in conjunction with both Israeli and US air strikes.
In the final analysis, for many Sunni Muslims both in the Middle East and in the West, the pull seems to be stronger of sectarian hatred of the Shia and the imposition of Salafism, than preventing the ultimate destruction of the Palestinian nation.
I am not a Muslim. My Muslim friends happen to be almost entirely Sunni. I personally regard the continuing division over the leadership of the religion over a millennium ago as deeply unhelpful and a source of unnecessary continued hate.
But as a historian I do know that the western colonial powers have consciously and explicitly used the Sunni/Shia split for centuries to divide and rule. In the 1830’s, Alexander Burnes was writing reports on how to use the division in Sind between Shia rulers and Sunni populations to aid British colonial expansion.
On 12 May 1838, in his letter from Simla setting out his decision to launch the first British invasion of Afghanistan, British Governor General Lord Auckland included plans to exploit Shia/Sunni division in both Sind and Afghanistan to aid the British military attack.
The colonial powers have been doing it for centuries, Muslim communities keep falling for it, and the British and Americans are doing it right now to further their remodelling of the Middle East.
Simply put, many Sunni Muslims have been brainwashed into hating Shia Muslims more than they hate those currently committing genocide of an overwhelmingly Sunni population in Gaza.
I refer to the UK because I witnessed this first hand during the election campaign in Blackburn. But the same is true all over the Muslim world. Not one Sunni Muslim-led state has lifted a single finger to prevent the genocide of the Palestinians.
Their leadership is using anti-Shia sectarianism to maintain popular support for a de facto alliance with Israel against the only groups – Iran, Houthi and Hezbollah – which actually did attempt to give the Palestinians practical support in resistance. And against the Syrian government which facilitated supply.
The unspoken but very real bargain is this. The Sunni powers will accept the wiping out of the entire Palestinian nation and formation of Greater Israel, in return for the annihilation of the Shia communities in Syria and Lebanon by Israel and forces backed by NATO (including Turkey).
There are, of course, contradictions in this grand alliance. The United States’ Kurdish allies in Iraq are unlikely to be happy with Turkey’s destruction of Kurdish groups in Syria, which is what Erdoğan gains from Turkey’s very active military role in toppling Syria – in addition to extending Turkish control of oilfields.
The Iran-friendly Iraqi government will have further difficulty with reconciling US continuing occupation of swathes of its country, as they realise they are the next target.
The Lebanese army is under control of the USA, and Hezbollah must have been greatly weakened to have agreed the disastrous ceasefire with Israel. Christian fascist militias traditionally allied to Israel are increasingly visible in parts of Beirut, though whether they would be stupid enough to make common cause with jihadists from the North may be open to question. But should Syria fall entirely to jihadist rule – which may happen fast – I do not rule out Lebanon following very quickly indeed, and being integrated into a Salafist Greater Syria.
How the Palestinians of Jordan would react to this disastrous turn of events, it is hard to be sure. The British puppet Hashemite Kingdom is the designated destination for ethnically cleansed West Bank Palestinians under the Greater Israel plan.
What this all potentially amounts to is the end of pluralism in the Levant and its replacement by supremacism. An ethno-supremacist Greater Israel and a religio-supremacist Salafist Greater Syria.
Unlike many readers, I have never been a fan of the Assad regime or blind to its human rights violations. But what it did undeniably do was maintain a pluralist state where the most amazing historical religious and community traditions – including Sunni (and many Sunni do support Assad), Shia, Alaouites, descendants of the first Christians, and speakers of Aramaic, the language of Jesus – were all able to co-exist.
The same is true of Lebanon.
What we are witnessing is the destruction of that and imposition of a Saudi-style rule. All the little cultural things that indicate pluralism – from Christmas trees to language classes to winemaking to women going unveiled – have just been destroyed in Aleppo and could be destroyed from Damascus to Beirut.
I do not pretend that there are not genuine liberal democrats among the opposition to Assad. But they have negligible military significance, and the idea that they would be influential in a new government is delusion.
In Israel, which pretended to be a pluralist state, the mask is off. The Muslim call to prayer has just been banned. Arab minority members of the Knesset have been suspended for criticising Netanyahu and genocide. More walls and gates are built every day, not just in unlawfully occupied territories but in the “state of Israel” itself, to enforce apartheid.
I confess I once had the impression that Hezbollah was itself a religio-supremacist organisation; the dress and style of its leadership look theocratic. Then I came here and visited places like Tyre, which has been under Hezbollah elected local government for decades, and found that swimwear and alcohol are allowed on the beach and the veil is optional, while there are completely unmolested Christian communities there.
I will never now see Gaza, but wonder if I might have been similarly surprised by Hamas rule.
It is the United States which is promoting the cause of religious extremism and of the end, all over the Middle East, of a societal pluralism similar to Western norms. That is of course a direct consequence of the United States being allied to both the two religio-supremacist centres of Israel and Saudi Arabia.
It is the USA which is destroying pluralism, and it is Iran and its allies which defend pluralism. I would not have seen this clearly had I not come here. But once seen, it is blindingly obvious.
Beirut 6 December 2024
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Posted by b on December 7, 2024 at 6:38 UTC | Permalink
next page »They have been asleep at the wheel.
That does not mean they won't wake up.
I find it difficult to believe the Russian will turn tail.
It is not like them.
Posted by: g wiltek | Dec 7 2024 7:05 utc | 2
Craig Murray has already served one term of imprisonment for journalism revealing the corruption at the heart of Scottish government. He will likely be the target of the the UK government's censorship laws in favour of Israel.
Please everyone follow his blog and make his name as well known outside the UK as that of Julian Assange, since that is the best guarantee of his freedom.
Posted by: geoff chambers | Dec 7 2024 7:18 utc | 3
I suspect we're about to witness the death of the post-WWII dictum "Borders Shall Never Change." RIP.
Like a massive river confined too long to an artificial freeze on evolution (erosion & deposition), I fear we're entering an era when the pent up nonsense of borders drawn mostly by Britain and France may exceed their "use by date".
Lebanon, Syria, Kuwait, Jordan... a certain entity to the west of the Jordan River.
pretty much all of the African states with the exception of Egypt and Ethiopia.
Were any of these ever in the last 2000 years viable stand-alone countries?
I'm not saying viable countries cannot be formed on these territories: I'm saying the artificial borders drawn by Britain & France to spite ethnic distributions and history, with the expressed intent to Divide and Rule, seem doomed. When will the dam break?
In the West Asia, will we see a resurgent Ottoman empire or a pan-Turkestan? A new Arab-based Caliphate? A resurgent Persian Empire?
Interesting times ahead. (per the "Chinese" curse)
Posted by: retroflecks | Dec 7 2024 7:24 utc | 4
If I recall correctly B had a post around Oct 7, 2023 where he said that the Israel/Palestinian/Hamas/Hezbollah war was "all about Syria"..
Posted by: Charlie | Dec 7 2024 7:31 utc | 5
Any chance that it appears Hama then Damascus as "last lines of defence" are waiting for the HTS militant armed convoys to joyfully and perhaps overconfidently to drive down the M5....then get slaughtered by SAA and Russian airstrikes on these targets? With supply routes from their bases also being cut off?
It amazes me just how much equipment and well supplied HTS...considering as part of the deal with Kerry as not so bad terrorists they were permitted to establish themselves or consolidate themselves in Idlib with personal arms only.
Failure to deal with al Tanf..north east Syrian oilfields and economic resources, plus the USA coalition still flying in that area and militarily active...the "dealings " with Turkey which permitted the northern border "greyzone"....endless Astana dealings squabbles with a double dealing scheming Turkey still supporting Crimea Tartars and consistently supplying Ukraine ...military....then assisting Azerbaijan..full of rhetoric against Israel
and the genocide...but....
Vids of previous Syrian rebels welcoming HTS into northern regions ....do they really know what they have welcomed in...what system of governance...how to support and establish themselves economically , surely either needing to fall back on previous excorial behaviours looting stealing and relying on Turkish duplicity, but surely will receive extensive funding from USA Turkish and associates and anyone else in this horrendous game?
Posted by: Jo | Dec 7 2024 7:39 utc | 6
Craig Murray is a decent man with too much experience with intrigue. Intrigues always continue until they consume all the available tinder. There is a lot of instability in the region left to be exploited.
Every season salmon swim upstream against the current using eddies and backcurrents to aid their way. Hopefully Murray finds a clam pool.
Godspeed to Bashar al-Assad.
Posted by: too scents | Dec 7 2024 7:46 utc | 7
A very accurate picture of what and how it unfolded as well as the mental contradictions in Sunni "support" for Palestine. A Palestinian flag was waving at the Aleppo castle put there by the NATO terrorist and their current terrorist leader al-Julani. That same terrorist takfiri leader who just in an interview with the Times of Israel expressed a desire for peaceful relations with Israel, refused to answer the question if he's in contact with Israeli operatives and praised Israeli strikes on Hezbollah and Iranian infrastructure and wants full normalization with the Zionazi entity and want Israel to "plant a rose in the Syrian garden."
https://t.me/DDGeopolitics/132695
Bleak times ahead for the Levant and the real Semites, not those posing as Semites who are in fact the real anti-Semites.
Posted by: xor | Dec 7 2024 7:51 utc | 8
Aljazeera reports:
In a statement, Hamas said the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with the group’s Shura Council chairman, Muhammad Ismail Darwish, in the Qatari capital where the two sides discussed the war in Gaza and “regional and international developments and their repercussions”.
“Developments in the Israeli aggression and efforts to support our Palestinian people, especially in the northern Gaza Strip, which is being subjected to the most heinous Israeli attack, were discussed,” Hamas said in the statement.
“For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan affirmed during the meeting his country’s position on the Palestinian issue”, and highlighted Turkiye’s efforts to “mobilize the international community towards the humanitarian catastrophe witnessed in Gaza and to work towards a ceasefire,” it added.
Posted by: KingCobra | Dec 7 2024 8:00 utc | 9
Posted by b on December 7, 2024 at 6:38 UTC | Permalink
Craig MurrayI suppose the Tartus base would be the first to go if the powers behind this attack wish to quickly reach the coast and seal off Lebanon....The Russians now have either to massively reinforce their Syrian bases with ground troops or to evacuate them. Faced with the exigencies of Ukraine, they may do the latter, and it is reported that the Russian navy has already set sail from Tartus...
Perhaps an SDF push toward Palmyra could change this dynamic?
Posted by: robin | Dec 7 2024 8:01 utc | 10
We must remember to give much thanks to Putin for the end of the Syrian govt. His great love for brother Erdo and the 2 million Russian Jews in Israel convinced him to kill off Assad.
Posted by: Surferket | Dec 7 2024 8:04 utc | 11
Kudos to b for reprinting Craig Murray's incisive insights in full; without question, the most significant turn we've yet discerned, this year. Murray is way out on a limb with his prophecy of an extreme sectarian era opening before our eyes, but strongly backed by all available evidence.
The most persuasive evidence in Murray's favor is that this historic moment just plain feels like an epic culmination. Like getting close to the end of volume one, with an idea of how impending plotlines resolve.
Excuse me a moment, barflies. I seriously need a drink.
Posted by: Aleph_Null | Dec 7 2024 8:07 utc | 12
"Aljazeera reports:"
Posted by: KingCobra | Dec 7 2024 8:00 utc | 9
Why do you post this nonsense? Did you even bother to read the above article? It specifically states:
UK Muslim outlets that have been ostensibly pro-Palestinian – like Middle East Eye and 5 Pillars – enthusiastically back Israel’s Syrian allies in ensuring the destruction of resistance to the genocide of the Palestinians. Al Jazeera alternates between items detailing dreadful massacre in Palestine, and items extolling the Syrian rebels bringing Israel-allied rule to Syria.
Turkey (which is 100% aligned with Qatar and its national propaganda channel Aljazeera) has been sending tankers of Azeri oil to the Zionazi entity unabetted during the Zionazi scorched earth genocide of Palestine.
Posted by: xor | Dec 7 2024 8:11 utc | 13
outrageous
"western values of freedom and democracy" at work
https://x.com/CraigMurrayOrg/status/1865258244710772923
Craig Murray @CraigMurrayOrg
I am grateful for the many serious and thoughtful responses I received to my article on "The End of Pluralism in the Middle East", including those that differed.
Facebook simply removed it. The promotion of the "Syrian rebels" by the security state is full on.
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2024/12/the-end-of-pluralism-in-the-middle-east/
And - more western interference and suppression of free speech/journalism:
https://x.com/CraigMurrayOrg/status/1865294867040976941
Craig Murray @CraigMurrayOrg
23 days after creating a GoFundMe to support our reporting from Lebanon, GoFundMe still refuse to release a penny while they "review".
If you can, please support another payment method at end of article.
http://craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2024/12/the-end-of-pluralism-in-the-middle-east/
Zionist interference? Unfortunately we are out of cash completely now and this bold experiment in citizen journalism may have to end.
Posted by: michaelj72 | Dec 7 2024 8:27 utc | 14
Let's assume the collective west gets what they want and completely replace Hesbollah, and the Syrian government as well as all of the Palestinians who will have to go somewhere. As we have seen several times before the US creation of jihadist groups used as surrogates always ends in a disaster. Al Queda formed by the CIA to fight Russia in Afghanistsn later turned on the US and attacked directly on 9/11. The invasion into Iraq and the arming of rebel groups resulted in the dispersion of the Iraqi Army and many joined resistance greoups who later formed coaltitions that resulted in ISIS which then turned on everyone. HTS is ISIS and Al Queda rolled into one entity but they remain the same jihadists and paid disabused refuse from many nations (China, Uzbekistan, Chechia, etc.). Once they become established they will become the nightmare scenario in the region and which will result in attacks on Israel which will provoke the US to get involved in yet again another Gulf War III. It is this kind of short sightedness that belies the morons running the US State Department and the CIA. They only look ahead to the next day and never have plans for the end game.
Once again this will cause millions of refugees and instability in the region. and ultimately will end in the demise of whatever goals the US thinks they are going to achieve. To me, it appears that chaos is the goal and there are no plans further than that. Of course, anything that weakens Russia and China challenging the US hegemony is good. I remind everyone that to the US leadership, there is zero difference between Russia and Ukraine and the eradication of both is the goal. The idiotic Ukrainians bought into the propaganda and are wholeheartedly willing to sacrifice themselves toward self-destruction all while the US is laughing their collective asses off. The ME will end up the same.
At the bottom of this is the plan for oil pipelines from the Gulf States through Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. Additionally, there is the Leviaton gas field in the Med which Israel just eliminated one shareholder from access. Another (Lebanon) is imminent.
The real question is what will Russia, Iran, and China do about it? Moves and counter-moves.
Posted by: Old Microbiologist | Dec 7 2024 8:28 utc | 15
This is move is simply to force Iran to engage with ground forces outside the protection of Iranian air defenses
Posted by: littlereddot | Dec 7 2024 8:49 utc | 16
This is a great failure of Russia and the politics of frozen conflicts so much favored by Putin.
Posted by: Salmon | Dec 7 2024 8:54 utc | 17
The real question is what will Russia, Iran, and China do about it? Moves and counter-moves.
Posted by: Old Microbiologist | Dec 7 2024 8:28 utc | 15
They can do nothing. The west is unified as never before in the history.
The Arabs just want to be American slaves.
Posted by: Salmon | Dec 7 2024 8:58 utc | 18
Did someone ring Pavlov's bell? There sure is a lot of slobbering in here.
Posted by: too scents | Dec 7 2024 9:05 utc | 19
Posted by: Salmon | Dec 7 2024 8:54 utc | 17
Russia obviously prioritises their Ukrainian gains, both current and future ones, than its old Cold-War ME gains, handily gift-wrapped by the Obama’s. New President, new world, get used to it.
Posted by: Milites | Dec 7 2024 9:11 utc | 20
So much for the unity of the wider Islamic world in the face of militant Zionism. If Assad is removed from power (and only the Russians can probably save his government at this point), Hezbollah is screwed since they'll be cut off from resupply and reinforcement. As well, I don't think its improbable that Saudi Arabia will go back to bombing the Houthis in the near future. Iran is going to have to pull the mother of all Hail Marys out of its ass, or that country will find itself isolated with no allies in Western Asia very quickly.
Posted by: Monos | Dec 7 2024 9:20 utc | 21
All masks are off.
All the earth’s misanthropic Nazi terrorists are one family.
US genocidal supremacists,
Ukrainian monorace Nazis,
Sunni genocidal Islamofascists,
European Nazis (never went away) now encompassing the EU,
Ottoman fascist-imperialists,
Japanese US-cultivated fascistic nationalists,
And the spiritual mother of them all the Zionazis of white death camp Israel;
All are the same happy family.
The Fourth Reich.
In the world there is emerging an iron curtain between the Fourth Reich and the law-based and civilised rest of the world. 🌍
Posted by: Andrew Sarchus | Dec 7 2024 9:21 utc | 22
Ha! Just finished reading and posting on that article by Craig Murray .. so might as well copy paste it to here too for our esteemed barflies…
The euphoria and hysteric media and political bubble of triumphalism over the expected demise of Syria and its long-standing president as the genocide continues, shows up the satraps to the populations of their nations. Egypt, Emirates etc as it should do to us Collective Western consumers of the daily media propaganda.
I think the supposed/definite ‘sudden collapse’ of the Syrian Forces under attack by the Erdogan Natzio Regimes headchopper proxies and grey wolf fascist bastards, is a bit reminiscent of the sudden collapse and retreat from Kherson by the RF.
That presaged the Ukropian dream ‘counter offensive’. That floundered and burnt up all the natzios dumb Great Game plans and weapons to establish the new khazarian empire in Crimea to control the future Great transport corridors and resources of Asia.
That Surovikin plan and lines of fall back were obviously masterful. Playing on the over extended Russia natzio strategy. So it may be that this could be a replay of that Great failed putsch of last year to get to the Black Sea and evict the Russian fleet from its base.
This time from Tartus.
Or it may be real.
A bone thrown to natzio mongrel dogs as they fail miserably at that great attempt comes to an end with a million dead.
It certainly is aimed at getting the Drumpff presidency mired longer in West Asia. He had ordered the evacuation before the end of his term there as well as in Afghanistan as well as started direct contact with DPRK!
Whatever.
One thing is certain, this is just another folly of the short and doomed existence of the illegal Apartheid Entity’s mission impossible ‘raison d’être’ in The Levant.
The Last Colonial expansion of the Anglo European centuries of conquest aimed at controlling the gateway between EurAsia and Africa.
That has only been possible with the fantasy of its genesis story fooling our Collective Wasteral minds along with the Oil and gas stealing imperial creatures of centuries of occupation being willing satraps.
All their attempts to hold on, are doomed as the sands that it is built on shift, by the rising Global South throwing off its chains, helped by the superpowerful dragon-bear. So yes come and get it as Putin would say! I wonder where that genius Surevikin has been for the last year?
We will soon see by the end of January the direction that Trump is going to take. Peace or All out War. Either way the unipolar is Done. Stick a fork in it!
P.s. From the River to the Sea.
Pps There are now a lot more warm water ports globally available to the RF with its Strategic Partnerships.
Posted by: DunGroanin | Dec 7 2024 9:22 utc | 23
That eminent statesman, Littlefinger of Game of Thrones said, "Chaos is a ladder".
It seems he was speaking for the US of A and its vassals.
Posted by: JulianJ | Dec 7 2024 9:25 utc | 24
Mitchell Plitnick's outlook for Hamas reads like a companion to Craig Murray's pessimism...
Ultimately the threat of a regional war, and the specter of more places, especially in Lebanon, facing a fate similar to that of Gaza was too much for parties who, ultimately, were putting the lives of their children in jeopardy out of solidarity with the Palestinian people, not to defend themselves.
With Hezbollah and Iran forced to back away, Hamas can either fight a hopeless battle to the end or try to end the slaughter. They are opting for the latter, and trying to salvage what they can from what will inevitably be an admission of defeat.
https://mondoweiss.net/2024/12/might-the-new-gaza-ceasefire-talks-succeed/
Posted by: Aleph_Null | Dec 7 2024 9:26 utc | 25
Posted by: Aleph_Null | Dec 7 2024 9:26 utc | 25
Mitchell PlitnickI don't think that decision belongs to Hamas insofar as slaughter is, and always has been, the ultimate goal....With Hezbollah and Iran forced to back away, Hamas can either fight a hopeless battle to the end or try to end the slaughter. They are opting for the latter, and trying to salvage what they can from what will inevitably be an admission of defeat.
Posted by: robin | Dec 7 2024 9:50 utc | 26
In hindsight it now appears that the Israel Strike on Iran was really as successful as Israel reported in decimating Iranian AD and their missile factories and launch sites. That's why we now see a totally silent and cowed Iran.
Posted by: Surferket | Dec 7 2024 9:55 utc | 27
What Craig Murray is only seeing now, I have been seeing for decades from my easy chair behind my computer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeyRwFHR8WY&list=LL
He has been blaring for decades what is supposedly going on while it is clearly geopolitical sleaze by the US that is trying to optimize its monopoly position together with GB. Nothing more, nothing less. The rest is theater. He can write and moralize until he weighs an ounce but the unholy alliance between journalism and politics means that we are being deceived for the exclusive interests of the US and those are not necessarily our (European) interests.
Posted by: Faraday | Dec 7 2024 9:56 utc | 28
One might have followed handful of geoPol blog there are – not many above five –, mainstream media, alternative twitter accounts and absolutely nothing or nobody would have warned or predicted that person what was or has now come to fruition.
What started with Iraq war is about to come to completion. Take that, Andrey - thats' real economy for you, Europe is about to feed on Qatari, Azeri and perhaps soon on Turkmenistans gaz. What about Iran?
Even great illuminated Pepe forgot his Pipelinestan concept. Overall, remarkable achievement. Congrats.
Posted by: js | Dec 7 2024 9:59 utc | 29
"Simply put, many Sunni Muslims have been brainwashed into hating Shia Muslims.."
This statement does not make sense when you consider that the Syrian Arab Army is constituted by mostly Sunnis.
Perhaps Craig himself is seeing this through his own brainwashed sectarian eyes
Posted by: Shah | Dec 7 2024 10:05 utc | 30
I wonder how many liberal r3t#rds are able to comprehend this reality, as the same evil forces feeding them DEI and wokeness, multiculturalism and 'strength through diversity' at home, while they devour the world by promoting sectarianism and profiting from extremism abroad.
It is truly sickening both in the amount of depravity of the few behind its conception, and the apathy, ignorance and stupidity needed of the masses for its implementation.
Posted by: Rubiconned | Dec 7 2024 10:08 utc | 31
Posted by: Old Microbiologist | Dec 7 2024 8:28 utc | 15
"Once they become established they will become the nightmare scenario in the region"
Yes. That's the central point. "IN THE REGION". That's no nightmare scenario from the U.S pov.
"while the US is laughing their collective asses off"
So many braindead and barking vasalls, I wonder if they actually find time for breathing and not laughing.
Posted by: Tapio | Dec 7 2024 10:20 utc | 32
I totally disagree with unfounded claims that Syria "has collapsed". Makes one wonder if people know what - collapse means, and what effect assertions that "Syria has collapsed" have.
How utterly irresponsible and dangerously harmful.
What has collapsed in Syria?
Here is the news today:
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/syria-army-redeploys-in-daraa--sweida--regaining-control-in
Listen to sober voices like Alon MIzrahi (https://tgstat.com/channel/@VanessaBeeley)
"I think we (as in 'the anti-imperialist camp') need to chillax a little bit with the Syria doom and gloom.
First of all, we need to remember we are drenched and drowning in Western propaganda, including in Arabic, including from authentic-looking accounts. Syria grief and despair is their goal, and they are working to achieve it nonstop. It is a big part of the strategy.
We are in a media and consciousness environment created by and for imperialism. We need to remember this.
Now I'm not claiming things are nice in any way, but what we are seeing is orderly retreat and not chaos and disintegration.
This means there is a functioning central Syrian command, and there is discipline.
-
Additionally, remember this: you do not occupy a country the size of Syria with 50,000 men. You can have a blitzkrieg and storm through some places, but it is a whole different thing from maintaining authority and overcoming pockets of resistance and infiltration and preparing for counter-offensives, not to mention managing daily life challenges.
Also: a city taken in 2-3 days by one side can be taken in a few days by the other side. No one has superpowers.
The perception of unstoppability and historic momentum is psychological warfare. It is manufactured by propaganda. Don't participate in it.
-
I have no idea where this is going, and neither do you. The taking of cities needs to be put in perspective. This is not the Middle Ages, and this is not Ukraine, too. There is no one major accepted command for Western Islamists; they are not the Russian army.
Can Western mercenaries maintain governance and create defense? We have no idea. Is there strategic thought behind SAA's conduct? We don't know.
What Iran and Russia are going to do, or doing behind the scenes, we don't know (we do know that if they don't act in a serious way it's going to be virtually impossible for Syria to contain this).
The intention of this attack was clearly to wash over much of Syria and overwhelm Syrian forces into mental collapse and surrender. But if this momentum stalls or gets disrupted, this becomes a whole different game.
So don't become willing victims of CIA psyop.
Not knowing what's about to happen, or what's really happening, I suggest keeping some of the doom and gloom for final results, if things indeed go that way.
But don't give in just yet. Hamas still fights Israel. No one has the luxury of despair. Not now, and not ever."
Posted by: JB | Dec 7 2024 10:22 utc | 33
"Syria rebels appear to credit Israeli strikes on Hezbollah with aiding shock advance"
Should Sinwar be blamed for this particular round? If he had not staged the 10/7 attack, with Hezbollah joining in on 10/8 "in solidarity" the sequence of events that occurred since then, would not have happened.
For example, Hezbollah's (now deceased) leadership would likely have sent forces (now eattrited) to help Assad.
Posted by: Ed4 | Dec 7 2024 10:24 utc | 34
The jihadists' greatest enemy is not actually Assad, but Israel. In fact, the two have never clashed directly because the Syrian government stands between them. If this is now gone, nothing stands in the way of a direct confrontation. It is questionable whether Turkey will then be able to hold back the jihadists and the USA Israel. A major (and potentially nuclear) war will be the result and Assad will be remembered as the good old days.
Here, we must not forget that the jihadists are also prepared to carry out suicide attacks, are hence not afraid of nuclear weapons and have mastered drone warfare, while Israel in turn has nuclear weapons and has no qualms about targeting civilian populations.
Posted by: xblob | Dec 7 2024 10:24 utc | 35
What has to bi in the minds of those so called jihadists who say they hate Israel and accept military help from the same Israel and USA?
Posted by: salmon | Dec 7 2024 10:31 utc | 36
@ Old Microbiologist | Dec 7 2024 8:28 utc | 15
I don't share your analysis. None of the developments you describe have been disasters for the US and allies. I would argue the opposite and that they have played their hand quite well on all fronts, military, narrative and diplomatic.
By arming Iraqi rebels and fanning the flames of sectarian violence, the US and UK opened the way for the quick sweep of ISIS across the region.
The gruesome scenography which surrounded the Islamic State's conquest ensured that the following Western invasion and occupation would be fully endorsed by the electorate. Also, the impressive focus on the white helmets and other narrative operations created the Assad brand name it is today. This little miracle opened the door for open military and economic warfare against the Syrian nation. There simply isn't any act of belligerence which cannot be casually dismissed with the phrase "because Assad".
Ask yourself, how would the US and allies fare today had the region remained peaceful the last 30 years? Imagine a strong, unified block from Lebanon to Iran with enough political clout to weigh on the international stage and demand redress for legitimate grievances such as, for exemple, the return of all Israeli occupied territories. How likely is that to happen now?
Posted by: robin | Dec 7 2024 10:32 utc | 37
The oil price gambit remains available.
Close the straits, eliminate the Gulf Sheikhdom income.
If Ansarullah has the capability.
Posted by: necromancer | Dec 7 2024 10:37 utc | 38
An unspoken casualty of this grim tale is the UN. Israel proceeds as if it barely exists and can be safely ignored in achieving its regional expansion by all means, fair and most decidedly foul. Russia cannot realistically support Syria while there is apparently nothing to support. Behind all this is the looming presence of the US, which rejects international law to behave like the pirate king, and its henchman the UK, formerly a monarchy, now an autocratic parliamentary dictatorship. There is no peace process. Populations die and the UN is irrelevant. The hegemons indulge only in war. Quite a Christmas present from the theocratic US empire to the world. And dreadfully short-sighted to throw democracy on the funeral pyre.
Posted by: Jorge | Dec 7 2024 10:46 utc | 39
Posted by: JB | Dec 7 2024 10:22 utc | 33 "Here is the news today"
"How utterly irresponsible and dangerously harmful." Is that sarcasm? You did read that article you posted, right?
"The Syrian Army confirmed on Saturday that its forces operating in the southern governorates of Daraa and Sweida have carried out a redeployment and repositioning, establishing a strong and cohesive security perimeter in that direction."
That means that the Syrian Army retreated from Darra and Sweida. Oh, wait, it was an advance to the rear.
And that headline? "regaining control in Homs, Hama"? In the article itself, it has " begun to" in front of "regaining control in Homs, Hama".
While this isn't over yet, the only part of that article that might lead on to think Assad (wherever he is) can survive this is the part that says
"Meanwhile, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that the Syrian army has established a number of key controlling points as a preemptive step to prevent militants from heading toward the capital, Damascus."
Meanwhile videos from Quneitra ... will the Syrian Army confirm their advance out of Quneitra tomorrow? Palmyra then next day?
Posted by: ed4 | Dec 7 2024 10:47 utc | 40
I am inclined to agree with JB's comment, that much of what appears to be occurring in Syria could be deliberate propaganda, similar to the propaganda that substitutes for information and news on Russia's SMO in Ukraine. Much psychological projection and denial could be at work.
The apparent speed with which Hay'at Harir al Sham jihadists overran Aleppo, Hama and apparently Deir-ez-Zor (in the northeast) could end up being their undoing. The faster they go, the more likely their logistics links will be strained. They may end up cut off from their supplies and the people they communicate with, especially if most of their gains are in sparely inhabited desert country.
Likewise the retreat of the Syrian Arab Army in parts of the country may have more to do with establishing priorities and conserving manpower and scarce resources. Syria has been under severe sanctions for the past several years and these sanctions surely have had some effect on the SAA's ability to acquire needed and relevant technologies, weapons, defence systems and ammunition.
None of us MoA barflies can know how effective Bashar al Assad has been or not in reforming or controlling the SAA and Syrian society and economy. In the past few years his wife has had a breast cancer scare, which was treated with chemotherapy. In May this year, Asma al Assad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. I should say the Syrian President has had a fair bit on his plate to deal with lately.
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Dec 7 2024 10:52 utc | 41
A number of lingering questions:
-Was Assad being let into the Arab league and rapprochement with Gulf states a grand deception to lull him into a false sense of security? There is evidence of this theory in Assad agreeing to send Iranian troops home. Or was it Erdogan, Israel and NATO who simply decided to profit from the new disposition (or lack) of forces on the ground?
-Looking at Lavrov's demure comments in the Tucker interview re: Turkey, and RT/Tass et al. coverage so far, the lack of more determined or effective air strikes, is this a sign of Russia's military impotence in Syria, or was it Russia's frustration with Assad that allowed Turkey's proxies advance? Is Putin confident he can make a deal with Erdogan and still keep Tartus and Khmeimim, or is Russia really on the ropes?
-How were Russia and Iran really that easily out-muscled and outfoxed by Turkey? I am looking at the vehicles and equipment of HTS, and find it hard to understand how they can overpower an entire army, or how could they not have been more effectively neutralized on open roads in the desert? Look at how a more determined modern day air force deterred the Iraqi militias with obsolete USAF A-10's on the other side of the country. Nearly all Iraqi militias have stayed in Iraq now for fear of an Iraq War 1.0 style turkey shoot, no pun intended. Why does HTS not have the same concerns?
Today's Astana (or what is left of it) meeting in Doha will likely reveal what is to come.
Either way, i once again must condemn the many so called alt-news 'analysts' who for years told us Russia has 'won the arms race', that the resistance is winning and Israel has been 'strategically defeated' and bla bla bla. How does all that reconcile with reality today?
Just like the mighty and technologically superior USA was repeatedly defeated by brave determined men with AK47's, all the hypersonic missiles in the world don't seem to be that effective against an enemy who has more money for mercenaries willing to fight and die, and more friends who are willing to lie.
Posted by: Rubiconned | Dec 7 2024 10:53 utc | 42
But but but but... Time is on Russia's side??! I mean, The Saker said so; Andrei Martyanov said so--and they are the experts, right? Also Dmitri Orlov was pooh-poohing the jihadis just yesterday. You don't have to, like, kill your enemies and stand by your allies; only small minds think like that, missing the opportunity to sell weapons to all sides. You just recite the mantra TIORS, and the universe will take care of itself. Sacrificing good soldiers by keeping them in untenable positions is, and should remain, Zelensky's thing; so in the plausible case that it comes to that, Moscow will indeed have to evac Tartous and Khmeimim, running with their tails between their legs exactly as the Americans did from Kabul--and oh Sanaa and others as well. The usual suspects will intone that this is a wise, restrained strategy to focus on victory in Ukraine; but once they've seen Russians being sent packing from Syria, Russia's enemies will be greatly emboldened in Ukraine as well. To say nothing of Africa: the message "The Teddybear can't protect you" will resonate far and wide.
We can either virtue-signal, or try to divine the truth. The US strategy, openly announced, of economically strangulating the Syrian state correctly identified Syria's Achilles heel. Yes it is immoral, vent all you want, but it was effective--quite possibly decisive. And all the multipolar goodness remained an ever-receding mirage for Syria, because the allies of Damascus did nothing useful, opting for TIORS instead--with Russian elites in particular ever increasing their economic exposure to Turkey.
No doubt Assad and other playas all have their own problems. But the key issue is a certain fella named Vladimir Putin. Educated, check; intelligent, check; but not the temperament of a wartime leader. Since war has been most definitely forced upon Russia, why is he still sitting where he is?
Posted by: Ma Laoshi | Dec 7 2024 10:55 utc | 43
What is happening in Syria is a direct threat to Egypt. The Turkish attack on Syria, in light of the Israeli-Turkish alliance, Qatari funding, and French technological support, creates a new depth for Israel with new land supply lines in the eastern Mediterranean and reaching Iraq, thus cutting off all Hezbollah supply lines. Thus, controlling with the Turks the eastern Mediterranean region up to Iskenderun, thus creating the greatest threat to the Egyptian coasts in the Mediterranean with an unprecedented Israeli-Turkish naval depth and controlling all the oil fields in the eastern Mediterranean. Geography does not change, the dimensions of security do not change, history is constant, and the road to Cairo begins from Damascus
This is the greatest thread Egypt is facing since the Suez crisis in 1956
Posted by: Takeyeldin | Dec 7 2024 10:55 utc | 44
Evidently Murray is a 'the glass is half empty' fellow. Overly pessimistic article. He's thrown in the towel way too soon. It ain't over 'till it's over.
Posted by: Deschutes | Dec 7 2024 11:15 utc | 45
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Dec 7 2024 10:52 utc | 41
Thank you for going against the avalanche of terrifying propaganda that is sweeping the entire media sphere and peoples minds.
Just a brief look at the news today is full of examples, here just two:
- The NYT "informing" that Iran is evacuating its embassy from Damascus. Iran has denied it.
- The WSJ,citing sources, is "informing" that Officials from Egypt and Jordan have urged Syrian President Bashar Assad to leave the country and form an interim council, citing sources.
"Assad remained in Syria on Friday. Last week, his children and his wife traveled to Russia," the newspaper writes. According to the Wall Street Journal, "Assad has urged Turkey to intervene to stop the rebels and sought weapons and intelligence help from countries including the UAE, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, but has so far been refused..."
Note: It is the main US media that spreads such "information". CNN interviewed the terrorist Joulani! as if he is a respectable figure the Syrians and the world should listen to.
The propaganda attack on Syria is being conducted brutally, with all means and from every angle.
It is quite deafening and is not easy to resist. But it must be.
The Syrian/Russian military operations on the ground proceed despite the lie-bombs dropping on us.
Posted by: JB | Dec 7 2024 11:19 utc | 46
Assad Govt to fall within 72 hours?
Russia stays in Syria but is now Turkey's b1tch, meaning its Navy is there just for show since it will have to pay Erdogan handsomely to keep it there. So much for all those fancy missiles, mr Martyanov. What is the point of having them, if you cannot use them, since strategically, their use will cause you more damage than they can ever inflict on the enemy?
Money talks, and Zircon walks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR1JPkvSzJc&ab_channel=MilitarySummary
Posted by: Rubiconned | Dec 7 2024 11:23 utc | 47
The jihadists' greatest enemy is not actually Assad, but Israel. In fact, the two have never clashed directly because the Syrian government stands between them. If this is now gone, nothing stands in the way of a direct confrontation. It is questionable whether Turkey will then be able to hold back the jihadists and the USA Israel. A major (and potentially nuclear) war will be the result and Assad will be remembered as the good old days.
Here, we must not forget that the jihadists are also prepared to carry out suicide attacks, are hence not afraid of nuclear weapons and have mastered drone warfare, while Israel in turn has nuclear weapons and has no qualms about targeting civilian populations.
@ Posted by: xblob | Dec 7 2024 10:24 utc | 35
Hmmmm I always found it amusing that the Sunni world only ever wants to fight israel from Shiite/Alawite controlled areas... then when they are not allowed, they claim that "Syria/Assad/Hezbollah" are "defending" the diaper babies...
You do realise they could always go via Egypt, Saudi or Jordan if they wanted to right ? They could start at home with countries who have openly supported israel....
but nooo, those heretics and rawafid are to blame.
Posted by: deebo | Dec 7 2024 11:25 utc | 48
There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.
-- Lenin --
The Middle East of Sykes/Picot days is not sorted out, neither is the Sunni/Shia divide or the general tribalism of the Middle East, in order of magnitude.
A return to multiculturalism won't be in the cards for a long time until Muslims are safely united and this will probably happen through quite some ethnic cleansing. Sunni and Shia are likely to form separate countries with a clear dominance of either confession until this peters out, then it takes a great leader to reintroduce tolerance that flows from safety. The natural precondition is that the blocs stop meddling in the region.
Israel may benefit in the short term by taking half or all of Lebanon. Long term it is a liability to lord over a larger oppressed population, especially one that grows at much faster rate than the Israeli minority.
I can see the Russians and China containing the entire region but not help individual factions. The way to stability is deescalation, between the two there is no more reason to engage in bloc politics. Leaving the Middle East mess to the West is a good way to induce imperial overreach and instability. As long as tankers leave the Saudi and Iranian oil fields for China the region is delivering everything required, no need to get involved.
Russia especially has no trustworthy partners in the region aside from Iran and no land borders to defend. The Tartus and Hmimeim bases only make sense in a bloc conflict and Cold War sense, from a warm-water port perspective these are just liabilities as they have no strategic depth. Sevastopol is different, it has to be defended, what use is Tartus?
For now I can not see that HTS would have any geopolitical perspective, just a power grab with free weapons. Ultimately this is banditry and of no greater consequence, even if Lebanon and Syria are erased and HTS borders Israel. The real power lies with the large states: Iran, Iraq, Arabia. Looking at a BRICS map these are the obvious defensible entities, not heavily fragmented and agreement capable, amenable to Russian/Chinese diplomacy. From their perspective the tribal disunity can to play itself out and the weak divided comprador regimes can just be allowed to fail, no use propping up any status quo.
Posted by: SOS | Dec 7 2024 11:39 utc | 49
It ain't over 'till it's over.
Posted by: Deschutes | Dec 7 2024 11:15 utc | 45
The sign will be known when the takfiri army reaches the gates of Damascus.
If the Syrian Army rallies and chooses to make their stand at Damascus, it will mark the beginning of victory for the Syrian state.
And the second defeat of Turkey's bashi bazouk army in Syria.
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Dec 7 2024 11:44 utc | 50
Hmmmm I always found it amusing that the Sunni world only ever wants to fight israel from Shiite/Alawite controlled areas... then when they are not allowed, they claim that "Syria/Assad/Hezbollah" are "defending" the diaper babies...
Posted by: deebo | Dec 7 2024 11:25 utc | 48
Old joke about Sunni Muslims:
First Sunni: "When will we fight Israel???"
Second Sunni: "When they convert to Islam!"
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Dec 7 2024 11:47 utc | 51
As part of the Lebanon ceasefire-peacefire whatever it is ..USA is self appointed judge and jury for "redefining borders"...,maybe that also includes Syria now.
Posted by: Jo | Dec 7 2024 11:54 utc | 52
While hard to admit, methinx the West has put the Axis in "Check". It may not be "Check Mate", or it might be, nobody knows.
Has Russia really withdrawn from Syria?
Posted by: Rain | Dec 7 2024 12:03 utc | 53
Nazis ... All are the same happy family.
The Fourth Reich.
Posted by: Andrew Sarchus | Dec 7 2024 9:21 utc | 22
And they are all meeting right now, at this minute, at the re-opening of Notre Dame, the cathedral of Western Terror: Macronapoleon, Trump, Zelensky, Steinmeier, Prinazi William, Jill Biden, Ursula von der Leyen plus 40 other heads of imperial / colonial / fascist states...
Posted by: Zet | Dec 7 2024 12:05 utc | 54
Posted by: SOS | Dec 7 2024 11:39 utc | 49
...For now I can not see that HTS would have any geopolitical perspective, just a power grab with free weapons. Ultimately this is banditry and of no greater consequence, even if Lebanon and Syria are erased and HTS borders Israel...I doubt there is any pretense of having a "president Julani". There already is a government in waiting. Men and women in suits, possibly posing for their wiki pages as we speak, looking stately and smiling with other stately actors. The CIA can deliver democracy in a kit.
Posted by: robin | Dec 7 2024 12:08 utc | 55
Deir ez-Zor is taken by USA backed Kurds rather than USA/Israel/Turkey backed takfiri.
Not sure what difference this makes.
A10 Warthog is old but not obsolete for purpose of strafing humans. You don't want a modern fast but slightly unstable platform for this.
Posted by: necromancer | Dec 7 2024 12:10 utc | 56
So spare me the fake hand wringing.
This world war two has been esculated by the west. Yawn told ya so (last ten f ing years)
So the nazi's are on the march just like WW2
Solution.....
Bomb washington and new york for a start.
Ditto london. Ditto tel avivi.
Theirs only one way to stop an out of contol preditor,
You may not like it but its that or your on the menue for dessert.
Sorry not sorry.
Posted by: Mark2 | Dec 7 2024 12:12 utc | 57
US Warthog air-to-ground jets attacked and severely depleted reinforcements
Posted by b on December 7, 2024 at 6:38 UTC
These close air support planes are built with armor on bottom, engines on top. This works against ground fire. And because manpads don't have overfly-top-attack.
Posted by: Passerby | Dec 7 2024 12:17 utc | 58
JB Dec 7 @1119
Thanks for upholding the values of truth and justice. The Empire struck back. The Evil Empire is showing its bloody hands via mass media lies and connivance. Yet, yet, millions are awakening.
Posted by: aristodemos | Dec 7 2024 12:19 utc | 59
Zet Dec 7 @1205
Though I would rue the destruction of a magnificent cathedral; a nice hypersonic missile of kinetic destructive power would be a right proper demise for those maitre de servants of the financier elite.
Posted by: aristodemos | Dec 7 2024 12:29 utc | 61
Today, only fanatics like ISIS or Ukrainians have the will to fight and die. The US/Israel was clever enough to find a good approach end put them into serving of their interests.
The opportunism and ability to endlessly print money is the greatest strength of the west.
US is able to buy friends, even extremists like Ukrainians/ jihadists (or maybe EU citizens) to fight to the last.
Posted by: salmon | Dec 7 2024 12:30 utc | 62
Posted by: Rubiconned | Dec 7 2024 11:23 utc | 47
I'd be careful relying on Dima. His show is increasingly full of speculation, sensationalization, and mental masturbation.
He's responsible for such gems as:
+Lloyd Austin killed in airstrike in Kiev;
+Ukraine is "collapsing" "any day now"
+Russia to launch new Zap offensive on Dec. 5th (my calendar says today is Dec. 7th)
+Ukraine to launch massive counteroffensive back in Nov.
Lots of hysteria out there.
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Dec 7 2024 12:31 utc | 63
I have a lot of respect for the principles of Craig Murray.
But what would he have said about the Stalingrad situation in the autumn of 1942?
And remind us how that turned out.
Posted by: Lev Davidovich | Dec 7 2024 12:33 utc | 64
necromancer@1210
Those Warthogs are nasty weapons. Yes, they are hard to take down by troops on the ground. However, there are planes armed with air to air missiles which could take them down like hot dogs at a carnival. Perhaps the orficers who cut the orders should be targeted...and THEIR superiors. They are carrying out evil agendas determined by those who never eat their totem animal...the Hog.
Posted by: aristodemos | Dec 7 2024 12:35 utc | 65
"I'd be careful relying on Dima. His show is increasingly full of speculation, sensionalisation, and mental masturbation."
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Dec 7 2024 12:31 utc | 63
Agreed.
Shameless stolen from another poster, I'm paraphrasing here : "First Syria, then Iran, then Russia, finally China." That's the US/NATO's long-term plan and so far, it's working out. Syria is about to fall, Iran is neutered, Russia is tied down in the Ukraine, and China is now isolated. Once the first domino falls, the rest will follow (it doesn't even have to be all at once, US/NATO demons are patient).
Posted by: bored | Dec 7 2024 12:43 utc | 67
Typo - should have written "sensationalism" @63
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Dec 7 2024 12:45 utc | 68
1.120 / 5.000
The fact that a zombie "army" can advance despite losses, just because their lives are worth nothing to anyone, much less to their leaders and facilitators, does not imply that this advance has anything to do with a military strategy.
Advancing on the back of captagon and other synthetic concoctions only means that a human body cannot replace normal chemistry for a long time without it starting to collapse: as in a snake bite, movement and adrenaline accelerate the process of conquering the body by antikinetic toxins.
The zombie army will end up like all the zombie armies in the old Hollywood movies, which perhaps prepared us to assimilate this.
If we count the days since the beginning of the movement - and the large-scale consumption - and its intensification due to the indefinite stretching of the logistic lines, there are about ten days left before the terrorist offensive disarms and breaks like dry leaves, due to the chemical collapse of the neuromotor functions of the human body of most of its members.
The fact that a zombie "army" can advance despite losses, just because their lives are worth nothing to anyone, much less to their leaders and facilitators, does not imply that this advance has anything to do with a military strategy.
Advancing on the back of captagon and other synthetic concoctions only means that a human body cannot replace normal chemistry for a long time without it starting to collapse: as in a snake bite, movement and adrenaline accelerate the process of conquering the body by antikinetic toxins.
The zombie army will end up like all the zombie armies in the old Hollywood movies, which perhaps prepared us to assimilate this.
If we count the days since the movement began - and the large-scale consumption - and its intensification due to the indefinite stretching of the logistic lines, there are about ten days left before the terrorist offensive disarms and breaks like dry leaves, due to the chemical collapse of the neuromotor functions of the human body of most of its members.
Perhaps like all the others, this is nothing more than a war to capture drug markets, to create large-scale consumers... it was always much more profitable than oil.
https://textosandroides.blogspot.com/2014/05/narcotrafico-y-poder.html
Astute analysis, SOS-so good I immortalized it in poetry:
"Israel may benefit in the short term by taking half or all of Lebanon. Long term it is a liability to lord over a larger oppressed population, especially one that grows at much faster rate than the Israeli minority.
I can see the Russians and China containing the entire region but not help individual factions. The way to stability is deescalation, between the two there is no more reason to engage in bloc politics. Leaving the Middle East mess to the West is a good way to induce imperial overreach and instability. As long as tankers leave the Saudi and Iranian oil fields for China the region is delivering everything required, no need to get involved.
Russia especially has no trustworthy partners in the region aside from Iran and no land borders to defend. The Tartus and Hmimeim bases only make sense in a bloc conflict and Cold War sense, from a warm-water port perspective these are just liabilities as they have no strategic depth. Sevastopol is different, it has to be defended, what use is Tartus?
For now I can not see that HTS would have any geopolitical perspective, just a power grab with free weapons. Ultimately this is banditry and of no greater consequence, even if Lebanon and Syria are erased and HTS borders Israel. The real power lies with the large states: Iran, Iraq, Arabia. Looking at a BRICS map these are the obvious defensible entities, not heavily fragmented and agreement capable, amenable to Russian/Chinese diplomacy. From their perspective the tribal disunity can to play itself out and the weak divided comprador regimes can just be allowed to fail, no use propping up any status quo.
Posted by: SOS | Dec 7 2024 11:39 utc | 49
A region fraught with age-old strife and war,
Where borders shift, and leaders claim their right,
Yet short-term gain oft leads to lasting scar,
As conquest breeds rebellion in the night.
To rule oppressed and growing masses, bold,
Is folly for the few who stake their claim;
Demographics turn power into cold,
A long-term weight that burns the would-be flame.
While China's ships take oil without a fight,
And Russia sees no allies firm nor true,
The prudent course is shunning bloc delight,
To let the West the Middle East subdue.
For fleeting gain in Tartus holds no place,
Its depth strategic proves a shallow guise.
Iran and BRICS hold stronger cards to face,
While fractured states fade fast beneath the skies.
So bandits rise and fall, like fleeting sands,
Their efforts cast in chaos, not in stone.
The power rests with stable, steadfast lands,
Where unity and vision guide their own.
# The 'Astana Agreement':
Turkey betrayed both Iran and Russia.
#Jeffrey Sachs interviews Denis Fritz (ex-US Air Force)
Conversation with Dennis Fritz, Deadly Betrayal [ 1 hour]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OjvEnYrCcw
Posted by: Don Firineach | Dec 7 2024 13:01 utc | 71
@62,
Exactly. Which is why I was disappointed with the conclusions after BRICS summit. If there is no proper monetary system and alternatives to limit the organizations that follow US ambitions than there won't be any significant changes. The fact that most of the BRICS members still want to be part of existing organizations that have no interest in multipolarity, speaks volume.
Until I see a proper stand from these countries, I believe that most of them will be bullied to get in line with US led world.
Posted by: JamesBond | Dec 7 2024 13:01 utc | 72
A useful background: Timber Sycamore
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timber_Sycamore
Posted by: sentience | Dec 7 2024 13:02 utc | 73
Posted by: JB | Dec 7 2024 11:19 utc | 46 "- The NYT "informing" that Iran is evacuating its embassy from Damascus. Iran has denied it."
"Iran Begins to Evacuate Military Officials and Personnel From Syria" is the story in the NYT. First paragraph:
"Iran began to evacuate its military commanders and personnel from Syria on Friday, according to regional officials and three Iranian officials, in a sign of Iran’s inability to help keep President Bashar al-Assad in power as he faces a resurgent rebel offensive."
Nowhere in the story does it say everyone is going. So the story could be true and Iran's statement could be true.
Posted by: Ed4 | Dec 7 2024 13:07 utc | 74
the speed of the complete collapse and Assad's silence all point to an orchestrated scheme to eliminate him. Previously, the war was Americans/Isrealis vs Turks vs Kurds vs Syria, which allowed the Syrian government to survive since all of its' enemies were maneuvering against each other as much as Syira. Now it looks like the Americans, Israelis, Turks and the Kurds came to a joint decision about a year ago (possibly before Oct 7) and took the kill shot on Syria. I'd says Israel's actions into the lead up to Oct 7 make more sense now, they deliberately allowed (very likely organized the attacks themselves) to give the spark for this wider war. The US then gave Israel the blank check permission to commit genocide on the Palestinians to provoke the war with Hezbollah & Syria. While Erodgan cries like a crocodile and blows a lot of hot air about wanting to save the Palestinians while doing nothing because he's already been promised Northern Syria.
Even if the plan completely succeeds and Assad flees Syria in the next week or so, this will lead to larger war sometime over the next 5-10 years
Posted by: Kadath | Dec 7 2024 13:10 utc | 75
The Arabs have folded to the Zionist axis. There is not a single Arab government that is not controlled by outside forces and stands on its own two feet. Syria will remain a battleground, the borders are far from certain or stable at this stage. But there will be a re-jigging of lines. Intolerant Sunni Takfirism will now border Talmudist extremists. They are bedfellows along with "Christian" Zionist cretins. What we are witnessing is the axis of extremism and empire of chaos rearing its ugly head to destroy freedom around the world. If the Arabs decide to submit to this system of oppression and supremacism, that is their choice. Not all will agree to submit to savagery. There will always be resistance, its borders merely will shift as people make their allegiences.
Posted by: USSA Empire Of Lies | Dec 7 2024 13:10 utc | 76
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeyRwFHR8WY&list=LL
Posted by: Faraday | Dec 7 2024 9:56 utc | 28
Thanks for that video, @faraday - it is how it was being gossiped about at the time - using the Crown territories in Cyprus as a base.
Posted by: hh | Dec 7 2024 13:11 utc | 77
Today is supposedly the day that Lavrov, Erdogan, and Iran are sitting down for some sort of backroom talks.
We will maybe know by tomorrow if there is a grand bargain between them to carve up Syria. As I warned yesterday, be careful with snakes. They tend to bite you (Erdogan.)
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Dec 7 2024 13:14 utc | 78
The only mean that your bitch, Malenkov, has to read my IP, is be you or be a cop.
In any case, there are many cops...
Spelling the beans...
Sorry.
Posted by: 38 | Dec 7 2024 13:17 utc | 79
Key statements by Russian FM Sergey Lavrov at the Doha Forum on Global Cooperation:
▪️On media reports that Russia allegedly withdrew ships from the base in Syria's Tartus: exercises are underway in the Mediterranean.
▪️Russia will take steps together with Turkiye and Iran to ensure that the call for de-escalation in Syria is heard.
▪️Russia is helping the Syrian army.
▪️It is unacceptable to use terrorists of the banned Tahrir al-Sham for geopolitical purposes, as is happening now in Syria.
▪️Following the meeting in Doha, the heads of the Foreign Ministries of Russia, Iran and Turkiye call for dialogue between the Syrian authorities and the legitimate opposition.
Lol, yeah...
Posted by: Zet | Dec 7 2024 13:17 utc | 80
The foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey and Iran called for an immediate cessation of violence in Syria and the start of a dialogue between the government and the opposition, - Sergey Lavrov at talks in Qatar
▪️It seems that due to the complete paralysis of the Syrian government, for which the army does not want to fight, the major players have decided to start recognizing the opposition as a legal contender for power in the country.
Political talks with legitimate opposition should start in Syria, says Iranian Foreign Minister after talks
We had a very good meeting of the Astana Group between the foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey. At the end of the meeting, she was joined by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Pederson.
▪️Very serious current issues in Syria were discussed and all participants agreed that the conflicts should be stopped immediately, the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria and UN resolutions should be respected.
The most important thing is to start political negotiations between the Syrian government and legitimate opposition groups.
▪️Those were the requirements of the meeting, and it was decided that we should consult the Syrian government on this matter. Russia also had to consult with the Syrian government.
Posted by: grid5 | Dec 7 2024 13:17 utc | 81
Posted by: Kadath | Dec 7 2024 13:10 utc | 75 "a. Now it looks like the Americans, Israelis, Turks and the Kurds came to a joint decision about a year ago (possibly before Oct 7) and took the kill shot on Syria"
It is amazing that so many people think there are grand conspiracies. Shit happens.
It is closer to the truth that the world is a big mountain of Jenga blocks. And the Middle East is one of the many summits on that mountain. Syria has been a mess for over a decade. Sinwar's glorious assault on Israel pulled out a crucial block. What followed is that summit tumbling down. And it is still in motion.
Posted by: Ed4 | Dec 7 2024 13:26 utc | 82
Thanks a lot for this one, b. Craig Murray knows what he is talking about.
Posted by: Avtonom | Dec 7 2024 13:27 utc | 83
The comments here sank into fantasy discussions years ago. The chronic dehumanization of the “enemy” leaves the barflys and partisan analysis like Craig Murry denying any agency on the part of the “enemy”. They are simply “brainwashed” zombies which can be eliminated like any other sub-human. The need to fit every narrative into “the evil empire” did it has made this type of analysis less than useful.
It should be clear that the Assad regime is suffering the same fate as all minoritarian regimes. Propped up through kleptocratic corruption can only survive for so long before the majoritarian based military gives up the fight.
Posted by: Zargo | Dec 7 2024 13:28 utc | 84
Russia continues to provide military assistance to the SAA, it is unacceptable to allow terrorists to seize the land of Syria – Lavrov
The ministers of the Astana format (the Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation, Iran and Turkey) call for a dialogue between the Syrian authorities and the legitimate opposition, reaffirming their commitment to its sovereignty, the Foreign Minister said.
▪️It is unacceptable to allow terrorists to seize land in Syria, Lavrov added.
▪️Russia is helping the Syrian army and is trying to do everything possible to counter terrorists.
▪️Russia, along with Turkey and Iran, will take steps to make sure that the call for de-escalation in Syria is heard;
▪️It is unacceptable to use terrorists of the banned Tahrir al-Sham for geopolitical purposes, as is happening now in Syria;
▪️Relations between Syria and Turkey are normalizing, there is no doubt about that;
▪️The territorial unity and sovereignty of Syria must be ensured, while ensuring the security of the Syrian-Turkish border;
Posted by: grid5 | Dec 7 2024 13:35 utc | 85
If we count the days since the beginning of the movement - and the large-scale consumption - and its intensification due to the indefinite stretching of the logistic lines, there are about ten days left before the terrorist offensive disarms and breaks like dry leaves, due to the chemical collapse of the neuromotor functions of the human body of most of its members.
Posted by: Santi | Dec 7 2024 12:54 utc | 69
Sorry, but if we take WWII as a guide I would say not even a week.
From the invasion of belgium to the 3 days recovery order there were two weeks, even belgium was getting bad until fresh forces arrived.
That also gives as a timeline for a counterattack, either by december 12th-13th (at the latest) or no counterattack. By then troops, unless relieved by fresh ones, should be as non functional as they come.
Posted by: Newbie | Dec 7 2024 13:43 utc | 87
Posted by: grid5 | Dec 7 2024 13:35 utc | 85
The rent-a-mob doing the thunder run down the M5 highway aren't "legitimate opposition" they're mostly foreigners and outsiders, including some Ukrainians and lots of Turks. So start from there - who are the "legitimate opposition" to Assad?
The SDF may qualify. However, they're backed by the Kurds so Turkey won't be happy if they take over the entire country.
Who else? Crickets chirping.
A possible deal would be for Turkey to get Aleppo in exchange for withdrawing the terrorists. Idlib probably stays in their hands as well. That would give Erdogan a prize and a place to send the refugees in Turkey.
However, the US would not be happy. The US wants to Libya-ize Syria and turn it into a broken, lawless state.
Russia needs to turn Idlib into the Yuzhmash plant.
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Dec 7 2024 13:46 utc | 88
Geez there appears to be some chicken counting going on here!
Craig Murray has been on the ground a while now and he must have a better idea then most of us. b’s posting of his article is great - most should go and read and watch his reports and tweets regularly - and right now send whatever you can to fund his teams efforts to provide journalism from the civilians pov on the ground.
But to turn to the blatant russophobic bs that sock puppets pop up with regularly on such btl boards - I’ll reference one such post - perhaps I misread it.
@ Posted by: Ma Laoshi | Dec 7 2024 10:55 utc | 43
“Since war has been most definitely forced upon Russia, why is he still sitting where he is?”
Well at least you acknowledge the SMO wasn’t ‘unprovoked’ even though you still seem to think it is a ‘war’.
Only fuckwits such as Napoleon, Most of the British Crown, The City and its agents Lenin, Trotsky and their merry band of bankers ziofascIst Bolshevik tools; and the deluded Hitler and Eastern and Central European Russophobes, have actually seen a Russia at War - almost all of them from the vantage of being in receipt of the attention after poking, trying to trap or kill the thousand year old nation state - the largest in the world!
Yup they always have TOTS.
Bismarck correctly warned they always come to collect their debts. Sometimes they even leave behind a cultural memory - the French got their Bistros , the Germans the Slavic bonding - but it seems that once again the invitation to come and collect the debt has been extended!
Macaroon, VDL, the whole Collective Waste can’t wait for the visit of the bros and sisters - being winter, they’ll probably bring a lot of nuts as presents to plant. Hazelnuts.
Whether it’s Garasimov making Charlie Brown shit his pants with a phone call or Lavrov getting the same message to the western masses to soften them up for the coming capitulation - or the fragrant Maria and Peskovs quips from the MFA or the tens of millions of ordinary Working Brothers, Sisters and babushkas- who have that ancient blood and tales of motherland, sacrifice, survival and ultimate triumph running through their collective veins.
VVP is not alone, or weak or a loser, baby.
When he goes you can have lusty Medvedev or any number of real Russians who have now been cleansed of the latest decades of Bolsheviky Zionazis attempts at infiltration and balkanisation.
There are now any number who are cleansed of the sell out oligarchs.
Many more young and experienced who are not afraid of Western Hollywood superiority of weapons or sex crazed banal godless lives! They have escaped from that mirage of western superiority.
The greatest achievement of czar Putin will be the generations of Russians working to keep Russia together over its second millennium!
History lurched back into life!!!
The Great Patriotic Warriors have tempered steel offspring.
You want War?
Oh dear… Time is definitely not on your side if you want to avoid it.
You certainly could do with a bit of learning instead of trying to teach such old flat eathism.
Posted by: DunGroanin | Dec 7 2024 13:51 utc | 89
It seems that the empire got a huge strategic win. And everybody was sleep at the wheel. Not only the heads of the resistance, but also all the pundits in this side of the world, including Ritter, Johnson, McGovern, Wilkerson and etc.
This all started with the assassination of the General Soleimani. When you see the strings of events ever since then, it starts to make sense that this was all about Syria and finally Iran. And nobody saw it coming.
Unless Russia and Iran go for an all out blitz, they can kiss their regional aspirations goodbye. Iran will become a marginalized and isolated state and revolution from within is in their future.
And BRICS,….The Silk Road…..BRI…..it was an ice dream.
That’s what happens when you decide to have a hands off approach to your interest.
Posted by: Alpi | Dec 7 2024 13:55 utc | 90
Posted by: Jo | Dec 7 2024 7:39 utc | 6
Praying for it. Could be a cauldron.
Per korobochka last night:
Yesterday Russia advised Russian civilians leave Syria.
Russia is installing an S400 in a key location (I forget where) to defend against Israel
Suggested exactly what you've proposed. That in the past, Syria fought at its borders & just as they were about to annihilate the enemy, they would retreat to their safe haven countries. That this time, they are luring them into the middle to be surrounded
Posted by: Mary | Dec 7 2024 13:57 utc | 91
If there is one thing that the American/Turkish/Israeli/Qatar/Saudi/British/NATO terror war against Syria reveals, it is that the entire America-led War on Terrorism since the 9/11 Inside Job is a massive decades-long Big Lie, worthy of Joseph Goebbels.
You can't credibly claim to be fighting terrorism--particularly Al-Queda or ISIS/Islamic State terrorism--while you are at the same time arming, allying with, and even providing military air support for Al-Queda or Islamicist affiliates like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) against Syria, the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) against Libya; the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) against Serbia; or Islamic State terrorists in Afghanistan/Pakistan.
This is not mention "former" CIA asset USAma Bin Laden.
As even Hamid Karzai, America's former colonial satrap ruler in Afghanistan, has stated: There is no difference between America and ISIS because ISIS is nothing more than a tool of the USA.
War in Afghanistan: Former President Hamid Karzai Claims There Is No Difference Between ISIS and America
https://www.newsweek.com/hamid-karzai-us-afghanistan-isis-taliban-russia-587031
American State Terrorism is the terrorism that dare not speak its name.
Posted by: ak74 | Dec 7 2024 13:57 utc | 92
Re:Ed4 @82,
invasions aren't planned and launched over a weekend, the Jihadi sleeper cells were infiltrated into Syria over the past year. It's now confirmed that the entire Syrian command structure (not just the local army commander, but the local commander of the police, military intelligence, & the city militia) in charge of Aleppo was bribed to abandon their posts and switch sides within the 24 hours of the attack commencing (again meaning that they had been in talks with the Jihadis for weeks if not months in advance). initial reports are clear that before the Syrian army started abandoning their posts through the entire front, the SDF (nominal allies of the Syrian government) launch attacks on the Syrian army (again indicating that they were aware of the attack and probably promised that whatever they seized before the Jihadi arrived, they would be allowed to keep). Lastly, we can see how quickly the Russians and Iranians have pulled back their support, again probably meaning that once the attack started and succeeded, the Americans and Turks approached them with an offer to protect their interests. Rumors are that the coast of Syria will be given to the Alawites, Syrian Christians and other Shiites as a new province of a federated Syria with the Russian base acting as the guarantor of security. Hell, a week into this war CNN runs a glamour piece on this Islamic head-chopper Terrorist, I mean "moderate rebel" leading the terrorist forces. EVERYTHING, indicates that this whole Syrian collapse was planned out well in advance, at least year
Posted by: Kadath | Dec 7 2024 14:01 utc | 93
B said "Not one Sunni Muslim-led state has lifted a single finger to prevent the genocide of the Palestinians." "
xor | Dec 7 2024 8:11 utc | 13 said:
"UK Muslim outlets that have been ostensibly pro-Palestinian – like Middle East Eye and 5 Pillars – enthusiastically back Israel’s Syrian allies in ensuring the destruction of resistance to the genocide of the Palestinians. Al Jazeera alternates between items detailing dreadful massacre in Palestine, and items extolling the Syrian rebels bringing Israel-allied rule to Syria.
Turkey (which is 100% aligned with Qatar and its national propaganda channel Aljazeera) has been sending tankers of Azeri oil to the Zionazi entity unabetted during the Zionazi scorched earth genocide of Palestine."
<= I observe no Sunni led Muslin state has ever been for, or cared out the Palestinians or any other Class 4 persons anywhere in the world.. but the turning point in this has been the 2012 -16 discovery of Oil and gas in the Lavantian reserve..and the pipeline issues started the war in Syria, and has always been, all about gas pipeline access from the Med to Europe..from Israel Haffia " Its all been, this time around, part of knock Russia oil and gas enterprises out of the European gas market and I think wrt Trump's support for Israel it has to with the A's in Las Vegas, Nv.
Assad does not understand that..and from what I see of the commentary above it is not well understood by many AFAICT..
have a look at these maps
https://resolvenet.org/sites/default/files/2017-08/greater-middle-east-and-levant_0.png
https://resolvenet.org/sites/default/files/2017-08/greater-middle-east-and-levant_0.png
I would say the whole recent mid east crisis and the US/UK proxy war with Russia in Ukraine have all been about keeping Russia from selling its cheap good oil and keep Russia from supply a continuous supply of Russia gas to anyone, anywhere in Europe.. Its the same thing the privately owned western oil monopolies did to the German industrial complete in WWII. WWII was fought to keep Germany from competing with the western monopoly owned oil and gas underneath the wwI defeated Ottoman Empire.
Once again the nations that make up the nation state system in the west are controlled , not by governments, but instead by POPFMEs.(Private owned, publically (stock market) financed, Multinational enterprises). Sunni led or controlled nations and places has never not ever been about anything bt western oil and gas company control of the the oil and gas in the .. and Turkey has been part of that oil and gas comes first mafia since its beginning (http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/genocide/turkey-armenia.gif). also http://historyplace.com/worldhistory/genocide/armenians.htm We must never forget WWI was about British, French and US oil and gas investors seeking to take control, possession and control over the oil and gas that lie beneath the Ottomsn Empire. WWI was necessitarted because oil and gas investors in Germany and Russia were competiting with Western POPFME owned monopolies in oil and gas.
.){kind=link}
The Armenian genocide moved 2M Armenians off the oil rich lands, just the same as todays Palestinian genocide is doing.
The war against Russia will never cease until the POPFME oil and gas companies possess, control and own the gas and other minerals beneath the Russian empire.
Posted by: SOS | Dec 7 2024 11:39 utc | 49
he Middle East of Sykes/Picot days is not sorted out, neither is the Sunni/Shia divide or the general tribalism of the Middle East, in order of magnitude.
<= it was never intended to be sorted out.. not ever.. control over regions passes is accomplished by being in position to make the decision for each side.. ex. 100 of out 101 people are divided 50 for/ 50 against, the 1 decides..
Posted by: Santi | Dec 7 2024 12:54 utc | 69
Perhaps like all the others, this is nothing more than a war to capture drug markets, to create large-scale consumers... it was always much more profitable than oil.
https://textosandroides.blogspot.com/2014/05/narcotrafico-y-poder.html
<=these more profitable ventures are late arrivals to the war gangs.
Posted by: Don Firineach | Dec 7 2024 13:01 utc | 71
# The 'Astana Agreement': Turkey betrayed both Iran and Russia.
<=Turkey has been a center to assist western interest to establish monopolies over global markets but Turkey is looking for an opportunity to seize control and ownership of the oil and gas because it believes it alone is entitle to the profits because Turkey sees itself as a the Ottoman Empire.
Apparently Biden has invented ‘preemptive pardons’ and is probably planning to insulate such people as Anthony Fauci, Liz Cheney and Adam Schiff from criminal prosecution? I question the legality of preemptive pardons for any reason. The idea of a preemptive pardon being constitutional is absurd IMO? But pardons AFAICT only apply for offenses against the United States, so crimes against humanity IMO, would be hard pressed to be eligible for a pardon under Article II, Section 2 (1) [The President] ... shall have the power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for offenses against the United States. if there is no offense how can there be a pardon? The power to pardon is limited to being the President of the united states at the time of the Pardon?
Let us not forget.. Rothschild, manages the estate of Cecil Rhodes and argues the elite are entitled to the mineral wealth of the world.
Posted by: snake | Dec 7 2024 14:04 utc | 94
ak74 | Dec 7 2024 13:57 utc | 92
1998 Interview with Zbigniew Brzezinski on Afghanistan in Le Nouvel Observateur
https://web.archive.org/web/20230319212714/https://dgibbs.arizona.edu/content/brzezinski-interview-2">https://dgibbs.arizona.edu/content/brzezinski-interview-2">https://web.archive.org/web/20230319212714/https://dgibbs.arizona.edu/content/brzezinski-interview-2
Posted by: hh | Dec 7 2024 14:07 utc | 95
@
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Dec 7 2024 12:31 utc | 63
yes i agree re Dima et al.
That's why i started off with a question... but somehow then got carried away.
I will happily eat all my words and admit how wrong i was, but only once the facts demand it.
Posted by: Rubiconned | Dec 7 2024 14:07 utc | 96
Personally, I think the Sunni/Shia divide is less about ideology and more driven by materialistic $$$.
For example, the ISIS-K terrorist who attacked Crocus didn't do it because of Islam. He did it because someone promised him $5000.
These terrorists are basically mercenaries with a lack of morals and motivated by the allure of money.
The religious angle is just something tacked on afterwards by their handlers as cover to hide the fact they're low life thugs hired by foreign powers to kill people in region where they're based. The US proxy groups around the world all share these same features even if they have different ideologies.
Heck I'm reading up on this HTS group and I'm finding out Turkey is able to control these "Islamic extremists" not because of their religion, but because they made an organisation structure that is cutting them regular checks.
I suspect the reason behind the poor performance of the Syrian military is the same as the Second Gulf War. They were not able to pay their armed forces adequately and US/Turkey was able to bribe commanders and generals behind Syria's back.
Posted by: Autumn | Dec 7 2024 14:07 utc | 97
Scott Ritter makes the point that in the recent past, Assad's and Russia's hands were tied: as long as Turkey was seen to abide by the Astana accords, they were in no position to move first. Agree or not, I usually listen to what The Inspector has to say. So is there someone here who knows: was disarming HTS&friends and keeping them disarmed part of the Astana accords or not? Sounds like the kind of thing you'd put in writing; then again, what do I know.
-------------------------
@Jo | Dec 7 2024 7:39 utc | 6
>>Any chance that it appears Hama then Damascus as "last lines of defence" are waiting for the HTS militant armed convoys to joyfully and perhaps overconfidently to drive down the M5....then get slaughtered by SAA and Russian airstrikes on these targets?
At a minimum, not literally as you write it: Hama was overrun already just like that. Meanwhile, it's been close to two weeks, and Syria's allies are still looking at each other "If we overcommit now, will it be too little too late?" Yeah, RIP those unfortunate Iraqis, but sending a column through a desert where A-10's have complete freedom of action may not be the best strategy.
Bottom line I think this clusterfuck demonstrates the failure of 5d chess; I'd hope nobody on the loyalist side entertains the thought of even more of what hasn't worked. You fancy yourself smart and consider playing dirty games with Erdogan, better check first if Erdogan isn't smarter still. In retrospect, helping the Iraqi Resistance kick the yanks out might've achieved more than endlessly pleading for muh restraint.
-------------------------
@xor | Dec 7 2024 7:51 utc | 8
>>A Palestinian flag was waving at the Aleppo castle put there by the NATO terrorist and their current terrorist leader al-Julani.
Well you saw what you saw but even if it happened like that, might it be more the exception that proves the rule? Any place which this blitz offensive touches, they waste no time tearing down Resistance symbols. Then again, someone who seemed to know a bit more cautioned the other day that the Syrian Baath Party flag is very similar to the Palestinian one, to the point of them being indistinguishable for outsiders.
Anyway, better not get lost in details. Wherever HTS&friends go, they invariably raise the Turkish flag; been like that for years already, going back to the Afrin offensive if not longer. And RT.com is still running cover for Erdogan; as if the Kremlin's already decided to sit this one out.
Posted by: Ma Laoshi | Dec 7 2024 14:08 utc | 98
ak74 | Dec 7 2024 13:57 utc | 92
1998 Interview with Zbigniew Brzezinski on Afghanistan in Le Nouvel Observateur
https://archive.ph/yaKiL
Posted by: hh | Dec 7 2024 14:09 utc | 99
https://x.com/cirnosad/status/1865299586790928733
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Korobochka (コロボ) 🇦🇺✝️
@cirnosad
I want to make one important note about Syria before I go off writing. /📄
The Russian blogger sphere is going to prove to be extremely unreliable in terms of Syria coverage. They have a vested interest in minimizing the displayed abilities of the SAA and maximizing the reported reliance on the available Russian support.
This is of course absolute garbage, the SAA held on to its territory through the most violent terrorist attacks and unopposed Israeli air strikes. It survived and still survives and fights on, 13 years into the most sponsored proxy and direct war in history, with the US occupying all its natural resources.
Ultimately it's about political pressure and erasure of a people. They want to use their presence to pressure Assad into some kind of Zionist resolution, while also robbing the honor of Syrians and their achievements in self-defense and in balancing the roles of their allies. It's all about erasing Syria, the Zionists on land do it directly, the Zionists on the internet do it through their unfair and outright disgusting reporting.
Right now the only coverage they have is of the SAA "running away", but in reality every single retreat has been orderly and minimized workable equipment loss. This shows coherence, good organization and initiative. This is all because of forward planning, the SAA saw this invasion coming. The terrorists have lost thousands of people, while the SAA has only lost hundreds so far.
This is also why they undermine reports of paradrops and mock the notion -- paradrops are extremely difficult to pull off for multiple reasons, the biggest being logistical. In Hama, the paradrop was used to disorganize terrorists who intended to invade a fortified pocket adjacent to the city, and also to retake the airport for some time, for unknown reasons. Perhaps some important equipment remained there. It was like a mini-Gostomel due to the amount of MANPADs available to HTS. Many terrorists escaped the city that night and were gunned down along the road. It was executed successfully thanks to Russian specialists and the amazing VKS crew at Hamimeh.
The state of Hama now is unknown, as the terrorists were told not to film anything, and went radio silent for the next 5 hours. During the morning, another spread-head attack into the city was reported.
So respect the SAA as you would respect the Russian army. As you should respect the regular Ukrainian armed forces, despite their alignment. As you would respect Hezbollah. These soldiers are putting their lives on the line while we bash keys on a keyboard in the comfort of our own homes. Their commanders have their lives as their responsibility. If they call for a retreat, there is a good reason for it and it's not your imagined lack of morale, this will become obvious in due time.
We also don't know the full spectrum of political and military calculations the Syrians have to contend with. The prospect of Israel invading. The prospect of direct Turkish participation. The prospect of the US turning its forces into a spearhead to cut thin logistics. The actual force disposition (not our speculated one) and the strategic reserves that remain after so much Israeli bombardment is unknown.
Information is the real currency of war, and so many "oracles" on here are talking about Syria's defeat when the fire fights have not even begun!!!!
Today everyone is focused on the hordes of central Asian terrorists flowing out of the Idleb sewer and the "reconciled" terrorists taking their arms back up and vandalizing public buildings. Perhaps soon, they will realise that these enemies, while extremely damaging, are not truly what the Syrians were concerned about. This would explain their current hedgehog strategy.
Finally and on that note, another important note: The SAA has strategic weapons no one except Israel speaks of. These will play a factor in resolving this conflict, or perhaps ending the world due to domino consequences of their usage, once the terrorist hordes are defeated at the gates of Damascus and Homs. Everyone thinks Syria will disappear uneventfully because they saw Libya and Iraq go down without a fight.
Unlike these two, Syria never gave up its strategic weapons. With what is on the table, and hordes of head cutting jihadists descending upon Damascus and then the coast, there's no chance in hell that Syria is going down alone.
Posted by: Mary | Dec 7 2024 14:10 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
An informative and insightful interview with Kevork Almassian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy9DZCFbTDc
Posted by: Robert Peters | Dec 7 2024 6:51 utc | 1