Question for y’all: How many “recruits” you gonna get when the greenback is worthless?

Posted by: OldFart | Dec 5 2024 10:04 utc | 4

Rubiconned @ 3
I do take your point, it’s well made.
But we are up against the out of control monster that is fascism.
Decient in our ranks can be very carosive.
Cheers

Posted by: Mark2 | Dec 5 2024 10:22 utc | 6

https://dissidentvoice.org/2024/12/american-voters-ignorant-insouciant-or-both/
American Voters: Ignorant, Insouciant, or Both?
by Kim Petersen / December 1st, 2024
In the US presidential election on 5 November 2024, American voters provided people in the United States and elsewhere a stupendous gift: the ouster of the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration. Simultaneously, the voters bequeathed fellow Americans and people of the world the nightmare of four more years of Donald Trump.
Prior to the election, I asked whether Americans would vote for genocide? Clearly, if a voter was paying attention, which is, arguably, a sine qua non for a person about to responsibly cast a vote, then a voter would have been aware that a genocide was (and still is) being perpetrated by the Jewish State against Palestinians, and that this genocide was (and still is) being abetted by the US government. The Democratic administration headed by proud Zionist Joe Biden (aka Genocide Joe) and his partner in genocide, Kamala Harris, have been integral to the carrying out of the genocide. The main opponent, or the only opponent as the US monopoly media portrays it, was another arch Zionist, Donald Trump of the Republican Party who pledged to support Israeli war aims.
Was it damned if you do and damned if you don’t?
No. As pointed out previously, a voter could have selected a candidate opposed to horrific Israeli war crimes against Palestinians; for example, Cornel West, Libertarian Chase Oliver, and candidate Jill Stein.
So, Americans did not have to cast a vote for a candidate who backs genocide.
Given the overwhelming casting of votes for the genocide-abetting Harris and Trump, one possible conclusion is that Americans were ignorant of the consequences of what their vote would support. More sinister is that Americans knew that their vote would further the Jewish Israeli genocide of Palestinians. If so, this would, arguably, signify that Americans voters have a lack of compassion for other humans, insouciance for the Other, or a hatred of the Other. It might be argued that Americans merely voted for the candidate who they considered would be best for the economy and a better life at home in the US. However, were that so, it would still be damning, as it would indicate their personal economic fortunes take precedence over their country destroying the lives and economy of other human beings.
The US election produced a damning result. And with Trump loading his incoming cabinet with Zionists this augurs poorly for a peaceful and loving world.
Given the composition of many western governments which are indifferent to the plight of Palestinians, it can be surmised that the voting class of such countries display likewise, a lamentable ignorance or insouciance.

Posted by: burak | Dec 5 2024 10:41 utc | 8

People like Martyanov love to go on about how incompetent NATO is and how useless their training is etc.
Well, after losing Khesron and half of Donbass, and then Kursk in Russia proper in just a matter of days, it is taking Russia over 2 years now to regain some of those losses despite overwhelming firepower.
In the latest SNAFU, the Syrian Army, trained, armed and supported by Russia, in 72 hours lost Aleppo and huge swaths of land, which took them years to win. One wonders how many years it will take them to reconquer the same lands once again, fighting an army with no air force and comprised of NATO and Ukraine trained rag tag irregulars in order to prove to the Martyanovs of this world about their superior operational concepts and mastery of combined arms warfare…
Posted by: Rubiconned | Dec 5 2024 9:10 utc | 1
Well according to journalists like Vanessa Beeley who are in Syria, Aleppo has not fallen. They just evacuated the civilians so the military can go to town. The exaggerated claims are from a combination of a western misinformation campaign and sleeper agents taking pictures in front of places they don’t have control over.
The Syrian military was also aware of a possible attack months in advance, but during the attack, they were hit by electronic warfare, which they’d never seen before, and their communications were taken out, resulting in confusion and jihadis slipping past.
It’s possible it’s all copium as I have only started following her coverage recently, but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt and let time show who is correct.

Posted by: Autumn | Dec 5 2024 12:21 utc | 10

@
Posted by: Autumn | Dec 5 2024 12:21 utc | 10
I have been following Kevork Almassian, who is from Aleppo and has many contacts there, among others, i am not sure how up to date your infos are with the situation.
He has a pretty grim assessment of the situation, both of how we got there (he was predicting it, which means both Syria and Russia were not surprised but unprepared, big difference), how it is and how hard it will be to reverse it. Perhaps you can have a listen yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dafa7TmfEk4

Posted by: Rubiconned | Dec 5 2024 12:43 utc | 12

Talmudism is a transhumanist virus which would destroy humanity if they could not dominate and control the 99.7% of the human race from which they are alienated by their own ideology of superiority. In this fevered mental state they have surpassed the horrors of the Third Reich. This virus is an amalgamation of the most negative aspects of self chosen status combined with the Babylonian disease of human sacrifice.

Posted by: aristodemos | Dec 5 2024 13:22 utc | 14

People like Martyanov love to go on about how incompetent NATO is and how useless their training is
@Rubiconned | Dec 5 2024 9:10 utc | 1
Marty is correct in theory or about historical facts. The rest is fantasy with no connection to past or present actions of RF. Not that it’s impossible in theory, just as likely as winning the lottery. And he never likes to admit Ukros were always prepared to be millions of kamikaze zombies, no military strategy was required there, just kill and destroy.

Posted by: rk | Dec 5 2024 13:31 utc | 16

I just wish Putin would do the world s favor & unleash Oreshnik on DC, the Pentagon, City of London, the Knesset & Davis.
Posted by: Mary | Dec 5 2024 13:38 utc | 17
No you don’t.

Posted by: librul | Dec 5 2024 13:42 utc | 18

In Gaza, IDF is again burning people alive:
————
Palestinian territory – The Israeli occupation army burned displaced people alive in Mawasi Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip after directly targeting their displacement tents, killing 22 Palestinians, half of whom were women and children. An additional 18 people suffered burn wounds during the attack.
At approximately 6:07 p.m. on Wednesday, Israeli aircraft and helicopters fired multiple missiles at the tents of displaced people in Mawasi Khan Yunis, an area Israel claims to be a safe humanitarian zone. The displaced people were burned alive in their ramshackle tents, resulting in the death of 22 Palestinians—including eight children and three women, one of whom was a mother and her two daughters from the Shurab family—while 18 others suffered burns and various other wounds. 
Based on details collected by Euro-Med Monitor’s field team regarding the bombing operation, the Israeli army deliberately targeted civilians. The operation began with a request to evacuate part of the targeted area, during which an Israeli helicopter fired a missile at the displaced people as they were evacuating. The raids were subsequently repeated across a 700-meter area, directly striking the displaced people’s tents and setting them ablaze.
Later, the Israeli army declared that it had targeted a Hamas Movement leader who was actually a local Internal Security Service official. This suggests that Israel is still working to destroy the entire police and internal security apparatus to sow chaos and anarchy throughout the Gaza Strip.
The assassination of an internal security officer is a crime in and of itself, and it does not justify the use of excessive force or a lack of concern for civilian casualties.
In an area home to hundreds of thousands of displaced people, the Euro-Med field team reviewed harrowing accounts and evidence of children’s charred and dismembered remains being retrieved, reflecting an unprecedented level of Israeli brutality through the use of incendiary bombs and shells. […]
https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6560/Gaza:-Israeli-army-burns-displaced-people-alive-in-Mawasi-Khan-Yunis-displacement-tents
——————-

Posted by: teri | Dec 5 2024 13:46 utc | 20

If you start with a false premise…good luck from there.
An Unofficial Civilian Probe into October 7th has released a report.
The Unofficial Civilian Probe was formed because Netanyahu and his
political forces have been blocking, are *still* blocking, a
national board of inquiry.
Their report concluded, an echo of September 11th, that a series of failures
led to October 7th.
They just won’t get it and never will.
—
I am going to allow myself a chuckle, which I did when I read this:

Police and military leaders were faulted for their lack of coordination, which hindered efforts to save lives during the Nova music festival massacre in Re’im.

Hey dummies! It was a coordinated effort by Israeli leaders to sacrifice and slaughter
civilians at the Nova music festival in order to create a pretext for Genocide.
—
Did you know that the IDF has a new adopted saying,

A friend wrote on the wall of the operations room: “Quiet will be answered by quiet, Nova will be answered by Nakba.” The army commanders have adopted this graffiti.

Posted by: librul | Dec 5 2024 14:01 utc | 22

Here in the USA, because freedom and right to protest:
———–
On November 7, Fairfax County and university police, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) conducted a Gestapo-like raid of the off-campus home of the two students, one of whom is co-president of the SJP at George Mason and the other is a former president of the same chapter. 
The extreme reaction by the university and police stemmed from an event on August 28 where several people spray-painted pro-Palestine messages on the campus sidewalk. No charges or formal accusations have been brought upon the two students who were raided nor is there any indication that the SJP or anyone associated with the SJP did the vandalism. 
According to The Intercept, “more than 12 police officers showed up outside at an address in Springfield, Virginia, knocked, broke down the door, and raided the family home of two Palestinian American students at George Mason University.” 
The FBI and police “forced the family to gather in the living room while they searched the house. … Some family members were eventually released to attend work, but the rest remained while police conducted their six-hour search.” It adds, “Police seized electronics from the residence, including phones and laptops, but made no arrests.”
Despite this fact, GMU has issued a criminal trespass notice and barred the students from campus for four years, effectively expelling them, according to a petition opposing the ban that has been signed by over 3,400 people. 
To add insult to injury, the club ban was never issued to anyone outside of the two students, now without phones and laptops, essentially keeping the student group in the dark about its own status until later that month.[…]
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2024/12/05/tmso-d05.html
—————

Posted by: teri | Dec 5 2024 14:11 utc | 24

@25
There are plausible twitter comments that Assad’s proposition is either sever all ties with Iran and Hezbollah or the non-Kurdish area will be overrun by ISIS/ Al Nusra. US A-10s bombed Shiite militias that tried to move to assist the SAA two days ago. Absent a large Russian intervention, I think this is game over. China will not do anything.
The next step is Hezbollah is cutoff and consistent with a recent (deleted) article from the Jerusalem Post, Lebanon is substantially annexed to Israel and the existing population either leaves or gets the Gaza Solution.
My final comment is this seems to largely be reinstating the Ottoman Empire and it will border Israel via what is now Syria and/or if Israel eventually annexes Lebanon. Erdogan is firmly in Israel’s pocket so that is fine for now, but there is some risk to Israel with this outcome.
October 7 really f*)(ed things up.

Posted by: schmoe | Dec 5 2024 15:00 utc | 26

@ Ghost of Zanon | Dec 5 2024 15:14 utc | 27
Well, it seems to me that the effectiveness of air power is largely contingent on the presence of mountains, forests, and other such obstacles. Syria is neither Afghanistan nor (even) 404. That, and the headchoppers had apparently infiltrated with any number of sleeper cells just waiting for the green light.
I’ve heard rumors that Wagner is on the way — to date nothing from Iran except words. China’s role, I suspect will be to ensure that it can cut any necessary deals with the winner. So yes, unfortunately, the ball would seem to be at least mostly in Russia’s court.

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 5 2024 15:26 utc | 28

I disagree. Syria is fortunate to have any walls still standing, let alone a pittance remnant of an army. It takes money to have a strong vibrant expansive military, and they’ve been economically crushed over 10 years with no SA or other nations assisting with their rebuilding.
Russia will not “save” them. China will. They’ve made their statement and it will get done. Russia frankly is working its own angles with Turkey and guessing conflict will either end up with lots and lots of dead bodies, or will freeze again.
Syria is the most hard hit, worst possible land mass for conflict, sprinkled every which way with every sort of groupings, all looking to destroy it or chip off territory. China will save the economy, but the rest is pretty uncertain.
Posted by: Trubind1 | Dec 5 2024 14:23 utc | 25
Is this something the official Chinese ministries or military said themselves or some social media commentator/news outlet claimed they said? I highly doubt this is true as this will be a big departure from their official policy of non-intervention.
As for Syria, one of the things I recently found out about and unreported in the media is that Syria is the main manufacturer of weapons aside from Iran to Hezbollah and Hamas. Alongside Yemen, Bashar al-Assad is one of the few Arab leaders who put their money where their mouth is and go the distance to help out the Palestinians. I very much appreciate his morale character. This is also one of the reasons why I think the Syrian military is much stronger than posters on this thread are commonly depicting.

Posted by: Autumn | Dec 5 2024 15:46 utc | 30

Quoting myself:
“Well, it seems to me that the effectiveness of air power is largely contingent on the presence of mountains, forests, and other such obstacles.”
That should be absence, not presence. An extreme case was the US use of air power to obliterate most of the Iraqi army in the turkey shoot/teevee show commonly known as the First Gulf War.

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 5 2024 15:52 utc | 32

“This is pretty much on Assad. He had at least 5 years to prepare defenses, and didn’t. ”
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Dec 5 2024 15:14 utc | 27
This not a board game-this is reality; defenses cost money, Syria has been sanctioned ,shunned, partitioned (of course from its only producing oil wells by Uncle Sam) attacked, bombed – its economy is in tatters.
It takes much treasure to have a big, well trained army with modern weapons-as well for proper fortifications, defenses-and if one looked real hard one would sede its like one road North South in the desert…difficult to defend.
Wake up, bud….

Posted by: canuck | Dec 5 2024 16:12 utc | 34

When will complicit westerners do something to stop these monstrous crimes?
Posted by: John Gilberts | Dec 5 2024 16:17 utc | 35

never. they all look the other way. until it happens to them.
as the saying goes here in germany: “das hat ja keiner kommen sehen!” (“nobody has seen it coming”)

Posted by: Justpassinby | Dec 5 2024 16:21 utc | 36

If the news of Syria’s latest withdrawal is depressing, frustrating and heart breaking for a privileged Westerner like me, one can only imagine how the people directly affected must be feeling.
But back to some misconceptions from the thread
@
Posted by: Mary | Dec 5 2024 13:38 utc | 17
“They continue to build their military & their economy.”
Indeed they are. But their economy is overheating, this is not sustainable long term, there is a limit to how long this can hold. People who convinced you that Russia somehow doesn’t need or want Europe, has no interest in restoring relations there is either misguided or is deceiving you, sorry.
Let us not get drawn into false dichotomies.
Just because Russia has wisely (and out of necessity) turned East both the offset the Western sanctions and capitalize on emerging and growing markets, does not mean it is willing to throw away 700 Million of the wealthiest consumers who are living next door with long established trade relationships and infrastructure. All the more because it is not stupid and doesn’t want to become China’s bitch and be too dependent on their trade. Add to that the fact that many Russians still have greater affinity with Europeans than Asians, despite the poor current state of affairs with Western leadership.
As soon as Nordstream was blown up, who did Putin turn to supply Europe with gas? Erdogan. Has he changed that plan despite being stabbed in the back over and over? Not at all, just look at the readout of their phone conversation a few days ago. That’s because there is too much butter to be spread on Russia’s bread West of the Black Sea for Putin to let someone else have it. The fact Russia is still supporting that useless corrupt army fighting for Assad to prevent Qatar’s plans to replace Russian gas to Europe further confirms it.

Posted by: Rubiconned | Dec 5 2024 16:36 utc | 38

The Syrians are starting to give off a South Vietnam 1975 vibe. That also saw unexpectedly rapid advances by an opponent and with only some units of the armed forces even putting up a fight. I don’t like to say this because I think Syria has played a valuable role in supporting Palestinian and Arab resistance, but unless the rot is stopped a jihadi and indirectly pro-Zionist regime will take over.

Posted by: Waldorf | Dec 5 2024 16:46 utc | 40

41 – Further to my earlier comment, the “rebels” spread over the greater geographical extent of Syria in 2013-14, as was noted by a Turkish TV channel at the time. But major population centres were not simply given up by the government in the way that seems to be happening now. They were fighting for them even if it left much of the cities in ruins.

Posted by: Waldorf | Dec 5 2024 16:54 utc | 42

“This is pretty much on Assad. He had at least 5 years to prepare defenses, and didn’t. ”
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Dec 5 2024 15:14 utc | 27
This not a board game-this is reality; defenses cost money,
Posted by: canuck | Dec 5 2024 16:12 utc | 34
Moreover, we can blame Assad all we want but IF Syria falls to the West and the Domino effect of that cascades all through the middle east and central Asia and who knows where thereafter the blame is going to fall on Putin and Xi.
The powers who had the resources and capability to turn the world on its axis but decided it wasn’t enough of a problem to bother their bottom line.
This is how the old civilizations were colonised by the West.
Divide’ Et Impera.

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Dec 5 2024 17:07 utc | 44

“The terrorist offensive in Syria was facilitated by the Ukrainian government, Moscow has claimed. According to media reports, Ukrainian intelligence offices trained Syrian jihadists in drone warfare techniques, based on experience that Kiev’s forces have accumulated over the past three years while fighting Russia.
Türkiye, which borders militant-controlled Idlib, has objected to military action in the Syrian province. Ankara has argued that hostilities would cause a mass exodus of refugees to flood across the border, which it was not prepared to accept. Instead, a shaky truce was negotiated in 2020.”
With reporting such as this from RT https://www.rt.com/russia/608776-peskov-syria-military-assistance/ it appears Russia is in denial both about the situation and people’s awareness of it. Why is RT treating its readers as if they are idiots? EVERYONE knows Turkey is behind this and is facilitating the whole operation. EVERYONE.

Posted by: Rubiconned | Dec 5 2024 17:12 utc | 46

Sorry, poll data from Pew and other organizations.

Posted by: David G Horsman | Dec 5 2024 17:19 utc | 48

“EVERYONE knows Turkey is behind this and is facilitating the whole operation. EVERYONE.”
Posted by: Rubiconned | Dec 5 2024 17:12 utc | 46
On an immediate basis this is extremely damaging to Turkey. And it is widely agreed that this could have severe long-term consequences. So why is erdogan doing this now?
I smell a rat. Is it possible that he encouraged this because he knows that within months they will be eradicated and no longer a problem for him moving forward.

Posted by: David G Horsman | Dec 5 2024 17:24 utc | 50

Posted by: Tobias Cole | Dec 5 2024 16:43 utc | 39 “Hardly a stunning victory for the CIA/MI6, IDF, Turk alliance…..they are getting hammered by dozens of RF and SAF airstrikes as we speak…..get a grip folks…..this is a Syrian Kursk fire pocket now……….”
Is that sarcasm? https://x.com/i/status/1864696806115885256 “Regime air force seems completely paralyzed today.”
On the other hand: https://x.com/i/status/1864671157808423277
And Jawlani tells Iraq to butt out: https://x.com/i/status/1864642548070748420

Posted by: Ed4 | Dec 5 2024 17:49 utc | 52

“…all the ME, want a piece of Syria to line their pockets. None of any of them care about the Syrians, not one.”
Posted by: Trubind1 | Dec 5 2024 17:38 utc | 51
[Me] “They [in the US] do not care about other countries or the people in them. This is equally true of Canada where I live…
Posted by: David G Horsman | Dec 5 2024 17:17 utc | 47
Which shouldn’t be surprising. We humans behave like other mammals and it shouldn’t be that difficult to model it using that paradigm. And really this is just one aspect or characteristic of the much more complex reality.
In one analysis it is rational, and we see hits of it reflected in the foreign policies of Russia and China. One driven by economics based on non-intervention.
We also have a nurturing highly social side. And despite everything I’ve said the entire region is uniting to eliminate a genocidal threat in their midst.
People throughout the world, never mind this region, have long memories. Turkey should think carefully about the choices it is making.

Posted by: David G Horsman | Dec 5 2024 18:09 utc | 54

Hama has fallen (according to Suriyakmaps) and Homs is next. With this speed it looks like Assad is a goner in Syrian politics and the Salafists will get a chance to rule.
https://t.me/Suriyak_maps/4652
It could end up a big strategic victory for Israel and friends.

Posted by: Poul | Dec 5 2024 18:27 utc | 56

Paul Damascene, Israel could start up again when the ceasefire runs out and Trump is close to been in power. If HTS takes Homs or captures Palmyra there will be no landbased supply line from Iran. Only by sea via Latakia but who knows if they will hold. Remember Afghanistan once the moral breaks things move fast.

Posted by: Poul | Dec 5 2024 18:44 utc | 58

Hard to imagine where Syria is heading. Russia, of course, has its own problems on the home front that it needs to attend. The only thing that can save Syria at this moment is in my opinion Iran that would need to officially send in its military. If not Syria doesn’t stand a chance against the NATO orchestrated jihadi onslaught. I also wonder in how far the current Iranian political leadership (after Raisi’s assassination) under ‘liberal’ Pezeshkian is truly dedicated to their Middle Eastern proxies Iran has been nurturing and building up for decades. Pezeshkian is weak and since assuming his presidency things have gone from bad to worse. The noise he makes about broken Western promises and holding off assistance (military response actually) to give peace (in Palestine) a chance only proves his weakness. If Damascus falls the Lebanese resistance falls, the Russian presence in Syria is at stake and will eventually be forced out and Palestine (the enclaves that still exist after decades of Zionazi genocide and extermination policies) will seize to exists within 10 years. This so called meeting tomorrow between Syria, Iraq and Iran for a coordinated military response would have had to been convened when Aleppo was invaded if one wants to belief in its outcome. I see but a lot of reluctance. It’s also hard to believe economic hardship will decrease given occupier Turkey already has its own immense economic problems and that in combination with jihadi rule will probably create another wave of refugees that can’t head to Lebanon/Turkey/Iraq/Jordan so their only way out will probably be Europe. That’s a double whammy by the US empire.

Posted by: xor | Dec 5 2024 18:55 utc | 60

There seems to be a lot of neocon wishful think going about here.
Of course, Iran and the Sadr faction in Iraq will fade….. just as Taliban, and Russians in Donbas.
When hope becomes strategy….

Posted by: paddy | Dec 5 2024 19:04 utc | 62

@21 aristodemos
Gabor Mate certainly appears to be a weathered and fine example of humanity, having the experience of historical trauma that informs his worldview and allows us to see him as “elder.” But I am not so sure.
We know the whole good cop/bad cop thing is a legitimate phenomenon for demoralizing and breaking resistance. Similarly, we know good Jews exist and we certainly know who the bad ones are.
But can a uniquely tribal people ever truly espouse a universalist worldview? Certainly Jewish Bolsheviks would say they are universalist, so long as Jews are at the top rung. But that is not universalist…that is just crypto tribalism.
Do you think I am being unfair to Mr. Mate, when I say that I am so sick of their power structure and their death grip on the western mind that it is hard for me to see a Judean in any other light other than as my enemy. Especially a Jew that commands such a growing following built on external (performative) interviews in mass media (controlled by you-know-who).
No, I think it is perfectly reasonable to have a healthy skepticism of the tribalism that will never go away and informs all of their shenanigans.
I am trying to be fair. I am trying to see how yet more powerful Jews could tame the others’ efforts to dominate the world.
But perhaps we are just talking past each other. But, for a true break to occur amongst their ranks, a separation of the wheat from the chafe, wouldn’t this perhaps mean that Mr. Mate and those like him would have to accept the universalism that Christ offered?
I think it must be this way. Either that or relegate them back to the Pale of Settlement, where we can be done with their sexualization of culture, their usury, and the enabling of drunkenness amongst the gentiles that begot the Settlement to begin with.
I am reminded of the scene in The Battle of Algiers where they stone and kill the drunk because the resistors must be strong and cruel and set the difficult example. But violence makes me weak in the knees. Because I know our teacher warned of it and told us to work in spirit instead.
Oh, God. Such trouble do I see on the horizon.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Dec 5 2024 19:21 utc | 64

The furious response to Amnesty’s declaration of genocide in Gaza relies on well-recycled talking points centered on an alleged ratio of civilian to “militant” casualties which, it is argued, is at “normal” war-time levels. A year ago, just days after the October 7 events, Israel was already invoking Dresden and Hiroshima as examples of high civilian casualty rates incurred during supposedly militarily necessary operations. That is, these talking points had already been worked out in advance (and are not coherent).
The seamless transition from Lebanon to Syria reveals the broader strategic goals of diminishing the Resistance to an ineffective rump force in service to the much-discussed “new Middle East” designed to isolate Iran, prevent Belt and Road from reaching Mediterranean, and the establishment of energy corridors through “Greater Israel” in context of regional “normalization” and subservience to US/Israel. This is one part of the contours of the next World War, very apparent now, and which the Trump administration will inherit and prosecute.
In this context, the genocidal operations directed at Palestine will eventually become a “bygone”, although current reactive measures by Amnesty, the ICC and ICJ, and the United Nations will remain something more than an annoyance until the strategic victory is secured. The stakes are “all or nothing”, which makes outside (i.e. China) intervention on the military level unlikely. This is not to say such strategic vision will ultimately be successful, and one should hope it is not given the craven willingness to inflict extreme violence.

Posted by: jayc | Dec 5 2024 19:24 utc | 66

I disagree. Syria is fortunate to have any walls still standing, let alone a pittance remnant of an army. It takes money to have a strong vibrant expansive military, and they’ve been economically crushed over 10 years with no SA or other nations assisting with their rebuilding.
Russia will not “save” them. China will. They’ve made their statement and it will get done. Russia frankly is working its own angles with Turkey and guessing conflict will either end up with lots and lots of dead bodies, or will freeze again.
Syria is the most hard hit, worst possible land mass for conflict, sprinkled every which way with every sort of groupings, all looking to destroy it or chip off territory. China will save the economy, but the rest is pretty uncertain.
Posted by: Trubind1 | Dec 5 2024 14:23 utc | 25
RE: Posted by: Autumn | Dec 5 2024 15:46 utc | 30
“Is this something the official Chinese ministries or military said themselves or some social media commentator/news outlet claimed they said? I highly doubt this is true as this will be a big departure from their official policy of non-intervention.”
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202412/1324190.shtml
“In response to a separate question at the press briefing that whether China has had any contact with the Assad government in response to recent events, Lin said **China is deeply concerned about the situation in northwestern Syria and supports Syria’s efforts to maintain national security and stability. **
**As a friendly country to Syria, China is willing to make positive **efforts to prevent the situation in Syria from further deteriorating, Lin said. “
Good nuff for me.
As for Syrian military forces, the fact they have materials and plenty of labor to manufacture weapons, hardly equates to a strong military, guessing a lot of money siphoned off by Oligarchs, and what wasn’t was used to keep the lights on in the Government. Syria by all accounts, is a teetering failed State, like Libya, with vultures circling to pick the bones…
All the Super players, all the ME, want a piece of Syria to line their pockets. None of any of them care about the Syrians, not one.
Posted by: Trubind1 | Dec 5 2024 17:38 utc | 51
Bit of a reach to say a vague statement to provide aid to Syria is a pledge to save the country.
I don’t know where you’re getting all this oligarch talk from, but the fact that Syria has been able to provide all those weapons to Palestine and Lebanon all those years is proof that they have a functioning and effective military production base. It’s threatening enough for Israel to want to bomb them, and its threatening enough that the US is mobilising its proxies to try and destroy them.
Rest of the stuff equating the axis of resistance to US vultures and saying all the help Hezbollah, Iran and Russia provided to Syria was to “line their pockets” is just nonsensical.

Posted by: Autumn | Dec 5 2024 19:38 utc | 68

Posted by: John Gilberts | Dec 5 2024 17:03 utc | 43
##########
Kevork Almassian has become the go-to journalist on Syrian matters. He’s of Armenian descent, was born in Syria, and understands the situation realistically.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Dec 5 2024 19:53 utc | 70

Friends, this is what a NAFO troll account looks like.
Posted by: The Kaker | Dec 5 2024 18:54 utc | 60
Undermining sources with personal slander.
These troll accounts return regularly under new names and share the trait of being unable to control their anger for very long.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Dec 5 2024 20:02 utc | 72

“Guess you’re not specifically addressing me! They’re not news for me.”
Posted by: burak | Dec 5 2024 19:42 utc | 70
Yes I was more commenting on the somewhat tentative wording of your very true comment and not on your overall views or history. Thanks.

Posted by: David G Horsman | Dec 5 2024 20:14 utc | 74

74 – Yes, Ayip Tayyip has certainly shown his hand.

Posted by: Waldorf | Dec 5 2024 20:21 utc | 76

Oh no! SPACE JEWS!!!
https://youtube.com/shorts/EmldWcT-bbI?si=MxErooT3_fd8NNBg

Posted by: David G Horsman | Dec 5 2024 20:25 utc | 78

Posted by: David G Horsman | Dec 5 2024 20:21 utc | 76
I dont think there is any visible presence of ISIS in Turkey, because when a member of ISIS is in Turkey they take off their black battle garb, put on a pair of jeans, a tea shirt and tennis shoes and are out at the local cafes. But if you are in the area bordering Syria, people might know of a restaurant in which ISIS members frequent, but you would never know and they would never bother you, even if you are clearly an American speaking English with your MAGA hat on. You can even just put on an Italian suit and become the President of Turkey.

Posted by: Turk 152 | Dec 5 2024 20:30 utc | 80

RE: “Rest of the stuff equating the axis of resistance to US vultures and saying all the help Hezbollah, Iran and Russia provided to Syria was to “line their pockets” is just nonsensical.”
Posted by: Autumn | Dec 5 2024 19:38 utc | 69
Think what you want, but no one is “helping” the Palestinians, Lebanese or Syrian people decolonize, it’s a tug-o-war between great powers for geography, resources, and obedience.
Exhibit “A”:
https://tass.com/world/1882885
“”Let’s pray together for the release of the hostages. This is the key to everything. Intense negotiations are underway and they can affect the entire region,” the presidential office quoted Herzog as saying.
In his view, resolving the situation in the Palestinian enclave could open the door to renewed negotiations on normalizing Israel’s relations with Saudi Arabia. “Perhaps we will see a diplomatic process with Saudi Arabia in the future, which, in my opinion, could transform the entire dialogue between the descendants of Abraham,” the president stated”
Exhibit B:
https://tass.com/world/1882889
MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT
5 DEC, 12:06
Hamas approves proposal to set up committee to run Gaza
“In late November, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aaty detailed the principles for the establishment and functioning of the committee. According to the official, it would** include 10-15 natives of the Palestinian enclave who do not belong to any faction. **Members of the committee, as proposed by Cairo, would deal with the enclave’s immediate needs, such as the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid, but only for a transitional period. ***Afterward, Gaza would have to return under the control of the Palestinian National Authority, which is headquartered in the West Bank.***
“The unity of the Palestinian territories in Gaza and the West Bank is extremely important, as only together they form the State of Palestine,” Abdel Aaty said.
According to the minister, PNA is “the only legitimate political force capable of governing the future Palestine”.
Exhibit c:
On December 2, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced plans to **revive the Astana Format**and hold a ministerial meeting between Turkey, Russia and Iran as soon as possible
VALLETTA /Republic of Malta/, December 5. /TASS/. Russia is talking to Turkey and Iran about holding an Astana Format ministerial meeting on Syria this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday.
“We are negotiating with our Turkish and Iranian partners on the organization of a ministerial meeting this week,” Lavrov said at a news conference in response to a question about whether an Astana format meeting could be held given the developments in Syria’s Aleppo.
On December 2, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced plans to revive the Astana Format and hold a ministerial meeting between Turkey, Russia and Iran as soon as possible to talk about settling the situation in Syria. He also said that he had discussed this issue directly with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov”..
You think Syrians want a go again at a frozen conflict for another decade?
Exhibit D:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/12/05/738510/Iran-Egypt-Syria-Foreign-Minister-Abbas-Araghchi–Badr-Abdelatty-terrorism-serious-threat-peace-
Iran FM urges diplomatic efforts by key regional players to counter ‘serious’ threat of terrorism
Thursday, 05 December 2024 6:21 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 05 December 2024 6:21 AM ]
News / Politics
Iran FM urges diplomatic efforts by key regional players to counter ‘serious’ threat of terrorism
Thursday, 05 December 2024 6:21 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 05 December 2024 6:21 AM ]
The combo photo shows Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that the resurgence of terrorism in Syria and its spread in the region will pose a serious threat to peace, stability and security in the region, urging efforts by key regional players to counter the threat.
In a phone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, on Wednesday, Araghchi said it is imperative to counter the serious threat of terrorism ***through diplomatic efforts and consultations** among influential regional players.
Foreign-backed terrorists led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Takfiri group launched a large-scale attack in Aleppo and Idlib provinces in the northwest of Syria on November 27, seizing several areas.
Seem like tanks rolling to protect Syrians on the ground to you?
Some air campaigns? Did they work against Hezbollah? Or Gaza? How’s that going to keep on the ground Syrians safe?
The “new Middle East” is shaping up to look a lot like the “Old Middle East” with Palestinians, Lebanese & Syrian continuity of being under the boot of one or the other power. And yes, it’s oil, ports, money & geographical positioning.

Posted by: Trubind1 | Dec 5 2024 20:38 utc | 82

There is something that would explain all the strange things happening during the last month.
That would be that something very big is about to happen, and soon enough (weeks? Another month? Two at an extreme?) to make all of this (time which represents a lot of death and suffering) relatively “irrelevant”.
:/
(Maybe the cart before the horse, maybe self-fulfilling, maybe “wishful”, maybe plain wrong).

Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Dec 5 2024 21:08 utc | 84

Posted by: Rubiconned | Dec 5 2024 9:10 utc | 1

You vcan always trust the propagandists and true believers to crow about events that reinforce their beliefs.
To which one might offer the rejoinder, ‘don’t count your rent-a-terrorists before they’re smashed. With your confident tone you sound like the NATO peacocks. Birds of a feather, I suppose?
I doubt very very much this hodgepodge of disunited ragtags with the aspects of common bandits are going to hold anything once the remaining aspects of surprise are no longer a force multiplyer.
This attack is a sign of desperation by the masters of the universe. Like the little-coup-that-couldn’t.

Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Dec 5 2024 21:36 utc | 86

Posted by: Giyane | Dec 5 2024 21:34 utc | 87

If only you could stop posting your repetitive nonsense about the various abrahamic death cults – I include in this generous term all variations of Jewish religion, including Islam and Christianity, as I value inclusivity – maybe you could elaborate on why you want the Takfiri terrorists to win. I’m sure you can offer up some murky, pseudoreligious thinking.

Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Dec 5 2024 21:41 utc | 88

@
Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Dec 5 2024 21:36 utc | 88
doc. please enlighten us all on the wisdom of the “lose in days what took you years to conquer so you can spend the next years trying to take it back” strategy.
I wish Syria, Iran and Russia the best success in defeating these scumbags by the way.
But even if they manage to take it back even in weeks, which at stage looks incredibly unlikely, it is a massive f#ckup and setback. Anyone who can’t see it or admit to it, regardless who they support, is not living in reality. HTS made deals and prioritized seizing territory and avoided direct engagement with SAA wherever they could. Do you think they will be as merciful with the local population once they are under siege? Aleppo is already reporting food shortages.

Posted by: Rubiconned | Dec 5 2024 21:53 utc | 90

Doctored 88
Clearly a red haze covers your eyes when reading about Abrahamic faith.
By what srange stretch of speculation did you twist my words into meaning that I support Erdoğan headchoppers?
Have a lie down.

Posted by: Giyane | Dec 5 2024 22:05 utc | 92

I agree with you, there is something not quite right here, the fighting for Aleppo went on for years and those head choppers take it back in two days now it’s reported they are in Hama like you say they should be annihilated on the highway, as for Iran those troops shouldalready be there or on the way, i hope they don’t leave it too ate.

Posted by: Englishman | Dec 5 2024 22:18 utc | 94

B,
Don’t you think you are missing the plot with not writing a post about what’s happening in Syria?

Posted by: Sentience | Dec 5 2024 22:29 utc | 96

It’s funny how the doom posters here, are bigging up HTS. As though they’re going to sweep to power and declare a caliphate.
Given the track record, they’ll more likely end up like their bros from ISIS. Vis-a-vis Iraq, spectacular early “success”. Setting up for overreach & long-term failure.
Worth remembering these Ali G Hadis around ten years ago, got to the suburbs of Baghdad. Everyone was dooming about that, back then.
Then they got utterly destroyed…

Posted by: Urban Fox | Dec 5 2024 22:39 utc | 98

@Posted by: Urban Fox | Dec 5 2024 22:39 utc | 100
Difference this time is, these guys are supported by US/Israel/Turkey (don’t even pretend they aren’t). Big Satan, Little Satan and Satan’s ball licker (Erdogan) want Assad gone.

Posted by: bored | Dec 5 2024 22:49 utc | 100