Pepe Escobar - 'How Russia is Smashing the Turkish Game in Syria'

ꕤ Article SOURCE http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/12/03/how-russia-is-smashing-the-turkish-game-in-syria/ December 3, 2015 How Russia is Smashing the Turkish Game in Syria by Pepe Escobar So why did Washington take virtually forever to not really acknowledge ISIS/ISIL/Daesh is selling stolen Syrian oil that will eventually find is way to Turkey? Because the priority all along was to allow the CIA – in the shadows – to run a “rat line” weaponizing a gaggle of invisible “moderate rebels”. As much as Daesh – at least up to now – the Barzani mob in Iraqi Kurdistan was never under Washington’s watch. The oil operation the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) runs to Turkey is virtually illegal; stolen state-owned oil as far as Baghdad is concerned. Daesh stolen oil can’t flow through Damascus-controlled territory. Can’t flow though Shi’ite-dominated Iraq. Can’t go east to Iran. It’s Turkey or nothing. Turkey is the easternmost arm of NATO. The US and NATO “support” Turkey. So a case can be made that the US and NATO ultimately support Daesh. What’s certain is that illegal Daesh oil and illegal KRG oil fit the same pattern; energy interests by the usual suspects playing a very long game. What these interests are focused on is to control every possible oil asset in Iraqi Kurdistan and then in “liberated” Syria. It’s crucial to know that Tony “Deepwater Horizon” Hayward is running Ug Genel, whose top priority is to control oil fields that were first stolen from Baghdad, and will eventually be stolen from Iraqi Kurds. And then, there’s the Turkmen powder keg. The key reason why Washington always solemnly ignored Ankara’s array of shady deals in Syria, through its fifth column Turkmen jihadis, is because a key CIA “rat line” runs exactly through the region known as Turkmen Mountain. These Turkmen supplied by Ankara’s “humanitarian” convoys got American TOW-2As for their role in preserving prime weaponizing/ smuggling routes. Their advisers, predictably, are Xe/Academi types, formerly Blackwater. Russia happened to identify the whole scam and started bombing the Turkmen. Thus the downing of the Su-24. The Turkmen fifth column Now the CIA is on a mission from God – frantically trying to prevent the rat line from being definitely smashed by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) on the ground and Russia in the air. The same desperation applies to the Aleppo-Azez-Killis route, which is also essential for Turkey for all kinds of smuggling. The advanced arm of the “4+1” alliance – Russia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, plus Hezbollah – is taking no prisoners trying to re-conquer these two key corridors. And that explains Ankara’s desperation – with a little help from His Masters’ Voice – to come up with an entirely new rat line/corridor through Afrin, currently under Syrian Kurd control, before Damascus forces and Russia air power get there. Once again it’s important to remember that a gaggle of Turkmen outfits are Ankara’s fifth column in northern Syria. Most Turkmen live in Kurdish territories. And here’s the ultimate complicating factor; the majority happens to live in the Jarablus region, currently controlled by ISIS/ISIL/Daesh. It’s exactly this area that is cutting the geographic connection between the two Kurdish cantons, Kobani and Afrin. So imagine a continuous Syrian Kurd control/autonomy/corridor all across the Turkish-Syrian border. For Ankara this is the ultimate nightmare. Ankara’s strategy is to move its Turkmen pawns, with added “moderate rebels”, all across the Jarablus region. The pretext: wipe Daesh off the map. The real reason: prevent the two Kurdish cantons – Afrin and Kobani – from merging. And once again Ankara will be directly pitted against Moscow. The Russian strategy rests on very good relations with Syrian Kurds. Moscow not only supports the Syrian Kurd canton merger, but qualifies it as an important step on the way to a new Syria rid of takfiris. Russia will even officially recognize the PYD (Democratic Union Party) and allow them a representative office in Russia. Ankara regards the PYD and its paramilitary arm, the YPG (People’s Protection Units) as branches of the PKK. It gets curioser an curioser when we know that both Moscow and Washington are cooperating with the YPG against ISIS/ISIL/Daesh. The predictable All-Out Ankara Freak Out came in the form of Sultan Erdogan declaring the Euphrates a “red line” for the YPG. If they try to move westward to fight Daesh, sending them out of the Jarablus area, the Turkish Army will strike. It’s absolutely key for Turkey to control this area between Jarablus and Afrin because here is the site of the would-be “safe zone”, actually a no-fly zone, which Ankara dreams of implementing using the 3 billion euros just extorted from the EU to house refugees but also control northern Syria. Turkmen would be in charge of the area – as well as the Azez-Aleppo line, assuming the SAA does not clear it for good. The case for UEBA So Ankara is looking at two very unpleasant Turkmen-filled scenarios to say the least. Turkmen instrumentalized by Ankara to become gatekeepers against the Kurdish YPG; that means a nasty sectarian divide, orchestrated by Turkey, whose greatest loser is the unity of the Syrian nation. Meanwhile, the SAA and Russian air power are on the verge of total control of Turkmen Mountain. This will allow the “4+1” to go much deeper fighting against the so-called Army of Conquest and its twin-headed reptile, Jabhat al-Nusra (a.k.a. al-Qaeda in Syria) and Ahrar al-Sham, the whole lot “supported” and weaponized by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The “4+1” inexorable advance comes with extra benefits; the end of all rat lines in the region, and no more possible threats to Russia’s air base in Hmeimim. Make no mistake that Moscow will inflict as much pain on Sultan Erdogan as possible. As Turkish newspaper Radikal quoted him, Prof. Abbas Vali of Bogazici University confirmed, “The PYD was pleased about Russia’s intervention in Syria. An alliance between the PYD and Russia is inevitable. Russia’s bombardment of the radical Islamist groups on the ground will have a huge impact on the PYD operations.” So no matter which way we look, Turkey and Russia are on a serious collision course in Syria. Moscow will support Syrian Kurds no holds barred as they push to link the three major Kurdish cantons in northern Syria into a unified Rojava. As for Washington’s “strategy”, it now boils down to the CIA need of a new rat line. That could imply sitting on the – weaponized – sidelines watching Turkmen and Kurds slug it out, thus creating an opening for the Turkish Army to intervene, and the Russian Air Force to prevent it, with all hell guaranteed to break loose. The fact remains that Sultan Erdogan badly needs a new CIA-secured rat line to weaponize not only his fifth column Turkmen but also Chechens, Uzbeks and Uyghurs. And Bilal Erdogan, a.k.a. Erdogan Mini Me, desperately needs new oil smuggling routes and a couple of new tankers; Russia is watching their every move. The latest news from Russia’s Defense Ministry has struck like a volcanic eruption; the Erdogan family mob was branded as “criminals”, with Moscow presenting only an appetizer of the all the evidence it has in store. So we have the Afghan heroin rat line. The Libyan oil racket (now over). The Ukraine fascist rat line. The Libya to Syria weapon rat line. The stolen Syrian oil trade. The northern Syrian rat lines. Let’s call them UEBA: Unregulated Exceptionalist Business Activities. What’s not to like? There’s no business like war business. Pepe Escobar is the author of Globalistan: How the Globalized World is Dissolving into Liquid War (Nimble Books, 2007), Red Zone Blues: a snapshot of Baghdad during the surge and Obama does Globalistan (Nimble Books, 2009).  His latest book is Empire of Chaos. He may be reached at pepeasia@yahoo.com. http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/12/03/how-russia-is-smashing-the-turkish-game-in-syria/ ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT Hope Assad & Russia win. ꕤ

Syria: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) - Fraud

ꕤ Video | Transcript BBC FRAUD - SYRIA ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- ☢  ☢ Transcript [ Confirm Audio / Video For Quotation Purposes ] The Truth Seeker Daniel Bushell RT News Daniel Bushell RT News Stunning fakery in the alleged chemical weapons attack, according to a former UK ambassador. Coming up. Other narration: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is accused of staging chemical weapons attack. The CIA admits planting CNN reporters. And international lawyers call for journalists inciting violence to be expelled. Daniel Bushell RT News August 2013. NATO leaders can't get the public on side for the imminent bombing of Syria. Suddenly, BBC says it was filming a small rural hospital and a game-changing atrocity happens right there, the moment they were filming. CUTS TO FILM CLIP:  'Syria Crisis', Ian Pannell, BBC (August, 2013) BBC Narrator Ian Pannell "... we were filming the doctors working at this hospital when victims of an incendiary bomb attack on a school playground started pouring in." CUTS TO FILM CLIP:  'Syria Crisis', Ian Pannell, BBC (August, 2013) Female - [kitted up in dramatic face-mask] "Absolute chaos and carnage here. It must be some sort of napalm." [At issue:  BBC footage August 2013 vs BBC Footage September 2013] Daniel Bushell RT News But a highly sceptical public stayed hostile to military intervention. Exactly one month later, the leaders are trying to pin a chemical weapons attack on Syria, without success. The BBC airs exactly the same footage, but digitally alters the word 'napalm' for 'chemical weapons', hoping no-one will notice. CUTS TO FILM CLIP:  'Saving Syria's Children', Ian Pannell, BBC (September, 2013) Female - [kitted up in dramatic face-mask] "Absolute chaos and carnage here. It must be some sort of chemical weapon." Daniel Bushell RT News Not only did folks notice, but it's unleashed a massive public investigation which made some extremely disturbing findings. Robert Stuart This is the total fabrication, from beginning to end, of an atrocity, with BBC 'reporter' Ian Pannell standing amidst a tableau of very bad actors.  This is completely beyond the pale'. Daniel Bushell RT News This audio analysis by media investigator Robyn Upton shows both versions [of BBC audio] are identical and from the same speech. The BBC then altered the words from 'napalm' to 'chemical weapon', the EXACT justification  NATO was finding difficult prove. That game-changing allegation was made by two doctors have travelled with the BBC, who claimed the number of sudden casualties is "overwhelming". What kind of doctor, notes media investigator Robert Stuart, gives interviews when she is surrounded by supposedly seriously burned and dying teenagers. Translated English overdub: "Get anyone who isn't a patient out out of here." Daniel Bushell RT News When a nurse does finally start to help, her order to "get anyone who isn't a patient out of here" doesn't apply to the cameramen. Even worse, notes Stuart [Roberts], is the bizarre acting which starts when the man in the centre gives the sign. 'Doctor Rola', on whose sole claim the BBC sends 'napalm chemical weapons' allegations around the world is actually the daughter of Syrian rebel Mousa al-Kardi. The parallel to the Gulf War and [the testimony of] Nurse Nayirah is stunning. Congressmen said the nurse's tearful testimony that Iraqis were killing children swung their vote in favour of war. [Cuts to footage of 'Nurse Nayirah' - 'Lies Pushed US to Bomb Iraq', Courtesy C-Span] 'Nurse Nayirah' tearful footage: " ... and left the children to die on the cold floor."  [sniff, sniff] Daniel Bushell RT News Nurse Nayirah became the mainstream's darling, but once the vote had safely passed, she admitted INVENTING the whole thing and was actually the daughter of the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Washington, lying to get the public to back war. UK Member of Parliament joins us. Thank you very much for coming on. Why do we get almost identical claims before each war, which then prove lies? George Galloway UK Member of Parliament: Well, the 'Bush and Blair Corporation' [ie the BBC], as it became in the run-up to the Iraq war, has almost entirely lost its reputation for journalistic integrity. A full inquiry must be lodged into why the BBC used a piece of material which was not just wrong, but was falsified and falsified with the purpose of propelling out country into war. That's not what the British public pays its BBC licence fee for, so that it can be tricked into a war. Daniel Bushell RT News In a statement, the British Broadcasting Corporation says it stands by its report. The Syrian opposition denies the allegations. Investigators such as Robert Stuart note there are many questions sent to the Corporation [BBC] remaining unanswered. There are also numerous such precedents both in this war and in previous invasions. 'Brilliant' is how a top Western called tricking the public through routine faking of atrocities, commonly aired on mainstream bulletins. Nightly news shows just a few cases of what happened next, after mainstream cameras ended their reports. Male Voice American 'Nightly News': "It shows people putting on, you know, fake wounds; it shows -- look, there some guys there, there's their head wounds, peace everybody -- you know, we're doing the right thing, we're creating fake propaganda.  I mean, it's not even real atrocities so they're lined up; there's another video showing a guy kicking his leg and with a fake blood wound.  Here's a guy who wakes up from his funeral. Watch this -- oh, he's awake.  He's not even really dead.  So, I mean, this is just crazy what goes on.  There's another video that was shot of a supposed massacre and it cuts -- you don't see the whole thing.  When you go to the Al Jazeera footage it shows real quick clips of a guy kicking his leg and he's got blood coming out.  It turned out to be fake blood." Daniel Bushell RT News The so-called activists behind the fakes are by far the most popular source of despite them never being verified and regularly disproved as fabrications to justify more NATO arms. The term 'activist' may sound like a well-meaning Western campaigner or charity, but the Foreign Policy Journal notes it's just newspeak for insurgents. The official source of Syria casualties, or what mainstream claims is official, is an impressive sounding organisation THE SYRIAN OBSERVATORY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. Reuters exposed the fact three (3) years ago it was not an organisation at all, or even working in Syria. It's a single pro-insurgent supporter living in Coventry, England. Here pictured at the Foreign Office after instructions from Britian's Foreign Minister himself. In leaked footage, ordinary Syrians told the BBC they're tired of its lies and the insurgents they're cheer-leading are a tiny minority led by foreign gangs. [Cuts to footage:  males challenging female American sounding journalist and asserting that Assad is widely supported by most of the 22-million Syrians and that very small minority, number in the thousands, are in opposition.] Daniel Bushell RT News Pro-war media is forced to resort to colossal lies since intelligence chiefs reveal to America's top investigative reporter Sy Hersh: "Obama's cronies are making it up.  All the evidence actually points to the jihadis staging the chemical attacks. SY HERSH Author:  'Whose Sarin?' The 'attack was not the result of the current regime', the high-level intelligence officer wrote in an email to a colleague. ‘The guys are throwing their hands in the air and saying, “How can we help this guy” – Obama – “when he and his cronies in the White House make up the intelligence as they go along?”, said a former intelligence official." Daniel Bushell RT News The distortion, he said, reminded him of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. [RT on film:  'Wag the Dog', Barry Levinson, New Line Cinema (1997)] Daniel Bushell RT News The thought a US President would start a horrific foreign war by staging a pretty female front as a victim made people laugh. [Cuts to film footage] [Film:  'Wag the Dog', Barry Levinson, New Line Cinema (1997)] [Subsequently cuts to: [Film:  'I Am A Ukrainian', Appleseed Entertainment (2014)] Daniel Bushell RT News Meet 'Julia' (if that's her real name), the celebrated face the mass media called the creator of a viral video asking the US to help Ukraine. It was actually created by the [US] State Department's National Endowment for Democracy (NED), to mask the fact that Washington joined Ukraine thugs and murdered their way to power. A leaked phone call with EU Foreign [Catherine] Ashton revealed the opposite planned and executed the infamous sniper violence of Kiev, shooting both the police and their own supporters in the back. A study found a total of 250 mainstream sources lied that the snipers belonged to Yanukovych. Only seven (7) of the entire mass media even mentioned the bombshell leak, and those that did, framed the report to suggest it couldn't possibly be true. Former Wall Street Journal editor, Paul Criag Roberts, called the coverage in Ukraine a new low in the history of the mainstream, which is now simply what he described as a ministry of lies. Investigative reporter John Helmer's uncovered mainstream staging demonstrations and attempts to provoke disorder. He joins us. Great to speak to you. One US scholar notes the coverage has become Orwellian.  What's going on? John Helmer Investigative Reporter So the weaker your government, the more interested the leader might be in threatening Russia to look strong at home, when it's obvious he's not strong at home and couldn't get re-elected. That's particularly true of, let's say, the French president, or Prime Minister Cameron at the moment. Arguably President Obama is not only a lame duck, but having great difficulty in putting together a winning coalition for the Democratic Party's next candidate for president. When you've got weak political leaders, you need to look stronger than you are in public opinion in the media.  So there's this process of misleading and disinforming. Daniel Bushell RT News The Senate Committee enquiry revealed CIA running mainstream media in a vast operation known as Mockingbird. More than 400 journalists and media chiefs claiming to watchdog the government were the exact opposite:  joining to mask US government crime at home and abroad. The operation continues despite [CIA] agency denials. Counterpunch discovered CIA imposing agents on firms like CNN. Former CIA [officer] Michael Scheuer notes British media are even closer to intel targets. Scheuer adds that BBC now takes the lead in regime change operations that cause 'anarchy' and violence. Let's speak to Francis Boyle, professor of international law at Illinois University. Great to talk to you. How can nations stop war media that now perform the CIA's covert operations? FRANCIS BOYLE PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL LAW CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS Certainly, have their visas revoked and sent packing home, because I really don't understand why some of these countries keep, you know, European journalist, certainly in the United States, why they let them into the countries; because they're just using their cover to provoke war and military intervention at home. [Split Screen / Cut to footage: ABCNews #ABCWorldNews - Crisis in Ukraine, Blood in the Streets LiveCNN - Crisis in Ukraine - Breaking News - 'Putin Threatens More Military Action'  |  Anderson Cooper depicted] In addition, Bush junior administration lifted what was supposed to be the previous prohibition that intelligence agents were not supposed to infiltrate the media. You know, you have to be very careful, certainly dealing with US reporters, whether or not they're intelligence agents. Daniel Bushell RT News [???] active units of the military, also known as Wall Street media, show how serious the situation now is.  They're policies aren't popular with their own viewers. Mainstream audiences are in free-fall. CNN and MSNBC have shed half their entire viewership in the last year alone. The question is, how many more coups they will stage or help, before they lose the public's trust altogether. Seek truth from facts. This is the Truth Seeker. [end audio/video] Whose sarin? Seymour M. Hersh Vol. 35 No. 24 · 19 December 2013 http://www.lrb.co.uk/v35/n24/seymour-m-hersh/whose-sarin ꕤ

5 Years Western Political Persecution - Journalist Julian Assange - 7 Dec 2015

ꕤ POLITICAL PERSECUTION ★ ★★★★  Let's Dance (1968) ★ Ola & The Janglers Garage Rock & Beat group from Sollentuna Stockholm, Sweden ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- ꕤ

Video - Россия - ♫ Катюша ❤

ꕤ ❤❤ Россия ♫  Катюша ❤ Р - R о - o с - s с - s и - i я - ya Katyusha  |  Катюша ❤ ꕤ COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. source Katyusha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIY36UbDbQQ ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- ꕤ

The WikiLeaks Files - Chapter 10 - Target Syria

ꕤ Article SOURCE http://www.truth-out.org/progressivepicks/item/33180-wikileaks-reveals-how-the-us-aggressively-pursued-regime-change-in-syria-igniting-a-bloodbath WikiLeaks Reveals How the US Aggressively Pursued Regime Change in Syria, Igniting a Bloodbath Friday, 09 October 2015 00:00 By Robert Naiman, Verso Books | Book Excerpt The following is Chapter 10 of The WikiLeaks Files: SOURCE http://www.truth-out.org/progressivepicks/item/33180-wikileaks-reveals-how-the-us-aggressively-pursued-regime-change-in-syria-igniting-a-bloodbath ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- This looks good. Might defer attempting a summary.  Long chapter. Looks like this may be the Syrian chapter, with focus on the famed US Ambassador William Roebuck 2006 cable, planning the take-down of Syria. LATEST BOOK ASSANGE Co-Author The WikiLeaks Files (2015) | here ꕤ

Turkey - 'Erdogan Blackmails NATO Allies' - Mike Whitney

ꕤ Article SOURCE http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/12/03/erdogan-blackmails-nato-allies/ December 3, 2015 Erdogan Blackmails NATO Allies by Mike Whitney You know the country has really gone to the dogs when Washington’s main allies in its war on Syria are the two biggest terrorist incubators on the planet. I’m talking about Saudi Arabia and Turkey, both of which are run by fanatical Islamic zealots devoted to spreading violent jihad to the four corners of the earth. Not that the US doesn’t have blood on its hands too. It does, but that’s beside the point. The point is that if you’re trying to sell your fake war on terror to the public, then you might want to think twice about lining up with Grand Sultan Erdogan and King Chop-Chop of Riyadh. The optics alone should have sent the White House PR team running for cover. I mean, couldn’t they have hired squeaky-clean Iceland to join the fray just to persuade the public that the ongoing proxy war wasn’t a complete sham. Which it is. It all goes to show that no one in the administration really gives a rip about appearances anymore. Obama is going to do what he wants to do, and if you don’t like it: Tough! Isn’t that the message? Of course it is. But just look how that apathy transfers itself into other areas of governing like, let’s say, strategic planning. Take Syria for example, where the think tank pundits were given the task of coming up with a plan to topple a secular regime without: 1–triggering a violent insurgency.  2–igniting massive antiwar demonstrations around the world and, 3—producing hundreds or thousands of US casualties. In other words, our esteemed leaders didn’t want another Iraq which is understandable. Anyway, that was the basic assignment. So the think tankers came up with this brilliant plan to enlist Sunni militants that the CIA would fund, arm, train and deploy into Syria to shoot the place up, raise holy hell, and then topple the regime of Syrian President Bashar al Assad.  That was the plan, at least. Four and half years later, the place is a worse mess than Iraq.  Half the population is either dead or internally displaced, the civilian infrastructure is a shambles, and nothing has been achieved. Nothing.  Assad is safely tucked away in Damascus, the jihadi proxies are on the run, and everyone hates the US more than ever. Great plan, eh? Where’s the downside? The downside is that now Washington finds itself backed against the wall with precious  few options that don’t involve a direct confrontation with Moscow. Of course, all of this could have been avoided had the White House been more eager to negotiate a settlement to the conflict months earlier in Vienna. But, instead, the bullheaded Obama team decided to stick with its dreary “Assad must go” mantra which put the kibosh on any long-term agreement or ceasefire proposal. So now, the Russian-led coalition has made significant gains on the ground, retaking numerous key cities, highways and airbases in the west and south while sending US-backed terrorists fleeing eastward towards Raqqa.  These developments have forced Washington into a fallback position that will likely entail air-support for Turkish ground forces who will be deployed to Northern Syria to take and hold area sufficient for a “safe zone”, which is an innocuous sounding moniker the media invokes to conceal the fact that Turkey plans to annex sovereign Syrian territory which, by the way, is an act of war. Now fast-forward to last week: Some readers may have noticed disturbing headlines like this in the Wall Street Journal: “U.S. Urges Turkey to Seal Border” Or this Reuters piece that popped up on Monday:  “NATO allies act to strengthen Turkey’s air defenses” Why, you may ask, does Obama want Turkey to close the border now when the horse has already left the barn? What I mean is that the White House has known for over 3 years that the bulk of the jihadis were transiting Turkey on their way  to Syria, just like they knew that ISIS’s oil was being transported across Turkey. They knew it all because they have their damn spy satellites and  AWACs circling overhead. In fact, they could probably tell you how many bumblebees crossed the border at any given time, so they sure as heck saw the throngs of bearded roughnecks moving southward in droves.  So why is it so urgent to close the border now, after all, the damage is already done, right? Could it have something to do with the fact that Putin’s legions are moving north to seal the border? Could there be an alternate objective, for example, could the US and Turkey be setting the stage for an incursion into Syria that would secure the land needed for the glorious safe zone? That’s what most of the analysts seem to think, at least the ones that haven’t been coopted by the mainstream media. But why is NATO suddenly getting involved? What’s that all about? After all, Putin was reluctant to even commit his airforce to the Syrian conflict. It’s not like he’s planning to invade Turkey or something, right? Of course he’s not thinking of invading Turkey. That would pit Russia against NATO in a planet-incinerating fight-to-the-death. That might please some of the crackpots in Washington, but just about everyone else would rather avoid the mushroom cloud scenario. So, what’s really going on? For that, we turn to Moon of Alabama that provides this excellent summary in a recent post titled:  “The Real “Terrorist Sympathizers” Want To Wage War On Syria … And Russia”. Here’s an excerpt:      “Who initiated this sudden rush within major NATO governments to get parliamentary blank checks for waging a long war on Syria? Not only in the UK but also in France and Germany?     The German government turned on a dime from “no military intervention in Syria ever” to “lets wage a war of terror on Syria” without any backing from the UN or international law. .. Who initiated this? A simple, medium size terror attack in Paris by some Belgians and French can not be the sole reason for this stampede.     Did Obama call and demand support for his plans? What are these?     I smell that a trap is being laid, likely via a treacherous Turkey, to somehow threaten Russia with, or involve it in, a wider war. This would include military attacks in east-Ukraine or Crimea as well as in Syria. Obama demanded European backing in case the issue gets out of hand. No other reason I have found explains the current panic. The terrorists the “west” supports in Syria are in trouble. The real terrorist sympathizers need to rush to their help. It is a start of all-out war on Syria and its Russian protectors.” (“Terrorist Sympathizers” Want To Wage War On Syria … And Russia“, Moon of Alabama) Is that what’s going on? Has Turkish President Erdogan figured out how to hoodwink the NATO allies into a confrontation with Russia that will help him achieve his goal of toppling  Assad and stealing Syrian territory? It’s hard to say, but clearly something has changed,  after all, neither France, nor Germany nor the UK were nearly as gung-ho just a few weeks ago. Now they’re all hyped-up and ready for WW3. Why is that? Ahh, Grasshopper, that is the mystery, a mystery that was unraveled in an op-ed that appeared in the Tuesday edition of the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News. Here’s the excerpt:     “The increase in military cooperation within NATO countries against ISIL and the piling up of NATO forces near Turkey’s border with Syria take place in parallel with the recent deal between Ankara and the Brussels over Syrian refugees and the re-activation of Turkey’s EU accession bid.” ….(“Western forces pile up on Turkey-Syria border“, Hurriyet) Okay, so Erdogan worked out a deal with the other NATO countries. Why is that such a big deal? Well, check out this blurb from the Today’s Zaman:  “Erdogan’s advisor, Burhan Kuzu, summed it up even more succinctly saying: “The EU finally got Turkey’s message and opened its purse strings. What did we say? ‘We’ll open our borders and unleash all the Syrian refugees on you,’” Kuzu stated in his controversial tweet… ” (“EU bows to Turkey’s threat on refugees says Erdoğan advisor“, Today’s Zaman) Blackmail? Is that what we’re talking about, blackmail? It sure sounds like it. Let’s summarize: Erdogan intentionally releases tens of thousands of Syrian refugees into Europe to put pressure on EU politicians who quickly lose the support of their people and face the meteoric rise of right wing parties. And then, the next thing you know, Merkel, Hollande and every other EU leader is looking to cut a deal with Erdogan to keep the refugees in Turkey. Isn’t that how it all went down? Except we’re missing one important factoid here, because according to the first op-ed “The increase in military cooperation within NATO… and the piling up of NATO forces near Turkey’s border”…took  place in parallel with the deal between Ankara and the Brussels.” Get it? So there was a quid pro quo that no one wants to talk about.  In other words, Germany, France and the UK agreed to support Erdogan’s loony plan to conduct military operations in Syria, risking a serious dust-up with Russia, in order to save their own miserable political careers. Boy, if that doesn’t take the cake, than I don’t know what does. MIKE WHITNEY lives in Washington state. He is a contributor to Hopeless: Barack Obama and the Politics of Illusion (AK Press). Hopeless is also available in a Kindle edition. He can be reached at fergiewhitney@msn.com. http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/12/03/erdogan-blackmails-nato-allies/ ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT Don't know about this.   The part about Turkey's troops annexing Syrian territory is interesting.  Don't know why Europe would bother with the US$3.2-BILLION for refugee blocking deal with terrorist supporter & gun runner, Turkey. A wall and military force is cheaper & more trustworthy than Erdogan. The US and European Union are invested in a long-haul war with Syria, so Turkey is their partner in crime.  Turkey's being paid off to remain cooperative and useful, and it's money probably earmarked for buying jihadist muscle and guns to take Syria.  Europeans ought to arm themselves and take down their treacherous and incompetent governments, who are using taxpayer money to fund the destruction of Europe as the home of European peoples and to fund chaos generally. ꕤ

Syria - British Airstrkes & Dodgy Dave's Lies

ꕤ Article SOURCE as marked SYRIA SUMMARY UK MoD report disputed David Cameron lies re 70,000 'moderate rebels' -->  “misleading” MoD OVERRULED @ meeting -->  Joint Intelligence C'ttee incl. heads: MI6, MI5 & GCHQ + senior military & Foreign Office staff Dodgy Dave's lies:  like Tony Blair’s “dodgy dossier” on #Iraq WMD Cameron / British claim to: Target Islamic State Oil Assets in #Syria --> over 380 UK targets, in over 1yr   [Comment: bet they're Bullsh*t claims.  Must have been targeting Assad for over a year, because ISIS went on selling oil to Turkey & whoever else is in on the finance-the-terrorists scheme to take down Syria] http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-joins-airstrikes-in-syria-against-isis-1449131829 NOTE this is 2013 Article WikiLeaks cables have since revealed 2006 Israel-US plan to take down Syria Note also:  oil reserves Golan Heights SOURCE http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2013/aug/30/syria-chemical-attack-war-intervention-oil-gas-energy-pipelines SUMMARY Scumbag Hollande - 2013 welcomed the UK air force strikes in #Syria --> Syria intervention plan fuelled by oil interests Backers of attack on Syria: US, UK, Israel + France -  cooperation w/ Saudi Arabia --> 2007 CIA anti-Syria ops {Seymour Hersh} deploy:  al-Qaeda w/ US approval Saudi Arabia bankroll + give logistical aid to Sunni radicals hostile to US & al-Qaeda linked to attack #Syria #Syria Covert US political + financial support -- via Saudi Arabia -- given to:  exiled Syrian Muslim Brotherhood former French foreign minister Roland Dumas: -->  Britain planned covert action in Syria as early as 2009 Former French foreign minister Roland Dumas stated on TV that:   Britain was preparing gunmen to invade Syria --> in 2009 Syria 2011 uprisings -- domestic energy shortages + climate-induced droughts -->  massive food price hikes --> EXPLOITED WikiLeaks Stratfor e-mails --> CONFIRM US-UK training of Syria 'opposition' since 2011 to collapse ASSAD govt from within. US General Wesley Clark (Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO from 1997 to 2000) --> confirms serial conquest =  strategy for control of region's vast oil & gas resources. 2008 US Army-funded RAND report: --> industrialized states to continue to rely heavily on oil --> oil production:  Middle East #Syria proven oil reserves Persian Gulf coincide w/ power base of Salafi-jihadist network oil supplies / linked w. 'long war' Regional policy trajectories: 1. divide & rule (salafists-jihadists) 2. exploit sustained Shia-Sunni Conflict West policy (1) divide & rule (salafists-jihadists) turn groups against each other / covert action, info ops  divide & rule (salafists-jihadists) discredit transnational jihadist in local eyes divide & rule (salafists-jihadists) support indigenous security forces / local allies West policy (2) exploit sustained Shia-Sunni conflict --> side with:  conservative Sunni regimes against Shiite empowerment -> USA to shore up Sunni regimes in Saudi Arabia #Egypt & #Pakistan -> to containing #Iran power in ME & Gulf USA aware backing Sunni regimes --> result:  empowering al-Qaeda jihadists BUT this to advantage of West. Support Sunni & exploit: bogging down jihadi activity w. internal sectarian rivalry {rather than targeting US} American Saudi Arabia allies Salafi-jihadist --> afraid of upsurge in Shia identity --> to want to target #IRAN vs #USA Following vulnerable to internal destabilisation: 1) Saudi Arabia 2) Gulf States 3) Egypt 4) Syria 5) Iran Internal destabilisation factors - multiple, converging: a) rapid population growth b) 'youth bulge' c) internal economic inequalities d) political frustrations e) sectarian tensions f) water shortages - environment Syria = pipeline geopolitics / Assad refused to sign Qatar pipeline deal 2009 re supply Europe via Syria ie.  bypassing Russia Note that British plan for invasion Syria 2009 coincides w/ Assad refusal of Qatar pipeline deal to supply gas to Europe Nabucco pipeline backed by USA & European Union          parties:             Austria-UAE             Hungarian             Romania             Bulgaria             Turkey             Germany*         --------------------    ie                 OMV - Austria-UAE                       {Romania Turkey Hungary interests}                 MOL - Hungarian                 Transgaz - Romania                 Bulgargaz - Bulgaria                 BOTAS - Turkey                 RWE - Germany, big / largest investor Egypt                 -- 2015 sale oil & gas unit to:         Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman                 RWE operates:  Europe, Middle East & Africa                 RWE partnership w/ British & Netherlands                 re Urenco Group uranium enrichment plants:                  in Germany, Netherlands,USA & UK                 -- supplies nuclear power stations in 15 countries                 -- sale of depleted uranium tails                 -- Russia owns radioactive waste                 -- waste transported to Seversk             [wikipedia] Middle East interests in the Nabucco Qatar LNG pipeline     proposed route:     -Qatar     -Saudi Arabia     -Kuwait     -Iraq     -Turkey     -Jordan http://www.thenational.ae/business/energy/qatar-seeks-gas-pipeline-to-turkey#full  [link as above]   Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan -->  attempt to bribe Russia to dump Syria w/ Saudi 'block of gas' to Europe assurances Russia wasn't buying what assurances of the Saudi / stuck w. #Syria Iran-Iraq-Syria pipeline plan = slap in face of #Qatar Putin refusal to take bait & sell out #Syria Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan vowed military action. Saudi Arabia Intelligence Agency Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan director general:  Saudi Intelligence Agency 2012 to 2014 --> supporters: Chechen terrorists Bandar bin Sultan confrontational re USA --> Replaced by:  Prince Muhammad bin Nayef head Saudi intel Muhammad bin Nayef Head of Saudi Arabia Intelligence --> escaped x4 assassination attempts --> incl. rectum bomb  { ... lol, always get a laugh out of that detail } ALSO pulling strings in Middle East oil-focused US policy in Syria: Qatar +  Saudi Arabia aim: pliable Syria opposition Writer concludes Assad is 'war criminal' [comment:  --> but  USA a pre-eminent war criminal & Ghouta was a false flag by USA-Gulf proxies.] SOURCE http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2013/aug/30/syria-chemical-attack-war-intervention-oil-gas-energy-pipelines SUMMARY British Airstrikes on Syria UK Tornado attack planes deployed to:  Akrotiri, Cyprus - first raid 3 Dec. support:  Voyager tanker + Reaper drone variable payload The Brimstone automated anti-armour missile for use re fast-moving platforms first fielded #Afghanistan 2008 The Brimstone light warhead - 9 kg /  a range of 7.5 miles -->  can be used on fast jets, helicopters & UAVs The Brimstone laser-guided missiles UK  RAF weapons of choice since #Libya in 2011 UK RAF Tornados - transit from Cyprus to #Iraq: --> via Israel --> via Jordan --> Voyager tanker accompanies British airstrikes covering #Iraq + #Syria --> 10 Tornados -->   9 Eurofighter Typhoon reinforcement. The Brimstone automated anti-armour missile for use re fast-moving platforms first fielded #Afghanistan 2008 The Brimstone light warhead - 9 kg /  a range of 7.5 miles -->  can be used on fast jets, helicopters & UAVs The Brimstone laser-guided missiles UK  RAF weapons of choice since #Libya in 2011 #Syria UK RAF Tornados - transit from Cyprus to #Iraq: --> via Israel --> via Jordan --> Voyager tanker accompanies British airstrikes covering #Iraq + #Syria --> 10 Tornados -->   9 Eurofighter Typhoon reinforcement. http://theaviationist.com/2015/12/04/raf-tornados-first-air-strike-in-syria/ AUDIO Syria / Libya / Refugee Crisis / Turkey Scott Bennett former US Army officer counter-terrorism analyst 'Impeach Obama' / 'Arrest Carter' https://soundcloud.com/radiosputnik/goes-against-no-boots-on-the-ground-scott-bennett ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT Some of what I've enjoyed looking at today. The stakeholders in the Nabucco pipeline gets complicated, once you start looking at the companies.  eg.  Austrian stakeholder itself has a United Arab Emirates stakeholder.  So working out who's really who would take more time, patience and focus than I have.  Above is just a rough, surface sketch re the companies. The US military guy's audio was kind of cool.  He's anticipating a Turkey military coup against Erdogan.  I don't know if he might be a bit melodramatic there or not, as I'm not that knowledgeable or experienced.  At this stage, it sounds good but far-fetched to me. Key info re Syria (now superseded by further info indicating 2006 planned attack):     Former French foreign minister Roland Dumas     Britain planning covert invasion / attack on Assad     as early as 2009     WikiLeaks Stratfor e-mails     confirm US-UK training Syria 'opposition' since 2011     to collapse Assad from within     British attack     coincides w. Assad rejection of     Qatar pipeline deal 2009     in favour of Russian interests     NB   Qatar pipeline deal 2009     benefits USA & European Union US 4-Star General, General Wesley Clark (Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO from 1997 to 2000) confirms a serial conquest strategy for region (7 countries). NOTE ALSO: Julian Assange: US & Israel Planned To Overthrow Assad In 2006 Cables reveal that before the beginning of the Syrian revolt and civil war, the United States hoped to overthrow Assad and create strife between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. By Kit O'Connell @KitOConnell | September 14, 2015 LONDON — Speaking from Ecuador’s embassy in London, Julian Assange revealed that the United States planned to overthrow the Syrian government as far back as 2006, several years before the start of the current crisis. ... The ongoing threat to his freedom hasn’t kept Assange from continuing his work revealing the dirty secrets of world governments. His latest revelations come in a Wednesday interview with RT in support of his new book, “The WikiLeaks Files,” published late last month. The United States and its allies in the Middle East, including Turkey and Israel, have been frequently accused of contributing to the ongoing destabilization of Syria in the wake of the uprising and subsequent civil war which began in 2011. But according to cables from the WikiLeaks archive, discussed in the Syria chapter of Assange’s book, plans to deliberately destabilize the region go back at least five years further. “In that chapter is a cable from US Ambassador William Roebuck, who was stationed in Damascus, which apparently discusses a plan for the overthrow of the Assad government in Syria,” RT reported. [ ... ] The cable also details plans to foster sectarian strife in the region and make Iran appear like a larger threat to Assad than it really was, Assange continued: “In particular, to take rumors that are known to be false … or exaggerations and promote them – that Iran is trying to convert poor Sunnis, and to work with Saudi and Egypt to foster that perception in order to make it harder for Iran to have influence, and also harder for the government to have influence in the population.” WikiLeaks cables reveal that these plans came from the Israeli government, and show that the U.S. government intended to work with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt to encourage the breakdown of the Assad regime as a way of also weakening Iran and Hezbollah. “[I]f Syria sufficiently destabilized, it might be in a position where it can keep the Golan Heights forever, or even advance that territory,” Assange said. According to Assange, the cable illuminates how the current Syrian crisis reflects U.S. influence on the Middle East, particularly the ways it has used its allies to put pressure on the country. “Part of the problem in Syria is that you have a number of US allies surrounding it, principally Saudi and Qatar, that are funneling in weapons,” Assange noted, adding that it shows how the U.S. uses its over 100 army bases and network of embassies to further its imperialist interests. CONTINUES http://www.mintpressnews.com/julian-assange-us-israel-planned-to-overthrow-assad-in-2006/209493/ As the article re the WikiLeaks cable indicates, the plan to take down Syria began even earlier than indicated by the former French Foreign Minister:  it was outlined in 2006 US cables. Israel could be a driving force in for US foreign policy in the Middle Eastern region.  As in, the article states: "WikiLeaks cables reveal that these plans came from the Israeli government." Maybe this has something to do with it: Huge oil discovery in Golan Heights - Israeli media https://www.rt.com/business/317906-oil-golan-heights-israel/ ---------------------- ꕤ --------------------- PS ... Think I might simplify things too much.  There's a combination of things going on.  It's not just a single driving factor. I'll probably never understand what's going on. Just read some Forbes article on Russian billionaires having been bought out of Russia's Rosneft (state oil company), and it's a struggle to understand how anyone can have so much money and how the entire thing works, so what hope is there of understanding politics without understanding of the money men?  lol I'm really disheartened  ... and I can't comprehend why anyone would spend $14 million on a frigging mammoth.  Apparently, it's a gilded skeleton.  Intended as a good deed for an AIDS charity.  Just looked up the artist: won the Turner Prize. New York public health officials banned Two Fucking and Two Watching featuring a rotting cow and bull, because of fears of "vomiting among the visitors" [here] Well, now I'm sure I'll never understand anything on this planet.  Who the f*ck considers a rotting cow art?  This hilarious.  The fellow behind this is the "richest living artist to date."  Guess the 'Virgin Mother' would have taken some effort and talent to produce.  That anyone actually bought the finished product is mind-boggling.  I'd definitely go the mammoth.  ;) ꕤ