Category: Syria

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Uncle Sam vs. Russia in Eastern Syria: the Nightmare Scenario / Politics / Syria

By: Mike_Whitney

The impending collapse of ISIS has touched off a race for territory in the oil-rich eastern part of Syria pitting US-backed forces against the Russian-led coalition of Syria, Iran and Hezbollah.  This is the nightmare scenario that everyone wanted to avoid.  Washington and Moscow’s armies are now converging on the same area at the same time greatly increasing the probability of a conflagration between the two nuclear-armed superpowers.  The only way a clash can be avoided is if one party backs down, which seems increasingly unlikely.

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Syria: Where the Rubber Meets the Road / Politics / Syria

By: Mike_Whitney

You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that the case against Syrian President Bashar al Assad is extremely weak. The chemical weapons attack in Khan Shaykhun, has produced no smoking gun,  no damning evidence, in fact, no evidence at all. Similar to the Russia hacking fiasco, (not a shred of evidence so far)  the western media and the entire political class has made the case for attacking a sovereign country on the thin gruel of a few videos of an incident that took place in a location that is currently under the control of militant groups connected to al Qaida. That’s pretty shaky grounds for a conviction, don’t you think?

Thursday, April 06, 2017

The Syria ‘Chemical Attack’ / Politics / Syria

By: Raul_I_Meijer

Reading up on the Syria ‘chemical attack’ issue (is that the right term to use?). The headlines are entirely predictable, and by now that probably won’t surprise anyone, no matter where they are or what views they adhere to. We know there’s been an attack and that some kind of chemical was used. The media talk about sarin.

They also, almost unanimously, blame the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad for it. But that’s the same government that just this week saw both US Foreign Secretary Rex Tillerson and US UN enjoy Nikki Haley point to a significant shift in American policy, towards a view that removing Assad is no longer a priority in US Middle-East policy.

Sunday, April 02, 2017

Neocon Fury Over Trump’s Syria Policy / Politics / Syria

By: John_Rubino

Neocon senators John McCain (R. AR) and Lindsey Graham (R. SC) likely believe war is peace. Freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength - with attribution to George Orwell.

They’re furious about Secretary of State Tillerson, saying “the longer-term status of President Assad will be decided by the Syrian people.”

Separately, US UN envoy Nikki Haley said “(y)ou pick and choose your battles, and when we’re looking at this, it’s about changing up priorities and our priority is no longer to sit there and focus on getting Assad out.”

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Ending Syria’s Nightmare will Take Pressure From Below / Politics / Syria

By: Mike_Whitney

Ominous developments in East Syria have drawn the United States and Russia into closer proximity increasing the likelihood of a violent confrontation.  The Trump administration has embarked on a dangerous plan to defeat the terrorist militia, ISIS, in Raqqa. But recent comments by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson suggest that Washington’s long-term strategy may conflict with Moscow’s goal of restoring Syria’s sovereign borders.  Something’s got to give. Either Russia ceases its clearing operations in east Syria or Washington agrees to withdraw its US-backed forces when the battle is over. If neither side gives ground, there’s going to be a collision between the two nuclear-armed adversaries.

Friday, January 06, 2017

Russia Looks for an Exit in Syria / Politics / Syria

By: STRATFOR

Forecast

• Despite the shared cause of supporting Damascus, Moscow and Tehran will continue to differ in their commitment to the conflict.
• As Russia concocts an exit strategy, its relations with Iran will steadily sour.
• The divergences between the countries will exacerbate the differences among Syria's loyalist forces.

Monday, January 02, 2017

Good News - Washington Frozen Out of Syria Peace Plan / Politics / Syria

By: Dr_Ron_Paul

As the US mainstream media obsessed last week about Russia's supposed "hacking" of the US elections and President Obama's final round of Russia sanctions in response, something very important was taking place under the media radar. As a result of a meeting between foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, and Turkey last month, a ceasefire in Syria has been worked out and is being implemented. So far it appears to be holding, and after nearly six years of horrible warfare the people of Syria are finally facing the possibility of rebuilding their lives.

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Russian Military Plane Crash Spoils Putin's Christmas / New Year Aleppo Surprise Victory Visit / Politics / Syria

By: Nadeem_Walayat

President Vlad Putin planned surprise new years visit and Russian Orthodox Christmas (7th Jan) celebrations at formerly Syria's most populous city, Aleppo, which after 4 years of civil war and the recent Russian military backed onslaught has been turned to rubble. Nevertheless a celebratory Orthodox Christmas scene had been planned to the tunes of the Russian military band playing and singing patriotic songs with russian jets flying over, a military parade through cleared of rubble and white washed streets, all topped off with Vlad Putin's grand finale that follows in the footsteps of whom he was named after Vlad the Impaler, as the pinnacle of festivities will involve Vlad Putin disrobing and bathing in the blood of hundreds of dead Syrian children harvested earlier from the rubble of East Aleppo, leaving fellow Dictator Assad to look on whilst taking notes on how to truly frighten the people into obedience which Vlad Putin is the master of.

Monday, December 19, 2016

After Aleppo: America Needs a New Syria Policy / Politics / Syria

By: Dr_Ron_Paul

Over the past week, eastern Aleppo was completely brought back under control of the Syrian government. The population began to return to its homes, many of which were abandoned when al-Qaeda-linked rebels took over in 2012. As far as I know, the western mainstream media did not have a single reporter on the ground in Aleppo, but relied on "activists" to inform us that the Syrian army was massacring the civilian population. It hardly makes sense for an army to fight and defeat armed rebels just so it can go in and murder unarmed civilians, but then again not much mainstream reporting on the tragedy in Syria has made sense.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

US Congress Votes To Give Jihadists Anti-aircraft Missiles / Politics / Syria

By: Mike_Whitney

On Thursday, the Senate passed a bill that puts every American who travels by plane at risk.  It is among the stupidest pieces of legislation ever written and it explains-- to a great extent-- why the US Congress has a public approval rating of 13 percent and is among the most loathed institutions in America.
 

Friday, December 09, 2016

Rolling Back America's Empire: Washington’s Proxy-Army Faces Decisive Defeat in Aleppo / Politics / Syria

By: Mike_Whitney

Syrian Army helicopters dropped leaflets on parts of eastern Aleppo on Sunday warning anti-government fighters to surrender while they still had the chance. Hundreds of jihadists have already laid down their weapons and surrendered while a hardline corps of deadenders continue to fend off the  rapidly advancing army.

Sunday, October 09, 2016

Pentagon Begins Low-Intensity Stealth War in Syria / Politics / Syria

By: Mike_Whitney

“Last Wednesday, at a Deputies Committee meeting at the White House, officials from the State Department, the CIA and the Joint Chiefs of Staff discussed limited military strikes against the (Assad) regime … One proposed way to get around the White House’s long-standing objection to striking the Assad regime without a U.N. Security Council resolution would be to carry out the strikes covertly and without public acknowledgment.” – Washington Post

Call it stealth warfare, call it poking the bear, call it whatever you’d like. The fact is, the Syrian war has entered a new and more dangerous phase increasing the chances of a catastrophic confrontation between the US and Russia.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Palmyra, West More Concerned with Rubble in the Desert than Syrian 'Human' Lives, Assad Propaganda / Politics / Syria

By: Nadeem_Walayat

I am increasingly finding the mainstream press reporting on the Syria conflict as completely ridiculous, akin to something out of a third world dictatorships propaganda war. This is most clearly illustrated by the barrage of stories over the past week concerning the Assad regime fighting to save Syria's Palmyra site, which is falling straight into the Assad's monstrous regimes propaganda to appease the sheeple of the west, who apparently forgotten about thousands of barrel bombs and Russian cluster bombs dropped on civilian areas.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Syria's Civil War 5 Years On Explained - 450k DEAD! EU Failure Prompting UK BrExit / Politics / Syria

By: Nadeem_Walayat

This week marks the fifth anniversary of Syria's civil war, that started with Arab spring inspired protests in the city of Derra, that within months engulfed the whole nations and which to date has seen over 450k people killed and 4 million externally displaced as pawns in the games of dictators such as Assad, Putin and Erdoğan of Turkey who today succeeded in black mailing europe into giving access to 80 million Turks for Syrian refugees, and then there is the shame of the whole of eastern europe who having flooded the west with 15 million economic migrants in return closed their borders to refuge seeking syrian refugees.

Wednesday, March 02, 2016

Fantasy Ceasefire in Syria / Politics / Syria

By: Stephen_Lendman

I’ve explained many times. Syria is Obama’s war. There’s nothing civil about it. Scoundrel media regurgitated state-sponsored propaganda falsely claims otherwise.

Endless war rages, US policymakers committed to replace its sovereign independence with US-controlled puppet governance - one of history’s greatest crimes toward this end of no consequence.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

The Phantom Free Syrian Army Moderate Rebels / Politics / Syria

By: Stephen_Lendman

So-called Free Syrian Army moderates exist only in US-led Western and media scoundrel propaganda reports - along with deliberate deception from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and other regional rogue states.

No such forces exist. All anti-Syrian elements are US-created terrorist groups, including ISIS, Al Qaeda, Jabhat al-Nusra and their offshoots.

Friday, December 11, 2015

How Far Can The Syria Conflict Spiral Out Of Control - Interview With Pelicourt / Politics / Syria

By: OilPrice_Com

Business is business, so why not buy oil from ISIS. The Russians claim the Turks are doing it, and in all likelihood even Assad is buying it. No one can fight a war without oil, according to Robert Bensh, partner and managing director of Pelicourt LLC oil and gas company. But while the politically unhinged are coming out the woodwork, the more important aspects of this story remain elusive to the public. Is the dangerously unspoken theory that ISIS is a bulwark against Iran what's keeping the West from tackling the Islamic State wholeheartedly on its territory? With no nation that can control it, the threat is now out of control and a war of ambiguous targets is emerging.

Wednesday, December 02, 2015

Putin’s Revenge? The Fight for Syria's Nothern Border / Politics / Syria

By: Mike_Whitney

“We have received additional information confirming that the oil controlled by Islamic State militants (ISIS) enters Turkish territory on an industrial scale. We have every reason to believe that the decision to down our plane was guided by a desire to ensure the security of this oil’s delivery routes to ports where they are shipped in tankers.” –Russian President Vladimir Putin, Paris, 11-30-15

Friday, November 27, 2015

Did Washington Order Russian Aircraft Shot Down? / Politics / Syria

By: Stephen_Lendman

A personal note. I’m not writing from my usual location, comfortably at home on my desktop - currently hospitalized, hopefully released soon.

I’ll be briefer than usual, conserving strength - thankful to maintain daily communication with readers, best as able when less than par.

Let’s not mince words. Washington is no Russian partner. Its policy is adversarially hostile, notably during the Cold War, especially throughout Putin’s leadership years - a preeminent world leader/peace champion polar opposite rogues running America, perhaps one day able to turn the tide against their hegemonic agenda.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

... / Politics / Syria

By: Nadeem_Walayat