Syria 2

The Al Qaeda Insurgency in Syria: Recruiting Jihadists to Wage NATO's "Humanitarian Wars"

Quote:

The Recruitment of Mujahideen: NATO and Turkey

This insurgency in Syria has similar features to that of Libya: it is integrated by paramilitary brigades affiliated to Al Qaeda. Recent developments point to a full-fledged armed insurgency, integrated by Islamist "freedom fighters" supported, trained and equipped by NATO and Turkey's High Command.

According to Israeli intelligence sources:

NATO headquarters in Brussels and the Turkish high command are meanwhile drawing up plans for their first military step in Syria, which is to arm the rebels with weapons for combating the tanks and helicopters spearheading the Assad regime's crackdown on dissent. Instead of repeating the Libyan model of air strikes, NATO strategists are thinking more in terms of pouring large quantities of anti-tank and anti-air rockets, mortars and heavy machine guns into the protest centers for beating back the government armored forces. (DEBKAfile, NATO to give rebels anti-tank weapons, August 14, 2011)

A NATO-led intervention is on the drawing board. According to military and intelligence sources, NATO, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have been discussing "the form this intervention would take".

NATO and al-Gla'dio hand in glove again, this time in Syria.

Syria's President Threatens to Attack Israel

http://rt.com/news/line/2011-10-05/#id19635

"Syrian President Bashar Assad has threatened to attack Israel in the event of any Western military intervention in his country's domestic affairs, Iran's FARS news agency reported. 'If a crazy measure is taken against Damascus, I will need not more than six hours to transfer hundreds of rockets and missiles to the Golan Heights to fire them at Tel Aviv,' Assad said at a meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Tuesday..."

Syrian TV Broadcasts Interview with Woman Reported Killed

http://rt.com/news/line/2011-10-05/#id19645

"Syria state-run TV has aired an interview with a young woman who was reported to have been beheaded and mutilated by Syrian security agents while in custody. International human rights groups and Syrian activists reported last month that 18-year-old Zeinab al Hosni was found dead and mutilated after her detention..."

The Christians of the Oriente Stand Up Against the New Western Colonialism  -  by Thierry Meyssan

http://www.voltairenet.org/The-Christians-of-the-Orient-stand

"The war against Syria, planned by the US, France and the UK for mid-November 2011, has been blocked in extremis by the Russian and Chinese vetoes at the Security Council. According to Nicolas Sarkozy, who informed the Maronite Partriarch of the matter during a meeting at the Elysee Palace on 5 September 2011, the plan contemplated the expulsion of ME Christians by the Western powers.

France and its allies would intervene militarily in Syria to establish the Muslim Brotherhood as the leaders of the country. The Christians of the Oriente who would lose their place in society would then have to prepare themselves for the exodus and could find refuge in Europe.

In this context a press campaign is underway in Europe to accuse the Christians of the Oriente of collusion with the dictatorships. Mother Agnes-Mariam of the Cross, Mother Superior of the Monastery of James the Mutilated in Qara (Syria) responds to this war propaganda.."

Fidel: hahahaha @ al Gla'dio, it's not a bad comparison!

I've been thinking a lot about Syria. The situation is similar to Libya but one can't hide behind the "look what social benefits Assad has given to his people!" like some did with Ghadaffi. Assad's only "pro" is that he is secular. He has pursued neo-liberal reforms which has benefitted some crony capitalists in the government and the merchant class which so far has backed him. I don't think the alternative here is a pro-Islamic regime of al-Qaeda sympathizers. Turkey seems quite upset with Assad, but to think they would enthusiastically back NATO intervention seems strained. I think Erdogan and co. have discussed it, but they have also cultivated closer ties to Iran and are backing off of Israel. Though NATO intervention in Syria doesn't necessarily help Israel it depends what the nature of the successor regime is. A Western backed Syrian government won't pursue the return of the Golan Heights like Assad has. The Syrian regime's response to protests has been evil. There's no other way of putting it. NATO won't help matters though. The complex web of relationships and alliances has kept Assad from being toppled by the West. Toppling Assad could be bad for Israel. Assad kept Syria stable and went after Islamists. Like the post-Egyptian revolution regime, Israel may be nervous becase it doesn't know what its going to get. An irridentist Sunni extremist regime in Syria is not good for Israel. Any kind of more liberal regime in Syria or one that cannot extend its power over more remote regions threatens Turkey because the Kurds will have more freedom to act. Erdogan I think is shocked by the slaughter and will deal with the refugees but has no real plan for a post-Assad Syria in which Syrian Kurds don't end up linking up with Kurds in Turkey or Islamists try to take back the Golan Heights by force or try to subvert Lebanon's governent or do something stupid which will cause a war in the Middle East. Assad and parts of his current regime were certainly willing to wheel and deal with the west and Israel earlier on, but George W. Bush's hard line on the Axis of Evil and the American lack of diplomacy has really pushed him into Iran's arms. The old military establishment which his power rests on are probably very much old school Arab Baath nationalists who would undercut Assad now if he tried peace with Israel or accomodation in the West, but might not have been able to pull it off ten years ago when Syrians welcomed the Damacus Spring early in Bashar's reign. The Americans probably think they can find a pliant "liberal" to replace Assad, but I don't think a viable democracy is possible at this point. There will be pressure from Westernized Arab elites and Syrians suffering economic hardship who will turn to Islamists and to a lesser extent the Communists. The country is divided, and I think its safe to say its now a civil war instead of just government repression. Assad still manages large rallies in Damascus and Aleppo. A lot of Syrians might not like Assad but hate the alternatives even more. This slaughter has to stop! The West and Turkey are going to have to come in and say let us talk to you and the opposition to mediate and find a resolution and we promise we will not overthrow you. Turkey might be able to say this but I doubt NATO will. Bibi may even want Assad to fall to Islamists or Assad to attack Israel if NATO intervenes... I mean he could use something to distract the Israeli public right about now...

'Gulf Countries Conspiring to Topple Assd' (and vid)

http://rt.com/news/gulf-conspiring-topple-assad-197/

"There is a conspiracy involving regional powers that is aimed at overthrowing the Assad regime in Syria, warned Beirut based political analyst Kamel Al Wazire

"'President Assad has taken a very strong position in the past , supportingt the resistance and Lebanon,Iraq and Iran and the idea of a regional alliance against Israel,' he stated. 'Certain regional powers namely Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar - don't like that..."

Syria, The Arab Yugoslavia of the Middle East  -  by Nicola Nasser

http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/syria.shtml

"...The US and NATO are poised now to shift focus from Arab North Africa to the Arab Levant to deal with the last Syrian obstacle to their regional hegemony.."

Syria Suspension is a Violation of Law (and vid)

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/209973.html

"The Arab League has announced the suspension of Syria from the organization [Arab League], calling for sanctions to be imposed on the country and inviting the Syrian opposition for transition talks."

interview with experts

Wahabbis Weave Plot in Syria

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/210256.html

"..It is not difficult to conjecture that the move is a prelude to a US-led military invasion of Syria in the style of the Libya war and an eventual war in the region.."

Syria In Western Strategy for Colonial Military Supremacy  -  by Rick Rozoff (STOP NATO)

http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/syria-in-western-strategy-for...

"Nothing occurs in isolation and surely not in the age of Western powers employing expressions like the world's sole military superpower and Global NATO and forging ahead with projects for their realization.  Syria is no exception."

Syrian Communities Reject Arab League Resolution

http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=103449

"It is not the first time Syria confronts a big challenge. But this time it is the most dangerous because it was cooked up in the Zionist, US and western kitchens. The statement considered that the foreign intervention aims at enabling the hegemony projects in the region to establish the so-called New Middle East Project in the interests of the US and Israel.."

Here's the CTV version:

Canada Ready to Assist in Syria (and vid)

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopSTories/20111120/mackay-middle-east-111120/

'CIA, MI6, and Mossad Together Against Syria' (and vid)

http://rt.com/news/syria-terrorism-cia-destabilization-863/

"The West is doing its best to destabilize the situation in Syria, author and journalist Webster Tarpley told RT.."

Quote:

In what has traditionally been the sequence of steps prior to US military interventions, Washington has deployed US aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush close to Syrian coasts; the US embassy in Damascus ordered American citizens to "immediately" leave the country; while France proposed a NATO invasion.

[url=http://lchirino.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/washington-parks-naval-units-cl... South Journal[/url]

Specter of No-Fly Zone Darkens Syrian Skies

http://rt.com/news/syria-no-fly-zone-121/

"Arab states are reportedly set to impose a no-fly zone over Syria with US logistical support. But as the drive to topple Syrian President Bashar al Assad on 'humanitarian grounds' continues, the Libyan scenario seems to be repeating itself.."

Because we're so much better informed by the eternal diligence of 24/7 corporate news and their talented wonder journalists.

Media Lies Used to Provide a Pretext for Another 'Humanitarian War' - by Julie Levesque

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=27785

"According to numerous reports from the Western media, human rights organisations as well as the UN, countless peaceful civilians have been killed by the Syrian forces since the beginning of the unrest in the country in mid March. But where do the numbers come from?

The 'Syrian uprising' seems to be a copy and paste of the 'protest movement' in Libya.."

Revolution Reality Check: West to Reap Fruit of Arab Spring (and vid)

http://rt.com/news/arab-spring-revolution-falure-275/

"...it seems a pattern is emerging among countries caught up in the Arab Spring. Political analyst William Engdahl believes that powerful interests outside the Middle East want to bring discontent and chaos to pave the way for a NATO militarisation of the region so that the oil resources of these oil rich countries can be put directly into private hands,' he says..."

I found the summary of comments by Soubhi Hadidi very informative and illuminating, especially how Assad's thugs can no longer plug all the holes in the dyke at once, which, of course, is starting to make them wonder if they're betting on the wrong horse.

Thanks, Spector.

Much better than some of the fact free opinion pieces linked above.

The formula doesn't change:

There is a rebellion against a regime the West doesn't like.

The west, not liking the regime, and hoping to curry favour with its potential replacement, does what it can to help this rebellion.

Therefore the rebellion is entirely created and controlled by the West.

Therefore there is no real rebellion.

Therefore, the rebellion is a secret nazi plot.

Oops, my bad, I exaggerated. Goebbels. Entirely different. Thanks for the daily update NDPP. Always good to know that when people are cowardly facing off against a dynastic family's tanks and machine guns, that there are still brave and courageous bloggers at-the-ready to take a giant derisive shit on them.

CDN_FORCES wrote:

howeird beale wrote:

Oops, my bad, I exaggerated. Goebbels. Entirely different. Thanks for the daily update NDPP. Always good to know that when people are cowardly facing off against a dynastic family's tanks and machine guns, that there are still brave and courageous bloggers at-the-ready to take a giant derisive shit on them.

 

howeird, you just put into words the way I feel. Thanks.

rabble.ca is a public, independent, progressive news and information source. In defining itself as "progressive," rabble.ca embraces a pro-human rights, pro-feminist, anti-racist, queer-positive, anti-imperialist and pro-labour stance, and as such encourages discussions which develop and expand progressive thought.

I am old fashioned in that I try to live up to the spirit of organizations that I sign up for.  Even if I sign on to someplace like babble I try and respect the space that I am entering.

howard beale wrote:

Oops, my bad, I exaggerated. Goebbels. Entirely different. Thanks for the daily update NDPP. Always good to know that when people are cowardly facing off against a dynastic family's tanks and machine guns, that there are still brave and courageous bloggers at-the-ready to take a giant derisive shit on them.

howard beale, you're baiting in this thread. Knock it off. Express your viewpoint without personal attacks, and without showing contempt for anti-imperialist politics. It won't be tolerated. Consider this a warning.

The following is a video of historian Wesber Tarpley addressing anti-NATO protesters in Damascus:

http://tarpley.net/2011/11/24/tarpley-brings-greetings-from-western-anti...

It's quite heartwarming, but saddening at the same time. A lot of those people are going to be slaughtered in the name of freedom and democracy, and the NDP is going to endorse their slaughter.

ETA: As once pointed out by Catchfire, Tarpley collaborated with Lyndon Larouche in the 1980s  -- three decades ago. So if that turns you off, go memorize MSM talking points.

Catchfire wrote:

Indeed, there is only one poster in this thread, regardless of their "side," who has not had a go at it more than once.

That is correct -- you have not confessed to any failings.

Are you going to admit that your cticism of Tarpley -- that he collaborated with Larouche in the 1980s and thus all his arguments are "Larouchean" -- made absolutely no sense? No, we are probably not going to see that.

As for my "tours", it saddens me that every time I come back or (more frequently) lurk the quality of the discussion has deteriorated. I would love to see the quality rise up to what it once was, but I'm resigned that the continuing degradation into a Center for Apologists of Imperialism will continue unabated.

Arab League Approves Unprecedented Sanctions on Syria (and vid)

http://rt.com/news/arab-league-syria-sanctions-321

"Qatar has also warned of foreign intervention in Syria if the Arab League sanctions fail. Dr Rania Masri from the University of Balamand in Beirut says that by implementing the sanctions, the Arab League is basically digging its own grave. 'It is publicly declaring that it has no more legitimacy in the Arab world. Masri says that decisions such as this are mostly driven by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), especially Qatar and Saudi Arabia..." (see interview)

Heading for War on Syria?  - by Stephen Lendman

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2011/11/24/heading-for-war-on-syria/

"Libya's model is being replicated in Syria. So far, it's short of war. For how long is uncertain. Expect it if current tactics fail. At issue is regime change, establishing another client state and isolating Iran ahead of similar tactics there. It's part of America's Middle East project to redraw the region according to US/Israeli geopolitical aims.."

Hearing the hourly news on BBC Radio 4 kick off with the Arab-League-sanctions-against-Syria story gives me a baaaaaaaad feeling in the pit of my stomach. It confirms to me that for months there has been a calculated propaganda effort in the west to groom the masses for war-making against Syria. We are constantly fed a highly selective image of matters in the region: there is a near-total blackout of discussion of foreign involvement in the fighting to date - though these forces are instrumental to the destabilization campaign. We are rarely reminded of the million or so Iraqi war refugees still struggling to survive in that longsuffering and hospitable land; or the many thousands of Palestinian refugees who make their homes there now. What states are funding the imported agitators? We'll never learn from the MSM. 

While we are regularly told of violence and repression in Syria we are rarely directed to note it generally centers around two cities, Homs and Deraa. Both cities are proximate to international borders and therefore serve as ideal staging points for international interference, with fighters and weapons traversing a porous border.

As in Libya, we hear increasing bluster about an official or formal opposition but their own media presence is negligible and I would guess they have little besides factional support on the ground in Syria.

Talk of rebellion or revolution would be as premature as if it were Canada under discussion. The Assad regime enjoys massive support among the general population - a good deal more than Stephen Harper does - regularly fields demonstrations of hundreds of thousands of loyal and patriotic citizens and is very deeply melded with the state's infrastructure. If it were to be displaced at this point the state's very integrity would be challenged and we would be looking at another, completely avoidable, Iraq scenario.

But the threat of international intervention is deeply, deeply creepy and like Libya will have absolutely NOTHING to do with the interests of the Syrian people.

Don't think I can help you there much U. Off the top of my head, the Arab League is one of those fluffy outfits like the Organization of American States, a paper tiger, isn't it? - we're only hearing about this decision because it feeds the principal narrative of the western warmongers.

Lebanon voted against because its fate is intimately wound up with Syria's. Culturally the two states belong together, their two-ness an imperial legacy of the French who gerrymandered international borders to ensure a Christian enclave remained in the Arab heartland. I'd guess the Lebanese are all too aware of the risks of a societal meltdown on their doorstep and do not want to encourage that, its spread to them would be virtually inevitable. Yemen are fairly anti-imperialist, historically I think and perhaps not so easily bullied. But I'd welcome other's insights on this.

NDPP wrote:

The simple answer is because Qatar and Saudi Arabia have very deep pockets.

Lies and Truths About Syria  - by Thierry Meyssan

http://www.voltairenet.org/Lies-and-truths-about-Syria

"...How can it escape anyone's notice that the two main sustainers of the Arab League and promoters of the 'democratization' of Syria - Saudi Arabia and Qatar, are puppet dictatorships in lock-step with the United States and the United Kingdom...?

 

Ah! Thanks NDPP, that's pretty clear.

Merowe wrote:

Lebanon voted against because its fate is intimately wound up with Syria's. Culturally the two states belong together, their two-ness an imperial legacy of the French who gerrymandered international borders to ensure a Christian enclave remained in the Arab heartland. I'd guess the Lebanese are all too aware of the risks of a societal meltdown on their doorstep and do not want to encourage that, its spread to them would be virtually inevitable. Yemen are fairly anti-imperialist, historically I think and perhaps not so easily bullied. But I'd welcome other's insights on this.

Thanks for replying, Merowe, but on review, my question was a bit unclear. I really meant, why did [b]all the others vote in favour[/b]? Like Sudan, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, ... even Palestine (which I gather is a voting member?)?

Is it really just Saudi and Qatari money, as NDPP suggests? It just seems to me that some of these regimes are not on the U.S. friendly list. And I still don't get Yemen voting no.