Tweet
Consortium News’ Ivan Eland, truly spelt it out on Syria…
…Their argument isn’t that the Syrian rebellion will fall apart if the United States doesn’t provide arms, it’s that when the insurgents finally take over Syria, the U.S. will won’t have much “influence.“ They argue that militant Islamists among the rebels, who are the most well armed and ruthless fighters, will become dominant if the United States does not arm the more secular and democratic forces.
Yet the war hawks don’t ever ask themselves how the Islamists became the most well-armed groups in Syria — answer: by being the most ruthless. So far, the United States has reportedly helped Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Sunni Arab arms providers to vet the groups to which they are arranging weapons shipments. Yet despite those efforts, media reports indicate that the Islamists seem to be getting the lion share of the weapons anyway. In chaotic war situations, such unintended consequences are usually the rule rather than the exception.
And the situation in Syria may be about to get worse. Media reports indicate that the Saudis have ramped up their arms financing — purchasing and sending to Syria a large shipment of Croatian infantry weapons, a transaction that seems to have been facilitated by the United States.
In addition, the Syrian rebels have extorted pledges of more humanitarian aid from the United States and United Kingdom in exchange for attending a Friends of Syria meeting in Rome. Previously, the U.S. has shipped “non-lethal“ communications and medical supplies to the rebels.
So the public pronouncement that the United States is not arming the rebels is only technically true; the reality is that the U.S. is vetting and facilitating the delivery by other countries of weapons to the insurgents. Even the communications equipment the U.S. sends directly could be used to increase the coordination, and thus effectiveness, of rebel missions…
…If the rebels do finally displace Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria, the subsequent internecine violence could dwarf that of the tribal conflict and instability in post-Qaddafi Libya, because Syria has sectarian tensions, similar to those in Iraq, which Libya does not possess.
Thus, after analyzing and admitting such a record of failed interventions, how can anyone in the United States, with a straight face, advocate wading deeper into the Syrian swamp?
To be sure… White House Pledges More Aid to Syrian Rebels – Denies Reports of Armored Vehicles ‘For Now’ Btw, $60 million in ‘Aid’ was pledged from the Rome Confab…
Here’s some more insight on the Syrian clusterf*ck…
Syrian National Coalition: Opposing Currents Fight for Control
…“The SNC was parachuted down on us to draw the domesticated opposition into a settlement with the regime,” he added. The Russians and Americans “want to exhaust the two sides in order to lead them into a Lebanese-style settlement where there are neither winners nor losers.”…
Now, moving along to my favorite bugaboo, AIPAC, ahead of their annual Lovefest in DC, has the unmitigated chutzpah to demand…
AIPAC To Hill: Don’t Touch Israel Aid
At a time when sequestration is about to take a big bite out of the Pentagon budget, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) will be sending thousands of its citizen lobbyists to Capitol Hill next week to make sure Israel is exempted from any spending cuts…
…The 13,000 expected AIPAC activists will be telling Congress not to touch Israel’s $3-billion-plus annual security assistance and to vote for legislation declaring the Jewish state a “major strategic ally.”
That is a designation not enjoyed by any other nation, JTA pointed out, noting it may be a step toward the goal of some conservatives of divorcing assistance to Israel from all other foreign aid spending.
AIPAC’s annual policy conference begins Sunday and culminates Tuesday with personal visits by constituents to hundreds of members of the House and Senate.
Ironically, I don’t think they’ll fail in their efforts…
Senators Push Resolution Committing US to Aid Israel in Attack on Iran
If Israel attacks Iran in ‘self-defense,’ the resolution declares, the US must provide diplomatic, military, and economic support
…The chief sponsors of the resolution are Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Graham said the resolution will be non-binding and is neither a declaration of war nor an authorization to use military force. Non-binding resolutions are supposed to express the sentiment of Congress, as opposed to actually legislate policy. This one seems tied to placating the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which holds its annual conference in DC this weekend.
Leaving aside the fact that under no reasonable definition of “self-defense” could Israel conceivably justify an attack on Iran, the resolution is both an illustration of Congress’s fealty to Israel, as well as their aggressiveness towards Iran…
Here’s some basic facts, folks… Top Ten Myths about Iran
And to be sure, folks… Obama’s Israel Trip: It’s Iran, Stupid!
*gah*
50 Comments
As soon as I saw your ad at “the Branch Davisians,” CT, I came right over. You lay out the issue nicely.
And the Ten Myths piece you link to is very good (by a professor at the U. S. Army War College, no less; I hope he doesn’t get fired).
typo: issues (plural)
I find this credible:
And interesting because it has the peverse effect of making Israel more secure. Of course, the key word there is “settlement”, that is “agreement”. I’m not sure that that circle can be squared.
The sequester apparently has some interesting consequences. If it threatens, even slightly, aid to Israel, it likely also cuts aid to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States on a similar basis.
After reading Silverstein, I think that Obama’s visit to Israel could become very interesting indeed. Bibi might have stacked the deck in his cabinet, but I think the problem before both relative to Iran and foot-soldiers in Palestine is that for the IDF and Mossad, both of those were farther than they were prepared to go. Can they tell Bibi “No” again? No doubt the White House is trying to set this up as President Obama’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” moment. As opposed to a “Mr. Netanyahu, tear down this wall” moment. As I said, it will be very interesting. More so, if the sequester is still in place.
Oh, yeah CTuttle, rec’d as usual.
Can they tell Bibi “No” again? Great question, Tarheel…!
Bibi’s certainly priming the pumps… Netanyahu Spurns Reports of Iran Talk Progress, Demands Military Threats- Iran Won’t Give in to Demands, Netanyahu Predicts
SST is a great website to follow, I don’t always agree with Col. Lang, etal., but, they’re usually rock-solid in their analysis…!
from the link
Of course this is unadulterated horsepucky. There has been a US/Israel “threat” of an Iran attack — for how many years now? Nebba hachee.
First, as even Bush-43 understood, the UN inspectors would have to be warned to leave posthaste.
Then, since those big grey ships are sitting ducks on a pond, the US Navy would take the cue and depart the Persian — as in Iranian — Gulf also posthaste. (That’s why there’s been no attack.)
Those two events, which are necessary, would give the Iranian people sufficient warning to make their final targeting arrangements for explosive missiles to impact on various US-friendly targets in nearby Baghdad, Israel and Afghanistan to the East, and around the Gulf. Cruise missiles, mostly, but also ballistic missiles, torpedoes (from submarines) and mines laid.
If Iranian nuclear sites were hit, besides the aforementioned damage, there would be a humanitarian disaster from nuclear fallout. All for what? Nothing.
So we should discount these ridiculous hints of “war against Iran.” There are merely intended to take world attention away from the Israel rape of Palestine, at which they have been successful.
Bush-41 made a cessation of settlements a condition of increased aid, but Obama will not. So the Palestinians are acting. And even the EU.
Eland is correct in observing that the US needs to be involved in Syria in order to maintain influence. It’s a time-honored US policy, the principal reason the US got involved in European wars past.
Another reason is that the US pretends to be a world hegemon, and in that capacity no conflict in an area of interest (not including Rwanda and other backwaters) should go unattended.
I’ve wondered for a while what the reaction of the Empire would be were the Assad regime were to adopt three steps.
1) Change Syria’s central bank to one privately held that was answerable to the privately held International Bank of Settlements.
2) Take out a few IMF (Wall Street) loans (usury contracts)
3) Allow GMO’s
rec’d
“Settlement construction remains the biggest single threat to the two-state solution. It is systematic, deliberate and provocative.”
Amen, don…! 8-(
On Syria, the SNC could be (used to be) the Syrian National Council, but Clinton couldn’t get on with them, they were Moslem Brotherhood, so we got the new SNC — Syrian National Coalition, or National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces –NCSROF
also –Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces
also — National Alliance
also–Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC)
also — Syrian Coalition of Revolutionary & Opposition Forces (SMDK)
To confuse us further the Al Akhbar link above has an article on SNC #2 with a photo of the leader for SNC #1, which is now considered to be a member of SNC #2. Clear?
Neither of these US constructs apparently has any connection with the fighters on the ground. That was supposed to be done by the organization formed by the US last summer, the Supreme Military Council. We haven’t heard from them since.
President Assad still has a government. That’s more than these other clowns have. Hey, John Kerry is on it. That’s another point for Assad.
Looks eventually like one state, majority Palestinians, change the name from Israel to Palestine — that’s what Israel is bringing on. Stupid.
…Clear?
*heh* I could’ve sworn this Rome confab, represented the fourth SNC
abominationincarnation…!Why would they need to change their name, they’re exterminating the ‘vermin’ just as fast as they’re able to propagate, these daze…! A little CS/DU/WP goes a long ways…! 8-(
Speaking of EU, can we go MENA-Mali?
US puppet NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has indicated that NATO will not get involved in Mali. “The UN Security Council has decided that there should be an African-led stabilisation force and this is a reason why I don’t see a role for Nato.”
Does this mean that the ex-colonial Europeans will stay out of North Africa after France’s departure? Will Europe allow the Africans to manage affairs like Foghy said? AFISMA – Africa-led International Support Mission in Mali is ready.
Well, no. First, France’s departure will be delayed. And they still have the European Union! And the EU will send a “training mission — launched in the framework of a UN Security Council resolution.”
Feb 18, 2013
EU training mission in Mali launched
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/eeas/security-defence?lang=en
You reckon that the funds to Israel won’t be cut; bank on it.
But I reckon that if there are any cuts to the military budget *publicly*, there won’t be any *effectively*. So easy to do some creative bookkeeping, and there’s so much hidden now already.
Correct, the US promotes instability in its target countries. For example, I believe that the US caused the mosque bombing in Samarra, Iraq to instigate Shia/Sunni civil war in Iraq in February 2006. Divide and conquer.
I agree with ya, don…! iirc mfi called bs on it shortly afterwards…! 8-(
To be sure, folks… Feb. 22, 2006 al-Askari Mosque Bombing…
The bombing of the al-Askari Mosque in Samarra began at 7 a.m. on February 22, 2006 when insurgents dressed as Iraqi police officers entered the shrine and captured five guards. The attackers then placed two bombs inside the dome and detonated them, collapsing most of the dome and heavily damaging an adjoining wall.
The attack left the shrine’s famous golden dome in ruins. The shrine has enormous significance for Shiites, and its destruction in the midst of growing sectarian violence ignited a nationwide outpouring of rage and panic that sharply underscored Iraq’s religous divide. Following the attack, thousands of demonstrators gathered near the shrine, waving Iraqi flags and calling for justice.
There have been no claims of responsibility, though Sunni extremist groups are suspected. A government statement reported that “several suspects” had been detained. This attack and the violent retrbution that followed it seemed to push Iraq closer to civil war. President Talabani was quotes as saying that “we are facing a major conspiracy that is targeting Iraq’s unity. We should all stand hand in hand to prevent the danger of a civil war.”
A pivotal moment indeed…!
The U.S supposedly had a strategy to pull out of Iraq in 2006, but then came Samarra. The inter-sect conflict that started with the US invasion was greatly exacerbated by the destruction of the Shi’ite Askariya Mosque on February 22nd, 2006 in Samarra, a predominantly Sunni city. Iraq has not enjoyed inter-sect amity since, and now it’s spread to Syria.
Reacting to this attack, on 22 and 23 February 2006, throughout Iraq, assailants attacked at least 184 Sunni mosques with grenades, small arms, mortars, and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), killing 12 Sunni imams and seven Sunni civilian worshippers, kidnapping 14 Sunni imams, and causing substantial damage to many of the mosques. Subsequently hundreds of Sunni mosques came under attack and a full-fledged civil war was initiated.
In February 2006 Samarra was under total US military control. The curfew in Samarra started at 8pm. On February 21st, at 8:30pm, according to a witness, joint forces of the Iraq National Guard and the American Army appeared, then left at 9, then reappeared at 11pm. At 6am on the morning of the 22nd the ING left the area, and at 6:30 the Americans left. The first explosion occurred at 6:40, the second at 6:45.am.
Construction Minister Jassem Mohammed Jaafar, who toured Sammara and inspected the damage incurred to the shrine, said the placing of explosives inside the dome was meticulous and must have taken at least 12 hours.”Holes were dug into the mausoleum’s four main pillars and packed with explosives,” he told the media, adding that work on each pillar must have taken at least four hours. The normal security detail of 35 men had been reduced to five, the five guards were taken hostage during the twelve hours, and nobody noticed anything.
Hoping to find answers and interview residents of Sammara, the Al-Arabiya news network dispatched three of its journalists, including former Aljazeera reporter Atwar Bahjat, herself a native of the ancient city. Sources in Iraq say she was interviewing residents when a truck full of unknown armed men abducted her as she screamed for help. Bahjat, 30, of mixed Sunni-Shia heritage, was found executed outside Sammara, along with her cameraman and sound technician. Her field equipment and video were missing.
SEC. GATES: “Well, what I’m saying to you is, though, you had one strategy under way until attack on the Samarra mosque. After that and the development of the sectarian violence that was being stoked by extremists — this wasn’t spontaneous — there was a shift in strategy, and instead of sending troops home, the troops that were supposed to be sent home were kept — or the troop level was kept.”
“The Appointment in Samarra”
(as retold by W. Somerset Maugham [1933])
The speaker is Death
There was a merchant in Baghdad who sent his servant to market to buy provisions and in a little while the servant came back, white and trembling, and said, Master, just now when I was in the marketplace I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was Death that jostled me. She looked at me and made a threatening gesture, now, lend me your horse, and I will ride away from this city and avoid my fate. I will go to Samarra and there Death will not find me. The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant mounted it, and he dug his spurs in its flanks and as fast as the horse could gallop he went. . .
I’ve never been able to tell in politics the difference between underlying instability erupting or someone promoting it unless there is material evidence of promotion. Too many people walking around with too many cross-cutting and contradictory historical grudges to dismiss spontaneous generation all the time.
U.S., Qater, Saudis pledged $1.5 billion humanitarian relief for Syrians at the donors’ conference.
Pledges were withdraw within days after conference.
No link; heard live on presstv.
Are we then experiencing ‘spontaneous generation’ here, Tarheel?
Looks pretty orchestrated to me, in the sense of ‘apres moi, le deluge.’
Regarding instability sources, and Samarra specifically, there was some animosity in Iraq twixt Shia and Sunni. But they lived on the same streets, worked together, and intermarried. The differences were under control. Samarra, by design, changed that, as described in #18 & 19 above. Iraq “went critical.”
Justin Raimondo, years ago:
Good Gawd, STFU already, Clifford May…
…“Sanctions may be most useful after a strike against Iran’s nuclear-weapons facilities,” Clifford May, the president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based group that strongly advocates sanctions on Iran, wrote Thursday in an op-ed.
“If such an agreement [where “Iran’s rulers verifiably end the nuclear-weapons program, halt terrorism sponsorship, and ease domestic oppression”] cannot be reached, continuing and even tightening sanctions will make it more difficult for Iran to replace facilities destroyed after a military option has been exercised,” said May.
He was on the frontlines of the Neo/Ziocon push to invade Iraq…! *gah*
I totally agree that there are many axes to grind and caveat emptor…! But, having tracked it in real time, remember this episode predates the much ballyhooed ‘Surge’, in which, many sober analysts had touted it as the reason to Surge…! 8-(
I wish I had access to Lurch’s and my efforts at Main&Central…!
*heh* Right on cue… Banned Israeli weapons led to cancer rise in Gaza…
Oopsie…! Freudian slip…? Kerry accidentally said that the goal of US-led sanctions was “to implode” Iran, before quickly trying to correct himself…
While listening to a presstv special on Palestine, I wondered if that weren’t the model that our betters have planned for us. I think I remember that Palestine was one of the most prosperous states in ME, with a highly educated population, now can’t stave off malnutrition, widespread illiteracy.
The Palestinians did have one of the highest literacy rates and percentage of Doctoral graduates…! Those days are long gone in Gaza and much of the West Bank…! 8-(
Didn’t think my memory was wrong, but I have been accused this evening of not ever reading an decent history on the U.S. civil war. So must take care not to overstate creds.
Going to hear William Blum talk about his new book (he’s only 80) tomorrow. Any Qs you’d like me to ask?
“and once U.S. takes over Syria it will take over Turkey.” presstv. Didn’t catch who they were quoting.
Say it isn’t so. U.S. would never do that.
Everyone knows there were never any peoples know as Palestinians. I’ve have several Zionist former friends assure me of that.
UK stips citizenship of alleged terrorists without judicial process. All of them have been Muslims. 2/9 have been drozinated.
Blum — America’s Deadliest Export: Democracy
Q: How can we export what we don’t have?
The suggestion that America is a democracy is amusing when one considers presidential executive privilege, a bought-and-paid for congress, gerrymandering, bogus elections, barriers against third parties (causing two look-alike parties), low election turnout (particularly among the young, the poor, and the minorities) and corporate citizenship, among other factors.
As soon that Assad goes down then on to Teran as real men would do. sad day
President Assad shows no sign of going down. The US Congress was told by Hof, from State, that the Syria government was “dead man walking.” That was a year ago December. Hof is now a private citizen, still prattling a similar line.
CSMonitor,Dec 14, 2011
And in any case there will be no going on to Tehran. Iran is not another patsy susceptible to “the world’s finest military.” Which is why Iran has not been attacked before now, and it will not be.
I don’t understand your Q. If you know Blum, you understand that his title is sarcastic. In that context, what is your Q?
The “Iran nuclear crisis” is simply a diversion from the rape of Palestine. Please don’t buy it.
Actually I don’t know Blum. But why would he use a title with an obscured (“sarcastic”) meaning? Okay, there’s a question. I mean, if I can be taken in, then any fool can. Wait a minute . . .
One of the many aspects I love about Iran, is that it is one of the few countries that is stands up to the evil U.S. empire.
Well, there’s all that other stuff about thousands of years of history, but let’s not reality disturb us from U.S. propaganda.
You gest. Deadly democracy means what it says. In U.S. policy, “democracy” kills. Nothing clearer than that.
Then you’ll like this from Ayatollah Khamenei:
Feb 21, 2013
Khamenei Calls U.S. Policy Toward Iran ‘Irrational’ – Direct Talks ‘Futile’
You missed my point — what democracy? You seem to be conflating US with democracy. Are you?
Ayatollah Khamenei goes on: (I love this guy)
sAu contraire, U.. is opposite to democracy, See my comment at 29.
Getting up at pre-dark-o-clock to attend book signing so going to try to doze off for now.
Be well.
*heh* Easy now, don, eCAHN is ever more so skeptical than I…! ;-)
Sweet dreams, eCAHN…!
eCAHN is a good one. Too bad she has to sleep. I guess everyone can’t live near the Pacific Ocean.