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The End Draws Near For Syria's Assad As Putin's Patience "Wears Thin"
Early last month in, "The Noose Around Syria’s Assad Tightens" we outlined the latest developments in the country’s prolonged civil war. Here’s what we said then:
The US-led alliance realizes very well that as long as Assad has to fight three fronts: i.e., the Nusra Front in the northwestern province of Idlib and ever closer proximity to Syria's main infrastructure hub of Latakia, ISIS in the central part of the nation where militants recently took over the historic town of Palmyra, and the official "rebel" force in close proximity to Damascus, Assad's army will either eventually be obliterated or, more likely, mutiny and overthrow the president, putting the Ukraine scenario in play.
In short, the US and its Middle Eastern allies are simply playing the waiting game; watching for the opportune time to charge in and "liberate" Syria from whatever army manages to take Damascus first, at which point a puppet government will be promptly installed.
And make no mistake, the new, U.S.-backed regime will present itself as fiercely anti-militant and will be trotted out as Washington’s newest "partner" in the global war on terror. Of course behind the scenes the situation will likely resemble what happened in Yemen (Obama’s "model of success") where, according to one account, Abdullah Saleh and his lieutenants not only turned a blind eye to AQAP operations, but in fact played a direct role in facilitating al-Qaeda attacks even as the government accepted anti-terrorism financing from the US government.
Of course no one in Washington will care to know the details, as long as the new regime in Syria is receptive to things like piping Qatari natural gas to Europe via a long-stalled pipeline, a project which will do wonders for breaking Gazprom’s energy stranglehold and robbing Vladimir Putin of quite a bit of leverage in what is becoming an increasingly tense standoff with the EU over Ukraine.
On Sunday, Assad gave a speech in which he attempted to address concerns about the recent setbacks his army has suffered at the hands of the various groups fighting for control of the country. Here’s more from the LA Times’ Special correspondent Nabih Bulos reporting from Beirut:
Syrian President Bashar Assad delivered a sober assessment of the state of his forces on Sunday, acknowledging a manpower shortage and conceding troop withdrawals from some areas, but asserting that the military was not facing collapse.
"Are we giving up areas?" Assad asked as he posed a series of questions about the government's strategy. "Why do we lose other areas? ... And where is the army in some of the areas?"
The Syrian president endeavored to provide answers. But it was an open question whether his responses would reassure loyalists worried that the government could be losing its hold on the embattled country.
The president also thanked his allies — notably Iran — while taking the West to task for supporting “terrorists," the Syrian government's standard term for the armed opposition fighting to wrest control of the country.
The core areas under government control include the capital, Damascus, and the strategic corridor north to the cities of Homs and Hama and west to the Mediterranean coast, a pro-government stronghold.
Syrian authorities have been actively seeking to increase military recruitment in recent months, a sign of the shortage of fighters across a sprawling battlefield that stretches from the country’s northern fringes to its southern tip, and from its western borders to its eastern frontier.
In Damascus and other cities, prominent recruiting billboards depict stern-looking young men and women in full military gear exhorting others to enlist.
"Our army means all of us," declares one billboard.
Other signs posted prominently depict soldiers providing vital security for children and families.
Another billboard takes a more confrontational approach, asking a man who is watching a computer screen: "Sitting there and looking? What are you waiting for?"
The presidential speech comes as the thinly stretched Syrian army has suffered a string of setbacks in the last few months, squeezing government forces into defensive positions in Syria’s northwest and in the south.
Assad blamed the retreats on a lack of manpower, asserting that steps would need to be taken "to raise the [capacity] of the armed forces... primarily through calling the reserves in addition to recruits and volunteers."
One such step, Assad said, was the granting of an amnesty on Saturday to soldiers who had defected, so long as they had not joined armed opposition groups. The amnesty was also extended to draft dodgers, many of whom have left Syria to escape military service.
Despite conceding setbacks, Assad maintained a confident tone, insisting that Army recruitment numbers had increased in the last few months and that "there is no collapse... and we will be steadfast and will achieve the missions."
"Defeat ... does not exist in the dictionaries of the Syrian Arab army," he insisted.
Maybe not yet, but that could change quickly, especially if Assad were to lose the support of his most important ally, Vladimir Putin.
As we noted last month, the key outstanding question is this: what is the maximum pain level for Russia, which has the greatest vested interest in preserving the Assad regime?
We could have an answer to that very soon, as slumping commodities prices, falling demand from China (which was recently cited as the reason for "indefinite" delays to the Altai pipeline joint venture which would have delivered 30 bcm/y of Siberian gas to China), and economic sanctions from the West are squeezing Moscow and may ultimately prompt Putin to "consider the acceptability of other candidates" for the Syrian Presidency. Here’s WSJ with more:
And with Russia’s economy battered by a plunge in oil prices and Western sanctions, the government may be considering both the strategic and economic benefits of changing its stance on Mr. Assad.
But Fyodor Lukyanov, chairman of a Kremlin foreign-policy advisory council, said Russian policy makers are likely considering possible alternatives to the Syrian president.
"They are looking at the acceptability of other candidates at this point," he said, adding that he had not heard any names.
If Moscow does provide an opening to broker a negotiated exit for Mr. Assad, it would be a dramatic turn in the conflict.
Mr. Assad’s other major international backer, Iran, shows no signs of wavering in its crucial military and financial support for the Syrian regime. But the long-sought nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers reached earlier this month has also opened up the possibility of broader political cooperation between Tehran and the West on other regional issues such as the war in Syria.
Hadi al-Bahra, a senior member of the Turkey-based opposition umbrella group the Syrian National Coalition, said his alliance discussed Mr. Assad’s political fate with Russian officials for the first time in a meeting last month led by Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. Ahmed Ramadan, another senior coalition member, also attended that meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara.
“We have been speaking with the Russians from the very beginning and we have not heard one word of criticism of Assad," Mr. Ramadan said. "But now, the Russians are discussing the alternatives with us."
In addition to the Syrian opposition, Mr. Assad’s regional adversaries such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey have argued his ouster is essential to resolve the Syrian conflict and halt the spread of Islamic State militants.
The Obama administration recently has pursued Russian cooperation on its goal of ousting the Assad regime based on intelligence assessments that the Syrian president is weakening. President Barack Obama spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 25 and July 15 on an array of issues including Syria.
An exchange in a meeting last month between Mr. Putin and Syrian Foreign MinisterWalid al-Moallem suggested Moscow’s patience with Damascus might be running thin.
According to an official Russian transcript carried on the Kremlin’s website, Mr. Putin pointed out the regime’s recent military setbacks and suggested Mr. Assad join forces with regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Mr. Moallem said the idea was farfetched.
Russia has financial and political incentives to change course on backing Mr. Assad. The country has been politically isolated by Western sanctions. Lower oil prices and sanctions have taken a toll on the economy.
So, as the Assad regime weakens in the face of dwindling manpower and is forced to resort to a military recrutiment drive complete with billboards designed to shame men into taking up arms against the various armies competing to conquer Damascus, Russia has not only seen the writing on the wall, but may be prepared to finally cut Assad loose. As for what happens next, see here.
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Full Assad speech from Sunday
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Long Putin
Star of David hidden (not very well) in the design behind him. Is there a message in that?
The Star Of David could also be interpreted as a triangle pointing up joined by a triangle pointing down. As above, so below.
Just saying.
What a coincidence, look what Jewish Neocons were calling for back in 1996:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Clean_Break:_A_New_Strategy_for_Securing...
and the DC drones say...."Your wish is our command "
Time to send in the Chinese exterminators with flamethrowers.
and the pointlessness of all this bloodshed and evil is that they chaos unleasehed in that part of the world means no qatari pipeline will ever be functional and free from frequent sabotage
thats the vulnerability of linear vector based systems.
What the dumb asses will get is another Libya/Iraq/Beirut...a pipeline are you fucking serious, not even the Kagan Nudelman can bake enough cookies or hire enough merc snipers to fix this cluster fluck...THE ENTIE AREA WILL BECOME HOME TO BANDITS AND CONSTANT TRIBAL AND ETHNIC WARFARE OR IT might end up like the Balkans sort of MAD MAX meets the Postman meets Blade Runner. We ha ve screwed the pooch once too often the military is a giant cluster, and special ops groups will soon find there is no more money to buy them or merc big toys and fat salaries. My hope is that karma happens and Shiva kicks some western ass back into third world Kosovo status. We will be lucky if US ..EUROPE collapse is not ten times worse then post Cold War Russia.
"...a pipeline are you fucking serious..."
Yes. That's been Israel's plan for THEIR gas pipeline, and Qatar's plan for THIER gas pipeline all along. Either Americans or UN peacekeeping fucks will be tasked with guarding both pipelines. There would be no incentive nor money in it for anyone to blow either pipeline if Assad was out. The only 'terrorists' in Syria are U.S./Turkey/Israeli trained and supplied ones - that's it. Once Syria is stolen from the Syrians, there will be no more terrorists (and no more Syria).
"...THE ENTIE AREA WILL BECOME HOME TO BANDITS AND CONSTANT TRIBAL AND ETHNIC WARFARE OR IT might end up like the Balkans sort of MAD MAX meets the Postman meets Blade Runner..."
Correct, again, as planned by the axis of evil. You make it sound like the U.S./Turkey/Israel wanted a strong, stable, unified government there. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, they're worried about Iraq again - it was suppose to be the same way, but the Sunni and Shia are teaming up to kick the fake U.S. ISIS team's ass. That wasn't suppose to happen.
"...We ha ve screwed the pooch once too often the military is a giant cluster, and special ops groups will soon find there is no more money to buy them or merc big toys and fat salaries..."
No - you are delusional. There will always be plenty of our tax dollars to buy whatever shit the military needs to obey the treasonous dual-citizen fucks in congress and their Israeli masters. You make it sound like they operate under some kind of fiscal limits. Jesus, man... we GIVE Israel three billion a year in free money/military shit. The U.S. would rather execute vets and starve pensioners to save money before it ever shut the tap to the Israeli trough off. There is unlimited money for whatever M.E. clownfuckery they want. Supplies for ISIS are run through NATO member Turkey - this is never going to stop until the U.S. decides it will.
"...My hope is that karma happens and Shiva kicks some western ass back into third world Kosovo status..."
Your wish may be granted MUCH sooner than you expect.
The Tyler article itself has that weird Bloomberg smell to it again. Assad is having a tough time recruiting, but he's in much better shape militarily that he has been in the past. Not because of the Syrian military, but because bogus al Nusra and ISIS are falling apart and the U.S. can't find any more than a handful of 'moderate opposition' Syrian 'freedom fighters'. It's the U.S. that is unable to staff up an illegal coup army to overthrow Assad and they are shitting in their pants about it. The Kurds are kicking al Nusra and ISIS ass along the Turkish border. In other words, Assad, the Syrians and the Kurds are closer to defeating the opposition (which is basically JUST al Nusra and ISIS) in Syria today than ever.
And if you ONLY read right-wing neocon tripe, you miss out on the small but steady series of victories the Syrian Army has been having in the most important, strategic areas. If the al Nusra/ISIS supply lines were cut, they would be dead. What the U.S. has done is unified the Syrians to hating the U.S. and their terrorist armies - all of them. The Rojava Kurds know better than to trust the U.S. either - they know tens of thousands of Kurds have died at the hands of U.S. and NATO-supplied ISIS. They will NEVER forgive the U.S.
Now out of the thousands of Russian officials that do have some insight in Syrian matters, there are only a couple that constantly spout on about Russian's (or Putin's) 'dissatisfaction' with Assad. Nobody in the West interviews the other 99% who disagree. To undersand what utter bullshit this is, you need only to look back at the Sarin false flage the U.S. orchestrated to invade Syria. Putin WOULD NOT back down to Obama. I'm sure that's as close as we've ever been to WWIII in the last few decades. Putin has a lot of reasons to back Assad, and none of them have changed. If Assad is executed and replaced with a U.S. puppet, Putin loses all of Syria. He's not going to just back off NOW - that's idiotic. The fact that some reporter found a random Russian to suggest otherwise is meaningless - Syria is worth saving to Russia. It always was and always will be.
"The Syrian Army is falling apart" and "Russia is ready to see Assad replaced" are both MSM lies spewed to grease the skids for some act of desperation by the U.S. and Israel.
America is certainly a great nation--wickedly great, that is.
Americans are a nation whose greatness lies in its self-righteous delusion and arrogance.
America's greatness is evidenced in its ability to lie, to distort, and to manipulate.
And America's greatness is found in its propensity for mass murder and genocidal wars on a planetary scale.
Americans have an inbred belief in their own "goodness" as the self-styled Land of the Free and Beacon of Liberty--never mind that America was spawned as an expansionist slavocracy with the enslavement of Africans and the ethnic cleansing of Native Indians and the occupation of their lands.
America is great alright--great in its deception, great in its evil, and ultimately great in the punishment all Americans will face.
Khameni, that you?
Truth hurts, doesn't fucker ? Or perhaps, you just have a reality issue.
Interview with Harold Wallace Rosenthal, know who your masters are USSA:
http://imadrugpat.org/rosenthl-interview.htm
and how would donald trump handle this clusterfuck,? hope he reads ZH...
the donald to cut funds to zion? cut defense? and build fences around merica, ha
what about the tunnels? ha
it is soooo far gone...
From Brother Nathanael.
1. Trump has numerous Jewish connections in Manhattan. You don’t become a New York real estate mogul without them. He’s not about to buck the Jew system that got him where he is today.
2. Trump’s CFO is Allen Weisselberg and his legal counsel is Michael Cohen. These two Jews keep Trump VERY well connected to Jew high-rollers. Cohen is entrenched within Jew NY society.
3. Trump is an “American Exceptionalist.” He will not suffer any country, including Russia, to have its interests served in any part of the world.
4. Trump’s a “uni-polar” man. Cooperation between nations is not in his deck of cards.
5. Trump is a militarist. As strong and powerful and all-pervasive the Pentagon already is, Trump wants to intensify.
6. Trump considers Edward Snowden, (who we here at Real Jew News consider a patriot), a “traitor.”
7. Trump won’t blame Jew Wall Street and its sycophant corporations for offshoring our jobs. Instead he blames Mexico and China.
8. Trump believes in legal immigration. He says it’s a “wonderful” thing. Rather than try to stop the flow from Third World countries, Trump welcomes it. Those who tout Trump as a “white nationalist” are dreaming.
9. Trump is an Israel-lover. Trump loves Bibzy. Trump will NOT stop the Jew power in this country. He’s too beholden to Jew power owing to his Manhattan “deals” and the dynastic Jew Kushner family of New Jersey his daughter Ivanka married into.
IMO, Trump's strategy is to appeal to the "crazies" of the right wing, which will accomplish a few things:
1.) Millions of libertarians will sit out this election, just like in 2012 when Ron Paul got shafted by the RNC.
2.) Independents will most likely sit this one out instead of voting for Hillary or Trump.
3.) Democrats who really don't like Hillary will vote for her anyway as a protest against Trump.
Say hello to your new overlord, President Hillary Rodham Clinton. Trump will be paid back in spades for his loyalty to the Jew Democrat (progressive neocon) machine.
His candidacy is a psy-op. Don't be fooled.
.
On a related note, for those who have had trouble over the last few days connecting to Syrian Perspective, try using http://syrianperspective.com instead of http://www.syrianperspective.com and it should work for you.
Thanks, I have been battling for about week trying to get to this site.
Just tryin' to help...
Lots of 'we' in this supposed Tyler article, yet it reads almost exactly like a Stratfor neocon warm-and-fuzzy piece. The absence of any mention of the Israeli pipelines are telling. Stratfor is a business - they don't do Israel because their customers are the Israeli-firster, dual-citizens running the show.
Stratfor had Assad dead and buried a long time ago: Considering a Post-Al Assad Syria and (of course) Stratfor has never been much of a Putin fan to say the least.
Interesting Bios for the two authors of the WSJ piece:
Sam Dagher, Senior Correspondent, The Wall Street Journal.
Thomas Grove, Moscow reporter, The Wall Street Journal.
The L.A. Times Beruit guys, Nabih Bulos and Bureau Chief Patrick McDonnell, seem somewhat more balanced in their reporting. Generally more anti-ISIS and maybe anti-Turkey (or more precisely anti-Erdogan) than anti-Assad. I'm guessing they wouldn't be big fans of Israel stealing more of either Lebanon or Syria, but seem to avoid anything on Israel in their reporting.
I disagree with the spin in the Tyler/Stratfor article, but would probably put money on the conclusion as the inevitable outcome anyway. Betting against psychopathic neocons is kind of like holding VIX calls. There is rational, and then there is probable. You know how this is going to end - with Assad in the ground and Syria in the hands of a U.S. puppet.
Could be Stalingrad for the NeoCon offensive on the world. People were thinking Stalingrad was going to fold for a long time ... and it did not.
"Former United States Assistant Secretary of Defense Richard Perle was the "Study Group Leader," but the final report included ideas from Douglas Feith, James Colbert, Charles Fairbanks, Jr., Robert Loewenberg, David Wurmser, and Meyrav Wurmser."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Clean_Break:_A_New_Strategy_for_Securing...
Liberty is a demand. Tyranny is submission..
Don't "return," leave.
As above, so below... Hmmmm? Where did I just see that...
https://www.google.com/search?q=detroit+satan&rlz=1C1CHWA_enUS650US650&e...
Population Wealth
/ \ \ --------------------/
/____\ \ /
/ \ \ / Overlap them to see the game plan. The top of the Pop. gets the top of the inverted wealth
/ \ \ / pyramid. Conversely, the bottom of the pop. gets the sliver of the inverted wealth pyramid.
/ \ \ /
/_________________\ \----/
\/
i can't imagine the time you wasted to try to assembly this.
not too much time, but hey-what is time to uhnutjahb, so fah que.
Looks like 4 little missals converging on the star.
Maybe it's 4 cocks pissing on Rothschild?
Putin is taking a page from the Art of War - appearing weak toward their enemies while patiently waiting for zero hour - long Putin as well.
Putin is too smart to let any but his innermost circle know his plans.
@Ob1knob and TBaggerVance, the geometrics behind him are classical Islamic artwork found on the exteriors and interiors of mosques and other structures througout the Islamic world.
@ Ob1Knob
That's the star of Solomon, Not the star of David. Every religion uses it, from the filthy terrorist jews and catholics, to the modern day new aged satanists, which all of the above pray to, bet you don't believe me.......Look up '666 The cult of Saturn'. Catch a wake up. And while I am on it, that also includes the black square / cube, you might know it as the Kaaba, which is what the swastika is also designed from, as well as the Masonic / Kaabalist tree of life, try learn something today.
Even at your own Ground0 they have put up two inverted black cubes as a memmorial to their own terrorism against YOU, and it is working a charm, it's black magic to their god Ishtar/Diana/Cybele, etc.
Mr. Assad should seek a deal for himself and his family. Asylum in a favorable country (Iran seems perfect) and an international agreement to pardon his crimes. If he can pull this off, he could live a comfortable life into his dotage. If not, Qaddafi's fate awaits.
Pardon his crimes? Pardon his crimes? What exactly were or are his crimes? The world hasn't even noticed the crimes of Messrs. Clinton, Bush, Obama, Blair, Sarkozy or Hollande.
Are you speaking about the crime of defending his country against US/Zionist imperialism and aggression, against colonialism, against resurgent Ottoman revanchism?
Pardon his crimes, indeed!
Look, much like Qadaffi, he rules with an iron fist. The West doesn't like him and wants him dead. He is losing. It matters not one wit whether you or I see his actions, or the Western press' depiction of those actions, constitute crimes, he will be killed for his 'crimes' if captured. That was my thoughts entirely in my comment above. If Damascus falls and he's captured, he's a goner, justly or unjustly. He should bug out.
Don't waste your time with the failed trollish moron steelhead23.
Those with the most power decide what is or is not a crime.
Vlad says, "Maybe it is time to pull some teeth", "Yes?".
More bullshit propaganda.
Not buying this, sorry Tylers.
No shit eh? 6 months ago there was another bullshit "it's almost over" propaganda article and showing maps how ISIS was less than a mile from the palace...
And ya WSJ, the statist propaganda arm of the cia/pentagon would never lie to us....lmao
The WSJ is not a reliable source on anything concerning the Middle East or Russia.
The WSJ is Murdoch trash. No article it contains is of value except for assessing the current tribal proaganda.
Disgusting what the USA and Israel have done to the country of Syria via ISIS.
Morally reprehensible.
Hey man don't assign national liability to Americans or Israelis for the criminal acts of hack looter politicians, that's fucked up, by your logic all Germans should have been executed for Hitler's crimes.
America didn't do it, individuals from America did it, and they did it in S Sudan and Iraq and Libya and Tunisia and Egypt and .....
>>If Assad govt falls, ISIS threat quickly disappears from headlines.
>>If Assad govt falls, ISIS still considered top threat.
and Canada!
So does this mean the Qatari's get their Trans-Syrian natural gas pipeline? And we can stop stirring up shit over there?
Distance between Syria and Qatar is ~980 miles... That is a lot of pipeline to guard considering the majority of it needs to go through Iraq.
The United States has 1,989 miles of border with Mexico.
Any bets that neither a wall nor a pipeline will happen in the foreseeable future?
Most of the proposed pipeline was to run through Saudi Arabia. One of our other good buddies over there. Linked story has a map.
http://www.oil-price.net/en/articles/crude-oil-syrian-conflict.php
There will be no Qatari pipeline through what will be chaos for years - the Qatari pipeline is a smoke screen...
The mercs started pouring in a couple weeks after the Iran-Iraq-Syria pipeline was announced.
http://ftmdaily.com/what-jerry-thinks/whysyria/
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-geopolitics-of-gas-and-the-syrian-crisi...
Secondly - consider Israel's Oded Yinon plan and Leviathan find.
You think the Jews are going to let Qatari gas go to Europe in lieu or in competition with Israel's - which will be stolen, fiar and square, from Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, too?
Come now
Wake up.
I wonder if the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince's recent visit to speak with Putin in Russia was an attempt to coax Putin to cease supporting Assad in Syria in exchange for some handsome concessions a la $10 billion in Saudi bi-lateral trade.
With Syria out of the equation, the Qatari's, Libyans, Egyptians, and Israeli's (Leviathan gas field) will be able to connect their gas pipelines transiting via Syria to Turkey, Greece, and onward into Europe, much to the chagrin of Putin, since this decreases Russian gas revenues in Europe with the new "kids on the block".
As one one of the previous posters mentioned -- long Putin.
Whole lot of wonderin' going on. Beyond every other consideration, Syria provides the Russian Federation with a Mediterranean naval base, the Federation's only Mediterranean naval base, just as Crimea provided the Federation's only Black Sea naval base.
These two naval bases are strategic to the Russian Federation's survival, therefore Syria is strategic to the Federation's survival. Give it up? Vladimir Putin will not go softly into that dark night. Just as Ukraine was all about Crimea, so is Syria all about the Russian naval base. All the other "reasons" for overthrowing Bashar Assad are confetti.
"These two naval bases are strategic to the Russian Federation's survival..."
are you sure about that "survival"? are you sure that "power projection abilities" wouldn't be slightly more correct?
or do you mean "survival as a Great Power instead of a Lesser Power"? note that I'm not disputing Russia's right to do... as other powers do
Survival Ghordo, because WW III is for all the marbles.
a matter of belief. btw, for WWIII you don't need this kind of "force projection"
"National Interests"
A term we have heard many times before.
Fyodor Lukyanov is a journalist who works for NGO think tank russiancouncil.ru
He is just expressing his own opinion. He is not a government official of any sort.
If you want ot know more about Russia's policies in ME read thesaker.is
Speaking of NGOs, Russia is kicking out the National Endowment for Democracy. It's about damned time if you ask me.
http://www.rt.com/politics/310958-us-national-endowment-for-democracy/
Looks like the Soros Foundation and a bunch of other front groups for CIA operatives are being given the boot as well.
http://www.rt.com/politics/272389-russia-undesirable-groups-list/
Good for Russia.
The Saker can't even get it through his thick skull that it is"Ukrane"and not "the Ukraine".
So, don't look. Go sing the anthem of the Ukraine, soon everything will work out.
Feel better? No? Well have another sandwich given Nuland to lift of self-esteem...
Ukraine means "borderland" so what's the difference? The borderland or borderland?
The Ukraine is dead anyway!
http://thetruthspeaker.co/2015/04/19/10-reasons-ukraine-is-dead/
Get it right, Ukraine oblast, Russia, coaxed away for a song and a dance. Great Gramps refused to ever recognize the validity of chopping off a part of the country to make another one just to appease the enemy.
Assad and his supporters will fight to the bitter end,
because they know that they and their families will be butchered when they lose.
If we had a State Department, they could negotiate an end to this madness. All parties are exhausted.
And Putin/Russia has betrayed and set up another "allie". Putin forced Assad to give up it's chemical weapons, at the request of the US/Israel. Putin never abided by the fully executed contract to sell missiles to Syria, thus leaving them defensless against air attacks.
Where are all the Putin fan club now? They were adament that Putin would never let Syria be taken, even as it was progressivly being destoryed. They spouted about the mighty Putin and the Russian navy. Meanwhile Putin did deals with Turkey, who was attacking Syria.
Now Putin recommends that Syria align with those who are attacking and killing it's people. The Saudis and Turkey (who are working with the US and Israel). Putin wants a new leader. Just what the US/Israel wants.
Putin/Russia leads the countries to destruction. Same with Iraq, Libya, Serbia, Yemen and E Ukraine. Remember Putin TWICE forced the E Uke army to release the W Uke killers once they were surrounded and due to be destroyed. TWICE.
Watch out IRAN. Has Putin actually delivered the missiles on the contract he has refused to honor for years? NO.
But still the Putin lovers will claim this is a great victory and that is shows Putin is the great chess player. Meanwhile more of those who believed him and counted on the words and promises of Russia will once again be butchered.
Assad is not the same as Syria.
And Putin and Russia can only do so much.
As for ainti-air missiles, I dont know where you came across what you are passing off as the facts - but you're wrong, as 20 seconds on google will vouchsafe.
-didnt junk you.
Do your research. Russia signed an agreement to sell Syria and Iran missiles. Iran took Russia to international court but the court shelved the lawsuit to avoid the issue (they did not want to allow Iran the defense systems).
Assad is Syria. Putin has done nothing for Syria. Syria has been destoryed while Putin watched. Putin forced Syria to give up it's chemical weapons, as requested by the US/Israel.
Putin is helping the US/Israel put in a puppet leader who will stop fighting. The slaughter of the people will increase.
what are you smoking? Putin stepped in and prevented Iraq 3.0 for Syria - for the time being, at least. Those chemical weapons are pretty useless against the USAF, don't you think? Without Russia (and Iran/Hezbollah) Assad would long have been replaced by a puppet regime. Though it would likely be as "strong" as today's beleagured Iraqi govt. When Assad falls, there is no way to stop the ISIL madmen from ultimately grabbing the power there. and in Libya and ultimately Iraq. Good job, dumb neocon assholes! But I guess, they and the turkish warmongerers really believe that they can 'control' this moinster, just because they created and nurtured it. They never learn, it seems.
Iraq 3 has been going on for years now while Putin watches. Just it is happenng using a proxy army controlled by massad an cia. Just like Libya where Putin/Russia watched and did nothing.
And those chemical weapons were of great use against ground armies. That is why the US wanted (and Putin was their point man in gettig it done) them gone. Just like in Iraq.
Putin likes to talk about his western partners. Letting Syria go down and he thinks it will get sanctions lifted.
Weak
Iran isnt much beter
Every Alawi in Syria better get their bags packed
It's headlopping time
Putin knows very well, that he has no "partners" any more in the west. He uses the term nonetheless because it helps to calm a situation where one side (US/NATO) tries vehemently to escalate as fast as possible. Russia isn'T ready yet to face that full-fledged confrontation (not to the least because it has no powerful allies! - think about that for amoment, dumbhead!) and time is working against the US, because this war is fought on many fronts and many battlefields and the US is steadily losing ground economically and in the financial sphere.
perhaps you are right, and Putin the man, stateman and politician has no "partners" anymore in "the West"
but the Russian Federation, and in particular it's people and economy...
... there is a thing called trade
ok, ok, in front of a trade embargo it's called embargo breaking. but it's still trade
never one to call a spade a spade are you ghordy
its economic warfare
http://russia-insider.com/en/2015/03/22/4790
The problems with modern, and in truth historical, Western politicos is that these guys are absolute fools with no understanding of the Russian psyche and are sure to be the cause of WW3, be it intentional or accidental. They are projecting their psyche onto Russians.
What this means is that they are projecting a typical negative reinforcement mentality. Europe and the US are societies built on constant aggression towards neighbors. Aggression like that is staved by building up a credible large counter force of allies and blocks, which causes fear of defeat and deescalation…your typical European balance of forces approach.
bah
TOTAL SPECULATION
So perhaps you are a dupe by western media bambuzzled? In what place it is adequate?
Or is this just a parochial State Department propaganda category B?
I dunno, Stooge. Stumpy has a point; Israel bombs Syria at will. Either Russian air-defence SAMs aren't up to the job, or Russia isn't supplying Syria with decent tech.
Now I keep hearing about how great Russian missile tech is. So - unless that's not true - Putin doesn't really look like he's doing his utmost to keep Syria from being overrun.
Putin green-lighted the UN's decision to allow NATO to bomb Libyan forces. He says he regrets it now, that he did not realise they intended regime change; but after everything else that has happened, he surely knows what ZATO's game plan is in MENA.
The Oded Yinon plan called for the destabilisation of the non-vassal states surrounding Israel, turning them into squabbling warlord fiefs. So far, everything points to that being ZATO's goal. I find it hard to believe Putin is less aware of this than we are.
But could it be Russia's goal, too? Not for the same reason as Israel, but because if most of MENA is destabilised, there's a good chance all of it will become destabilised, including Saudi Arabia/Bahrain/UAE. And what would happen if they were to fall? End of the petrodollar? Interrupted oil and gas supplies to Europe... who would stand to gain from that?
Putin is a part of the NWO team just like leaders everywhere else. Any resistance he may put up is part of an act to manufacture conflict. The ultimate goal is to kill a lot of people and Putin his palying his part as hero/villain.
Israel bombed Syria at the direction of the US, who were trying to destroy a reported shipment of Yakhont missiles which threatened the American fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The 4 or 5 bombing raids started in January 2013 and continued till the summer. They ended about the same time as Snowden appeared in Moscow and Obama ate the shit of his lie about the Syrian gas attack.
Putin met him and a US cruise missile did not fly into Damascus.
No, Assad made no attempt to bring down the Israeli jets. You may be right that the Syrians did not have the high tech weaponry needed to do that.
But what I consider more likely is that the Israeli attacks were aimed at storage facilities where the US military had determined that the yakhont were. None were serious, crippling blows.
To have fired missiles at the Israeli jets and brought some down might have provoked a hot conflict for an unknown term. With the Israelis moving deeper into the Golan and sending tanks across Lebanon into Southern Syria.
Why exactly are we blowing the shit out of Syria? With all the other Nobel Peace Prize wars going on I get cornfuzed.
Anyone who tells you they understand the Middle East is either lying or delusional.
Once you understand Oded Yinon (and its bastard child A Clean Break), much of what seems like random, appalling shit suddenly starts looking like coherent, appalling strategy.
More to do with the headwaters of the Jordan than an indefensible gas pipeline through
various deserts.
I have a glass photo negative of the Jordan circa 1860, my great grandfather took.
Its a stream in comparison now. Israel has run out of water.Hezbollah is supplied through Syria.
South Lebanon is the real prize.
Yea
The pipeline theory has never made any sense to me. The idea that the US & friends would like to give Gazprom some competition in Europe in order to reduce Russian influence makes perfect sense, but why would the pipeline have to pass through Syria? A quick glance at a map suggests two other routes: by land up through Iraq into Turkey, or to a terminus in Israel from which it could be shipped into Europe by sea. Even if the route through Syria is more economical, a pipeline by either of the other routes could have been built years ago - and good luck defending a pipeline through the zombie wasteland which is now Syria.
I think it's more about Iran. Take out Assad, cut off Hezbollah, and you remove Iran's primary (really, only) tool for retaliation against Israel, opening the door to the long-awaited US invasion.
Thanks WC, very interesting. Never saw the water angle.
I suspect that the West would continue to back the Nusra Front (a branch of Al-Qaeda) even if Assad would let all territories held by rebels, except the land bordering to Golan, secede from Syria and then would announce that he resigns and then would announce general elections in the remaining, primarily Alawitic Syria.
But if the elected government that would succeed Assad, or the interim government, would give up all claims on Golan I´m not sure that the support for the Nusra Front would continue.
I doubt that Western support for anti-Assad rebels is about a pipeline from Iraq, Quatar or some other Middle Eastern oil or natural gas producer.
The Banking Cabal, Military-Industrial Complex and Murder Inc. fully fund and support all the turmoil in the Middle-east & around the globe with hives in from London, Vatican, NYC, DC, Langley, Brussels, Moscow, Beijing, & Tel-Aviv.
Crocodile:
"The Banking Cabal, Military-Industrial Complex and Murder Inc. fully fund and support all the turmoil in the Middle-east & around the globe with hives in from London, Vatican, NYC, DC, Langley, Brussels, Moscow, Beijing, & Tel-Aviv."
My comments:
It seems as if Western countries are more anti-Assad than Moscow is pro-Assad. Beijing seems rather neutral.
I suspect that the only choice Assad and his buddies have is exile and announce general elections in the remaining parts of Syria. And Alawites and Christians in the remaining part of Syria would probably benefit tremendously from that.
civil war?
not really
estimates vary, but a large majority of the people fighting Assad are foreign mercenaries.
This isnt a civil war its a proxy war.
And if you think the US, Saudis, Turks, and Israelis are looking out for the Syrian people, or that the violence ends with the regime change in Syria - you aren't thinking.
http://www.voltairenet.org/article186019.html
http://mycatbirdseat.com/2014/07/the-unfolding-of-yinons-zionist-plan-fo...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9QLNHjIQe8
http://smoloko.com/?p=3308
I'd like to see the US pick on some country it's own size; we use to help those in need and now we support (fund & train) our enemies. We are past the "point of no return" as a nation that is both financially & morally bankrupt; similar to that of the Roman Empire at its end.
--------------
When we begin murdering Christians on our own soil, then you will know. We already support the groups who do, such as ISIS, ISIL or IS. Here is proof from the Fascist puppet, "king Obummer".
http://www.rt.com/usa/272470-obama-training-isis-slip/
------------------
In other news; now Air-conditioning is contributing to global warming more than the "science" first thought; so expect in the future that the "above the law" or "superior" people will tighten the noose on your behavior even more, WHILE EXEMPTING THEMSELVES. Glad my citizenship is in heaven; hope yours is as well. "Is Air-condition" killing the planet" - this is science as much as an elephant dung is food. http://news.discovery.com/earth/weather-extreme-events/is-air-conditioni...
This thing is so much nonsense ... Getting rid of Assad is the key for reshaping completely ernergy market for EU, bypassing Russia.
Syria is much more important to Russia than Ukraine is (was because now they don't care and don't want to pay for the denazification)
East vs West is like Republican vs Democrat; all an illusion to distract. Why are their sanctions on Russian while we are friendly in space and have joint military exercises on US soil with Russian troops under the UN banner? Divide and Conquer; Satan's strategy from the beginning of man's history.
So yes, the climate in Syria has been worsening since 2011 when the peaceful protests against Assad began. As momentum built for the opposition, the US decided to support the "rebels" and arm them. Now the US has created a monster directly and indirectly. Assad should have worked more with his people instead of jailing and/or killing them, but the US should not have created a 3-headed dragon of opposition forces that cannot be controlled by anyone. Those pulling the Obama strings knew what they were doing - creating devastating instability and a brutal murderous opposition force. Once the country is in total chaos, as though it is not now, the vultures will sweep in and steal the land they need from the rebels and/or Assad and build their bloody pipeline.
And it will be as bloody as the pipelines in Iraq and the opium trade in Afghanistan. And who is pushing all the players? Seems like Saudi Arabia and the Zionists of Israel. Oh, and of course the slobbering military industry executives as they encourage the US congress to "do the right thing" and burn up missiles and order more at 1.5 $US million each. There will be a day of reckoning for these sold out traitors in government and industry. Just a matter of time.
Soros should be in-country very soon.
The rebels and IS hate America just as much or even more than Assad so good luck with that pipeline USA seeing that no country the US has "liberated" is stable.
Russia has limited resources that cannot be squandered backing obvious losers a la USA.
Syria is about to find itself seated at the Greek table for Kremlin diplomatic functions.
Lots of sympathy but no appetizers and cash bar only.
The US sent in ground forces to Iraq to help Haliburton and the MIC make money
I am surprised Putin has not sent Russian Forces into Syria to help Asad.
This game is confusing
WSJ ?
Just by chance I was researching a pivotal battle "Iloviask" in last years major Ukrainian Donbass war. In reading, the WSJ was often quoted as a source by writers describing the battle. Unlike others, I followed the links that led back to WSJ articles. What did I find? Simple minded repeating of Kiev press releases and State Department press releases. On the combat, they quote Kiev Post and Ukrop military command. In short, WSJ, though used a a real historical source by most writers writing about this battle, it was all just lies, propaganda, and mass distortion of verifiable facts using all sources.
So, if WSJ is quoted again now in this Assad story, I would consider the entire story written by the US State Department, CIA and Pentagon as part of the disinformation campaign against the American people/
If you catch a source telling lies and distortions about one subject, it is safe to assume they are dong the same here. Simply putting out what Washington wants put out.
Consider the owner of WSJ. He is a proven liar, proven CIA asset, Proven Israeli, Proven crook. His entire reason for life is to put forward Israel's interests in the world, using the USA as the most important tool. WSJ is good to wipe you ass with, that is all!
Let me say though. At one time, long before Rupert Murdoch, I read the WSJ and found it to be a very valuable and honest media source. In the late 80's, some of their stories about the USSR were world class. The same for in depth economics. Once a great paper, it is a fucking zionist rag under the Murdock Zionist.
.
I'm surprised that discredited propaganda mills like bellingcat or SOHR weren't quoted as well.
WSJ and NYT have some of the most talented news repeaters in the business. Just ask Psaki.
Speaks Volumes.
Remember it was Russia that prodded Syria into giving up her chemical weapon defenses which marked the beginning of the end for Syria which up to that point had been winning.
It was Russia that pressured the Breakaway Republics to give up their gains under Minsk 2.
Even Cuba is cozying up to the US under Putin's watch.
ha ha
I suppose that's why the embassy staff needs a hall pass to leave their embassy in Havana to buy a pound of cuchifritos.
Go ahead collect $5.00 for that trollish remark.
2012 called.
They want their "Assad will fall any minute now" back.
Syria is in fact stronger than it has been since Assad announced his 'Four Seas Strategy' for piping gas across Syria and the war that started 3 days after.
I think it is Turkey that in now in trouble.
For the first time in all recorded history there were several people to vote for to run Syria last election, and it was like pulling hens teeth trying to find some names to put on the ballot. None of the three armies fighting against Syria could find a name to run for President. None of the three armies fighting Syria stands a chance in hell of actually running a Syrian Government, they are just there to get payed to destroy the country.
This is ridiculous. Zero Hedge is popular precisely because the financial media represent the interests of the big bankers, not the truth. Yet, in this article ZH takes WSJ at its own word! Moreover, the issue for Putin is not Assad but the pipeline and Syrian independence. Russia would prefer WW3 to handing Syria to the Neo-cons. It's that simple.
WSJ - why would anyone on ZH believe anything from them....
kind of surprised vlad is pussyfootin' around this situation. where are the stones to put a coupla divisions w/air cover in there and tell all to "come and get it" ?
Of course there may be some Spetznaz in Syria helping Assad; I'd be surprised if there were no SAS/SEALs helping out ISIS/Al Nusra. The SAS were pivotal in the Libyan farrago, according to the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16624401
Writer dude: don't be giving up your Gazprom connection just now.
In February 2014 Putin watched as Yanukovych was turned out of office. With that turn of events Putin and Russia repossessed Crimea and all of its strategic assets.
Without the coup and the departure of Yanukovych, all Russia would have now is a time share on the Black Sea, instead of the rights to every port and air strip on that peninsula.
Another stupid idea of Lady Noodleman , who is now dragging her flabby ass up and down the Western Balkans threatening governments trying to make up for the loss of Crimea.
Washington doesn't have the faintest idea what will transpire if Assad calls a presidential election and announces that he is stepping down.
Admit it, dude, just as you didn't have any idea that Yanukovych's exit would return Crimea to the Russian fold, you also don't have any idea what the unintended consequences of Assad's exit will be
Maybe the greased butt holes Noodleman wants to see assume power in Damascus won't fare that well in a national poll.. And if Assad steps down, perhaps Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, having finally gotten rid of him and the fighting on his southern border, will be able to withdraw even further from NATO and the dictate of the possible third term Negro and the Noodlepeople and their wormtongues
So you are saying that Putin told Yanukovych not to put down the protests turned revolt (which could have been rather easily done) and instead to leave to Russa so that Putin could take Crimea. That Putin knowingly allowed the mass killing and destruction in the rest of E Ukraine just so he could get a rent free naval base. I agree.
And Putin has no wish to stop the killing of the E Uke people. It works to his advantage that their fighting for their lives provides a buffer to Crimea. That is why he TWICE forced the E Uke army to let the W Uke army simply drive away when they were trapped and pinned down.
Perhaps his strategy seems wise to some but it shows he has no morals and Russia cannot be trusted to be anyone's allie. The E Uke commander called Putin's actions a betrayal.
Other than Crimea these types of devious betrayals of allies have resulted in Russia being pushed back towards it's borders. Even China does not commit to Russia.
Yes, Stumpy, that's exactly what I'm saying. You would have to sit in on a meeting of the Russian General Staff to know exactly how important the military considers occupying all of Crimea and not just the parts mentioned in the previous lease.
The history of the Maidan has not yet been written, but there are important historians who consider the war in Donbass to be a garden variety counterrevolution.
Donbass was not represented by the 250,000 Ukrainians who felt they had the right to overturn the election of Yanukovych who was elected by a nation of 45 million people.
Don't you think that a legimate complaint?
And when you consider the fact that a huge part of the quarter million protesters were nazis. Surely you remember that they gouged out a policeman's eye. How can you be concerned about scum like that?
Of course the rest of that number in the Maidan were paid out of Nuland's petty cash account.
It was no revolution, Stumpy it was a bought and paid for takeover of the Ukrainian government by the CIA. It was illegal which is the way the US works now in the 'last days'.
The E Uke people, are close to Russia and a majority are Russian speaking. I suppose Putin could have dropped them and let the Ukrainian Army walk all over these Russian speaking sympathizers. You're aware of that kind of behavior, no?
As opposed to the US who has tapped the phone of all it's important allies.
Because he did not push West and widen the war.
Russia began to be pushed back to its borders in 2002 when Birdbrain Bush withdrew the US from the ABM treaty. This allowed NATO to install Patriot missiles in their member states. Until Russia had to help the Russian enclaves in Georgia and slow the progress of the Patriots.
For all I know, Stumpy, you are backing the winner in this cock fight. But for sure you are backing the biggest slime ball, scum bucket in history
The fact that the US cannot be trusted does not lessen the fact that Putin/Russia has betrayed all their allies.
Putin was called out by the E Uke commander for betraying the E Uke people because Putin forced them to let the W Uke forces safely retreat TWICE. This after the E Uke's had fought and died to gain the advantage. If they refuse Putin the Putin would stop selling arms to the E Uke's.
Putin used his influence to force Yanukovych to not stop the nazis. It was Putin who installed the requirement that the police not fight back, even while they were shot. In this way it was Putin who cleared the path for the nazis to take over and then to start to kill the people of E Uke.
Putin is now using the blood of the E Uke's as nothing more than a pawn. He care nothing about them.
Say what you will about the US/Israel. And what you say will likely be true. It does not change what Putin has done and is doing.
Seems to me Putin simply played the hand he was dealt.
The alternative was what exactly?
Putin has many hands to play, it is his choice.
For example, the nazi uprising in W Uke could have easily been put down. But then Putin wanted to use a destabilized Ukraine to take Crimea and to use the desperate E Uke's as a buffer. While they fight a die he gives the E Uke's just enough assistance to keep them from being overrun quickly.
space truckin
With the singular exception of yourself, fair-minded, objective observers of this conflict will admit that Putin has been very reserved in his reaction to the provocations of the West. His counter sanctions have been minimal. As we just saw, he had the power to restrict the astronauts on the ISS to three: 2 Russians and an American.
He is acting like an adult while Obama and his minions act like junior high school students.
You do not know that he used his influence to force Yanukovych to not stop the nazis. Link please. I don't think John McCain would pubically make that claim.
Ditto
Without a link, this is merely foreign policy masturbation avec poppers and doesn't deserve further comment.
When everyone does the same thing, Stump, we call it the NORM.
PUTIN AND YANUKOVYCH DID NOT ASSEMBLE THE NAZI SWINE IN THE MAIDAN.
NOODLMAN DID. SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING YOU BLAME PUTIN FOR.
so you are saying
That is far worse for a country (Russia) to betray all their allies than for a country (America) to betray all of its citizens.
I feel betrayed. Don't you?
BS - Russia is going to arm Iran to help Assad....
The key to the whole game, IMHO is in fact Iran. They certainly have the manpower to help Assad, and in fact have helped alot directly, and through Hezbullah (which likely saved Assad's ass a few years ago when he was on the ropes and the neocons were also crowing about his "imminent demise").
Syria is an existential problem for both Iran, and Russia. I believe each realizes this. If Iran can help the Iraqi shiites take back ISIS gains in Iraq, the game will change as it will take pressure off Assad (ISIS will have its hands full), more so if Iran starts sending some serious numbers of troops to Syria.
Russia of course is likely contributing weapons, intelligence, etc, and I assume there is a lot going on under the table in this game.
I am amazed Assad has been able to keep things together so far, and also believe he is probably stronger than this article paints him to be...
Sounds like dis-info from State Dept/Pentagon. Tyler you suck!
Once Russia, China, Iran have all their weapons up to full capacity, let's just get on with the war... First to be destroyed .... Israel, USA... just whack all those bases and fleets... in one big go.... just bomb the shit out of them... like Pearl Harbour.
If they don't surrender then, invade mainland USA and burn the white house...
Hang the neo cons from the light poles...
it seems it's the only way to freedom...
lotsa people could go for that scenario.
or... arrest the neo cons... this is an easier solution...but.. the zios will just come up with more neo cons... any other suggestions??
so you think you will have freedom if Russia destroys the US?
that's crazy
zh crazy
do you think there is freedom in the USA under zio's? Live free or die
The pussies in America have shown they have no balls to be free. It ended when the bankers took over the money in the USA a long time ago...
And I am sure you would be the the first to sprout off "nuke the mussies" or "nuke Russia" or "nuke the commies" so what' the difference?
The best slaves are ones who think they are free.
:)
Squid
Now here's a movie script...
Where is Iran in this, hiding? Why has Iran not sent 10's of thousands of troops to back their defence pact with Syria. Iran has been helpful to Syria but not helpful enough, this is an existential crisis for Iran if Assad's Syria falls. Russia also has much at stake and putting boots on the ground in Syria should be a serious consideration. The USA and EU can not create much more pain to Russia outside of war and that is not likely because the cost to the USA and EU is too high.
Iran wants a Caliphate
Obama wants a Caliphate
Syria will be sarificed
then Jordan
then Saudia Arabia
and so forth
seems zh wants a Caliphate
Sharia Law coming to a town near you.
We are all tired of living under the zio caliphate... time for a new one.
thats not true, but the Ziociopaths sure want lebensraum.
and they want American goys and girls to pay and bleed for it.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/greater-israel-the-zionist-plan-for-the-mid...
Obama was installed by and is a puppet of zionist jews.
yes these neo cons live by their evil books... want Israhell to be larger , good bye jordan...
so much jew jealousy here
poor innocent iran
this is what happens when you legalize mj
Blazed, son? Ice to the affected area apply - perhaps better.
Objectively Iran needs to maintain its influence in the Shiite/Alawite/Christian areas, Southern Syria, Golan Heights, Damascus and its Mediterranean coast. As another poster above noted Southern Lebanon is the real prize and the Bekaa Valley on the border in Lebanon close to Syria. From here they can project force into Israel itself if need be. Iran like Russia will do as little as possible to control key areas including tactical retreats from less highly objective areas.
Iran and Russia don't have a printing press like the US/NATO/Israel does but time is on their side. They are spending as little resources as they can. They realize they only have one chance to go all in, so when they do they will want to be as strong as possible and have the West as weak possible.
The alternative is to start a civil war in Turkey and arm Yemen.. that should quiet things down. Send lots of AK’s
Putin agreed to the arms embargo against Yemen to prevent the rebels from gaining traction.
well, then do as CIA does with ISIS... what's the diff?
With friends like Putin who needs enemies
With friends like the CIA and 'western values' of 'the good' some has to wonder if the enemy could turn out to be the lesser evil.
Haven't we been hearing about a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Russia?
The Saudis are no doubt trying to buy off Putin - a sure sign that Yemen is starting to hurt SA.
Think about it - SA revenues are *way* down, and SA spends like crazy to keep their populace content.
The additional expense of a costly air war while the Houthis are carrying out hit and run attacks into SA itself is probably starting to hurt, so they are looking for an out. Yemen was a master stroke, I would not be surprised that Putin is behind it...
As a minimum, more SA expenses in Yemen mean less money available for ISIS and the other SA/US/Israel sponsored anti-Assad forces.
More of the - No matter what is happening it is a sign Putin is the master chess player - BS.
Putin voted for the sanctions and blockage on Yemen.
"Master stroke" by Putin - sure, just like Iraq, Libya, Serbia, Syria, E Ukraine and others. Russia itself could be bombed and occupied and you people would claim it is part of Putins master chess player moves.
Are the Saudis trying to buy off Putin (he is worth over a 100 trillion dollars) or are they trying to make the Porgy of the Potamac jealous (I gots plenty of nothin/ And nothins plenty for me)?
With friends like Putin who needs enemies
This article is nothing more than agitprop and disinformation.
Western elites must have taken lessions from ex-Soviet instructors.
If Damascus falls it will make Libya look like a walk in the park. Blood will flow in the streets.
Western elites are like vampires that look forward to drinking the blood of the Syrian people.
I wonder if we are going to witness the Biblical prophecy about Damascus being destroyed.
How long before Tehran goes straight to the heart of the problem, that problem being Riyadh? I wish these two would just get it on. Screw this proxy war crap.
And exactly how they go about doing that? Saudi has a much better military than Iran, and if it looked like they were in trouble, the US would ride to their rescue.
If SA had "a better military than Iran" they would be doing better in Yemen. It has turned into a quagmire for SA.
If you believe fancy US bought toys make for a "better military" you are delusional.
Much better are middle rank staff officers with actual bloody combat experience, of which Iran has *many*, and SA has, well, none.
A 'quagmire', eh? Exactly what harm has come to Saudi Arabia for slaughtering thousands of Yemenis?
Here's the plan. If a country isn't in the hands of a vassal government, "we" (by which I mean the West, as well as Western-leaning dictatorships like SA) foment revolution there and try to install some puppets. Failing that, "we" just supply opposing warlords in that country with enough weaponry and intel to allow them to happily slaughter each other for years... but as soon as one side looks like it might start winning, you prop up the failing side to keep it going, until one of the warlord swears fealty to "us" and then we cut off support to his opponents.
Coming back to your point, US-bought "toys" are all you need to bring a country to its knees. Obviously, the SA military couldn't hope to invade Iran; but if they just start lobbing missiles at each other, SA would win. And, as I said, if SA looked like they were in trouble, the US would come riding to their rescue.
Though I admit Iran sinking that cardboard aircraft carrier a few months back was VERY impressive.
"Defeat does not exist in the Syrian Arab Army's Dictionaries"
1948 - defeat
1967- defeat
1973 - defeat
1982 - defeat
His bags are packed and the jet is on the tarmac
probably.