This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
Russia, Assad Plan New Elections In Syria As US, Saudis Meet Lavrov In Vienna
If there were ever a time to be a fly on the wall, it will be tomorrow in Vienna, where top diplomats from the US, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Russia will meet face-to-face to discuss the war in Syria.
The summit comes as both Saudi Arabia and Qatar have stepped up the rhetoric in terms of what they’re prepared to do militarily to facilitate Assad’s ouster and also comes on the heels of Assad’s “surprise” meeting with Putin in Moscow.
As we’ve said several times since the bombing runs from Latakia began, this is now out of Washington’s hands for all intents and purposes. The Kremlin will allow for some degree of “dialogue” with The White House, but that’s about as far as it goes. To the victor go the spoils and the US had its chance. The various Western-backed rebel groups couldn’t finish the job in time and now, either Washington, Riyadh, Ankara, and Doha engage directly with Russian and Iranian troops, or the battle is lost for the rebels. Amusingly, it appears that Kerry has now resigned himself to the reality of the situation. Here’s WSJ:
The U.S. and Russia will meet for their first face-to-face talks on Syria since Russian warplanes began flying combat missions there at cross purposes with an American-led campaign.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will meet his Russian counterpart as well as top diplomats from Saudi Arabia and Turkey on Friday in Vienna as the Obama administration grasps for a way to salvage its Middle East agenda.
Mr. Kerry will voice U.S. concern about Russia’s airstrikes against the Assad regime’s foes and what Washington sees as a need to move toward a political transition in Syria that would remove Mr. Assad from power.
However, U.S. expectations have been tempered by Russia’s military campaign.
“The secretary is a pragmatist, here,” said John Kirby, the State Department spokesman. “He recognizes that not everybody shares that view.”
It would be difficult to overstate the significance of this shift. The US appears to have all but abandoned the “Assad must go” line in favor of an approach wherein Kerry will simply voice his opinion about the political transition and Lavrov will say something akin to “sorry, no can do.”
This likely reflects the fact that Washington is cornered. As we’ve said, the US needs to strike some manner of conciliatory tone here or else risk telegraphing America’s support for Sunni extremists to the public.
The last thing the administration needs is for Americans to begin questioning why the US is supporting the very same Sunni extremist groups that Washington has for years held up as the biggest threat to humanity since the Reich. And so, it looks like Kerry may be willing to walk back the anti-Assad line.
Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, isn’t ready to throw in the towel. As Reuters notes, Riyadh is still clinging to the utterly absurd idea that in order to defeat ISIS, Assad must be removed. That’s amusing for any number of reasons, not the least of which are i) if Saudi Arabia and Qatar were interested in eradicating ISIS, they might have considered not supporting them in the first place, and ii) the only person actually fighting ISIS is Assad (via Russia and Iran of course).
Meanwhile, Putin and Assad have already decided how this is going to go. As Bloomberg reports, Assad will likely call for new elections, “decide” to run, then win in a landslide. Here’s more:
Russia is pushing for early presidential elections in Syria that may give President Bashar al-Assad a fresh mandate, hardening opposition to demands for his ouster from the U.S. and its allies.
Assad would decide himself to run or not, a senior official in Moscow said, asking not to be identified because the matter is confidential. The wartime conditions that much of Syria is suffering under shouldn’t be an obstacle to conducting a poll, the official said.
The U.S., the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council all refused to recognize the previous election, last June, when Assad won another seven years in power with 89 percent of the vote. Assad has lost control of most of the country during a civil war that’s left more than a quarter million dead and triggered Europe’s worst migrant crisis since World War II, but the areas he still holds contain a majority of the population.
“There’s no alternative” at the moment to Assad’s government when it comes to “countering Islamic State and other terrorist groups and safeguarding Syrian statehood,” Ilyas Umakhanov, deputy speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament, where he oversees international affairs, said by phone from Moscow on Thursday.
Assad, 50, will probably call early elections both for parliament and for president, which he would run in and win, a person close to the government in Damascus said. Putin has repeatedly said that Syria’s future must be decided by its own people and that Assad is prepared to share power by inviting some of his opponents into government.
An early presidential poll could be used to “dress this up as part of the political resolution,” said Elena Suponina, a senior Middle East analyst at the Institute of Strategic Studies, which advises the Kremlin. “Assad is sure of himself,” she said by phone. “It’s clear that he has many supporters.”
Make no mistake, these "elections" will be farcical. We've always said that the West has a vested interest in demonizing the regime in Damascus, but at the same time, we've also noted that Bashar al-Assad is hardly the most benevolent leader in the history of statecraft. He is not someone most citizens will want to vote against now that Russia and Iran have put the SAA (or what's left of it) on the path to victory. Between the likelihood that the regime will be restored, and the fact that any civilians left in Syria would far prefer Assad than the bloody anarchy that reigns across the country currently, there's little doubt the President will prevail. That, in turn, will alow Russia to effectively close the book. That is, Moscow will be able to say "see, we held an election and Assad won. He is the legitimate leader and any further attempts to destabilize his legitimate government will be egregious examples of illegitimate meddling in the affairs of a sovereign country."
Once again, things are moving along quickly and the ground has shifted too fast for Washington, Riyadh, Doha, and Ankara to keep up. Derailing the Russia-Iran freight train will now entail direct military intervention or nothing. We anxiously await the soundbites from tomorrow's summit in Vienna.
»
- 14937 reads
- Printer-friendly version
- Send to friend
- advertisements -
This is beyond hilarious!!!
ISIS launches bizarre condom-bombs over the skies of Idlib hoping they will crash into Russian Jets
Is this the WOAR Qatar was talking about? ;-)
Looney
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRrnYUqZfFQ
This is the ISIS version of unconventional/hybrid war.
Seriously, what would do you expect from a rabble army of mentally impaired head choppers cobbled together by the CIA?
Had to laugh, Lavrov was recently quoted referring to something Lord Kerry said as being "hurtful."
Them rooskies learn quick. This admin only responds to the language of "feelings."
In a free and fair election Bashar Assad would probably still win because he's the only Middle East leader to have stood up to and outmaneuvered the US.
I am Chumbawamba.
The U.S. will never allow or recognize any Syrain election where they can't field two mindless puppets beholden to corporate and Israeli interests. You have all the freedom you want to choose between either one.
Just look at the U.S. elections, for instance.
Indeed. And look at the Ukrainian elections after the coup. Party of Regions, as was communist party. the main opposition to the Junta was banned, then, and only then, did the USA oversee a free fair and open election! So yes, USA will send in their trained NGO's to oversee another fake election when only USA candidates run, all others are banned.
Elections at the request of the US to give them a chance to bow out gracefully.
It's not the man, its the policies, and that's why the West hates him. Who honestly could ask for a more understated Middle Eastern leader. Assad is like the Clark Gable of the Lavant .. Winner in a Landslide.
http://www.gentlemansgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Clark-Gable-...
At least his wife is hot and he doesn't chop off heads.
http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article763169.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Syria's
"He is the legitimate leader"
As if there is such a thing in a population with "free will".
Give permission for this double-speak, double-penetration matrix, and you get mounds more of propaganda articles that "couch" what you visibly witness (blood for hydrocarbons) into "ideology" pissing matches that rival preschool playgrounds.
That is how little the "leaders" think of all of us "peasants"....
Keep your eye on the shiny object...or ball....or race car...or glitterati...or false flag....or food, food, food!...or "feet-up" R&R...."rocket to my brain"....
Hello, my name is Knott. I am from Mars. Why not ask the neighbour of this country you call Syria, Saudi Arabia, to organize what your leaders call fair, democratic, international-standard elections?
RIght now Assad could likely win if he ran in an honest election in most of the Arab countries, and for no other reasons than those you have stated.
agree - I have Putin for president 2016 T-shirts - maybe I should order Putin/Assad For president T-shirts. Ahmajinedad can be Secretary of State.
Who in their rind mind would run against Assad? I know, how about Earl Sinclair? He ran against Mr. Richfield in one episode!
The whole fucking culture here is that of feelings, operating strictly in the Amygdala.
Everyone loves a winner, and with Assad aligning himself with Russia/Iran, who are exterminating ISIS and the rest of the moderate head choppers... the everage Syrian is going to vote for Assad anyway. I would love to see Qatar and SA directly get involved in this fight... but there is no way that will happen. The funniest/most infuriating part are the Qataris and Saudi's talk about saving the Syrian people from Assad. Qatar was directly sending mercs into Syria and paying them... it's not even like that was a secret. How many Syrians did they kill? The Wahabi extremist form of Islam comes directly from the Saudi's... trained and financed. How many Syrians have they killed? Everyone's got their own agenda, but at least try to have a shred of truth to the bullshit of which you speak.
What a bunch of dicks
Sex Jihad brings special emotions.
Could they be chumming for those 72 virgins?
Those are Kosher Condoms
Russians do good elections. Real goooood.
Just like our hanging chad supreme court elections and electoral collage bullshit.
Or that Ukrainian election farce where the donbass population was excluded to make sure the US puppets will prevail.
Farce of the highest caliber
oh well, don't criticize Russia's elections, remember that unlike the president of USA, Putin's power really is based on the will of the people. If it were not so, the USA would have been able to achieve their color revolution in Russia long time ago:-) Besides, if you visit Russia, you will understand that most people do love him and they will mostly tell you that they support him because: "He listens to us. He mostly does what we want him to do. Including destroying some oligarchs, if they cross the line. Can you people achieve this in USA? I don't think so."
Do you remember one article from Russia posted here on ZeroHedge in the past? It went like this:
"We are talking about the key role that Putin plays in the organization of the Russian power structure. This system is not authoritarian, as many assert, but rather authoritative – meaning it is based not on legislative consolidation of autocracy but on the authority of the person who created the system and, as the head of it, makes it work effectively. During Putin’s 15 years in power, despite the difficult internal and external situation, he has tried to maximize the role of the government, the legislative assembly, and even the local authorities. Unfortunately, fully autonomous control, namely the ability to function without the president’s oversight, hasn’t been achieved. Putin remains the key component of the system because the people put their trust in him personally. They have far less trust in the system, as represented by public authorities and individual agencies........As Russian power is authoritative, rather than authoritarian; public opinion matters in Russia, in contrast to the “traditional democracies.”
Russia is pushing for early presidential elections in Syria that may give President Bashar al-Assad a fresh mandate, hardening opposition to demands for his ouster from the U.S. and its allies.
If Assad wins, the USSA will claim the vote was fixed. Nothing must get in the way of USSA Freedom and Democracy (tm) regime change.
America has reached the point of terminal incompetence and is about to lose their empire status since there's nobody left who knows how to play the game. Empires die for many reasons and we've apparently decided on death by massive stupidity......
Much of which, unfortunately, is at the "grass-roots" level. To quote a great writer: "Never underestimate the stupidity of the American public".
"Misunderestimate" would be more suitable here.
As I recall, yer avatar was given emergency power(s) by the Galatic Senate!
"...America has reached the point of terminal incompetence and is about to lose their empire status..."
And the bad news is?
actually they all die for the exact same reasons, human nature being what it is..
The Fate of Empires, by John Bagholt Glubb is a short concise work,free on line, that
explains it exactly.
That's what freedom and liberty bombs are for!
What sucker is going to go to a voting booth in Syria? Sounds like the most dangerous place in the world.
No voters left. They are all queuing for toilets in German refugee tents.
No toilets left--stolen.
The elections will not be farcical. Almost everyone in Syria in government defended regions supports Assad, whether anyone in the West likes it or not.
Christians and Muslims in Syria know that without Assad and the Syrian Army their necks will likely be on the chopping block, and they know that the US is supporting the liver eaters.
I hope they don't let the refugees cast a ballot... Soros will be buying the votes to put some zio in charge of Syria
After the first aerial mishap between US and Russian aircraft, you can bet Putin will pick the biggest microphone in the world and scream:
"WHAT PART OF 'PROXY WAR' DO YOU NOT FUCKING UNDERSTAND!?!"
it can't be worse than 'hanging chads'
things are so good is USA,why bother dealing with other areas of the world..brang it on home POTUS,and party with all our good times.
If you think things are good now, wait till that 90% of all the FRNs in existence come roaring back home.
Long wheelbarrows.
pods
So I *can* be a millionaire someday? Yay! I'm getting a top hat, a monocle and a wheelbarrow right now before they're all gone.
Nothing will appease the Neocons who dictate US foreign policy than a major war with millions dead as in Iraq. Their goal is total balkanization of the Middle East.
In their lust for blood and death, they may start World War III
Will The Crazed Neocons Bring Us Nuclear Winter? — Paul Craig Robertshttp://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2015/10/20/will-the-crazed-neocons-bring...
Assad would decide himself to run or not, a senior official in Moscow said
Of course it's up to him. lol lol
" You know I don't think I have the energy to be President for 20 more years, I am going to step aside and spend more time with my family" Assad
You honestly can not make this shit up
Ours are sellout puppets, theirs are independent statesmen Got it
"Make no mistake, these "elections" will be farcical."
If elections changed anything they would be illegal. How do you say Diebold in Arabic ?
Just as farcical as the elections in Iraq.
Probably less farcical than US Pindos elections.
Funny how US government and European Union US governments were afraid of 2014 Syria election.
Syrian expatriates prevented in US, Canada from voting because closed embassies Syria.
Syrian expatriates in Germany, France, Belgium (laudators of democracy) prohibited voting by those democratic governments.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/06/03/media-distortions-on-the-syrian-e...
And then there is this, which you will, of course, not read about here:
http://hotair.com/archives/2015/10/22/us-special-ops-forces-rescue-kurds...
Harkens back to the Son Tay raid nearly 45 yrs ago in Nov '70.
"Come on 'Dillos! Let's get it on!"
I find it arrogant of Kerry (and the whole US government) as to their "wanting" a new leader in another country.
Stay the fuck out of sovereign state's business you meddling debt pushing fucks.
Just wait until there is a summit between China, SA, Belgium and a few other international debt sinks that the US relies on to maintain our standard of living.
So damn corrupt. Corrupt to the core. Rotten dirty underhanded empire. Killing anyone who gets in their way.
How many more brown people have to die before Washington DC is finally content with the realpolitik world they have created?
What's next, the president will launch a war against heroin after we liberated Afghanistan's ability to ramp up production again?
Oops. Sorry.
pods
Did you get your Obamagun yet? He's giving them to every other terrorist in the world. You deserve one too.
I'm scared to put an "X" on my house to let them know where to drop the arms.
They might confuse it with a hospital.
pods
Just tell them you're a low level drug runner for a Mexican cartel. They'll send you a bunch of M-16's hoping you'll lead them to the head honcho.
Can I make it a HK/PTR-91? Always liked the battle rifle a bit more than the 5.56.
pods
True. May as well ask for a few UZI .45ACP and maybe they'll throw in a couple of M95 .50 cal. You know, for more cred with the bad guys. LOL
Imho The Fn FAL is the best battle rifle ever made, if produced in Belgium. The 5.56 is the worst thing to ever happen to the US armed forces. They allowed half-bright poorly train Rambos to pray and spray instead of aiming
Only moderate terrorists get the freebies Doc. American constitutional terrorists are considered radical, to be exterminated, by Washington...
Let's do "The War on Insensitivity" to wipe out all politically incorrect actions, speech and thought. Actually, we already have had this war -but let's do a formal proclamation and declaration of war so can devote trillions more of taxpayer money into the fight.
Yes, it should be an exciting election. As I understand it, there will be two choices to vote for:
1.) Dr. Bashar Assad
2.) Please kill me and my whole family
In early polling, Dr. Assad is showing a commanding lead.
2. ) should read:
Or islamic terrorists funded by the US or its proxies will behead my whole family.
I say, that's a pretty damn good choice if offered. Better than
1) right wing cunts stealing your money and taking you rights
2) left wing cunts stealing your money and taking you rights
No. 2 should read: left wing cunts taking you rights and stealing your money
"
Like you need to put your stupid brain to the fullest. Although I'm not very sure and then you'll understand. Although most likely you just have no conscience.
What are the spoils exactly? Bragging rights to a shithole in the armpit of the world?
Geez, someone always has to drag Israel into every thread.
If up and up, the way it should be. The people decide. Of course, the US and its western allies have all but forgotten about that kind of stuff.
"Make no mistake, these "elections" will be farcical."
What modern elections aren't? In the "Land of the Free" we have much better choices: A lying, totally corrupt, broom riding criminal and a pompous, egomaniac, with a bad toupee.
Fun times!
Well, I nominate Senator Palpatine!
Would all of the people leaving Syria be considered exit polls ?
Leaving Syria because civilians (women and children included) have been dying by the hundreds of thousands in Syria for years while the US continued to support the proxy armies that contributed to the instability.
"Make no mistake, these "elections" will be farcical"
Hold on now Auggi Doggi.
The UN will no doubt be in there to monitor voting.
So whoever wins will force the anti Russian/Iran pro West groups to put up and shut up.
Read that Obama cut off at the knees - again.
Syria is just keeping up with the 40 square miles of run down,polluted,industrial wasteland surrounding Detroit.Detroit says it all about Obama and his Wolfowitz-Nazi cronies.The U.S. Air Force already bombed Detroit it looks like.
Western Media and Governments are silent after their favorite terrorists got ass fucked! CNN is probably pissed it's pants and has to go change. ISIS, the so called THREAT! What a joke, ISIS is a western asset.
"Yesterday saw a huge defeat of the Islamic State but “western” media hardly noted it.
Iraqi Hashd militia and the Iraqi army defeated the Islamic State fighters in Baiji refinery and Baiji city. This was a big success:
Sauia Arabia and Qatar fighting for the rights of the Syrians...fucking hilarious.
Now that Iraq has deployed Russian aid like TOS-1, Syria has just gotten their Russian TOS-1's. ISIS is about to learn what hell is, because no postion or strong point survives this weapon. All die, no questions asked. Bye Bye ISIS, you cunts!
TOS 1's were the systems most feared by the Chechens. Even if you are buried 30 feet underground, the fuel air explosion effoct consumes all the oxygen in the target zone, resulting in immediate asphyxiation. This is Russia's most feared Artillery system.
Not to worry, they don't stand a chance once we send over some F35's to deal with them. Wait, what? Never mind, they're grounded, another glitch.
TASS is reporting that Assad is going to start negotiating with terrorists in order to from alliances to fight ISIS. Probably the reason for the change from the US.
Maybe ISIS shoudl change their names to McCain & Obama's Boys.
A boy band of head choppers from Langley. Their boy band videos are done by Rita Katz.
"less attention has been paid to Moscow’s simultaneous deployment of advanced surveillance, signals intelligence, and electronic warfare equipment that could deal a new blow to the beleaguered, American-backed rebels working to oust him."
Even Mr. Breedlove, the NATO commander has complained bitterly about Russia electronic jamming, which has blinded NATO across much of Syria, and when needed, across southern Turkey. Breedlove's air force people failed to track the arrival of Russian fighter jets to Syria, because they failed to appear on NATO radars, Only when landed and photoed from space did Breedlove's command know the Russian air force was on the ground. At time, blackouts extend over all of Russian operational areas, and no matter how hard NATO listen electronically. They get jack shit form their efforts. This systsem is suspected to be a larger version of what blinded the USN Cruiser in the Black Sea.
Today we see this on Sputnik
I suppose it found out everything it was looking for between June and September.
John Kohn has been the invisible cryprojew for the last few months, at least on ZH.
Assad is having Putin air drop millions of absentee ballots to the bus and rail stations in Europe.
Hey you turkeys don't you admire a good election strateg when you see one? First kill 200,000 potential voters then invite a Stalin impersonator to do a fake judo exhibiton and then have him bomb the crap out of anyone who might be a problem. Piss on NATO for desert and send a thank you note to Obama.
Assad should set up a monarchy like they have in Jordan. Surely Assad's family is BETTER than most in that part of the world.
Lovely family of course to the USSA they do have some bad characteristics they are White and they celebrate Christmas.
Yeah Jordan has that evil little Hashemite dwarf.
Hmmmmm, who will monitor the 2016 US elections? HAHAHAHAHAHA Diebold?
LAVROV & ASSAD: Stop backing head-hacking barbaric terrorists. Are you insane? The world does not need to bring the caliphate out of its grave!!!
KERRY & SAUDI PRINCE (in unison): NO!
KERRY: But we think that we can contain, or even roll back the tide on ISIS, if you will only allow a small pipeline to be built from Qatar to Europe. It would go far to calm the world wide situation if Europe had ostensible reason to believe they could not be wholly held hostage to a single energy producer.
LAVROV & ASSAD (in unison): NO!
LAVROV: Anything else to say?
KERRY & SAUDI PRINCE: (crickets)
KERRY: And does Russia have any other items it is willing to discuss?
LAVROV: (Crickets)
KERRY STANDS AND GATHERS HIS THINGS TO LEAVE.
LAVROV: You're not even staying for tea? I have Chocolates from Moscow, Belka, Xalva in chocolate you see... They're the best in the world! What are you a barbarian?
KERRY: Uh...Well.... I brought a potato... It is what McDonald's fries are made of...
VICTORIA NULAND (behind the curtain): Fuck the EU!!!
Putin at Valdai Forum 2015 - World between War and Peace (FULL SPEECH)
TND Event Spotlight: Valdai Forum
The 12th annual Valdai Discussion Club meeting in Sochi, Russia focused on international armed conflicts. A transcript of Putin's speech appears below. Introductory remarks in the following YouTube video are not translated. Putin's full speech has a translation spoken by a woman over the video. The video runs for 32 minutes.
To access, click below:
http://thenewsdoctors.com/?p=524033
but Porkoshenko had elections in Ukraine and USA saw them as fair.... why the double standard?
and Yanukovich called for early elections in the midst of the Maidan riots, but Nudleman's CIA still said 'no'.
ask Helen Morgan
:oD
the elections were held when the people in the east could not vote due to war
'If there were ever a time to be a fly on the wall, it will be tomorrow in Vienna, where top diplomats from the US, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Russia - oh and John Kerry - will meet ...'
"Make no mistake, these "elections" will be farcical. Bashar al-Assad is hardly the most benevolent leader in the history of statecraft."
What the fuck is this gratuitous bullshit supposed to mean? Like the last ten USA presidents have been contenders for "most benevolent leader in the history of statecraft". Or Tony Blair? Or Poroshenko? Or how about the monkeys that the USA has for allies in the middle east. The Saudi king? Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait? Oh, I forgot, they don't have elections. But I bet they're pretty benevolent, nonetheless.
For what it's worth I've always been impressed by Assad when I've heard him speak. I have no doubt that the character assassination is US/UK/NATO fabricated propaganda. He's probably no better/no worse than the next politician asshole.
just a heads-up to my friends here.
The pages of history are replete with accounts of vicious attacks -- real and false flag -- that have occurred during 'talks' between combatants.
So don't be surprised if the forces of ISIL (or the Navy Seals disguised as ISIL fighters) break into the Presidential Palace in Damascus and do for America, what America has wanted done since the USS Maine was sunk in Havana.
When are the Russians putting boots on the ground in Canada? Because nothing short of that seems to guarantee a free and fair election where people loyal to the nation and not to bankers have any chance of being elected to office.
One day we'll find out how much of the money that bought Justin Trudeau the PMO was Saudi.
Obama is a legitimate leader witha free will
Hah ha