AS WAR DRUMS BEAT FOR SYRIA, REMEMBER, LIES AND PROPAGANDA STARTED NEARLY EVERY WAR IN US HISTORY
Believe it or not, using deceptive tactics to sway public opinion in favor of war is actually an official part of the US military's playbook. According to Wikileaks, the U.S. Army's publication "Special Forces Foreign Internal Defense Tactics Techniques and Procedures for Special Forces" recommends funding terrorists for regime change operations and using false flag attacks to destabilize regimes that were unfriendly to western interests.
This is nothing new though, this is a part of American history, as nearly every war that the U.S. has ever been involved in was built upon lies. Below are some of the most well-documented examples of wars that were started because of lies and government propaganda.
Continue Reading...
http://www.thedailybell.com/news-analysis/as-war-drums-beat-for-syria-remember-lies-and-propaganda-started-nearly-every-war-in-us-history/

https://thefreethoughtproject.com/lies-and-propaganda-started-nearly-every-war-in-us-history/
To get around the obstacle of public opinion, the United States government has an extensive history of lying their way into war.

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/06/24/syria-war-40-definitive-and-most-informative-links/

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/04/18/syria-20-links-that-prove-regime-change-plans/

http://www.nationofchange.org/2017/04/23/syrian-war-dummies-three-versions/

https://www.activistpost.com/2018/04/debunking-10-lies-about-syria-and-assad.html

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/06/30/7-secrets-about-the-world-revealed-through-syrian-war/

There Was No Chemical Attack in Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTtAm0OHW24
Published on Apr 11, 2018
Virginia State Senator Richard Black discusses the latest "chemical attack" in Syria as a false flag attempt at pressuring Trump into a reckless confrontation with Russia in Syria. Learn more here:
Enough! Call Congress And Your Senator And Tell Them To Shut Down Robert Mueller, Stop The British Drive To War
https://larouchepac.com/20180410/enough-call-congress-and-your-senator-and-tell-them-shutdown-robert-mueller-stop-british
https://larouchepac.com/sites/default/files/20180410-enough-final.pdf

Tucker Carlson Goes on Epic Rant Against War in Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0niyl-vDBk
Tucker: Why is Washington united behind a war in Syria?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-yba3R6IBY
Tucker Carlson REACTS To The Airstrike On Syria 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2ZyhxwZO7g
Tucker Carlson Tells Truth About Syria - Crosses Trump
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbQB1EQ32CE

https://www.activistpost.com/2013/11/11-signs-of-false-flag.html

https://www.newstarget.com/2016-08-04-60-false-flags-admitted-by-presidents-politicians-generals-and-spies.html

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/07/21/weapons-of-syrian-rebels-pictures/

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/07/27/secular-syria-under-assad-slideshow/
---

*****
Pink Floyd Frontman Stops Concert To Explain False Flag Chemical Attack in Syria
TOPICS:chemical weaponsFalse FlagJohn VibesSyria
April 17, 2018
By John Vibes
https://www.activistpost.com/2018/04/pink-floyd-frontman-stops-concert-to-explain-false-flag-chemical-attack-in-syria.html

During a solo concert this week in Barcelona, Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters took a moment to address the audience about the recent bombing of Syria. Waters said he was approached by someone before the concert who wanted to get onstage and speak on behalf of the White Helmets about the alleged chemical attacks in Douma.

Instead of bringing the anonymous man onstage, Waters addressed the crowd on the issue himself, saying that he believes the White Helmets are a propaganda organization on a mission to justify Western intervention in the region. Waters said he believes that the person who wanted to make a statement was well-intentioned, but misled, and then offered his opinion to the audience.

"The White Helmets is a fake organization that exists only to create propaganda for jihadists and terrorists," Waters said. "That's my belief. We have opposing beliefs. If we were to listen to the propaganda of the White Helmets and others, we would be encouraged to encourage our governments to start dropping bombs on people in Syria. This would be a mistake of monumental proportions for us as human beings."

"What we should do is go and persuade our governments not to go and drop bombs on people. And certainly not until we have done all the research that is necessary so that we would have a clear idea of what is really going on. Because we live in the world where propaganda seems to be more important than the reality of what is really going on," he added.

***
The White Helmets have been known to work with terrorists to achieve regime change in Syria. The White Helmets were also caught staging videos of atrocities in an attempt to bait Western powers into war and were later forced to apologize.
(http://thefreethoughtproject.com/world-inching-closer-world-war-iii-white-hat-imposters-promote-gas-attack-conspiracy-theory/)

The group also came under fire (https://thefreethoughtproject.com/white-helmets-dumping-syrian-soldier-bodies/) last June when video surfaced that showed members assisting in disposing of the dead bodies of Syrian soldiers. The US-backed "aid workers" were seen celebrating their kill whilst holding the heads of the dead.

As it stands, the White Helmets are heavily funded by the U.S. and the UK, as well as many other international entities. That may be the reason they always worked in rebel-held areas of the greater Syrian conflict. The WH (White Helmets) serves as a de facto propaganda wing of the West to sway public opinion into supporting regime change in Syria [for Israel and Saudi Arabia].

As proof, one only has to look to the story of Omran Daqneesh, a Syrian boy reportedly pulled from the rubble of a bombed out building. Daqneesh's image was broadcast around the world and used as a propaganda tool against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The truth was later revealed (https://thefreethoughtproject.com/father-of-famous-aleppo-boy-just-exposed-how-the-us-white-helmets-lied-to-the-world/) by The Free Thought Project and others that it is highly likely the opposition itself destroyed the very building in which Daqneesh was residing, then used his image to promote the myth that he was attacked by Syrian forces.

According to The New York Times, Mr. Daqneesh (the boy's father) told the real story (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/06/world/middleeast/omran-daqneesh-syria-aleppo.html) of what happened immediately following the bombing. He never supported the opposition and appeared on Syrian state-run media to proclaim his support for Assad. He described how the White Helmets used his son as a propaganda tool without his permission.

"They took Omran, got him to the ambulance, where they filmed him. It was against my will. I was still upstairs in the house," Mr. Daqneesh said, adding that he was pressured, and even offered money to use his son as a pawn in propaganda against the Assad regime.

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters has been consistently anti-war throughout his entire career and is no stranger to controversy. As The Free Thought Project reported in 2016, (https://thefreethoughtproject.com/pink-floyd-frontman-artists-scared-shtless-criticize-israels-crimes/) Waters made some bold statements about the war crimes of Israel in an interview with The Independent. He explained how artists are discouraged from speaking out about the atrocities taking place at the hands of the Israeli military.

"The only response to BDS is that it is anti-Semitic, I know this because I have been accused of being a Nazi and an anti-Semite for the past 10 years. My industry has been particularly recalcitrant in even raising a voice [against Israel]. There's me and Elvis Costello, Brian Eno, Manic Street Preachers, one or two others, but there's nobody in the United States where I live. I've talked to a lot of them, and they are scared s***less...." he said.

"If they say something in public they will no longer have a career. They will be destroyed. I'm hoping to encourage some of them to stop being frightened and to stand up and be counted because we need them. We need them desperately in this conversation in the same way we needed musicians to join protesters over Vietnam," Waters added.

If propaganda is what the establishment uses to create a culture of war, then art is what the average person can use to create a culture of peace.

In times of oppression, it is very difficult for people to speak out against the constant tyranny, and when they do it can be even more difficult to get others to listen. Art is a subtle way of getting the message out to the masses. This is useful because a lot of times people are so entrenched in the mainstream culture that they will become defensive when they come face to face with facts that call their worldview into question. However, if these same ideas are presented in the form of art, people are much less defensive and are more willing to approach the information with an open mind. Art is also used by activists who want to send a message but still remain under the radar.

If you really examine some of the greatest works of art in history, you will find that the vast majority of the time, the artist was motivated by some kind of social cause. The art that really moves people and leaves a lasting impression is rarely made with the thought of making a buck or climbing the social ladder. In today's culture, massive advertising schemes and flashy graphics are enough to catch most people's attention long enough to make a purchase, but you'll find that the works of art with real staying power are typically sending some kind of social message.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnUhjN3Vu6c

John Vibes is an author and researcher who organizes a number of large events including the Free Your Mind Conference. He also has a publishing company where he offers a censorship free platform for both fiction and non-fiction writers. You can contact him and stay connected to his work at his Facebook page. John just won a 3-year-long battle with cancer, and will be working to help others through his experience, if you wish to contribute to his treatments consider subscribing to his podcast to support. (https://www.patreon.com/Johnvibes) This article first appeared at The Free Thought Project. (https://thefreethoughtproject.com/)
https://thefreethoughtproject.com/pink-floyd-frontman-stops-concert-to-oppose-war-and-call-out-white-helmet-propaganda/
---

***
Father of Famous Aleppo Boy Just Exposed How the US & White Helmets Lied to the World
https://thefreethoughtproject.com/father-of-famous-aleppo-boy-just-exposed-how-the-us-white-helmets-lied-to-the-world/
An image of Omran Daqneesh, dusty and bloodied in the back of an ambulance, did not suffer grave injuries from Syrian government forces, after all -- in fact, the whole story was an elaborate lie...

Pink Floyd Frontman: US Artists are "Scared Sh*tless" of Criticizing Israel's Crimes
https://thefreethoughtproject.com/pink-floyd-frontman-artists-scared-shtless-criticize-israels-crimes/
In a bombshell interview with the Independent, Pink Floyd frontman, Roger Waters took a courageous stance. He pointed out how people in the industry are persecuted and labeled as antisemitic for merely calling out the many public crimes of Israel.
Even a top Israeli general, during the country's annual Holocaust Remembrance Day, addressed and exposed the controversy when he likened the atmosphere in modern day Israel to 1930's Nazi Germany.
"If there is anything that frightens me in the remembrance of the Holocaust, it is discerning nauseating processes that took place in Europe in general, and in Germany specifically back then, 70, 80 and 90 years ago, and seeing evidence of them here among us in the year 2016," Maj. Gen. Yair Golan, the Israeli army's deputy chief of staff said...

Western Media Finally Investigates Alleged Chemical Attack in Syria and Finds "NO EVIDENCE"
April 18, 2018
https://thefreethoughtproject.com/western-media-finally-goes-to-syria-to-report-on-alleged-chem-attack-find-no-evidence/
Reporters who traveled to Syria to investigate claims of a chemical attack carried out by the Syrian government found that residents believe the event was staged by [US supported] rebel forces...
---

Pink Floyd Frontman Leaks Email Exposing How White Helmets Recruit Celebs With Saudi Money
April 21, 2018
By John Vibes
https://www.activistpost.com/2018/04/pink-floyd-frontman-leaks-email-exposing-how-white-helmets-recruit-celebs-with-saudi-money.html

https://www.activistpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/roger-waters-white-helmets-1392x731.jpg

Earlier this week, The Free Thought Project reported that Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters stopped a concert in Barcelona to warn the crowd about pro-war propaganda that is coming from a group in Syria known as the White Helmets.
https://thefreethoughtproject.com/pink-floyd-frontman-stops-concert-to-oppose-war-and-call-out-white-helmet-propaganda/

In the days since Waters has taken several interviews to further explain his views, the most interesting of which was with a group called the Grayzone Project, where exclusive Emails were featured, (https://grayzoneproject.com/2018/04/19/exclusive-emails-show-how-the-white-helmets-tried-to-recruit-roger-waters-with-saudi-money/) showing conversations between Waters' team and representatives of the White Helmets.

Waters' first encounter with the White Helmets was actually long before his April 13 concert, back in October 2016 when Saudi-British billionaire Hani Farsi invited him to a lavish fundraiser that he was holding on behalf of the White Helmet affiliated group "The Syria Campaign."

The Syria Campaign is a subsidiary of the New York-based PR agency, Purpose, which claims to be impartial in the Syrian civil war. But as Alternet reported, (https://www.alternet.org/world/inside-shadowy-pr-firm-thats-driving-western-opinion-towards-regime-change-syria) they are on a mission to provoke western intervention in the region and have even openly called for a no-fly zone. (https://www.facebook.com/TheSyriaCampaign/posts/901726189919395:0) The Syria Campaign works very closely with the White Helmets and likely has many of the same members.

Last year, the Syria Campaign paid actors up to $600 each to participate in a pro-White Helmet flash mob and orchestral performance at New York City's Grand Central Station.

Participants in astroturfed White Helmets concert & flashmob were paid up to $600 each by a public relations firm, Ubers were paid for too pic.twitter.com/5KTkIUEv4g
-- Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) March 5, 2017

Despite the firm's best efforts to fill the crowd with people at least pretending to be in favor of their message, anti-war activists still showed up to protest the event, (https://youtu.be/d6j74m5e80Y) holding up signs that read "Hands off Syria!" "This is U.S. war propaganda," and "No U.S. bases in Syria."

Anti-war activists disrupt pro-White Helmets concert at NYC's Grand Central
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6j74m5e80Y

**********
The White Helmets were founded in Turkey by a former British MI5 officer named James Le Mesurier. The group has received at least $55 million (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2mWdvgCOqs) from the UK government and an additional $23 million (https://web.archive.org/web/20160825185241/http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2016/04/256667.htm) from the U.S. government, both of whom have regime change interests in the region. According to data agency Gov Tribe, (https://govtribe.com/contract/award/aiddoti000800033-aidoaato1300003) the U.S. government has given at least $339.6 million in foreign aid to groups attempting to bring about a "transition" in Syria.

The "transition" that the White Helmets and affiliated groups are hoping to bring in Syria is far from peaceful and well-intentioned. Members of the WH have been filmed and photographed standing and celebrating with Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists after battles, (https://thefreethoughtproject.com/white-helmets-celebrate-massacre-civilians/) helping to conduct public executions, (https://www.alternet.org/grayzone-project/white-helmets-assisting-public-executions-rebel-held-syria) and they were even caught carrying around headless bodies. (https://thefreethoughtproject.com/white-helmets-dumping-syrian-soldier-bodies/)

The Syria Campaign has attempted to cover up these atrocities by dismissing (https://diary.thesyriacampaign.org/killing-the-truth/) video evidence as "Russian propaganda," a familiar excuse that has been parroted by government representatives in the U.S. and the UK.

The event that Waters was invited to in 2016 was officially sponsored by one of Farsi's holding companies, called the Corniche Group.

According to the company's website,

For the past fifty years, the Farsi family has been active in Europe and the Middle East in urban planning, real estate, property development, the arts, and philanthropy. Led by Hani Farsi, the son of visionary civic leader and philanthropist Mohammed Said Farsi who is credited with shaping modern Saudi Arabia into a global business power player.

The invitation that Waters received said:

I am writing to invite you and a guest to join Hani at a fundraising dinner that he is hosting on Monday 21st November on behalf of The Syria Campaign...The Asfari Foundation provided the start-up funds for The Syria Campaign and we will be joined on the evening by Sawsan Asfari...Their work with The White Helmets has helped these rescue workers attract more than $15 million in government funding and turned them into household names -- narrowly missing out on the Nobel Peace Prize this year.

Waters said he did his research and was suspicious of the motives that these interests had, so he never responded and avoided getting involved in those efforts. Instead, Waters did his own research on what was going on in Syria and used his platform to speak out against U.S. intervention.

Unfortunately, a handful of other celebrities did take the bait and signed on to publicly support the White Helmets and the Syria Campaign. These names include George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Daniel Craig, Justin Timberlake, Aziz Ansari and Zoe Saldana.

"I was quite suspicious after I was invited to that [White Helmets] dinner. And now my worst suspicions have been confirmed," Waters told the Grayzone Project. "I would encourage the celebrities who've signed to endorse the White Helmets to stop supporting them because we know what they are. I don't blame them for having bought into it. On the face of it, it felt plausible that the White Helmets were just good people doing good things. But now we know they're trying to encourage the West to drops bombs and missiles illegally in Syria."

Then just last week before his recent concert, Waters was approached yet again through e-mail, this time by a French photojournalist named Pascal Hanrion who described himself as a "militant with the Syrian White Helmets."

The Email read:

Good afternoon, my name is Pascal Hanrion, I'm photo reporter and climber. I'm a militant with the Syrian White Helmets to denounce crimes against humanity in Syria, especially against children. Last Sunday, I made an important happening in Paris, climbing to the top of center Georges Pompidou museum. I am in Barcelona to do the same, in relation with a very powerful Syrian network. Please, could I meet Roger Water to ask to invite me few seconds on the stage tomorrow during the concert to send a message with him to the children of Syria 'you are not forgotten!'

As I reported earlier this week, Waters did not give this man his requested time onstage but instead addressed the audience himself with a message of peace and non-intervention.

These Emails give a behind the scenes look at how pro-war PR firms attempt to harness the power of celebrity to promote political ideas that these celebrities often know very little about. These agencies are depending on busy artists or musicians to take them at their word in regards to life-and-death political issues, but luckily at least a few of them seem to be doing their research.

(White Helmets Emails to Roger Waters by Max Blumenthal on Scribd)
https://www.scribd.com/document/376783456/White-Helmets-Emails-to-Roger-Waters#from_embed

John Vibes is an author and researcher who organizes a number of large events including the Free Your Mind Conference. He also has a publishing company where he offers a censorship free platform for both fiction and non-fiction writers. You can contact him and stay connected to his work at his Facebook page. John just won a 3-year-long battle with cancer, and will be working to help others through his experience, if you wish to contribute to his treatments consider subscribing to his podcast to support. This article first appeared at The Free Thought Project.

Related:

Exclusive Emails Show How The White Helmets Tried To Recruit Roger Waters With Saudi Money
https://grayzoneproject.com/2018/04/19/exclusive-emails-show-how-the-white-helmets-tried-to-recruit-roger-waters-with-saudi-money/

White Helmets Emails to Roger Waters
https://www.scribd.com/document/376783456/White-Helmets-Emails-to-Roger-Waters#from_embed
---

WATCH: Pink Floyd Frontman Stops Concert To Explain False Flag Chemical Attack in Syria
https://thefreethoughtproject.com/pink-floyd-frontman-stops-concert-to-oppose-war-and-call-out-white-helmet-propaganda/
"What we should do is go and persuade our governments not to go and drop bombs on people," Pink Floyd's Roger Waters said.
By John Vibes -
April 17, 2018
Pink Floyd
https://thefreethoughtproject.com/pink-floyd-frontman-stops-concert-to-oppose-war-and-call-out-white-helmet-propaganda/

During a solo concert this week in Barcelona, Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters took a moment to address the audience about the recent bombing of Syria. Waters said he was approached by someone before the concert who wanted to get onstage and speak on behalf of the White Helmets about the alleged chemical attacks in Douma.

Instead of bringing the anonymous man onstage, Waters addressed the crowd on the issue himself, saying that he believes the White Helmets are a propaganda organization on a mission to justify western intervention in the region. Waters said he believes that the person who wanted to make a statement was well-intentioned, but misled, and then offered his opinion to the audience.

"The White Helmets is a fake organization that exists only to create propaganda for jihadists and terrorists," Waters said. "That's my belief. We have opposing beliefs. If we were to listen to the propaganda of the White Helmets and others, we would be encouraged to encourage our governments to start dropping bombs on people in Syria. This would be a mistake of monumental proportions for us as human beings."

"What we should do is go and persuade our governments not to go and drop bombs on people. And certainly not until we have done all the research that is necessary so that we would have a clear idea of what is really going on. Because we live in the world where propaganda seems to be more important than the reality of what is really going on," he added.

The White Helmets have been known to work with terrorists to achieve regime change in Syria. The white helmets were also caught staging videos of atrocities in an attempt to bait western powers into war and were later forced to apologize.

The group also came under fire last June when video surfaced that showed members assisting in disposing of the dead bodies of Syrian soldiers. The US-backed "aid workers" were seen celebrating their kill whilst holding the heads of the dead.

As it stands, the White Helmets are heavily funded by the U.S. and the UK, as well as many other international entities. That may be the reason they always worked in rebel-held areas of the greater Syrian conflict. The WH serve as a de facto propaganda wing of the West to sway public opinion into supporting regime change in Syria.

As proof, one only has to look to the story of Omran Daqneesh, a Syrian boy reportedly pulled from the rubble of a bombed out building. Daqneesh's image was broadcast around the world and used as a propaganda tool against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The truth was later revealed by The Free Thought Project and others that it is highly likely the opposition itself destroyed the very building in which Daqneesh was residing, then used his image to promote the myth that he was attacked by Syrian forces.

According to The New York Times, Mr. Daqneesh told the real story of what happened immediately following the bombing. He never supported the opposition and appeared on Syrian state-run media to proclaim his support for Assad. He described how the White Helmets used his son as a propaganda tool without his permission.

"They took Omran, got him to the ambulance, where they filmed him. It was against my will. I was still upstairs in the house," Mr. Daqneesh said, adding that he was pressured, and even offered money to use his son as a pawn in propaganda against the Assad regime.

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters has been consistently anti-war throughout his entire career and is no stranger to controversy. As The Free Thought Project reported in 2016, Waters made some bold statements about the war crimes of Israel in an interview with The Independent. He explained how artists are discouraged from speaking out about the atrocities taking place at the hands of the Israeli military.

"The only response to BDS is that it is anti-Semitic, I know this because I have been accused of being a Nazi and an anti-Semite for the past 10 years. My industry has been particularly recalcitrant in even raising a voice [against Israel]. There's me and Elvis Costello, Brian Eno, Manic Street Preachers, one or two others, but there's nobody in the United States where I live. I've talked to a lot of them, and they are scared s***less...." he said.

"If they say something in public they will no longer have a career. They will be destroyed. I'm hoping to encourage some of them to stop being frightened and to stand up and be counted because we need them. We need them desperately in this conversation in the same way we needed musicians to join protesters over Vietnam," Waters added.

If propaganda is what the establishment uses to create a culture of war, then art is what the average person can use to create a culture of peace.

In times of oppression, it is very difficult for people to speak out against the constant tyranny, and when they do it can be even more difficult to get others to listen. Art is a subtle way of getting the message out to the masses. This is useful because a lot of times people are so entrenched in the mainstream culture that they will become defensive when they come face to face with facts that call their worldview into question. However, if these same ideas are presented in the form of art, people are much less defensive and are more willing to approach the information with an open mind. Art is also used by activists who want to send a message but still remain under the radar.

If you really examine some of the greatest works of art in history, you will find that the vast majority of the time, the artist was motivated by some kind of social cause. The art that really moves people and leaves a lasting impression is rarely made with the thought of making a buck or climbing the social ladder. In today's culture, massive advertising schemes and flashy graphics are enough to catch most people's attention long enough to make a purchase, but you'll find that the works of art with real staying power are typically sending some kind of social message.

ROGER WATERS WHITE HELMETS ARE FAKE PROPAGANDA CONSTRUCT FOR TERRORISTS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnUhjN3Vu6c

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters: US escalation around the world 'desperately dangerous'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7jcvfbLoIA
RT
Published on Aug 11, 2017
Rock legend Roger Waters speaks to RT America in a wide-ranging interview. In addition to discussing President Donald Trump, ongoing tensions between the US and Russia, and the Israel lobby, Waters called out Radiohead's Thom Yorke for refusing to participate in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights
---

Interview With Boy In "Chemical" Attack Video: "We Didn't See Any Chemical Attack Symptoms"
https://freedomoutpost.com/interview-with-boy-in-chemical-attack-video-we-didnt-see-any-chemical-attack-symptoms/
One of the medical workers, who was reportedly on shift at the time, said he was surprised by the sudden influx. "Some people came here and washed people. They said: 'Chemical attack. Chemical attack.' We didn't see any chemical attack symptoms," he added. He did, however, say that there were many people with respiratory problems as a result of dust from recent bombings in the city...
---

*****
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Explains The Real Reason The West Is Trying To Destabilize Syria
RiseEarth 12:28 PM World Truth
by Arjun Walia; Collective Evolution (http://www.collective-evolution.com/2018/04/18/robert-f-kennedy-jr-explains-the-real-reason-the-west-is-trying-to-destabilize-syria/)
https://www.riseearth.com/2018/04/robert-f-kennedy-jr-explains-real.html

"The statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities, and will diligently study them, and refuse to examine any refutations of them; and thus he will by and by convince himself the war is just, and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self-deception." -- Mark Twain

The recent chemical gas attack in Syria has once again lit a fire under the global population, a split is being created. Every single year, the divide as to what's really happening in Syria gets stronger and stronger. Although division and the constant opposing narrative's between the mass population only creates more conflict, drama, and confusion, in this case it's much different, because before it was simply believe what we hear, now, we are learning to question it.

What we have here is a classic case of media giants spewing opposing views. On one hand, we have the western military alliance claiming that a chemical attack occurred in Syria and was done so by the Syrian President, Bashar Al Assad, despite the fact that absolutely no evidence of this being so was presented. This narrative is dished out from intelligence agencies via western mainstream media. Investigations are currently taking place as to what really happened there, as the OPCW chemical weapons inspectors recently arrived inside of Douma to do an inspection, as it would be nice to actually have some real evidence that a chemical weapons attack occurred.

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--FvW_zuNREI/WthgVbcfoEI/AAAAAAAASHk/D_W37hb4cbADX8EwMzoUQkXkUau8bNB4gCLcBGAs/s640/pipeline2.png

On the other side of the coin, there are a number of journalists, academicians and politicians who've voiced their concern that this could be a "false flag" attack. In fact, after the last supposed chemical weapons attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin came out and said (http://www.collective-evolution.com/2017/04/11/putin-the-chemical-attack-in-syria-was-a-false-flag-more-are-being-prepared-in-syria/) that it was a "false" flag and that "more are being prepared in Syria." Not long ago, a Russian general went on Russian national T.V. letting the citizens know that they had intel of another staged gas attack to occur in Syria. Despite the fact that a large portion of westerners resonate with this viewpoint, it is still greeted with a harsh response in many cases, often deemed as "Russian propaganda." Obviously, Assad has denied any chemical weapons attack on his own people.

As a side note, when we say staged, we mean just that, with crisis actors being involved. On the other hand, there are also staged real events, where people do lose their lives and are actually victims of weapons attack, that could be the case here in Syria as well.

The Deep State has a long history of labelling foreigners as dictators, sponsoring terrorist activities in those countries and influencing a regime change to suit their own best interests. These are facts that are hard to argue against, and many political and military figures from around the world, including the United States, on-top of uncountable academicians, have all expressed their concern that this is exactly what we're seeing in Syria right now.

Can you imagine? A power so strong that they have their hands in the creation of terrorist activity, in order to justify the invasion of another country for ulterior motives, while looking like the humanitarian and 'saviour?'

I don't want to get into it here, as I recently published an article that goes into a little more detail about the recent chemical attack in Syria, linked below:

MIT Professor Emeritus Claims Latest Chemical Attack In Syria Was Not Assad's Doing
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2018/04/14/mit-professor-emeritus-claims-latest-chemical-attack-in-syria-was-not-assads-doing/

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Perspective

I want to focus on long time activist, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and zero in on his post about the chemical weapons attack that was blamed on Assad, prior to the most recent one.

Kennedy writes,
https://www.ecowatch.com/syria-another-pipeline-war-1882180532.html?page=2

"America's unsavoury record of violent interventions in Syria -- Obscure to the American people yet well known to Syrians -- sowed fertile ground for the violent Islamic Jihadism that now complicates any effective response by our government to address the challenges of ISIS. So long as the American public and policymakers are unaware of this past, further interventions are likely to only compound the crisis. Moreover, our enemies delight in our ignorance."

Also, I believe it's important to mention that when the term 'Islamic State' or 'Islamic Jihadism' is used, it in no way represents any muslim person whatsoever.

"The global war on terrorism is a US undertaking, which is fake, it's based on fake premises. It tells us that somehow America and the Western world are going after a fictitious enemy, the Islamic state, when in fact the Islamic state is fully supported and financed by the Western military alliance and America's allies in the Persian Gulf. ... They say Muslims are terrorists, but it just so happens that terrorists are Made in America. They're not the product of Muslim society." -- Dr. Michel Chossudovsky

This quote highlights one of many examples of how religion is being used by the global elite to basically create chaos, making their intervention a little easier.

Kennedy believes this is another pipeline war, citing the fact that the world's addiction to oil, when oil is completely unnecessary at this point, is creating social chaos, war, terror, the refugee crisis overseas, and the loss of democracy and civil rights both abroad and at home.

He is no doubt correct, and obviously has knowledge of this type of thing given who he is and what he and his family have experienced inside the realm of geopolitics.

Kennedy states, "we might want to look beyond the convenient explanations of religion and ideology and focus on the more complex rationales of history and oil, which mostly point the finger of blame for terrorism back at the champions of militarism, imperialism and petroleum here on our own shores."

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SAni7Sk6gFs/WthfKrUrCbI/AAAAAAAASHY/yG3xWmyAThIO_7hjYACAkB-Zx0ElyMA6wCLcBGAs/s640/pipeline.jpg

*****
[Note: for an explanation of these pipelines see the section "The Pipeline" in the article "6 Reasons Why Russia Cares So Much About Syria" (without the quotes) below or at https://www.activistpost.com/2015/10/6-reasons-why-russia-cares-so-much-about-syria.html ; also see, "US Destroying Syria's Oil Infrastructure Under Guise of Fighting ISIS" or at https://journal-neo.org/2014/11/01/us-destroying-syria-s-oil-infrastructure-under-guise-of-fighting-isis/ or https://www.activistpost.com/2014/11/us-destroying-syrias-oil-infrastructure.html]

The truth is, plans to create dramatic political change in multiple countries have been in the works for quite some time.

Titled "Syria: Scenarios of Dramatic Political Change," this document was written in July of 1986 by the Foreign Subversion and Instability Center, part of the CIA's Mission Center for Global Issues.
https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP86T01017R000100770001-5.pdf

It states its mission to analyze "a number of possible scenarios that could lead to the ouster of President Assad or other dramatic change in Syria." Though the document is 25 years old, it shows that the U.S. plans to influence and infiltrate Syria to create change that would suit their own interests and dates back well over 30 years.

The document also comes with similar testimony from insiders. One example would be former Four Star General Wesley Clark, who was the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe of NATO from 1997-2000. Clark said, in an interview with Democracy Now, that the U.S. had plans to invade countries in the Middle East, including Syria, for no justified reason at all. He offered the sentiments of some within the American military, that they have a "good military" and that they can "take down governments." He spoke of a memo that described how the U.S. had "plans to take out seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and finishing off, Iran" (source).

General Wesley Clark explains Libyan invasion, Syria, Somalia planned years in advance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSNyPS0fXpU
seanlaca
Published on Mar 24, 2011
Gen. Wesley Clark claims that ten days after 911 military invasions of Iraq and Libya, with several other Middle Eastern countries, were already planned and settled beforehand.
Iraq and Libya have fallen with the help of US and NATO forces. Obama has now shifted his focus onto Sudan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNU10XyoRpc
US has also targeted Syria and Iran and is currently fighting covert wars in those two countries:
Syria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTQyCODgyjU
Iran: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbT5XFnhUGw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdjNY5PJNxM

In Kennedy's article, he explains how long before the 2003 occupation of Iraq by the United States (which was justified by 9/11), the US government triggered the Sunni uprising which has now become the 'Islamic State.' "The CIA had nurtured violent Jihadism as a Cold War weapon and freighted U.S./Syrian relationships with toxic baggage," explains Kennedy.

"The CIA began its active meddling in Syria in 1949 -- barely a year after the agency's creation. Syrian patriots had declared war on the Nazis, expelled their Vichy French colonial rulers and crafted a fragile secularist democracy based on the American model. But in March of 1949, Syria's democratically elected president, Shukri-al-Kuwaiti, hesitated to approve the Trans Arabian Pipeline, an American project intended to connect the oil fields of Saudi Arabia to the ports of Lebanon via Syria. In his book, Legacy of Ashes, CIA historian Tim Weiner recounts that in retaliation, the CIA engineered a coup, (http://andmagazine.com/us/1367912634.html) replacing al-Kuwaiti with the CIA's handpicked dictator, (https://documentation.onesignal.com/docs/difference-between-web-and-mobile-push) a convicted swindler named Husni al-Za'im. Al-Za'im barely had time to dissolve parliament and approve the American pipeline before his countrymen deposed him, 14 weeks into his regime."

Syria is one of multiple countries currently standing that has not been completely destroyed and transformed by the United States.

In order for these interventions to occur, the United States and their allies desperately need to justify reasons for intervention to their populace.

"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of."
-- Edward Bernays ("the father of public relations"), Propaganda, 1928 (note that Bernays' book, Propaganda, begins with the above quote). (https://archive.org/details/Propaganda1928ByEdwardL.Bernays)
https://www.voltairenet.org/IMG/pdf/Bernays_Propaganda_in_english_.pdf
http://edward-bernays.soup.io/post/19658768/Edward-Bernays-Propaganda-1928-pdf-PDF-357
https://archive.org/details/EdwardL.BernaysPropaganda

The point is, the idea that these gas attacks are false flag events, and the idea that the US has their hand in such attacks to help oust Assad, while at the same time branding him a dictator and a war criminal, is nothing new. It's not 'Russian propaganda' and it's something that's been happening for a long time.

The Bigger Picture

We're obviously going to get nowhere on any subject if human consciousness is continually divided as to what's really happening. Thankfully, human consciousness is changing, and the conflict that's been taking place in Syria right now is a great example. If these attacks happened not but 5 years ago, maybe 10, the idea that this was a "false flag" wasn't even a narrative within the mainstream. At least now we have a large portion of the population addressing questions and concerns that weren't really addressed in the past. This is a great example of how humanity is waking up, and if we want to stop these problems, we must first identify them, and that's what's happening. This means that people are actually doing some critical thinking, and doing some independent research instead of constantly being influenced by the perspective of mainstream media.

This is an encouraging sign.
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Please allow persecuted Christians to come here, and protect the ones who stay from genocide by muslims.

https://www.opendoorsusa.org/take-action/pray/dozens-killed-in-fresh-attacks-in-central-nigeria/
https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/stories/in-captivity-kidnapped-nigerian-christians-see-god-show-up-in-miraculous-ways/
https://www.opendoorsusa.org/take-action/pray/20-nigerian-churches-destroyed-during-violent-march/
https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/stories/

Christians flee growing persecution in Africa and Middle East
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/13/christians-flee-growing-persecution-africa-middle-east
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You've probably heard about Boko Haram--the Muslim extremist group who has been violently attacking peaceful tribes in Nigeria.

Sadly, this same region is now under a new threat from militant Fulani herdsmen. These Muslim extremists have already claimed thousands of Christian lives as they pillage entire villages, while brutally killing and raping local residents.

But here's the biggest problem. While the world is familiar with Boko Haram, most people have never heard about the militant Hausa-Fulani Muslim Herdsmen.

Their attacks have received little attention in the press compared to Boko Haram. And, as a result, world leaders and aid groups may not even be aware of the plight of these Christians.

This month, we're asking you to help us change that. Will you please share the attached photos on your social media to help raise awareness about these little-known attacks on Christians?

And, if you are willing to use your social media voice on an ongoing basis, please feel free to join us a social media influencer. By going here, you can sign up to help us raise awareness and share stories of persecuted Christians every month.

7 Things to Know About Deadly Fulani Persecution in Northern Nigeria
https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/stories/7-deadly-fulani-persecution-northern-nigeria/

Photo: Village head Daniel Akoi inside his destroyed home in one of the villages in southern Kaduna State attacked by Fulani herdsmen.

In Nigeria (#14 on the 2018 World Watch List), the Muslim extremist group Boko Haram has become synonymous with violence against Christians. But in northern Nigeria's Middle Belt area, the latest threat to Christian communities may arguably be even worse than Boko Haram: the Hausa-Fulani Muslim Herdsman. Clashes with militants among the predominantly Muslim group have claimed thousands of Christian lives as they raze entire villages and brutally kill and rape.

However, unlike the atrocities and attacks of Boko Haram, Fulani violence has gone relatively unreported in national news headlines. To help you pray insightfully and know how to come alongside our brothers and sisters, we've broken down this tragic and complex situation into seven specific areas:
1. The Fulani are an unreached Muslim people group.

Just over 38 million people belong to the larger Fulani cluster of ethnic groups found in pockets across 19 Central and West African countries. They speak a variety of languages including Hausa, English, French and Arabic and are the world's largest nomadic group roaming this large area in search of grazing for their cattle.

With less than 1 percent of professing Christians among them, they are yet unreached with the gospel. Almost 100 percent follow Islam, although there are varying degrees of dedication to Islam.

The video below offers a helpful and thorough understanding of Fulani violence and the depth of persecution in Nigeria:
2. They are in conflict with grain farmers in Northern Nigeria's strategic Middle Belt.

The Middle Belt is part of Muslim-dominated northern Nigeria. Unlike the far northern states dominated by Hausa-Fulani Muslims, the Middle Belt hosts a diversity of peoples and cultures. It is a melting pot of ethnoreligious groups that have coexisted for decades. It is also the center of Christian presence in the North.

Sign up to receive prayer updates on Nigeria and Christian persecution around the world.

Many regard this area as the breadbasket of northern Nigeria because most of the villagers there are grain farmers who grow food for the whole country. As climate change and environmental factors force these militant herdsmen south in search of grazing land for their cattle, they come into contact and conflict with the large pockets of Christians in Nigeria's Middle Belt.

Typically, the militants find a reason to be angry at a particular village and involve the local Muslim population in the area--inciting them to raze entire Christian villages the militant herdsmen then use as grazing land.
3. Although socio-economic factors drive the conflict, a religious motive is clear.

As once-fertile land becomes desert (resulting from drought), the Fulani continue to gradually move southward, using up already scarce resources like food and water. These herders have migrated away from drought-stricken neighboring West African countries (especially Niger) to the Middle Belt virtually unchecked.

But there is more to the conflict than these socio-economic factors. In the attacks, Christians are indiscriminately targeted and Muslims are mostly spared. Open Doors research found that:

* 88 percent of Fulani attack victims in Nigeria's Benue State were Christians.
* In Taraba State, 70 percent of victims were Christians.
* In Nasarawa State, 75 percent of the victims were Christians.

The history of the Fulani people includes waves of radicalization combining the conquering of land with their religion. The Fulani played a role in the jihad (holy war) of Fulani revolutionary Usman dan Fodio (1804-1815), who conquered parts of the Middle Belt and incorporated them into a new Muslim state, the Sokoto caliphate, that lasted until 1903. In recent decades, the Fulani have again grown increasingly radical due to the influx of extremist Islamic preaching by missionaries from Saudi Arabia and Iran. The attacks can be seen as a continuation of jihad seeking an Islamic state throughout Nigeria.

The Catholic bishops of Kaduna--an area that has suffered many attacks in recent years (see top photo)--recently issued a statement, saying, 'The Fulani want to subjugate Christians, disintegrate the country, weaken the gospel and destroy the social and economic life of the people. There is a hidden agenda targeted at the Christian majority of southern Kaduna. This jihad is well-funded, well-planned and executed by agents of destabilization.'

According to the expansionist principle of Dar al Islam (house of Islam), everything belongs to Allah directly and to his followers indirectly, including the land where the Fulani want to let their cattle graze.

'They believe it is right for them to take those resources by force from infidels and apostates,' explains former Open Doors' West Africa researcher Arne Mulders.
Displaced villagers in northern Nigeria who were forced to flee their homes.
4. The attacks have been brutal and increasing.

The U.S. Department of Defense's Africa Center for Strategic Studies estimated that by January this year, more than 60,000 people had died since 2001 in pastoralist-related violence in Nigeria alone. Thousands have been injured in the attacks, and hundreds of women have been kidnapped. Fulani militants have destroyed countless homes and churches and seized large swathes of land and property.

Open Doors' research further shows that Fulani violence increased in the run-up to Nigeria's 2015 presidential elections and has persisted since Nigeria President Buhari, himself a Fulani, became president. We estimate that the group has killed as many as 6,500 people in southern Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba states between 2013 and 2015 alone.

The local government areas of Jama'a, Kachia, Kagarko, Kaura and Sanga in southern Kaduna have been the areas most adversely affected. Our sources indicate more than 50 villages have been attacked in the last 12 months alone.

Sign up to receive prayer updates on Nigeria and Christian persecution around the world.

5. Nigerian Christians say the government is failing them.

Christians are frustrated by the lack of governmental intervention and concern over the violence and property loss. A spate of leaders has issued statements calling out the government for neglect, complicit behavior and even intentional backing of the militant herdsmen.

* In March, the Christian Elders Forum said, 'We are dismayed by the inaction of the federal government to the carnage and destruction caused by the Fulani herdsmen against legitimate native landowners and farmers across the country. ... For years, the Fulani herdsmen have been murdering innocent Nigerians with impunity. ...The response of the government to the menace of the Fulani herdsmen has to date been tepid and indifferent.'
* Joseph Bagobiri, bishop of Kafanchan in Southern Kaduna, added: 'In most of these attacks, the military stands aloof and watches while our people are being massacred. ...In the Godogodo and Pasakori attacks, for example, the military merely watched and supervised the burning of our homes. When the youth mobilized to repel the attackers, the soldiers deliberately blocked them from entering the town.' These claims were confirmed by eyewitness reports Open Doors gathered following the attacks.
* The Rev. Atta Barkindo, a scholar and writer focusing on Nigerian issues, wrote in a World Watch Monitor report: 'The intervention of the Nigerian government has been slow and haphazard. No attempt was made to address key issues. No herdsmen were held accountable for the atrocities already committed; there was no discussion of prosecution for perpetrators, nor of compensation, nor provision of security for victims. Many communities were left displaced and fearful, without any security.'
* In a 2016 report for the World Watch Research unit of Open Doors, Yonas Dembele, a senior United Nations human-rights official, said, 'A government cannot solve a problem that it has not recognized and is not paying attention to. The neglect of the situation has meant that the attacks by the Fulani militia are becoming more deadly and sophisticated. ...There seems to be little intelligence and information gathered by the [Nigerian] government to understand the source of the problem and how it has evolved and if there is more to the conflict than meets the eye. More importantly, the persistent failure of the government to secure its borders, to control the flow of weapons and its failure to provide protection to the communities that are being systematically wiped out is a colossal failure that is having very tragic consequences. There also seems to be a lack of urgency in the government's response to the situation.'

6. Christians Say Nigerian President Mohammadu Buhari has not effectively addressed Fulani violence.

The spike in violence by Fulani militants has become increasingly political ahead of presidential elections in February 2019. Critics of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is Fulani, accuse him of failing to get tough with the herdsmen.
During a mass burial for 73 people killed in a January 2018 attack on the rural communities of Benue, feelings ran high on the streets where thousands of people, many wearing black, waved wreaths as coffins on lorries passed by.

Some mourners held banners featuring pictures of victims and the words: 'President act now: your people are killing us.'

While Buhari is quick to react to tragic situations in faraway regions, here in his home the President is yet to stem the herdsmen attacks. His silence comes with many direct and indirect implications, most of which threaten Nigeria's unity and breed instability. He is seen as biased because he continues to talk tough on the secessionists and militants in southern Nigeria. However, the Fulani herdsmen from his own ethnic division are 'spared.'

Open Doors research experts wrote: 'The administration of President Buhari has been very slow to recognize the severity of the problem and come up with a plan to address it. While President Buhari had made it a priority for the Nigerian armed forces to defeat Boko Haram in northern Nigeria and demanded that this be accomplished in a relatively short period of time, he has paid little attention in comparison to the situation in the Middle Belt.'
7. A little help goes a long way.

Although the realities of this violent situation can be overwhelming, Open Doors has repeatedly seen how the Lord sovereignly uses the Body of Christ to bring hope and remind Christians on the front lines that they are not forgotten.

'My house was totally burned down in the Fulani crisis, says Mary Lumumba. 'I have been going from house to house begging for a bowl of corn to feed my children, but today you have given me 100 kilograms of maize all to myself. God indeed is faithful. May God bless every pocket that gave to see that we are being helped.'

Open Doors and our on-the-ground partners in Nigeria are coming alongside Christians targeted by Fulani and Boko Haram militants to help support believers as they return home to their decimated villages. Open Doors is providing services like medical clinics, boreholes (for clean water) and schools, as well as crisis relief for those forced to flee their communities. We're also training churches to help them equip Christians to respond to persecution and stand strong in their faith through discipleship training.
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Israel Repeatedly Attacks Iran Targets in Syria
Repeated Rounds of Israeli Rockets Hit Iranian Forces in Syria
Wednesday, 09 May 2018 09:22 PM
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/israel-syria-rockets/2018/05/09/id/859448/

Image: Repeated Rounds of Israeli Rockets Hit Iranian Forces in Syria

Israeli Merkava Mark IV tanks deployed along the border with Syria, in Golan Heights on Wednesday. ( Ilia Yefimovich/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)
https://www.newsmax.com/Newsmax/files/12/12e833d9-5ed9-4235-b8e2-c52ce625820a.jpg

Israel launched repeated rounds of rocket fire into Syria early on Thursday, Syrian state media reported, after Israel's military said Iranian forces in Syria had shelled one of its outposts near the border.

The scale of Israeli rocket fire appeared to be far higher than in previous incidents and Damascus residents described seeing explosions above the city from air defence systems.

Tensions between Israel and Iran have threatened to spill over in Syria, where the Iranian military and allied Shi'ite militia are backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his war against rebels seeking to oust him.

"The Syrian air defences are confronting a new wave of Israeli aggression rockets and downing them one after the other," state news agency SANA reported.

Syrian state television was broadcasting footage of its air defences firing at incoming rockets and playing patriotic songs.

Israel's military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said Israel had retaliated for an attack on its outposts in the strategic Golan Heights plateau. He did not elaborate.

Earlier, state news agency SANA and a war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported artillery fire from Israeli-held territory at Baath City in Quneitra province near the border. The Observatory said rockets were fired at military positions of the Syrian army and allied forces.

The late-night incident followed a surge in tensions between Israel and Syria, where Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah forces have been helping Damascus beat back a 7-year-old rebellion.

Israel describes Iran as its biggest threat and Hezbollah as the biggest threat on its borders.

Fearing that Iran and Hezbollah are setting up a Lebanese-Syrian front against it, Israel has occasionally struck at their forces. Iran blamed it for an April 9 air strike that killed seven of its military personnel in Syria, and vowed revenge.

Conricus said that, in Thursday's attack, around 20 projectiles, most likely rockets, were fired by the Quds Force, an external arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, at around 12.10 a.m.

"A few of those rockets were intercepted" by Israel's Iron Dome air defence system, Conricus told reporters. "We are not aware of any casualties. The amount of damage that we currently assess is low."

Asked if Israel retaliated for the salvo, he said, "We have retaliated but I have no further details about this."

Expectations of a regional flare-up were stoked by U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement on Tuesday that he was withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear deal. Hours later, Israeli rocket rockets targeted a military base in Kisweh, a commander in the pro-Syrian government regional alliance said.

The strike killed 15 people, including eight Iranians, the Observatory said. Israel has neither confirmed or denied responsibility.
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https://worldaffairs.blog/2018/03/17/syrian-war-for-dummies-three-versions/
When FSA and AQ failed to oust Assad, the "powers that be" started recruiting Sunni extremists in Iraq. In April 2013, ISIS was officially established out of the AQI insurgency. In the next year, these barbaric mercenaries would capture much of eastern Syria. This was also the year when Obama's red-line was crossed -- the use of chemical weapons by Assad. UN experts who went to the site soon found that it was actually the rebels who had likely used the chemical weapons. The report was quickly drowned by the western propaganda machine...

U.N. has testimony that Syrian rebels used sarin gas: investigator
This was use on the part of the opposition, the rebels, not by the government authorities," she added, speaking in Italian.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-crisis-un-idUSBRE94409Z20130505

Chaos in Syria, Part I -- 3 Motives and 7 Countries
https://worldaffairs.blog/2016/01/26/chaos-in-syria-part-i-3-motives-and-7-countries/
In this first month of 2016, we can be grateful that World War III didn't start over Russia's intervention in Syria that saw Turkey, a NATO member, shoot down a Russian jet. If Russia had retaliated, the other NATO members -- U.S., U.K., Germany, France etc. ­-- would have been obligated to join the fight. But it's not over yet. The chaos in Syria -- and the Middle East, in general -- is now spilling over to Europe and the rest of the world. Millions of refugees, fanatic jihadists, hundreds of thousands of dead civilians, powerful nations colliding with another ... all add up to a nightmarish powder keg.
The driving forces behind this bedlam are the perfect storm of confluence of geopolitics, oil, war-profiteering and religion. If that is not enough, there are several countries and jihadist groups involved in this conflict, with bewildering relationships that are often temporary, conflicting and totally Machiavellian.
Among the countries involved, the key outside players who have been trying to bring down the Syrian government are the U.S. and its six dwarfs: Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, France, Israel and Britain. The seventh dwarf is really a collection of nations that occasionally offer help, but are not deeply involved in the Syrian project. Germany, Kuwait, Bosnia, Canada etc. would fall under the category of "seventh dwarf."
Now, what in the world would all these countries have against a tiny country of Syria that most people can't even locate on the map? Part I of this analysis will look into the three motives of seven countries that essentially form the Coalition of Regime Change...

Chaos in Syria, Part II -- Destruction, ISIS and Beyond
https://worldaffairs.blog/2016/01/31/chaos-in-syria-part-ii-destruction-isis-and-beyond/
Rumble in the Desert -- Events Leading up to Arab Spring
As stated before in Part I of this two-part series, the redrawing of the Middle East has been in the U.S. radar for a long time. Quoting Wesley Clark again, he was told -- in 1991 -- by the prominent Neocon and then #3 official in the Pentagon, Paul Wolfowitz: "One thing we did learn from the Persian Gulf War is that we can use our military in the Middle East and the Russians won't stop us. And we've got about five or ten years to clean up those old Soviet client regimes -- Syria, Iran, Iraq -- before the next great superpower comes on to challenge us."
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-10-06/putin-has-just-put-end-wolfowitz-doctrine
Syrian President Assad knew he was on the crosshair of the US military, so he actually tried to court the US and the European governments. After 9/11, he cooperated extensively with the FBI and the CIA, giving them valuable information on Muslim Brotherhood and Al Qaeda who were covertly operating in the Syrian/Iraqi borders.
But all his efforts were like a rabbit trying to make friends with a hungry lion. Before the dust settled on the "shock and awe" campaign against Iraq in 2003, the Bush administration had labeled Syria a "rogue nation" and threatened it with sanctions, which came into force the next year. By 2005, the Bush administration had withdrawn the U.S. ambassador from Syria. That's when the "regime change" apparatus and programs were switched on.
After decades of regime changes around the world, the program has been fine-tuned into an algorithm. Enticing top political and military leaders to defect, funding "grassroots" opposition movements on the ground, arming militants, waging propaganda war, stirring up religious and social tensions are all standard protocols in a regime change operation...

Globalists Have Lost the Middle East
https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/12/05/globalists-have-lost-the-middle-east/
Total fiasco. That's a quick way to characterize the US/globalist adventure in Syria and the Middle East in the last six years. The proxy war on Syria not only failed to accomplish its goal -- removal of Assad -- it tremendously weakened the US in the Middle East, strengthened its adversaries, and soured its relations with many allies. If it were a movie, America's recent Mideast policy would be called, "How to Lose a Region in 6 Years"; and if it were a book, it would be titled, "How to Win Enemies and Lose Influence."...

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/04/04/false-flag-or-fake-chemical-gas-attack-in-syria/

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/07/26/bashar-and-asma-al-assad-slideshow/

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/06/21/white-helmets-exposed-in-pics-and-videos/

https://clarityofsignal.com/2017/05/08/direct-jihadist-collusion-over-one-dozen-videos-capture-white-helmets-working-side-by-side-with-terrorist-groups/

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/04/09/syria-great-case-study-in-war-propaganda/
Here is a quick analysis of why the so-called "chemical gas attack" in Syria in April is very likely a fake or a false flag attack.
Cui Bono: Latin for "Who Benefits?" Who gains from this attack? Certainly not the Syrian President, Assad.
Assad has been winning the battles against both ISIS and Al Qaeda since the end of 2016, capturing one major city/region after another.
Five days before the gas attack, Trump said he is dropping the slogan, "Assad must go."
And the EU-UN-Syria peace talks were starting on April 4th -- the exact day when the alleged "chemical attack" occurred.
A chemical attack by Assad at this point would be the dumbest move ever that turns the world against him. So the ONLY people to benefit from this "chemical gas attack" are Assad's enemies, who have the motives, means and opportunity.
In 2013, the terrorists used a similar chemical attack stunt after which Obama authorized sales of missiles and powerful rockets...

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/07/19/war-on-syria-the-logical-fallacies/

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/06/27/insanity-of-syrian-war-from-syrias-perspective/

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/07/07/assad-is-not-a-brutal-dictator/

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/07/25/syria-1930s-thru-1960s-slideshow/

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/07/25/assad-and-christians-slideshow/
Assad protects all minorities, and his focus is on Syria, not religious ideology. He visits churches, which is almost unheard of among Muslim leaders. He celebrates Christmas with Christians, which would be close to apostasy for Wahhabis and Salafists.
Assad has been helping the Christian monasteries and churches that were destroyed/damaged by radical Islamists. This is why when churches in Syria have a public parade, they often carry a picture of Assad along with the cross...

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/07/08/15-articles-on-syria-that-will-destroy-every-mainstream-narrative/

https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/05/16/truth-about-syria-2-min-video/

https://www.activistpost.com/2017/05/embracing-islamic-terrorism.html

Islamic Terrorism: Our Ally For 38 Years
History of US Embracing Islamic Terrorism (for proxy wars since 1979)
https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/05/28/embracing-islamic-terrorism/
Shocking Truth: USA & Islamic Terrorism -- Partners For Proxy Wars
https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/06/02/shocking-truth-usa-islamic-terrorism-partners-for-proxy-wars/
Dear Diary, I can't show this letter to the innocent people of America and the world, so it's just between you and me. Imagine the shock and the outrage if I say that we have to embrace Islamic terrorism! The average person doesn't understand what's at stake and how sometimes the elites need to rely on "controlled chaos" for the greater good.
Islamic terrorists are wonderful instruments for proxy wars -- they cost very little but fight fearlessly. They are a global resource that can be brought into any local conflict. They are also expendable -- we use them when convenient and kill them when inconvenient.
If this shocks the conscience of people, it just means they haven't been paying keen attention. Consider the following examples:

US and Allies Created, Funded, Armed ISIS
https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/05/09/us-and-allies-created-funded-armed-isis/
The idea of US and its allies supporting ISIS is shocking to most people and creates a lot of painful cognitive dissonance. The immediate reactions might be, "Impossible" ... "Conspiracy Theory!" However, all the evidences are incontrovertible and have been laid out before us. It's just a matter of piecing them together.
You see, to overthrow Assad in Syria, the US elites couldn't openly arm Al Qaeda and ISIS. That's where Saudi Arabia and Qatar come into play. These two countries would buy the weapons from the U.S. and ship them to the terrorists in Syria mostly via Turkey and some through Jordan (Turkey borders Syria on the north; Jordan on the south).
All the top people in the U.S. government knew and acknowledged the roles of Saudi Arabia and Qatar in funding ISIS. For example......

No "Moderate Rebels" in Syria
https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/05/07/no-moderate-rebels-in-syria/
For six years now, the U.S. and its allies have been arming/funding "moderate rebels" in Syria, resulting in millions of refugees and vast destruction of the country. Let us for a moment ignore the hypocrisy and insanity of this proxy war. How "moderate" are these rebels who are getting tens of billions of dollars of weapons, funding and training?
The official talking point is that these rebels of Free Syrian Army (FSA) are Syrians who are neither Islamists nor terrorists. The truth on the ground is that a majority of fighters are foreigners, and they are fanatical Islamists and terrorists (Muslim Brotherhood, Al Qaeda and ISIS).
As Middle East expert Professor Joshua Landis succinctly put, "Every rebel group in Syria has been associated with Al Qaeda at some point."
Below are some pictures that show the US-supported "moderate rebels" (the flag with green-white-black stripes and red stars) hanging out with Al Qaeda and ISIS fighters.
FSA spokesperson, Colonel Okaidi, has also said on TV interviews that his group gets along well with both ISIS "brothers" and Al Qaeda. This video also shows him hanging out with the US Ambassador to Syria.
FSA Colonel
There are also plenty of reports over the last six years that clearly indicate that supporting the FSA meant supporting Al Qaeda and ISIS. For example:...
Here are some examples of the barbaric nature of these moderate rebels. One FSA/Al Qaeda commander killed a Syrian soldier, ripped out the heart and ate it! In another incident, a bunch of CIA-vetted/armed rebels beheaded a 10-year-old boy on video.
More recently, another group of rebels bombed a few buses that were transferring women and children out of the rebel-held area. About 70 children died in the blast. While the children in the buses were burning, the rebels were celebrating, shouting "Allahu Akbar" and cursing the Shiites as pigs. Why so much hatred? The rebels are Sunni Muslims and the civilians were Shia Muslims. That's how rabid, vicious and monstrous these "moderate rebels" are. Below is a short clip; you can watch the entire video here...
The Syrian moderate rebels also have indoctrination camps for kids to breed the next generation of Jihadists. You can watch a short documentary from Vice on one such camp. The pics below are from another camp run by Uzbekistan's Al Qaeda fighters (yes, there are more than 30,000 foreign fighters in Syria).
So, that's the truth about the "moderate Syrian rebels" -- they are not moderate, they are not Syrian and they are not rebels. They should be called "Salafist Foreign Terrorists."...

https://www.activistpost.com/2018/04/mainstream-media-cuts-generals-mic-as-he-tells-the-truth-on-syrian-gas-attack.html
"You know, quite apart from all that, the part that seems to be missing from this -- and this was actually mentioned by the ambassador -- is what possible motive might have triggered Syria to launch a chemical attack at this time in this place?" Shaw replied. "The Syrians are winning, don't take my word for it, take the American military's word for it."
"He said that Assad has won this war, and we need to face that," Shaw said. "And then last week, you've got a Tweet by Trump that America is finished with [the Islamic State] and we're going to pull out soon, very soon. And then suddenly you have a gas attack..."

https://www.activistpost.com/2018/04/reports-claim-syria-russia-capture-british-troops-in-douma-uk-govt-denies.html

https://www.activistpost.com/2018/04/fake-white-helmets-chemical-attack.html

https://www.activistpost.com/2018/04/us-bombs-syria-to-cover-up-lack-of-evidence-on-chem-attacks-discredits-own-claims-by-doing-so.html

http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/08/syria-the-egregious-western-media-chemical-weapon-fraud-in-eastern-ghouta/

http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/09/interview-eva-bartlett-how-the-us-uk-axis-media-spins-syria/
For the last 7 years, US and UK government policymakers and operatives have been instrumental in planting propaganda in thousands of 'news' reports and then citing them as 'evidence' to support their stated policy of regime change in Syria.

http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/07/ron-paul-vs-the-mainstream-media-should-us-forces-get-out-of-syria/

https://thefreethoughtproject.com/fmr-congressman-ron-paul-on-syrian-gas-attack-another-false-flag/

http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/10/western-media-descends-into-fundamentalism-and-moral-degeneracy/

http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/10/neil-clark-on-the-collapse-of-the-skripal-narrative-its-the-emperors-new-clothes/

http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/03/31/russia-novichok-hysteria-proves-politicians-media-havent-learned-the-lessons-of-iraq/

http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/09/israeli-missile-strike-hits-t4-airbase-near-homs-syria/

https://southfront.org/syrian-air-defense-forces-repel-missile-attack-on-t4-airbase-casualties-reported-video/

NEW IRAN AND SYRIA 2.DOC
https://wikileaks.org/clinton-emails/emailid/18328

TERRORIST FINANCE: ACTION REQUEST FOR SENIOR LEVEL ENGAGEMENT ON TERRORISM FINANCE
https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09STATE131801_a.html

SAUDI INTELLIGENCE CHIEF TALKS REGIONAL SECURITY WITH BRENNAN DELEGATION
https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09RIYADH445_a.html

INFLUENCING THE SARG IN THE END OF 2006
https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/06DAMASCUS5399_a.html

U.S. Foreign Policy in Perspective - Node 17 - Syria - Case 2
http://us-foreign-policy-perspective.org/index.php?id=328

Pipeline Politics in the Syrian Civil War
September 20, 2015
https://www.unicornriot.ninja/2015/pipeline-politics-in-the-syrian-civil-war/
Oil politics in the Syrian civil war is a complex web of money deception and proxy war. What began as non-violent grassroots rebellion against Bashar al Assad and the Syrian state has morphed into a complex proxy war involving countless factions and alliances competing for control of oil, and territory. Various nation states and world powers who have their own financial interests in the region are supporting the armies on the ground. This is because of Syria's strategic importance as a potential gatekeeper between oil reserves from the gulf and oil markets in Europe. There are two different proposed pipelines that will have to run through Syria in order for this to happen. One sponsored by the gulf states called the "Qatar-Turkey pipeline" and one sponsored by the Iranians and Syrians nicknamed the "Islamic pipeline".

Leaked audio: Sec of State Kerry confirms US used ISIS to remove Syria's Assad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdVa5qoh_80
'Daesh was threatening to take Damascus. That's why Russia came in. We saw it coming too, but thought we could use it to force Assad to negotiate...' That is the essence of Kerry's comments here. Kerry's comments came at a meeting that took place at the Dutch Mission to the United Nations on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last September (2016). The audio was originally leaked to the New York Times in late September. The excerpts in the above video are from the full version of the recording posted here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4phB-_pXDM
See also:
https://www.sott.net/article/338536-John-Kerry-admits-that-Russia-entered-Syrian-war-to-stop-ISIS-US-used-ISIS-to-pressure-Assad

Leaked audio of John Kerry's meeting with Syrian revolutionaries/UN (improved audio)
Published on Oct 4, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4phB-_pXDM
'"I lost the argument for use of force in Syria". Kerry's comments came at a meeting that took place at the Dutch Mission to the United Nations on the sidelines the UN General Assembly'.
The audio gives a glimpse into what goes on outside official meetings. Note that it represents the US narrative and not necessarily the entire true narrative.
Any CC is automatic, brought to you by the people at Google.
Fair Use, section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. The audio has been improved by Angel North. Not affiliated with CNN or any referrer to this video. The restored audio is posted here in the public interest of the US people.
The audio was originally leaked to NY Times in late September which only transcribed parts of it. CNN, which is the source (https://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/01/politics/kerry-audio-recording-syria/) for the audio posted here, has since removed it from their site.

The Truth About Pipeline Politics in the Syrian Proxy War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpMCs2XlDRE
Published on Oct 7, 2015
www.undergroundworldnews.com
Oil politics in the Syrian civil war is a complex web of money deception and proxy war. What began as non-violent grassroots rebellion against Bashar al Assad and the Syrian state has morphed into a complex proxy war involving countless factions and alliances competing for control of oil, and territory. Various nation states and world powers who have their own financial interests in the region are supporting the armies on the ground. This is because of Syria's strategic importance as a potential gatekeeper between oil reserves from the gulf and oil markets in Europe. There are two different proposed pipelines that will have to run through Syria in order for this to happen. One sponsored by the gulf states called the "Qatar-Turkey pipeline" and one sponsored by the Iranians and Syrians nicknamed the "Islamic pipeline".
Since the 1990s, Europe has been increasingly dependent on Russian natural gas and oil. In 2014 it was estimated that 42% of the European Union's natural gas imports originated from Russia. This dependence has limited Europe's ability to make a show of force against Russia. Last year the U.S introduced economic sanctions against Russia in retaliation for its annexation of Crimea. When the US asked the EU to participate, there was a heated debate amongst the European nations about how exactly to impose sanctions. Eastern Europeans felt especially threatened by Russia's actions and wanted to enact the harshest penalties possible, however, Western Europeans were well aware that cutting off economic trade with Russia would destabilize their economies. As a result the European Union (EU) has desperately been looking for other sources of natural gas. The "pipeline" which will carry natural gas from Azerbaijan into Europe will help to offset dependence on Russian gas, but will take years to reach full capacity and will not rid Europe of Russian dependence altogether. On top of which European demand for natural gas is expected to rise dramatically in the next 30 years. There is only one known source of gas that can solve Europe's long term energy needs and that's source resides in the Middle East underneath the Persian Gulf.
Read More:
http://www.unicornriot.ninja/?p=2092

Wesley Clark to Fox News Bimbo We use radical Islamists for
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB-YGMWI7vY

General Wesley Clark smacks O'liely
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrSvSB6HwG4

Chaos in the Muslim World "Gen: Wesley Clark on Middle East" !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj2NdCFRNFE

Gen. Wesley Clark - This Country was taken over by a group of people (PNAC) with a Policy Coup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzmW8c66UaI
http://911blogger.com/news/2011-03-26/wesley-clark-country-was-taken-over-group-people-policy-coup

General Wesley Clark - U.S. Foreign Policy Was Hijacked
https://disquietreservations.blogspot.ru/2011/04/general-wesley-clark-us-foreign-policy.html
The basic point that Gen. Clark made is that the Bush administration lied not just about the rationale for the Iraq war but for the entire U.S. presence in the Middle East. The public was conditioned and brainwashed into believing that the raison d'être of the war on terror is to stop the threat of international terrorism, terminate Al Qaeda, and keep America safe from any future terrorist attacks. But that is not the case. U.S. policymakers in the Pentagon and White House were never interested in fighting terrorism and stopping Al Qaeda, or to spread democracy and liberate the people of the Middle East from their dictators.
Gen. Clark says the real aim of U.S. foreign policy in the region is to overthrow governments and secure U.S. hegemony. He said that he met with a three-star general at the Pentagon weeks after 9/11 who informed him that seven nations were targeted for destabilization and regime change by the Bush administration's geopolitical strategists: Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. So far, the Obama administration has not changed the Bush administration's grand strategy in the Middle East. U.S. relations with Iran have not improved since Obama became President, and there is a big possibility that there will be an all out war between the two nations...

Seven Countries in Five Years
General Wesley Clark
https://genius.com/General-wesley-clark-seven-countries-in-five-years-annotated
starting with Iraq, then Syria and Lebanon, then Libya, then Somalia and Sudan, and back to Iran...

General Wesley Clark: Wars Were Planned - Seven Countries In Five Years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RC1Mepk_Sw

Amnesty report: ISIS armed with U.S. weapons
https://www.cnn.com/2015/12/08/politics/amnesty-international-isis-weapons-u-s-/index.html

Proof that "Moderate Rebels" = Al Qaeda and ISIS
https://worldaffairs.blog/2017/06/24/proof-that-moderate-rebels-al-qaeda-and-isis/The term "moderate rebels" is a PR lie perpetrated by the globalists. The truth is that the moderate rebels of "Free Syrian Army" (FSA) is a fantasy construct of Neocons. Here are some links that show that supporting FSA means supporting Al Qaeda or ISIS...

General Dempsey schools Sen Lindsey Graham on AlQaeda ISIS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JdHtGCzLXU

Boris Johnson praising the White Helmets and providing £65 million!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2mWdvgCOqs

BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND WHITE HELMETS EXPOSED ON THE BBC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAQmB74eIGo

Video Proves medical group White Helmets Work for ISIS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZmY9YDqsgU
Published on Apr 14, 2017
The streaming service Netflix released a documentary film entitled The White Helmets on September 16, 2016. The film won the Best Documentary (Short Subject) at the 89th Academy Awards. No one in Hollywood complained that they had just given an award to a terrorist propaganda branch.
They have won a lot of money in support for their fabricated activities, claiming to "help civilians". Civilians in Syria give a completely different opinion and insist that White Helmets only help jihadi fighters.
It's the White Helmets that has falsely professed to the UN that "President Assad dropped chemical weapons" in terrorist held areas. Although dead women and children could be found in footages released by White Helmets, no dead terrorists could be seen which is strange considering they would be the primary target.
This video is not only a further exposure of the truth about the multi-million dollar NATO & Gulf state funded fraudulent White Helmets, it is also a testament to the honour, the integrity and the fortitude of the Syrian people, who despite all they had suffered and endured during the almost five year terrorist occupation, came out resilient and determined to rebuild their shattered lives.

U S Plan- Destroy 7 countries in 5 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MqVY1-ncBI
Published on Oct 9, 2014
4-star General Wesley Clark explaining how the Bush Administration planned on destroying 7 countries in 5 years.
"9/11 was the neoconservatives "new Pearl Harbor" that they wrote they needed in order to launch their wars in the Middle East. George W. Bush's first Secretary of the Treasury said that the topic of Bush's first cabinet meeting was the invasion of Iraq. This was prior to 9/11. In other words, Washington's wars in the Middle East were planned prior to 9/11." -- Paul Craig Roberts http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/10/17/the-real-humanitarian-crisis-is-not-in-aleppo/

General Wesley Clark Asked About 7 Country W@R Plan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pGkFMho6Co
Published on Sep 25, 2013
In this video Luke Rudkowski ask's General Wesley Clark about a speech he made where he revealed pentagon plans for W@R with seven countries in five years. Clark's reaction speaks volumes as he does not say much and walks off when asked about Obama's handling of $yr!4, one of the countries mentioned in the pentagon plan.
Watch Clark's speech here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RC1Mepk_Sw

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK SPEAKING 2007 ON IRAN LIBYA SYRIA IRAQ AFRICA AND 911.flv
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m58jF8_KgzI
Published on Apr 3, 2012
THIS video was originally from a 2007 talk GENERAL WESLEY CLARK gave that I downloaded from the Alex Jones channel. The reason I'm posting it here now is to prove to those who are starting to wake up as to how long ago those in the new world order had planed to invade Libya /Syria/Iraq /Iran /Sudan/Saudi Arabia etc.please listen to this video carefully play back over and over if needed . pay very close attention to how many day's after the twin towers were hit that this was all already decided.. also you need to pay very close attention when he talks about the project for a new American century and he actually list the names of those involved especially dick Cheney who was one of the people involved in commissioning the actual study back in 2000. keep in mind if you follow their original time line from September11 of 2001 they said 7 country's in 5 years which means they wanted to have invaded all 7 by 2006 or close to that .here it is 2012 they are behind schedule by over 6 years actually 5 years they hit Libya in 2011 but non the less they are getting very irritated that we have woken up and are slowing them down and starting to stand up and fight .in other words you can expect then to try to accelerate things even more now and force us under their rule and domination .spread this video to every military service person you can show them terror storm to learn just how far back they planed ww1and ww2 and who financed them both.

9/11 - Neocons Planned Middle East Destabilization Since 2000?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuvV8-82LPQ
Published on Jun 14, 2013
9/11 revisited. This video opens with Wesley Clark, Four-Star General, U.S. Army (Ret.), and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (1997 -- 2000) speaking of being informed at a Pentagon visit in the weeks after 9/11 about the proposed implementation of the G.W. Bush administration's Project for the New American Century. This plan, he learned from a Three-Star General of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, included attacking and destroying the governments in seven countries in five-years -- Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Iran
The Neoconservative Wolfowitz Doctrine written in 1992, and the resultant Project for the New American Century manifesto written in 2000 laid out plans for foreign nation destabilization and nation-building by America. Fully implementing the plans required that a Neoconservative administration gain the White House in 2001, and for a nationally galvanizing event like "a new Pearl Harbor" to occur, which was realized with the highly suspicious attacks of September 11, 2001. The Republican instigated "Brooks Brothers Riot" [http://youtu.be/eR5V7cjpycw - beginning a 02:40] that utilized planted Republican staff members posing as Florida residents during the 2000 election recount, successfully stopped the recount and allowed the Supreme Court to appoint George W. Bush as the President of the United States even though Al Gore would have won the recount. This "riot" allowed the Neoconservative administration to begin implementing their Project for the New American Century goals.
A Pentagon document dated March 5, 2001, entitled "Foreign Suitors for Iraqi Oil Field Contracts" called for divvying-up Iraq's oil wealth [http://youtu.be/SzX3DfZR_1c - at 06:15] and predated the March 20, 2003 invasion by 2 years and predated the 9/11 attacks by six-months.
9/11 - What Happened to the Passengers? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGB9A4ODmFo
Below is the excellent 5-hour professional investigative 9/11 film which examines important aspects of the 9/11 attacks and demonstrates that the attack was not as we have been led to believe:
September 11 - The New Pearl Harbor (Full version) - Part 1 of 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5ppQDmId9M
September 11 - The New Pearl Harbor (Full version) - Part 2 of 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahPo6DiGp7Y
September 11 - The New Pearl Harbor (Full version) - Part 3 of 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haVF4oUOFJE
The world we live in today is largely a direct result of the events of September 11, 2001. This 3-part documentary is an extremely detailed examination of what really happened on the day that changed the course of the world.
http://youtu.be/h6SdkRoBmvY - 9/11 - Aaron Russo Forewarned 11-Months Before Attack

He WARNED Us about The U.S. Plan to take out 7 countries!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nvGpW0pu1U

The Elite's Strategic Destabilization in the Middle East
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t01YYUhpkX0

P.N.A.C: The Plan To Destabilize The Middle-East
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqTq8QL86TY
Published on Oct 13, 2014
P.N.A.C Project for a new American century
THE ARAB SPRING WAS FERMENTED BY THE WEST
General Wesley Clark first announced this in 2003...

The New American Century (Complete)
Published on Nov 7, 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8v5aPkkrAI
This film goes in detail through the untold history of The Project for the New American Century with tons of archival footage and connects it right into the present. This film exposes how every major war in US history was based on a complete fraud with video of insiders themselves admitting it. This film shows how the first film theaters in the US were used over a hundred years ago to broadcast propaganda to rile the American people into the Spanish-American War. This film shows the white papers of the oil company Unocal which called for the creation of a pipeline through Afghanistan and how their exact needs were fulfilled through the US invasion of Afghanistan. This film shows how Halliburton under their "cost plus" exclusive contract with the US Government went on a mad dash spending spree akin to something out of the movie Brewster's Millions, yet instead of blowing $30 million they blew through BILLIONS by literally burning millions of dollars worth of hundred thousand dollar cars and trucks if they had so much as a flat tire. "A stunning film. It should be seen as widely as possible, in cinemas, bars, clubs, at meetings and, of course, through the internet. I'm sure the film will continue to be a source of debate and political education for many years. Maybe until the war criminals have been brought to trial." - Ken Loach While Massimo Mazzuccos first political documentary, GLOBAL DECEIT (2006), focused on the long list of inconsistencies in the official version of the 9/11 attacks, THE NEW AMERICAN CENTURY explores the historical, philosophical and economic background that suggests a matrix for such events that is much closer to home than the so-called "Islamic terrorism". The film provides solid evidence for the true reasons behind the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, whose unfolding is described in chilling detail in a document called "Project for the New American Century", published in the year 2,000, that seems to have served as the actual blueprint for such dramatic events

U.S. General Wesley Clark: A policy coup took place on 9/11
https://www.sott.net/article/258693-US-General-Wesley-Clark-A-policy-coup-took-place-on-9-11

Wes Clark - America's Foreign Policy "Coup"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY2DKzastu8

Wesley Clark, "Don't Wait for the Next War"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKOJhRKqAtI
https://www.politics-prose.com/event/book/wesley-k-clark-dont-wait-next-war-strategy-american-growth-and-global-leadership
From World War II through the Cold War, America grew into a formidable world leader as the Arsenal of Democracy. But in recent years the nation has lost its way, Clark believes. The retired four-star general, currently head of his own strategic consulting firm and member of the Clinton Global Initiative's Energy & Climate Change Advisory Board, argues that we need a new strategic vision, particularly in relation to the turbulent Middle East, China, and the unprecedented challenges of cybersecurity. (PublicAffairs)
Founded by Carla Cohen and Barbara Meade in 1984, Politics & Prose Bookstore is Washington, D.C.'s premier independent bookstore and cultural hub, a gathering place for people interested in reading and discussing books. Politics & Prose offers superior service, unusual book choices, and a haven for book lovers in the store and online. Visit them on the web at http://www.politics-prose.com/

Plans for Middle East - U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark | HD 1080p
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz5fZziMWEE
Published on Nov 9, 2013
US Army General Wesley Clark, talks about the future plans to invade 7 Muslim Countries.
General Wesley Clark:
Because I had been through the Pentagon right after 9/11. About ten days after 9/11, I went through the Pentagon and I saw Secretary Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz. I went downstairs just to say hello to some of the people on the Joint Staff who used to work for me, and one of the generals called me in.
He said, "Sir, you gotta come in you've gotta come in and talk to me a second."
I said, "Well, you're too busy."
He said, "No, no."
He says, "We've made the decision we're going to war with Iraq."
This was on or about the 20th of September.
I said, "We're going to war with Iraq? Why?"
He said, "I don't know." He said, "I guess they don't know what else to do."
So I said, "Well, did they find some information connecting Saddam to al-Qaeda?"
He said, "No, no." He says, "There's nothing new that way. They just made the decision to go to war with Iraq." He said, "I guess it's like we don't know what to do about terrorists, but we've got a good military and we can take down governments." And he said, "I guess if the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem has to
look like a nail.
"So I came back to see him a few weeks later, and by that time we were bombing in Afghanistan. I said, "Are we still going to war with Iraq?" And he said, "Oh, it's worse than that." He reached over on his desk. He picked up a piece of paper. And he said, "I just got this down from upstairs" -- meaning the Secretary of Defense's
office -- "today."
And he said, "This is a memo that describes how we're going to take out 7 countries in 5 years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran."
These are their evil plans! Invading innocent and poor countries for stealing (robbing) natural resources and then installing their puppet (slave) regimes or governments, raping women and girls, committing acts of ruthless barbarianism and terrorism by murdering and torturing the people (physically & mentally) of that country. Even the kids are not left, the Kids are also the target of Terrorism committed by the Americans, British and their allies.

Was There a Plan to Destabilize the Middle East (and the world?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzX3DfZR_1c
Published on Oct 20, 2012
The neo-conservatives had plans for the Middle East in place through the Project for the New American Century, which in September of 2000 cautioned in writing that implementing their plans would likely be a long and drawn-out affair absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event like "a new Pearl Harbor" - 12-months later the events of 9/11 occurred. Was 9/11 the "New Pearl Harbor" needed to get Americans to support an invasion in the Middle East to get their "ball rolling," so to speak? Was 9/11 a 2001 version of the proposed 1962 false flag "Operation Northwoods?"
[https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2012-09-23/how-high-oil-prices-will-permanently-cap-economic-growth]
"For most of the last century, cheap oil powered global economic growth. But in the last decade, the price of oil has quadrupled, and that shift will permanently shackle the growth potential of the world's economies....Not long ago, when oil was $20 a barrel, the U.S. was the locomotive of global economic growth; the federal government was running budget surpluses; the jobless rate at the beginning of the last decade was at a 40-year low. Now, growth is stalled, the deficit is more than $1 trillion and almost 13 million Americans are unemployed."
"And the U.S. isn't the only country getting squeezed. From Europe to Japan, governments are struggling to restore growth. But the economic remedies being used are doing more harm than good, based as they are on a fundamental belief that economic growth can return to its former strength. Central bankers and policy makers have failed to fully recognize the suffocating impact of $100-a-barrel oil."
"Guess what oil prices were doing in 2008, when the world fell into the deepest recession since the 1930s? From trading around $30 a barrel in 2004, oil prices marched steadily higher before hitting a peak of $147 a barrel in the summer of 2008. Unlike past oil price shocks, this time there wasn't even a supply disruption to blame. The spigot was wide open. The problem was, we could no longer afford to buy what was flowing through it."

Project for the New American Century
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sSDUN-esUI
Published on Nov 22, 2010
David Swanson: PNAC calls for the assertion of American military might around the globe
To watch a multi-part episode, click the link Below:
http://www.therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=74&jumival=639

War is a Lie
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:5889:War-is-a-Lie
David Swanson: All wars require lies

Mind blowing speech by Robert Welch in 1958 predicting Insiders plans to destroy America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZU0c8DAIU4

Putin on the destruction of the Middle East -- Must watch!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy5F5nDuXYY

John Kerry: "Problem Is Young People Don't Want To Die Anymore"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG76dPe4hRU

Joe Biden - ISIS terrorists armed by Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOf7jzc7faY
"ISIS Daesh armed by our friends and alias." - NATO General General Wesley Clark (Zionist)
Biden forgot to mention Israel, America and Britain continue to do it.

EX-MARINE TELLS THE TRUTH ABOUT ISIS!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-sOnmsWivs
Published on Dec 6, 2015
Ex-marine tells the truth about Isis and Islam!

PUTIN JUST EXPOSED THE PLOT TO DESTROY AMERICA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bee70unn9aM

International Journalist Tells The Truth About Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WisDjl6g6rk

Ex-CIA Agent: America creates its own enemies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLjZoA3GaVE
Americans are in the crosshairs of terrorists worldwide purely due to Washington's policy in the Muslim world, not because there is an Islamic enemy whose only aim is to kill Americans for their freedoms and lifestyle, insists a former CIA officer. Historian Michael Scheuer, an author of "Through our enemies' eyes", who worked for the agency for over 20 years till 2004 and at one time was the chief of the CIA's 'Bin Laden unit', says America's greatest enemy -- radical Islam -- never existed: neither when Bin Laden was alive, nor now.

Wesley Clark Told The Truth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAFHOHIiFZA
Published on May 28, 2012
People need to be investigated. There needs to be accountability.
Here's an article by Glenn Greenwald on the subject.
https://www.salon.com/2011/11/26/wes_clark_and_the_neocon_dream/

I'd Dump the Israelis Tomorrow --Ex-CIA Michael Scheuer Tells Congress
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHl1JnQoIWQ

Assad Destroys US Reporter In Interview Exposes Zionist Propaganda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HLjC53emUM

Nikki Haley & Ayelet Shaked EXPOSED
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-czVsco7FaI
Settlements explained. Nikki Haley admits being able to manipulate the UN. Meet Ayelet Shaked & the people who rule over us

What's REALLY Happening in Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJZRvp6w4wc
The U.S. is HELPING ISIS and moving closer to war with Russia. Subscribe to Syrian Girl's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/SyrianGirlpartisan

The Real Reason We're In Syria Is Enraging But Not Surprising
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjOr2YzrZDY
The conflict in Syria is directly related to plans for massive competing pipelines and West vs East geo-politics. Jimmy Dore breaks it down.

Syrian Christian girls defend their town from Western backed "moderate rebels"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTKIqc6vQXI
Source Anna News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6p4o6xsQco Translation courtesy of Yelizar Benyavskiy.

Syrian Girl Clears The Air on Chemical Attack in Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huWa6sxbduE
Alex welcomes back Syrian Girl to get the latest updates on the situation in Syria. In yet another example of war propaganda, the U.S. government is now claiming that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is using chemical weapons against his own people.

Syrian Girl Warns of Chemical Weapons False Flag Months Ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btoEFWRq0q0

Syrian Girl - Why the Globalists Hate Syria - Radio 3Fourteen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIiwl8pMgW0
Syrian Girl is a Sunni Muslim from Damascus in her late 20s, now living in Australia. She has a very popular YouTube channel, which she calls anti-neocon, anti-NWO and anti-Zionist. Our conversation begins with a comparison of Shiite and Sunni Muslims, and then we look at what life was like in Syria before the beautiful country in the heart of the Fertile Crescent was destabilized. Syrian Girl describes Syria's relationship with its neighboring countries before the Zio-west invaded the Middle East, and she explains the oil pipeline conflict between Iran, Qatar and Syria that brought a money hungry war to the region. Then, we get into why Syria has been invaded, and we cover the eight reasons why the NWO hates Syria and the Socialist Nationalist ideals of the Ba'ath Party. We talk about the outside economic pressure that brought globalist capitalism and surges of foreign workers to the unique country, and we look at the long history of African migration into Europe through Syria. Syrian Girl points to the globalist conspiracy to destroy Nationalism via neo-colonialism and imperialism that is driving people out of their homelands. Further, we consider how multiculturalism is not working for Europe and why the humanitarians who are rallying for more refugees simply don't understand the Zionist agenda behind the Muslim conflict with Europe. Syrian Girl discusses the demographics of Syrian exiles, along with the millions of internally displaced refugees that are living in camps within the country and in neighboring Jordan and Turkey. Later, Syrian Girl gives her take on Russia's obliteration of ISIS forces this month, she explains the historical relationship between Russia and Syria, and we look at who is funding ISIS. At the end, we ponder what the Middle East would look like if the zio-west had never intervened.
Websites:
https://www.youtube.com/user/SyrianGirlpartisan/videos
syriangirlpartisan.blogspot.com

Syrian Girl Breaks Down The Media Lies About Chemical Weapons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOXfe1QxYAs
A Syrian woman joins the War Room to discuss the true motivations behind the US government's push for so-called Chemical disarmament.

How Saudi Arabia Financed Global Terror
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCUbFJeRfME
Published on Feb 5, 2015
Funding Jihad? (2003) - Did the Saudi Royal Family really finance 9/11? Although a key Middle Eastern ally of America and Britain, the Wahhabist Saudi regime is nevertheless suspected of financing terror groups around the world.
For similar stories see:
Saudi's Lavish Buildings Threaten To Overwhelm Mecca Site
https://youtu.be/QsN__zB_2JM
Yemen's Secret War On Terror
https://youtu.be/ZnJrS4umD2c
Revealing How a British PR Firm Helped Shape the War on Terror
https://youtu.be/-glDd70H5os
Subscribe to Journeyman for daily uploads: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=journeymanpictures
For downloads and more information visit: http://www.journeyman.tv/?lid=10481
The invasion of Iraq has fuelled anti-western sentiment in Saudi Arabia, strengthening grassroots' support for terrorist organisations.
Allan Gerson has sued Saudi charities, banks and members of the royal family for two trillion dollars. He accuses them of financing the September 11 attacks and Bali bombing: "We have seen evidence of money that went from Saudi sources through various entities in Europe to support terrorist cells." These allegations are strenuously denied by Crown Prince Abdullah, ruler of Saudi Arabia. However, there is a growing gulf between the governing elite and their subjects and many Saudis are angered by America's unwavering support for Israel. "The more the Palestinians are oppressed and the more the Americans support Israel, the more popular bin Laden and his like becomes," explains Saudi writer Sulayman Al-Hattlan. "Osama stood up for people who were quiet ... He told the States I'm not afraid of you," admires one student. Her friend agrees: "If Bush makes us choose between our religion or hurting our people, we're going to choose our religion." Images of the bombing of Baghdad can only galvanise support for Islamic fundamentalists prepared to bank-roll Al-Qaeda.
---

The Pentagon can't account for $21 trillion (that's not a typo)
https://www.nationofchange.org/2018/05/16/the-pentagon-cant-account-for-21-trillion-thats-not-a-typo/
It seems vaguely upsetting, but you forget about it 15 seconds later because ... what else is there to do?
---

An empire of nothing at all?
https://www.nationofchange.org/2018/05/16/an-empire-of-nothing-at-all/
The U.S. military takes us through the gates of hell.

https://noczone-fvdefpncfaxtmfnyjx.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image0000259-970x350.png
Image Credit: War Is Boring

[This essay is the introduction to Tom Engelhardt's new book, A Nation Unmade by War, a Dispatch Book published by Haymarket Books.]

As I was putting the finishing touches on my new book, the Costs of War Project at Brown University's Watson Institute published an estimate of the taxpayer dollars that will have gone into America's war on terror from September 12, 2001, through fiscal year 2018. That figure: a cool $5.6 trillion (including the future costs of caring for our war vets). On average, that's at least $23,386 per taxpayer.

Keep in mind that such figures, however eye-popping, are only the dollar costs of our wars. They don't, for instance, include the psychic costs to the Americans mangled in one way or another in those never-ending conflicts. They don't include the costs to this country's infrastructure, which has been crumbling while taxpayer dollars flow copiously and in a remarkably -- in these years, almost uniquely -- bipartisan fashion into what's still laughably called "national security." That's not, of course, what would make most of us more secure, but what would make them -- the denizens of the national security state -- ever more secure in Washington and elsewhere. We're talking about the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. nuclear complex, and the rest of that state-within-a-state, including its many intelligence agencies and the warrior corporations that have, by now, been fused into that vast and vastly profitable interlocking structure.

In reality, the costs of America's wars, still spreading in the Trump era, are incalculable. Just look at photos of the cities of Ramadi or Mosul in Iraq, Raqqa or Aleppo in Syria, Sirte in Libya, or Marawi in the southern Philippines, all in ruins in the wake of the conflicts Washington set off in the post--9/11 years, and try to put a price on them. Those views of mile upon mile of rubble, often without a building still standing untouched, should take anyone's breath away. Some of those cities may never be fully rebuilt.

And how could you even begin to put a dollars-and-cents value on the larger human costs of those wars: the hundreds of thousands of dead? The tens of millions of people displaced in their own countries or sent as refugees fleeing across any border in sight? How could you factor in the way those masses of uprooted peoples of the Greater Middle East and Africa are unsettling other parts of the planet? Their presence (or more accurately a growing fear of it) has, for instance, helped fuel an expanding set of right-wing "populist" movements that threaten to tear Europe apart. And who could forget the role that those refugees -- or at least fantasy versions of them -- played in Donald Trump's full-throated, successful pitch for the presidency? What, in the end, might be the cost of that?
Opening the gates of hell

America's never-ending twenty-first-century conflicts were triggered by the decision of George W. Bush and his top officials to instantly define their response to attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center by a tiny group of jihadis as a "war"; then to proclaim it nothing short of a "Global War on Terror"; and finally to invade and occupy first Afghanistan and then Iraq, with dreams of dominating the Greater Middle East -- and ultimately the planet -- as no other imperial power had ever done.

Their overwrought geopolitical fantasies and their sense that the U.S. military was a force capable of accomplishing anything they willed it to do launched a process that would cost this world of ours in ways that no one will ever be able to calculate. Who, for instance, could begin to put a price on the futures of the children whose lives, in the aftermath of those decisions, would be twisted and shrunk in ways frightening even to imagine? Who could tote up what it means for so many millions of this planet's young to be deprived of homes, parents, educations -- of anything, in fact, approximating the sort of stability that might lead to a future worth imagining?

Though few may remember it, I've never forgotten the 2002 warning issued by Amr Moussa, then head of the Arab League. An invasion of Iraq would, he predicted that September, "open the gates of hell." Two years later, in the wake of the actual invasion and the U.S. occupation of that country, he altered his comment slightly. "The gates of hell," he said, "are open in Iraq."

His assessment has proven unbearably prescient -- and one not only applicable to Iraq. Fourteen years after that invasion, we should all now be in some kind of mourning for a world that won't ever be. It wasn't just the U.S. military that, in the spring of 2003, passed through those gates to hell. In our own way, we all did. Otherwise, Donald Trump wouldn't have become president.

I don't claim to be an expert on hell. I have no idea exactly what circle of it we're now in, but I do know one thing: we are there.
The infrastructure of a garrison state

If I could bring my parents back from the dead right now, I know that this country in its present state would boggle their minds. They wouldn't recognize it. If I were to tell them, for instance, that just three men -- Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett -- now possess as much wealth as the bottom half of the U.S. population, of 160 million Americans, they would never believe me.

How, for instance, could I begin to explain to them the ways in which, in these years, money flowed ever upward into the pockets of the immensely wealthy and then down again into what became one-percent elections that would finally ensconce a billionaire and his family in the White House? How would I explain to them that, while leading congressional Democrats and Republicans couldn't say often enough that this country was uniquely greater than any that ever existed, none of them could find the funds -- some $5.6 trillion for starters -- necessary for our roads, dams, bridges, tunnels, and other crucial infrastructure? This on a planet where what the news likes to call "extreme weather" is increasingly wreaking havoc on that same infrastructure.

My parents wouldn't have thought such things possible. Not in America. And somehow I'd have to explain to them that they had returned to a nation which, though few Americans realize it, has increasingly been unmade by war -- by the conflicts Washington's war on terror triggered that have now morphed into the wars of so many and have, in the process, changed us.

Such conflicts on the global frontiers have a tendency to come home in ways that can be hard to track or pin down. After all, unlike those cities in the Greater Middle East, ours aren't yet in ruins -- though some of them may be heading in that direction, even if in slow motion. This country is, at least theoretically, still near the height of its imperial power, still the wealthiest nation on the planet. And yet it should be clear enough by now that we've crippled not just other nations but ourselves in ways that I suspect -- though I've tried over these years to absorb and record them as best I could -- we can still barely see or grasp.

In my new book, A Nation Unmade by War, the focus is on a country increasingly unsettled and transformed by spreading wars to which most of its citizens were, at best, only half paying attention. Certainly, Trump's election was a sign of how an American sense of decline had already come home to roost in the era of the rise of the national security state (and little else).

Though it's not something normally said here, to my mind President Trump should be considered part of the costs of those wars come home. Without the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq and what followed, I doubt he would have been imaginable as anything but the host of a reality T.V. show or the owner of a series of failed casinos. Nor would the garrison-state version of Washington he now occupies be conceivable, nor the generals of our disastrous wars whom he's surrounded himself with, nor the growth of a surveillance state that would have staggered George Orwell.
The makings of a blowback machine

It took Donald Trump -- give him credit where it's due -- to make us begin to grasp that we were living in a different and devolving world. And none of this would have been imaginable if, in the aftermath of 9/11, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney & Co. hadn't felt the urge to launch the wars that led us through those gates of hell. Their soaring geopolitical dreams of global domination proved to be nightmares of the first order. They imagined a planet unlike any in the previous half millennium of imperial history, in which a single power would basically dominate everything until the end of time. They imagined, that is, the sort of world that, in Hollywood, had been associated only with the most malign of evil characters.

And here was the result of their conceptual overreach: never, it could be argued, has a great power still in its imperial prime proven quite so incapable of applying its military and political might in a way that would advance its aims. It's a strange fact of this century that the U.S. military has been deployed across vast swaths of the planet and somehow, again and again, has found itself overmatched by underwhelming enemy forces and incapable of producing any results other than destruction and further fragmentation. And all of this occurred at the moment when the planet most needed a new kind of knitting together, at the moment when humanity's future was at stake in ways previously unimaginable, thanks to its still-increasing use of fossil fuels.

In the end, the last empire may prove to be an empire of nothing at all -- a grim possibility which has been a focus of TomDispatch, the website I've run since November 2002. Of course, when you write pieces every couple of weeks for years on end, it would be surprising if you didn't repeat yourself. The real repetitiousness, however, wasn't at TomDispatch. It was in Washington. The only thing our leaders and generals have seemed capable of doing, starting from the day after the 9/11 attacks, is more or less the same thing with the same dismal results, again and again.

The U.S. military and the national security state that those wars emboldened have become, in effect -- and with a bow to the late Chalmers Johnson (a TomDispatch stalwart and a man who knew the gates of hell when he saw them) -- a staggeringly well-funded blowback machine. In all these years, while three administrations pursued the spreading war on terror, America's conflicts in distant lands were largely afterthoughts to its citizenry. Despite the largest demonstrations in history aimed at stopping a war before it began, once the invasion of Iraq occurred, the protests died out and, ever since, Americans have generally ignored their country's wars, even as the blowback began. Someday, they will have no choice but to pay attention.

Get news the mainstream media doesn't want you to see
---

US Could Halt Funding White Helmets, Due to Facts of Douma Provocations - MoD
Middle East
16:27 04.05.2018(updated 16:36 04.05.2018) Get short URL
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201805041064149894-us-no-money-douma/

The Russian Defense Ministry said Friday that the US could have stopped financing the White Helmets in Syria due to evidence of staged provocations in Douma.

CBS news agency reported earlier in the day, citing the leader of the controversial group that the US administration had halted the flow of US cash, which amounts to a third of their budget, had stopped in recent weeks, almost two months after their delegation was hosted by the US State Department in Washington, DC.

The White Helmets reported in early April an alleged chemical attack in Douma, which they claim was performed by the Syrian government, who has refuted all the allegations. Following the allegations, three countries, namely the United States, France and the UK launched massive missile strikes against government targets in Syria.
---

Chemical Attack in Syria's Douma an 'Amateur Theater' - Czech Politician
© Sputnik / Mikhail Voskresenskiy
Opinion
16:55 04.05.2018(updated 16:57 04.05.2018) Get short URL
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201805041064151266-chemical-attack-in-douma-amateur-theater/

As the international community has been debating the escalating situation in Syria over an alleged chemical attack in Syria's Douma and subsequent airstrikes against the country led by the US, Czech MEP Jaromir Kohlicek commented on the issue in an interview with Sputnik.

Last month's alleged chemical attack in Syria's Douma was "staged" by the United States, Czech politician Jaromir Kohlicek told Sputnik.

"This chemical attack against Syria is an amateur theater... The Americans talked about chemical substances -- chlorine, sarin, phosphates. But there was nothing there," Jaromir Kohlicek told Sputni.

"We saw pictures of these complexes in the city. After the bombing, if there were chemical weapons, many people would have died. No one has died. There were no signs that there was anything bad there. The buildings are destroyed, but as for the chemistry, there was nothing," the politician added.

A British reporter returning from five weeks in Syria told Radio Sputnik on Monday that civilians strolling the streets, as well as people in around Douma, literally laughed at her when she asked if there had been chemical attack there just weeks ago.

READ MORE: OPCW Experts Take Probes at Site of Alleged Douma Attack -- Zakharova

Kohlicek also said that the attack was only a pretext for the United States, British and French armed forces to fire more than 100 missiles at targets in Syria on April 14.

"It's like in a theater. [During the US attack on Syria] They did not destroy anything related to chemical weapons, they did not kill anyone and informed about the attack three days in advance. Even those who monitor the aircraft and regulate air transport in the east of the Mediterranean said: do not fly in the area for 72 hours. So everything was prepared like in a theater," Kohlicek noted.

The situation in Syria escalated last month in wake of an alleged chemical attack in the city of Douma on April 7. The incident was followed by airstrikes against Syria, conducted by the US-led coalition, despite Damascus strongly denying the allegations, adding that the use of chemical weapons in the suburb of the capital could have been planned by terrorist groups.

READ MORE: 'Chemical Attack' Provocation With US Participation Planned in Syria -- Source

The international community has been voicing concern over the use of chemical weapons inside Syria since the alleged use of sarin gas in Damascus in 2013. After the incident, Syria joined the OPCW and agreed to destroy its chemical weapons arsenal. On January 4, 2016, the OPCW confirmed in a statement that Syrian chemical weapons had been completely destroyed.
---

***
UK Reporter: Douma Residents Laugh at Notion of 'Chemical Attack'
© Photo: YouTube/Ruptly
Middle East
00:45 01.05.2018(updated 13:09 04.05.2018) Get short URL
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201805011064044016-uk-reporter-douma-laught-chemical/

A British reporter returning from five weeks in Syria told Radio Sputnik on Monday that civilians strolling the streets and people in around Douma literally laughed at her when she asked if there had been chemical attack there just weeks ago.

The alleged attack provided a pretext for the United States, British and French armed forces to fire more than 100 missiles at targets in Syria on April 13.

?"I spoke to medical staff and doctors at the medical point that took in victims the night of the alleged chemical attack and all told me they were suffering from dust and smoke inhalation, that there was no chemical attack," journalist Vanessa Beeley told Fault Lines on Radio Sputnik Monday.

"They were being treated for dust and smoke inhalation before the treatment was broken up by the White Helmets and a number of other actors who basically converted it into a chemical weapon attack," Beeley, an editor at 21st Century Wire, continued.
A member of the Civil Defence, also known as the 'White Helmets', who have been nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize, reacts after the announcemenet of the winner, in a rebel held area of Aleppo, Syria October 7, 2016
© REUTERS / Abdalrhman Ismail

The White Helmets, also known as Syrian Civil Defense, has received millions in financing from Washington, London, Doha and many EU member states. While the Syrian Arab Army drove out the armed militants from Eastern Ghouta earlier this month, militants from Jaysh al-Islam, a jihadist group financed by Riyadh, rode on the same buses as White Helmet operatives on the route from Douma to Idlib, the journalist explained.

***
"Even outside the medical point when I spoke to civilians on the ground -- people just walking past, people in the shops, in the market area -- actually started laughing when I asked 'Was there a chemical attack?'" Beeley told Sputnik.

Related:

White Helmets Volunteer Caught With Rebels Dumping Beheaded Bodies
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706231054899766-white-helmets-volunteer-beheaded-bodies/

Syrian Doctor Reveals Why There Was No Chemical Attack in Douma
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201804231063832874-syria-douma-alleged-chemical-attack/

Douma Doctors, Witnesses Reveal Lies Behind White Helmets' Provocation (VIDEO)
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201804261063933214-opcw-russia-delegation-press-briefing/

Father of Boy From White Helmets' Video: No Chemical Attack Occurred in Douma
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201804191063713985-douma-father-no-chemical-weapons/

German Reporter: Syria's Douma Residents Say Chemical Attack Was a Sham (VIDEO)
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201804231063812607-chemical-attack-syria-sham/

Tags:
alleged chemical attack, White Helmets, Syria
https://sputniknews.com/tags/keyword_alleged_chemical_attack/
https://sputniknews.com/tags/organization_White_Helmets/
https://sputniknews.com/tags/geo_Syria/
---

Terrorist Acts Plotted in Russia Were Coordinated From Abroad - FSB
CC BY-SA 3.0 / SpetsnazAlpha / SpetsnazAlpha
Russia
16:49 04.05.2018(updated 17:05 04.05.2018) Get short URL
https://sputniknews.com/russia/201805041064150871-terrorist-acts-plots-coordination/

The Russian Federal Security Service reported the detention of five Daesh members in the city of Yaroslavl on May 3-4. As the law enforcement agency specified, they were plotting terrorist acts in several Russian cities.

"The Russian Federal Security Service detained five members of the Daesh terrorist cell, who had been plotting terrorist acts on the territory of a number of Russian regions," the FSB's public relations center said.

As the FSB specified, the communications between terrorists were maintained via the Telegram messenger, including from abroad.

"During the searches, we confiscated an arsenal of improvised explosive devices, explosives, firearms and ammunition from the detainees," the FSB stated.

DETAILS TO FOLLOW
---

The Skripal and Douma Incidents Are Parts of Plan to Bring Russia Down -- Chemist
© Sputnik / Nour Molhem
Opinion
01:03 29.04.2018Get short URL
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201804291064003910-douma-skripal-one-operation/

Syrian troops continue to find terrorist deposits with chemical weapons from Germany and the UK in Douma, according to the Syrian deputy envoy to the OPCW. He has called on OPCW to visit the site and expressed hope that they would dispel all allegations. Sputnik discussed it with Dr. Christopher Busby, of the European Committee on Radiation Risk.

Dr. Christopher Busby is a physical chemist and the scientific secretary of the European Committee on Radiation Risk.

Sputnik: Does it come as a surprise that Europe-manufactured chemical weapons were found at the place where the so called attack took place?

Dr. Christopher Busby: There're two types of chemical weapons essentially. You can classify them as materials which were designed as weapons like the nerve gases and the WW1 agents like mustard gas and so forth. But there're also materials that can be used as chemical weapons, but actually are really quite common and they're used for other things as well. So I see that people have mentioned that they find chlorine cylinders. Chlorine can certainly be used as a chemical weapon and was in WW1 but it's not essentially a chemical weapon. It's used for purifying water and of course in the Middle East it's necessary to purify water because it's quite warm. And then smoke bombs were mentioned also. But then again smoke bombs could be materials that are used by farmers for fumigating moles. So if that is all that was found I don't think that it's necessarily a find of chemical weapons, it's just a find of materials that could be used as chemical weapons.

Sputnik: At the recent gathering in The Hague Russia brought witnesses from the town of Douma, I think very famous is the young man who everybody saw in the attack. And of course Western powers called that a Russian stunt. What do you make of the adequacy of that reaction?

Pranksters Lexus (Alexei Kuznetsov) and Vovan (Vladimir Kuznetsov). File photo
© Photo : Alexandr Polegenko
'We Are Citizens With Our Own Strong Position': Prankster On Call to OPCW Head Amid Skripal Case
Dr. Christopher Busby: I always disbelieve everybody to start off with, that's where I come from in all of these affairs. I've dealt with this sort of issue with depleted uranium weapons usage and so on. But I do happen to have a line into this because I have a friend called Robert Fisk who I utterly trust. He's quite a famous reporter and I worked with him in the Balkans long ago with depleted uranium and also in the Middle East with depleted uranium. And he actually visited Douma and he talked to a lot of the doctors and nurses and individuals there and interviewed them. And they told him that there was no chemical attack, that there had not been a chemical attack that some "White Helmets" had rushed in. There was a lot of dust and lack of oxygen because of bombing and they just rushed in and shouted, "Chemicals!" and everybody of course had panicked. And so they then started spraying water over people and videoing the whole thing. So I believe Robert Fisk, I believe him utterly and I think it was a stunt and the stunt was carried out by these "White Helmet" people. And then the question of course arises as to who asked them to do that, whether they did it off their own bat or whether it was some operation that was controlled from a higher level, either by the Americans presumably or by the United Kingdom.

Sputnik: I was just wondering, in Douma there've also been accusations that that Russia and Syria may have tempered with evidence. How realistic is that to temper with evidence? Is it possible to clean up a site where these chemicals had been used in such a way that the OPCW wouldn't be able to find them once they entered that area?

Dr. Christopher Busby: No, there's no way that could be done. Absolutely no way that could be done. If the chemical weapons were there and if we can trust the OPCW and their laboratories then they would find them. There's no question....The only way you could tamper it was to alter the samples between the time that they were taken and the time that they appeared in the laboratories of the OPCW. And then to do that, if you were going to get rid of the evidence, you'd have to replace the samples with pure samples. You'd actually have to steal the entire sample and put back a sample that was pure. But a more easy way of doing it if you want to do the opposite would be to add some nerve agent or some chemical weapon material to the sample before it got to the laboratory and I believe actually there has been an accusation of that in the case of the Skripals.

Sputnik: Do you think that there's a connection between the Skripal matter and Douma?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation building in Moscow
© Sputnik / Vladimir Pesnya
No Victims of Alleged Chemical Attack Found in Syrian Douma - Moscow
Dr. Christopher Busby: Yes, I do. And it's not just between those two things. It also brings in the general move against the Russians, which I've observed since I've been living in Latvia by NATO forces concentrating in Latvia and by all sorts of media in Latvia saying that the Russians are going to come over the border and they are going to generally take back the whole territories of the Baltic states and so forth.

Sputnik: So, would you tend to think that the Skripal matter was sort of an attempt to discredit Russia prior to the events in Douma?

Dr. Christopher Busby: Yes, I do. I think it's all one operation. Otherwise there're too many coincidences here. It's all about chemical weapons and it starts in Britain and then it moves to Syria. It's very crudely done, rather stupidly done and it's brought in a kind of joint operation by the, I don't know who you'd call them, by those militaristic hawks and their secret service operators that have existed ever since the Second World Warw right through the Cold War and right through to the present day in the Pentagon and in the British Secret Service. They're really trying to stir up something against Russia. They're trying to bring Russia down. So you have to think about why that would be and at the same time you have to bring in the fact that Brexit has suddenly occurred out of the blue. And I think that's all part of the same thing. There's some large plan going on behind the scenes here that has to do with the petrodollar, it has to do with global spheres of influence. And of course as far as that's concerned, one of the most powerful countries in the world is Russia. It has enormous natural resources -- it's got gas, it's got oil, it's got uranium, it's got everything. So really Russia can just sit back and laugh, whereas the Americans have got some gigantic national debt. And that national debt is only underpinned by the petrodollar and if the petrodollar goes down and these Middle Eastern countries start selling their oil in non-US currency then of course the US economy will completely melt down and I think what all this is about.
---

*********
2005: CNN Host Christiane Amanpour Tells Assad US Looking For New Syrian Leader, Supporting "Opposition," Preparing Coup
TOPICS:Brandon TurbevilleForeign PolicyMediaSyria
May 4, 2018
By Brandon Turbeville
https://www.activistpost.com/2018/05/2005-cnn-host-christiane-amanpour-tells-assad-us-looking-for-new-syrian-leader-supporting-opposition-preparing-coup.html

By now, it is common knowledge among researchers and journalists focused on the Syrian crisis that the plan to destroy the Syrian government was not merely hatched in 2011 at the beginning of the physical crisis itself, but that it was part of a much older plan to eliminate all resistance to the world finance oligarchy. Indeed, not only did the plan go back further than 2011, its beginnings could be seen going all the way back to the 1980s.

One window into the coming destabilization came two years after the United States had invaded and destroyed Iraq for the same reason. Notoriously pro-war propagandist Christiane Amanpour sat down for an interview with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, during the course of which she alluded to the fact that the United States was planning on his overthrow.

CA: Mr. President, you know the rhetoric of "regime change" is headed towards you from the United States. They are actively looking for a new Syrian leader. They're granting visas and visits to Syrian opposition politicians. They're talking about isolating you diplomatically and perhaps a coup d'etat, or your regime crumbling. What are you thinking about that?

BA: I feel very confident, for one reason. Because I was made in Syria. I wasn't made in the United States. So I'm not worried. This is [a] Syrian decision. It should be made by the Syrian people. Nobody else in this world. So, we don't discuss it in Syria.

CA: What would happen, do you think, if there was an alternative to you? Who is the alternative to you?

BA: It could be any Syrian. Any national Syrian. And we have a lot. I'm not the only person who's eligible to be President. We have a lot of Syrians. So we don't have any problem about that. But no Syrian would be able to be President if he's made anywhere outside our borders. This is a Syrian principle. [emphasis added]

Syria Regime Change Plans in 2005! Christiane Amanpour (CNN) interview with Assad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GcP1Gb_1Jc

So, already, in 2005, the United States "regime change" mechanism was moving against the Syrian government so openly that Amanpour felt comfortable enough to bring up the issue to the Syrian President in a nationally televised interview.

The United States began openly discussing the possibilities of economic, diplomatic, and military action against Syria in 2005 as well, most notably after Syria severed all cooperation with the CIA and the United States military. For instance, in an article published in The New York Times entitled "Syria Stops Cooperating With U.S. Forces And C.I.A," Douglas Jehl and Thom Shanker wrote,

Syria has halted military and intelligence cooperation with the United States, its ambassador to Washington said in an interview, in a sign of growing strains between the two nations over the insurgency in Iraq.

The ambassador, Imad Moustapha, said in the interview on Friday at the Syrian Embassy here that his country had, in the last 10 days, "severed all links" with the United States military and Central Intelligence Agency because of what he called unjust American allegations. The Bush administration has complained bitterly that Syria is not doing enough to halt the flow of men and money to the insurgency in Iraq.

Mr. Moustapha said he believed that the Bush administration had decided "to escalate the situation with Syria" despite steps the Syrians have taken against the insurgents in Iraq, and despite the withdrawal in recent weeks of Syrian troops from Lebanon, in response to international demands.

He said American complaints had been renewed since February, when a half-brother of Saddam Hussein, who was once the widely feared head of Iraq's two most powerful security agencies, was handed over to the Iraqi authorities after being captured in Syria along with several lieutenants. The renewal of complaints caused Syria to abandon the idea of providing further help, he said.

"We thought, why should we continue to cooperate?" he said.

Bush administration officials said Syria's stance has prompted intense debate at high levels in the administration about new steps that might be taken against the Syrian government. The officials said the options included possible military, diplomatic or economic action. But senior Pentagon and military officials cautioned Monday that if any military action was eventually ordered, it was likely to be limited to insurgent movements along the border.

"There's a lot of discussion about what to do about Syria and what a problem it is," said the administration official, who works for a government agency that has been involved in the debate.

Relations between Syria and the United States have been souring for months, and some Bush administration officials said Syria's level of cooperation had been dwindling even before the latest move.

Lawrence Di Rita, the Pentagon spokesman, said there have been occasional low-level military-to-military communications along the border. He said the Defense Department had received no official notification of a change in that status, nor that the status of American military attachés in Damascus had been altered.

The American officials declined to provide an on-the-record response to Mr. Moustapha's statements on halting intelligence cooperation, citing the delicacy of the issue.

American intelligence officials have said Syria has provided important assistance in the campaign against Al Qaeda since the Sept. 11 attacks. In recent months, senior Pentagon officials and military officers say, cooperation between the two nations has included low-level communications across the border between captains and field-grade officers of the American-led alliance and their Syrian counterparts.

Two years later, veteran journalist Seymour Hersh would write in his article, "The Redirection,"

To undermine Iran, which is predominantly Shiite, the Bush Administration has decided, in effect, to reconfigure its priorities in the Middle East. In Lebanon, the Administration has cooperated with Saudi Arabia's government, which is Sunni, in clandestine operations that are intended to weaken Hezbollah, the Shiite organization that is backed by Iran. The U.S. has also taken part in clandestine operations aimed at Iran and its ally Syria. A by-product of these activities has been the bolstering of Sunni extremist groups that espouse a militant vision of Islam and are hostile to America and sympathetic to Al Qaeda.

"Bolstering" "Sunni extremist groups that espouse a militant vision of Islam" is exactly what took place in 2011 with the United States, NATO, GCC, and Israel arming, funding, directing, and deploying such terrorists against the Syrian government. As can be easily seen, however, that deployment was no mere reaction or immediate strategy but, instead, that it was a long-term plan hatched years and prepared for decades prior to the day when blood started to flow across the country.

Brandon Turbeville writes for Activist Post -- article archive here -- He is the author of seven books, Codex Alimentarius -- The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1 and volume 2, The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria, The Difference it Makes: 36 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Should Never Be President, and Resisting The Empire: The Plan To Destroy Syria And How The Future Of The World Depends On The Outcome. Turbeville has published over 1000 articles on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbeville's radio show Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. His website is BrandonTurbeville.com He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com.

This article may be freely shared in part or in full with author attribution and source link.

Support us at Patreon. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Steemit, and BitChute. Ready for solutions? Subscribe to our premium newsletter Counter Markets.

Related:

Syria Regime Change Plans in 2005! Christiane Amanpour (CNN) interview with Assad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GcP1Gb_1Jc
Chris Kanthan
Published on Apr 28, 2018
The Syrian "revolution"/"uprising" is a myth. For a loooong time, the globalists were planning a coup in Syria. Here's a 2005 interview where Christiane Amanpour (CNN) tells Assad what the West was up to

Of course, as General Wesley Clark revealed, the Neocon plan to enact regime change in Syria was solidified right after 9/11 (the famous "7 countries in 5 years" memo)

Check out my book "Deconstructing the Syrian War" -- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079SH9VWX

(CNN has a slightly longer version of this interview on their site: https://www.cnn.com/videos/international/2012/07/11/exp-amanpour-assad-2005.cnn)
---

Syria strikes: High tech killing power with 'good intentions'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4f_LuEaQRM
RT
Published on Apr 21, 2018
After allegations of a chemical attack in Syria, Western fighter jets were soon revving their engines, ready to unleash a "humanitarian intervention."

Chemical weapons inspectors were on their way to the Syrian town of Douma to investigate whether an attack had actually happened, but cruise missiles and tornado jets can go extremely fast, and embarrassingly arrived a whole day before the inspectors from the OPCW. Ooops!

One thing the airstrikes on Syria prove, in case any more proof was needed, is that the US, France and Britain [Turkey, Israel and Saudi Arabia are also involved] are always willing to come to the rescue of people in the Middle East, by launching waves of missiles into their countries. Exactly what any war-torn populace wants to see.

Check out http://rt.com
---

US 'freezes funding' for White Helmets as group's Douma chem attack claim falls apart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2JgopKUr7I
RT
Published on May 4, 2018
US is reportedly freezing its funding of controversial Syrian emergency response organisation the White Helmets. The move's being met with major disappointment by the group's leaders who say it will impact on their ability to save lives. READ MORE: https://on.rt.com/94k2

Check out http://rt.com
---

Reality Check: Who's Funding the White Helmets?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EXtHoOi7_4
Ben Swann
Published on May 3, 2018
Reality Check with Ben Swann: http://truthinmedia.com/reality-check...

You've no doubt heard of the White Helmets, aka the Syria Civil Defense. They claim to be a neutral entity in Syria. They say they are just helping people caught in the middle of a civil war. But are they?

Follow the money and you will find numerous ties to government funding from not only the U.S., but the U.K., Netherlands, Denmark and Germany.

We untangle these ties to the White Helmets in a Reality Check you won't get anywhere else.
---

MOD reveals British drones firing thermobaric weapons in Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djghq4p75fk
RT UK
Published on May 4, 2018
"It seems to me Theresa May and our MOD are too keen to get into their planes and start dropping bombs" says peace campaigner Russell Whiting as Ministry of Defence reveals British drones are firing thermobaric weapons in Syria.

MORE: https://on.rt.com/94kd
---

Pentagon admits that US soldiers are helping Saudi Arabia protect its border with Yemen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkkumBgcZd0
RT
Published on May 4, 2018
Pentagon has admitted that U.S. soldiers are directly helping Saudi Arabia protect its border with Yemen.
That is in spite of previous comments - in which officials said the U.S. is only helping the Saudis with aircraft refueling, logistics and intelligence-sharing.
---

Saudis team up with Israel to plan strike against Iran - report
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF6dqlGQpsQ
RT
Published on Nov 17, 2013
Although Israel and Saudi Arabia officially have no diplomatic relations - they're rumoured to be preparing a joint bombing campaign against Iran. The Sunday Times suggests an attack may take place if a new round of international talks fails to produce a deal rolling back Tehran's nuclear power programme. Israel considers Iran its enemy-number-one, and has long accused the country of working on an atomic bomb, a charge that Iran denies. READ MORE: http://on.rt.com/uno5ev
---

Israel Prepares to Bomb Iran Nuke Sites - Buys Airfield in Azerbaijan Only 400 Miles Away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m62aadBvcWk

putin on iran and israel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74uFvyHh3HM
Meir Javedanfar
Published on Jan 21, 2015
Putin talks about his views regarding Iran and Israeli security concerns.
---

Putin on the destruction of the Middle East -- Must watch!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy5F5nDuXYY

Putin vows to 'choke' NATO in WWIII
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FhCi7qQPbk
Inessa S
Published on Nov 19, 2016
How close is too close for NATO to spread Eastwards, and how far will they test the boundaries? Talks of Ukraine joining the military alliance were on the agenda the 2000s, but ceased after Russia's swift response to the Georgian aggression in Tskhinvali in 2008. Currently, the Ukraine is unable to join NATO due to internal conflict - the absence of which is a prerequisite for new members.
It would seem then that stopping the US-initiated war in Eastern Ukraine would be beneficial to US interests - or, are they fully aware, that this most certainly will not be allowed to happen as a direct threat to Russia's security?
For current affairs, translations and analysis, check out http://www.Fort-Russ.com

Why Do Saudi Arabia And Iran Hate Each Other?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-dMM3HRnhY

**********
Austrian UN Evil Leaked!
Posted by Glenn Canady on May 2, 2018 at 8:30pm
http://www.project.nsearch.com/profiles/blogs/austrian-un-massacre-leaked-evil

UN Evil! Austrian UN soldiers murder Syrian police! from Truth Warriors (https://vimeo.com/truthwarriors) on Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/267300862

Somebody leaked this footage to investigators at Austrian's Falter Weekly and it's very sickening. This incident involved Austrian UN soldiers allowing a massacre to happen and it's all caught on tape. It happened in 2012 at the Golan Heights inside Syria. These men are pure evil and should face murder charges! This is what happens when people get away from God. We are living in a world getting more evil all the time. Jesus is the only thing that can save us in the end. If you haven't figured this out yet then you're right where satan wants you. Satan's biggest lie of all is that God doesn't exist and you can do whatever you want!

Nobody but people under demonic control would allow what you will see in this video!

The Austrian UN soldiers see the gunmen setting up for an ambush and they joke about what will happen when they wave the Syrian police through their checkpoint without telling them of the waiting ambush! They even admit they did not tell the Syrian police of the ambush. One was worried and said if only one survives they will shoot us!

In the video one Austrian peacekeeper is heard saying: "Normally we should tell them [the Syrian police]".

Seconds later, as the police pickup truck nears the ambush, another Austrian says: "It's about to start, you'll see."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43948609

The lack of concern by these Austrian monsters is telling of just how much more evil our world has become in even my own lifetime. Everybody in the vehicle dies and it was allowed to happen by these Austrian UN soldiers! They basically laughed about it all! Thank God some brave person leaked all the footage!

Related:

Austria probes UN Golan troops over deaths of Syrians
30 April 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43948609

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Austria is investigating the conduct of its UN peacekeepers during an ambush of Syrian policemen that they filmed in the Golan Heights in 2012.

A video of the incident, published online by Austria's Falter weekly, shows gunmen preparing the ambush and the police vehicle coming under fire.

A special Austrian Defence Ministry inquiry was launched on Saturday.

Falter described the gunmen as Syrian "smugglers". The Austrians apparently failed to warn the police of the trap.

In the video one Austrian peacekeeper is heard saying: "Normally we should tell them [the Syrian police]".

Seconds later, as the police pickup truck nears the ambush, another Austrian says: "It's about to start, you'll see."

A UN force has patrolled the buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces on the Syrian Golan Heights since 1974 in the wake of the previous year's war.

The 2012 video dates from a period when fighting was intensifying between Syrian government forces and rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad.

A UN spokesman said nine members of the Syrian security forces were killed by 13 rebels in the incident, in the Mount Hermon area.

The spokesman called the video "disturbing" and said the UN would investigate it with the Austrian authorities. He was quoted by the Austrian news agency APA (in German) but not named.

The question is whether the Austrians had a duty to warn the Syrian government forces, even if that was not explicitly part of their Golan mission's mandate.

Last June, Dutch UN troops were found partly responsible for the deaths of Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. A Dutch court ruled that the peacekeepers had unlawfully handed over 350 of them to Bosnian Serb troops.

Austria withdrew its troops from the UN's Golan mission in 2013 because of worsening security.

There is speculation that the Austrian UN troops who witnessed the ambush could be prosecuted as accessories to murder. That is the view of an Austrian human rights expert, Manfred Nowak.

But a former Austrian UN peacekeeper who served in the Golan Heights disputed that. "They acted 100 per cent correctly according to our mission," he told the Salzburger Nachrichten daily.
---

Australian Government and Press Ignore "Hands Off Syria" Anti-War Rally In Melbourne
https://www.activistpost.com/2018/05/australian-government-press-ignore-hands-off-syria-anti-war-rally-in-melbourne.html
TOPICS:AustraliaBrandon TurbevilleMediaProtestSyria
May 3, 2018
By Brandon Turbeville

(Image credit: Diane Mantzaris) As the Australian government continues to support the war on Syria and the secular government of Bashar al-Assad, even supporting America's recent missile strikes on Syria in defense of al-Qaeda, it is proving that while it may be listening to big business, the United States, and the international Deep State, it is not listening to the very people it is claiming that it wants to defend.

Indeed, in the lead-up to the American strikes, Australia joined in with its other imperialist counterparts to demand sympathy for the alleged victims of an alleged chemical weapons attack that allegedly took place. Bombing of course was conducted before the OPCW inspectors could enter Douma but the cries from governments were of the same narrative that has been played for the last seven years -- Assad is killing his own people and the world needs to stop him.

The narrative suggests that the Syrian people are being slaughtered en masse by Assad (for reasons never fully explained by the mainstream media) and that all Syrians are terrified of the government, cheering on the moderate cannibals of America's expeditionary revolution forces. But one trip to Syria will prove that narrative wrong at least, since traveling through the country one will find overwhelming support for the Syrian government. Indeed, when I traveled to Syria in 2017, I did not meet one person who supported the terrorists and everyone I spoke to supported the Syrian government, even those who had disagreements with the government prior to the war. For them, it is not even a choice of which side is better, it is a choice between death and survival. The Syrian government and, yes, Bashar al-Assad himself, represent survival, normalcy, and secularism. America's terrorists represent death, Sharia law, and unimaginable savagery.

This is the same experience others have had when traveling to Syria as well. I highly recommend reading the work of Vanessa Beeely, Patrick Henningsen, Eva Bartlett, Janice Kortkamp, Pearson Sharp, and Tim Anderson for starters.

Nevertheless, when traveling to Syria and speaking to Syrians, Western mainstream media consistently claim that the Syrians independent media journalists speak to are "afraid of being killed by Assad" or that the journalists themselves are being accompanied by security forces who force the civilians to repeat the government line. This is not the case at all as I myself was free to roam the streets of each city I visited at any hour, unaccompanied, and speak to anyone I wished to speak to. Still, they all said the same thing.

Western mainstream journalists are able to do the same thing. However, either they simply neglect to do so or, being unable to find Syrians willing to peddle the narrative set by Western governments, resort to editing, obfuscating, and outright lying. Others simply never talk to a Syrian that is not affiliated with al-Nusra or Nusra's propaganda wing known as the White Helmets.

I received the same responses from Syrian refugees in Lebanon when I traveled there in 2016 and 2017, far from the reaches of Syrian security forces.

But Australians might be interested to learn that Syrians within their own borders have a different view of the Syrian government than what is shown to them on their television screens every night.

A rally which was held on April 30, called "Vigil: End The War On Syria," and hosted by Australian anti-war group Hands Off Syria, was a rather loud and well-attended event not just by anti-war Australians but by Syrians and members of the Syrian community residing in Australia. It was by all means a Syrian rally as one can see by watching the video.

Attendees played traditional Syrian music, chanted patriotic Syrian slogans, and held the Syrian flag high. Clearly, no Syrian security forces were tracking down each person in this large rally all the way in Australia (although Australian media may claim the Russians did).

You can see the rally in the videos below:

Hands Off Syria, along with the Syrian Community in Melbourne, stated of the vigil on its Facebook page:

The Syrian community & Hands Off Syria condemns the latest aggression against Syria, which punishes the Syrian people for refusing to submit to a regime-change agenda driven by outside powers, and by provoking nuclear-armed Russia, raises the possibility of an all-out global war.

1. We demand the Australian government accept the will of the Syrian people to determine their future, and stop blindly adopting US foreign policy as our own.

2. We demand Australia end the economic sanctions on Syria that punish ordinary Syrians by driving up the price of essentials, and block the flow of remittances.

3. We demand that the Australian government stop all sales of weapons to the criminal regime of Saudi Arabia, the patron of terrorism throughout the region.

4. We demand that the Australian government re-establish normal diplomatic relations with the internationally recognised Syrian government.

5. We demand an independent investigation into the massacre of over a hundred Syrian soldiers in 2016 that the Australian airforce participated in.

Join us in remembering the Syrian patriots martyred as a direct consequences of the horrific foreign policy that our government has shamefully endorsed.

Brandon Turbeville writes for Activist Post -- article archive here -- He is the author of seven books, Codex Alimentarius -- The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1 and volume 2, The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria, The Difference it Makes: 36 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Should Never Be President, and Resisting The Empire: The Plan To Destroy Syria And How The Future Of The World Depends On The Outcome. Turbeville has published over 1000 articles on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbeville's radio show Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. His website is BrandonTurbeville.com He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com.

This article may be freely shared in part or in full with author attribution and source link.

Support us at Patreon. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Steemit, and BitChute. Ready for solutions? Subscribe to our premium newsletter Counter Markets.
---

US Claims of "Russian Meddling" Exposes Its Own Global Meddling
TOPICS:ElectionsFBIForeign PolicyRussiaTony Cartalucci
May 3, 2018
By Tony Cartalucci
https://www.activistpost.com/2018/05/us-claims-of-russian-meddling-exposes-its-own-global-meddling.html

After well over a year of accusing the Russian government of interfering in the 2016 US presidential elections, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has finally indicted 13 Russians for what it calls "interference operations targeting the United States."

The 13 Russians indicted allegedly represent the "Internet Research Agency" merely referred to as "the organization" throughout the FBI's highly publicized indictment (PDF). The Internet Research Agency was allegedly run by Concord Management and Consulting.

However, the FBI failed to establish any link between the Internet Research Agency's supposed operations and the Russian government. It attempts to claim that Concord Management and Consulting and Concord Catering are "related Russian entities" with various Russian government contracts -- however the FBI failed to detail what this statement meant, merely insinuating that the Internet Research Agency may have been another Russian government contract.

The "Russian meddling" described in the FBI indictment consists of Facebook ads and the creation of accounts posing as American social media personalities commentating on US political issues. The FBI's indictment failed to list any instances of Russian government money, or money from an alleged intermediary being funneled into any actual US political parties, opposition or activist groups, or any US-based media organizations.

Putting the "Full Shape" of "Russian Meddling" Into Perspective

The FBI indictment claims that monthly funding for the Internet Research Agency's "influencing operations" peaked at $1.25 million, but did not provide any additional information regarding the organization's budget, or how significant this peak was when compared to monthly averages.

The Western media has presented this number as significant. The BBC in its article, "Russia-Trump inquiry: Russians charged over US 2016 election tampering," would claim (emphasis added):

On Friday, Robert Mueller's team released a slate of indictments that lays bare what it asserts is the full shape of the Russian meddling apparatus.

And what an apparatus it was. In the run-up to the US presidential election "Project Lakhta", as it was called, had an operating budget of more than $1m a month.

Yet, to put that "$1m a month" budget into perspective, the BBC alone operates on an annual budget of between 4-6 billion -- or up to $500 million a month. This is a monthly budget up to 400 times larger than that of what the BBC calls the "full shape of the Russian meddling apparatus."

Considering that the BBC coordinates its own "influence operations" with other multi-billion dollar media corporations in the United Kingdom, across Europe, and of course in the United States, the gargantuan disparity between the "full shape of the Russian meddling apparatus" and that of the West's own "influencing operations" is put into proper perspective.

When considering the role of US-based corporate lobbyists and their role in influencing both political candidates and the American public ahead of elections -- this disparity widens even further.

To suggest that "the full shape of the Russian meddling apparatus" had any significant effect on the outcome of the US election is far fetched at best. To suggest that the Russian government would have conducted such feeble attempts to influence the US presidential election when it is fully aware that large, corporate-financier interests actually determine US policy, is also implausible.

That accusations against Russia are meant to deflect away from America's own growing problems both domestically and abroad, including its attempts to justify a wider confrontation with Russia itself, is a much more likely explanation.

US Exposes the Illegitimacy of its Own Global Meddling

Should the Russian government have intentionally and directly attempted to interfere in US elections or America's internal political affairs, it would constitute an attack upon American sovereignty and warrant a vigorous US response. However, nothing of the sort has been established yet, with the US having sought to target Russia with wider sanctions and provocations long before the 2016 US elections appeared on the horizon.

That the US has attempted to use what it calls "improper foreign influence on US elections and on the US political system" as a pretext for attacking Russia, its media both in Russia and its US-based networks, its diplomatic mission in the United States, as well as the Russian economy through sanctions, indicates that Washington is more than aware of how inappropriate it is for one nation to attempt to interfere with or influence the internal political processes of another nation.

Yet this is precisely what the United States itself has done -- for decades, openly -- around the globe.

Unlike the FBI's indictment, which fails to establish any direct link with the Russian government or define any specific examples of what could be considered political interference -- beyond Russian-based media operations -- the US conducts vast efforts to interfere in the elections and political processes of nations around the globe.

Through US government-funded agencies like the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), operating on an annual budget of hundreds of millions of dollars, the US controls entire opposition parties, opposition groups and so-called "activist" organizations inside targeted nations. This also includes the creation and funding of media organizations -- not based in the US and commentating on foreign politics -- but operating inside targeted nations, often concealing their foreign funding from their audiences.

NED also funds lawyers to defend its agents of influence when exposed and targeted by the very sort of legal action the FBI claims its recent indictment represents.

NED funds such influencing operations in over 100 states globally, from South America to Africa, from Eastern Europe to East Asia, and everywhere in between.

If what the FBI's recent indictment against the Internet Research Agency constitutes what it calls the "improper foreign influence on U.S. elections and on the U.S. political system," then what the US itself is doing abroad through organizations like NED is exposed as the US' own, highly-industrialized version of such "improper foreign influence."

Beyond NED, the US government also directly funds and operates other fronts, including NED's subsidiaries -- the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI), and Freedom House -- as well as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Together with NED and USAID, the US government works through and coordinates with other, privately owned intermediaries like George Soros' Open Society Foundation.

Foreign opposition groups working on behalf of US interests and funded by the US government are almost always jointly funded by Open Society, as well as the governments and local embassies of the United Kingdom and European Union members.

The recent attempt to accuse Russia of and punish it for supposed "meddling" in the US openly illustrates that the US itself understands the impropriety it is involved in as it conducts its own campaign of global meddling on a much larger scale. What is perhaps most ironic is that the left-leaning individuals manning Washington's global army of subversive meddlers in targeted nations around the globe have eagerly promoted anti-Russian propaganda, including condemning supposed Russian "meddling," either oblivious or indifferent to the fact they themselves are engaged in reality for decades in what the US has accused Russia of without evidence over the last year.

The further the US pushes this politically-motivated public relations campaign dressed up as counteracting "improper foreign influence" in the US, the easier Washington will make it for the nations it is really targeting around the globe with very real interference to expose, condemn, and dismantle the networks the US uses to carry out this interference.

Targeted nations can not only cite America's own efforts to uproot foreign influence it claims is targeting the US, it can use the same sort of legal and public relations ploys the US is currently using to attack Russia with to do so.

Tony Cartalucci, Bangkok-based geopolitical researcher and writer, especially for the online magazine "New Eastern Outlook", where this article first appeared.
---

***
24.06.2016 Author: Tony Cartalucci
The National Endowment for Democracy: Not National and Not for Democracy
Column: Politics
Region: USA in the World
https://journal-neo.org/2016/06/24/the-national-endowment-for-democracy-not-national-and-not-for-democracy/
https://journal-neo.org/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?lang=en&action=sdp_download_file&post=53835

***
345345345345Using a front to hide illegal or immoral activities has been a feature of human criminality since the beginning of human civilization itself. Facades, both ideological and economical, have helped criminal enterprises conceal the true nature of their activities for centuries.

In ages past, organized religion would often take systems of legitimate philosophy and spirituality, and transform them into a means of organizing the masses for the benefit of an elite few, often those heading empires, kingdoms, or nation-states. More recently, patriotism and now the notion of "democracy" have been used successfully by similar cadres of special interests to conceal their self-serving agendas behind notions likely to recruit support from large segments of a population that would otherwise be disinterested.

There is no example of this more transparent than that of the US National Endowment for Democracy (NED). According to its own website, it claims:

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a private, nonprofit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world. Each year, NED makes more than 1,200 grants to support the projects of non-governmental groups abroad who are working for democratic goals in more than 90 countries.

"The growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world" sounds noble enough. One would expect, then, that the NED would be led by a collection of some of the most notable activists involved in the empowerment of "the people." Instead, upon NED's board of directors, we find people representing corporate-financier interests notorious for instead, exploiting and subjugating "the people."

Unfortunately, for those receiving the millions upon millions of dollars the NED hands out annually to "nongovernmental organizations" (NGOs) around the world, few bother to actually check who it is underwriting their daily activities, and fewer still have the integrity to both turn down the money let alone inform the people they claim to represent just who is attempting to reach into their respective nations and subvert their political systems, and to what end.

Quite literally, each and every member of the NED's board of directors represents Fortune 500 corporations, insidious corporate-financier funded policy think-tanks, and a wide variety of other obvious conflicts of interest unbecoming of an organization truly interested in, "the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world."

NED: Who's Who

The worst part of NED's activities worldwide and the fact that allegedly liberal progressive NGOs are taking money from them and aiding and abetting their agenda, is the fact that the background of NED's board of directors is posted directly on NED's own website. This means recipients of NED cash either recklessly didn't bother to look into the organization sponsoring them, or simply do not care about the compromised nature of their sponsors.

For example, Marilyn Carlson Nelson (NED secretary) is co-CEO of one of the largest privately held companies in the world, Carlson Holdings operating hotels around the world. She also serves on the board of Exxon Mobil and chairs the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. She alone represents such a tangled web of compromising and conflicting interests, it calls into question the integrity and true agenda of NED.

Carlson Nelson's company, Carlson Holdings, deals in hotels, yet she concurrently sits on a government board under the International Trade Administration which makes decisions and policies on behalf of the US that directly benefits private industry specifically like that of Carlson Holdings. Her position upon Exxon Mobil's board of directors is also troublesome. Exxon, a gargantuan multinational corporation, conducts business around the world and by necessity, requires political (and military) interventions to enter into and overwhelm those few remaining markets it has yet to dominate.

Carlson Nelson's role in the NED, then, could be (and is) easily abused to subvert foreign governments that pose barriers to Carlson Holdings or Exxon, and put into power opposition parties that would deal in favor of such multinations -- all under the guise of "the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world."

Other NED board members representing compromising corporate-financier special interests include Marne Levine (Facebook, Coo, Instagram), Mark Ordan (WP Glimcher -- real estate), and with Carl Gershman, Princeton Lyman, Stephen Sestanovich, and Melanne Verveer serving as members of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) -- a corporate-financier funded think-tank representing the collective economic and geopolitical ambitions of Wall Street, London, and Brussels' most powerful special interests.

The CFR's corporate sponsors include Bank of America, Chevron, Citi, Exxon, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, PepsiCo, Shell Oil, Coca-Cola, BP, Google, Lockheed Martin, AT&T, Boeing, Facebook, DynCorp, Northrop Grumman, Pfizer, Raytheon, Microsoft, and Merck -- a virtual who's who of abusive special interests plaguing the world with socioeconomic disparity, compromising "free trade" deals, and driving conflicts ranging from "color revolutions" and proxy wars to full-scale invasions and decade-long occupations.

NED -- which poses as a liberal-progressive organization -- includes a surprising number of right-wing Neoconservatives (Neocons). This includes Vin Weber, a Bush-era Neocon who strongly advocated the invasion and occupation of Iraq -- a war now revealed to have been predicated on an intentional lie regarding Iraq's supposed chemical and biological weapons program.

Weber is a partner at the public strategy firm, Mercury. There, he consults and lobbies for multinational corporations, governments, and corporate-funded foundations including Microsoft, Visa, Pfizer, AT&T, Ebay, the Ford Foundation, pharmaceutical firm Gilead, NBC, the government of Qatar, and many others.

For what reason would NED include a pro-war corporate lobbyist on its board of directors if not for the fact that NED itself is but a facade for carrying out pro-corporate-financier agendas under the guise of promoting "democracy" around the world?

Other Neocons populating NED's board of directors includes Elliot Abrams, Francis Fukuyama, Zalmay Khalilzad, and Will Marshall. One pro-war Neocon could have been an anomaly -- five begins to fit a pattern. It should be noted that NED's subsidiary, Freedom House, also hosts corporate lobbyists and pro-war Neocons as well, including Kenneth Adelman.

NED Funds Your Local "Pro-Democracy Activists," But Who Funds NED?

One of NED's subsidiaries, Freedom House, is admittedly funded by multinational corporations including AT&T, defense contractors BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman, industrial equipment exporter Caterpillar, tech-giants Google and Facebook, and financiers including Goldman Sachs.

NED itself -- according to a 2013 disclosure (.pdf) -- is funded by among others, Chevron, Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs, Google, Microsoft, and the US Chamber of Commerce.

What do these corporations have to do with "the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world?"

The US Chamber of Commerce in particular is also heavily involved in post-regime change operations carried out by the US government either through direct military conflict or proxy wars and "color revolutions," being the first to appear in front of new proxy governments to establish Western corporate-financier hegemony over newly "opened" market space.

NED's individual donors also are telling. They include Frank Carlucci of the notorious Bush-family linked equity firm, the Carlyle Group. There is also former NED board member Kenneth Duberstein, a board member of defense contractor Boeing, big oil's ConocoPhillips, and the Mack-Cali Realty Corporation. Duberstein also served as a director of Fannie Mae until 2007. He too is a CFR member as are two of the companies he chairs, Boeing and ConocoPhillips.

Also listed as an individual donor to NED is Neocon Paula Dobriansky -- a trustee at NED's subsidiary Freedom House, as well as former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who served during the Bush administration.

Supposedly liberal-progress NGOs around the world taking money from corporate-financiers, warmongers, and right-wing ideologues embodies perfectly the notion of a fraudulent front used to conceal criminal intentions under the guise of a noble cause.

How it Works: A Case Study

ThaksinCFRThe Southeast Asian state of Thailand is currently gripped by a long-running political crisis centered around Thailand's indigenous institutions and political order, and that of US-backed proxy Thaksin Shinawatra. Shinawatra himself was -- like NED individual donor Frank Carlucci, a member of the Carlyle Group. Before becoming prime minister in 2001, Shinawatra would pledge to his friends in the US business community that he would use his office to serve as a "matchmaker" between Wall Street and Thailand's people and resources.

Upon taking office, he would carry out a series of abusive and unpopular moves including the commitment of Thai troops to America's illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq, the hosting of the CIA's abhorrent rendition program on Thai soil, and an attempt to ram through a US-Thai free trade agreement in 2004 without parliamentary approval.

In 2006, Shinawatra would ultimately be ousted from power by the Thai military. Since then, he has been represented by some of the largest lobbying firms in Washington, including by the above mentioned Freedom House trustee Kenneth Adelman. However, that is not the limit to which the NED has helped prop up Shinawatra's political front in Thailand.

The NED also funds a myriad of "NGOs" in Thailand aimed specifically at undermining Thailand's institutions -- most notably the military, monarchy, courts, and even the economy itself. These are included on a long list on NED's own website and include:

Thai Poor Act;
Thai Civil Rights and Investigative Journalism;
Thai Volunteer Service;
Makhampom Foundation;
Cafe Democracy;
Media Inside Out Group;
ENLAWTHAI Foundation;
Human Rights Lawyers Association and;
Foundation for Community Educational Media

It should be noted that in recent years, NED has become as ambiguous as possible about listing which NGOs it specifically funds -- while NGOs in Thailand receiving NED funding regularly attempt to conceal NED funding and have been caught on several occasions outright lying about it.

For instance, while NED lists "Foundation for Community Educational Media," it actually includes organizations like Thai Netizen and Prachatai -- two entwined media fronts who have habitually covered up their foreign funding all while asking for donations locally.

Such behavior indicates that NGOs like Thai Netizen and Prachatai are fully aware of the impropriety they are a party to.

Each and every NED-funded NGO in Thailand is currently engaged in daily attacks against the current government, and serves a direct supporting role in bolstering opposition fronts directly tied to the ousted regime of Thaksin Shinawatra. "Human rights lawyers" underwritten by NED regularly represent US-backed agitators rounded and charged for various crimes while media fronts like Prachatai churn out a daily tidal wave of disinformation in support of US interests both in Thailand and across Asia.

Legitimate grassroots campaigns such as opposition to foreign multinational agribusiness and attempts to impose genetically modified organisms (GMOs) upon Thai agriculture receive little to no support from this milieu of US-funded fronts. Likewise, pragmatic and constructive opposition to current government policies done within a framework of cooperating with government agencies to arrive at compromises are also ignored entirely by NED's networks.

NED's various fronts are solely focused on pressuring the government into arranging elections and giving America's proxies, Thaksin Shinawatra and his political allies, another opportunity at seizing power.

Shinawata, once back in power, and after sufficiently diminishing the power of Thailand's existing political order, would return to destructive pro-US policies ranging from "free trade" with Wall Street special interests to supporting America's unending wars worldwide. His regime would also likely mobilize Thailand's population and resources on behalf of Washington's proxy war with China -- costing Thailand a valuable trade and military partner along with peace and stability across Asia.

When political instability surfaces around the world -- opposition forces mobilizing in the streets and over the airwaves must be carefully scrutinized. Determining from where they receive their funding and political support is essential in determining whether these opposition forces are legitimate or the manufactured pawns of Western corporate-financier special interests being funded through fronts like the National Endowment for Democracy -- a front that is private -- not national, and that is for corporate-financier special interests -- only under the guise as being "for democracy."

Tony Cartalucci, Bangkok-based geopolitical researcher and writer, especially for the online magazine "New Eastern Outlook".
---

Syria Installs Cat Feeding Stations to Rescue War Torn Animals
https://www.naturalblaze.com/2018/05/syria-cat-feeding-stations-rescue-war-torn-animals.html
Posted on May 2, 2018Natural Health News
By Brandon Turbeville, Natural Blaze

While the United States, Britain, France, NATO, Saudi Arabia, and the GCC continue to fund terrorists in Syria, any attempt at relieving the conditions of the Syrian people on behalf of people of good will in the invading nations is consistently blocked by their governments and corporations as a result of Western sanctions.

The West now has the mantle of having caused over 400,000 needless deaths and the destruction of a wide portion of the entire country. Those in the West who oppose such insanity are even prevented from doing anything on their own to alleviate the suffering. But with the human toll so high, one aspect of the war that is never discussed is the toll it has taken on animals.

While many Syrians owned pets (it is quite common to see cats and turtles in Syrian homes), the West's war against the Syrian government has created not only a human refugee crisis and human internal displacement, it has also caused a similar crisis for animals. As Western-backed terrorists took over more and more communities and installed their brutal Sharia law, the Syrian government was forced to liberate these areas by military means. Many Syrians were either killed by terrorists or caught in the crossfire and many others still had no other choice but to flee the conflict. Most of the people who fled had to leave their pets behind.

***
In April, 2018, I wrote an article entitled "PayPal Nixes Donations To Animal Rescue In Syria But Our Money Still Funds Terrorists," (https://www.naturalblaze.com/2018/04/paypal-terminates-donations-animal-rescue-syria-western-money-terrorists.html) where I discussed how US-instigated sanctions, already crushing the Syrian economy, have ramifications that reverberate all the way down to the individual and even small animals. STAR (Syrian Team For Animal Rescue) unfortunately had its ability to receive PayPal donations restricted by the organization due to Western sanctions, thus putting the animal rescue team in peril in terms of its ability to continue to rescue, feed, and house so many animals displaced and injured from the war.

As the Syrian government gradually liberates more and more areas across the country, particularly in areas surrounding Damascus, however, life is returning to normal as best it can, even for the animals who have also suffered under seven years of Western-backed warfare aimed at destroying the Syrian government and deposing the secular government of Bashar al-Assad.

That same Assad government which has been the target of an intense Western demonization campaign has recently launched a program in Damascus that has placed small food and water stations installed for the street cats commonly seen around the city.

Click to view each picture:

#Syria has installed food and water stations for the street cats of #Damascus. What a fantastic idea ?? pic.twitter.com/hnMh3aZH8J
-- Partisangirl ???? (@Partisangirl) April 26, 2018

Of course, the first step to ending the suffering of animals in Syria is the end to the Western-backed war against the Syrian government and the Syrian people. This includes the removal of Western and Turkish troops, the immediate halt to supplying weapons to terrorists, and the removal of sanctions.

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This article (Syria Installs Cat Feeding Stations to Rescue War Torn Animals) was created by and appeared first at Natural Blaze. It can be reshared with attribution but MUST include link to homepage, bio, intact links and this message. Image: Pixabay

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brandonBrandon Turbeville -- article archive here -- is an author out of Florence, South Carolina. He is the author of six books, Codex Alimentarius -- The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies,Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1 and volume 2, The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria,and The Difference it Makes: 36 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Should Never Be President. Turbeville has published over 1,000 articles dealing on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbeville's podcast Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com
---

PayPal Nixes Donations To Animal Rescue In Syria But Our Money Still Funds Terrorists
Posted on April 5, 2018Natural Health News
By Brandon Turbeville, Natural Blaze
PayPal Terminates Donations To Animal Rescue Org In Syria Over Sanctions But Western Money Still Flows To Terrorists
https://www.naturalblaze.com/2018/04/paypal-terminates-donations-animal-rescue-syria-western-money-terrorists.html

While the United States, Britain, France, NATO, Saudi Arabia, and the GCC continue to fund terrorists in Syria, any attempt at relieving the conditions of the Syrian people on behalf of people of good will in the invading nations is consistently blocked by their governments and corporations as a result of Western sanctions.

The West now has the mantle of having caused over 400,000 needless deaths and the destruction of a wide portion of the entire country. Those in the West who oppose such insanity are even prevented from doing anything on their own to alleviate the suffering. But with the human toll so high, one aspect of the war that is never discussed is the toll it has taken on animals.

Syria was not much different than the United States or Europe in many ways before the war. While the average American may have a picture painted for them by Western mainstream media and Hollywood that would depict all countries in the Middle East as sand-dwelling nomads and stern abusive religious fanatics, the reality of the Syrian culture has always been the exact opposite. Contrary to what many Americans may assume about Syria, the people there have the same concerns as the Americans who are so afraid of them. Syrians simply want to live their lives, find good-paying jobs, enjoy sports, and enjoy their families.

While many Syrians owned pets (it is quite common to see cats and turtles in Syrian homes), the West's war against the Syrian government has created not only a human refugee crisis and human internal displacement, it has also caused a similar crisis for animals. As Western-backed terrorists took over more and more communities and installed their brutal Sharia law, the Syrian government was forced to liberate these areas by military means. Many Syrians were either killed by terrorists or caught in the crossfire and many others still had no other choice but to flee the conflict. Most of the people who fled had to leave their pets behind.

Like the rest of the world, Syria has had to deal with stray animals that no one cares for as well as cases of animal abuse. But the war has exacerbated that problem as well as the animals who have been left as a result of the war. As a result, a number of selfless animal rescuers have stepped up to rescue and care for these animals. STAR, Syrian Team for Animal Rescue, is one such organization.

As Louia Beshara of al-Monitor wrote,

"The war spared no one. Animals have fled just like human beings, but at least humans have refugee centres and organisations to feed them," say Hamada Azqul, an agricultural engineer and STAR volunteer.

More than 300,000 people have been killed and millions displaced by the conflict that began with anti-government protests in March 2011.

And the conflict has not spared animals like Betty, a brown-haired mutt who lost a leg after sustaining a bullet wound.

The shelter, in Sahnaya, 14 kilometres (nine miles) southwest of Damascus, is home to dogs and cats, but also more exotic animal victims of the conflict, including turtles and colourful birds.

Many are being treated for war wounds or animal abuse, which volunteers say has increased since the conflict began, while others were left behind by owners fleeing violence around Syria's capital.

German shepherds and shaggy-haired terriers prance excitedly as STAR staff members stroll into the yard, the dogs jumping up on their hind legs to reach the faces of young volunteers.

. . . . .

Founde d in May 2016, STAR is treating 110 animals in its infirmary, including Noisy, a frail blind cat, and Sweetie, a chocolate-brown dog who was shot in the back.
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Other pets have undergone amputations, are partially paralysed, or are recovering from burns or knife wounds with the help of STAR's 11 volunteers.

. . . . . .

More than half of Syria's population has been displaced by war, with nearly five million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.

"People who were forced to flee didn't take their pets with them," says Hanadi al-Mutahasseb, STAR's 38-year-old founder.

Those animals left behind face starvation, possible injury by shells or gunfire, or abuse.

"In this war, everyone who carries weapons fires on animals that bother them, so more animals need support," Mutahasseb says.

Every day, STAR receives dozens of Facebook messages from concerned citizens about wounded or abandoned animals, and its own network of volunteers brings in injured pets found wandering the streets.

. . . . . .

Syria's conflict has ravaged the country's infrastructure and economy, leading to a devalued pound and high unemployment.

That means the discarded scraps that many strays used to survive on are often no longer available, with Syrians using every last bit of food they can.

The dire economic situation -- and the difficulty of obtaining visas to leave -- have affected both Syria's citizens and its animals.

"Before the war, several European countries welcomed some of Syria's critical animal cases. But today, animals can no longer travel because they, too, can't get visas," says volunteer Iman Amayra, 28.

Free -- 15-in-1 Survival Kit (Ad)

And such shows the extent to which the sanctions have hampered every aspect of Syrian life from the highest level of economic activity down to the survival of an unwanted kitten.

If that wasn't enough, however, PayPal shut off the ability of STAR to receive funds coming from the West as a result of the sanctions, thus putting the animal welfare organization under intense pressure to maintain the level of funding needed to take care of the animals. This is not a surprising move.

Not only do sanctions prevent money from being sent to Syria by average Americans, the upper echelon of PayPal has close ties to both the Obama administration and Human Rights Watch, the former leading the war against Syria and the latter being an important cheerleader for it, even faking photographs and "human rights" reports in the process.

See my articles:

Human Rights Watch FAIL: Uses Photo Of American Bombing Destruction To Condemn Assad
https://www.activistpost.com/2015/03/human-rights-watch-fail-uses-photo-of.html

That Time HRW's Ken Roth Contradicted Himself Twice In 4 Days Over Syria
https://www.activistpost.com/2017/01/that-time-hrws-ken-roth-contradicted-himself-twice-in-4-days-over-syria.html

Huge Explosion In Latakia Reveals US HRW Hypocrisy
https://www.activistpost.com/2015/06/huge-explosion-in-latakia-reveals-us.html

**********
Indeed, the United States government and its allies continue to pump in millions of dollars to terrorists and al-Qaeda fighters going under many different names including the White Helmets.

For those unfamiliar with the true nature of the White Helmets, the following articles are recommended reading: The Real Syria Civil Defense VS The White Helmets -- Brandon Turbeville
http://www.activistpost.com/2016/11/the-real-syria-civil-defense-vs-the-white-helmets.html

MSM Attempts To Promote White Helmets While Hiding Syria Civil Defense -- More 'Fake News' From Corporate Press -- Brandon Turbeville
http://www.activistpost.com/2016/11/msm-attempts-to-promote-white-helmets-while-hiding-syria-civil-defense-more-fake-news-from-corporate-press.html

White Helmets NGO: A "Rescue And Assist" Operation Under Guise Of Human Rights -- Brandon Turbeville
http://www.activistpost.com/2016/05/white-helmets-ngo-a-rescue-and-assist-operation-under-guise-of-human-rights.html

White Helmets Video And Supporters' Demonstrations Confirm Lack Of Credibility -- Brandon Turbeville
http://www.activistpost.com/2016/11/white-helmets-video-supporters-demonstrations-lack-credibility.html

The REAL Syria Civil Defense Exposes Fake "White Helmets" As Terrorist-Linked Imposters -- Vanessa Beeley
http://21stcenturywire.com/2016/09/23/exclusive-the-real-syria-civil-defence-expose-natos-white-helmets-as-terrorist-linked-imposters/

The White Helmets "Black Record:" Vanessa Beeley Talks To RT About French Gov't Collusion With Al-Qaeda-Linked Group -- Vanessa Beeley
http://21stcenturywire.com/2016/10/20/the-white-helmets-black-record-vanessa-beeley-talks-to-rt-about-french-government-collusion-with-al-qaeda-linked-group/

Who Are Syria's White Helmets? -- Vanessa Beeley
http://21stcenturywire.com/2016/06/21/who-are-the-syria-white-helmets/

**********
Interviews With Syrian Civilians Reveal White Helmets And Nusra/al-Qaeda Are The Same Thing -- Brandon Turbeville
http://www.activistpost.com/2017/05/interviews-with-syrian-civilians-reveal-white-helmets-and-nusraal-qaeda-are-the-same-thing.html

But STAR is no stranger to adversity. It opened its doors in 2016, during the height of the war, when things were not so hopeful as they were today.

STAR is currently asking for donations to be made via Generosity.com.

The first step to ending the suffering of animals in Syria is the end to the Western-backed war against the Syrian government and the Syrian people. This includes the removal of Western and Turkish troops, the immediate halt to supplying weapons to terrorists, and the removal of sanctions.
---

The Real Syria Civil Defense VS. The White Helmets
TOPICS:Brandon TurbevilleHuman RightsPropagandaSyria
https://www.activistpost.com/2016/11/the-real-syria-civil-defense-vs-the-white-helmets.html
November 21, 2016
By Brandon Turbeville

white-helmet-infographic-2
https://www.activistpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/white-helmet-infographic-2.jpg

NOTE: This writer recommends reading Vanessa Beeley's article, "The REAL Syria Civil Defense Exposes Fake 'White Helmets' As Terrorist-Linked Imposters."
http://21stcenturywire.com/2016/09/23/exclusive-the-real-syria-civil-defence-expose-natos-white-helmets-as-terrorist-linked-imposters/

Despite the failure to award the White Helmets with the Nobel Peace Prize and the pathetic propaganda film that accompanied the run-up to the decision, there remains a continued effort to not only promote the White Helmets as being a humanitarian organization and hide their actual terroristic nature, but also to conceal the real humanitarian heroes in Syria, the Syria Civil Defense.

Indeed, if one searches the web for Syria Civil Defense, he will be met with links to a White Helmets website operating under the domain of SyriaCivilDefense.org. Wikipedia also lists the Syria Civil Defense as "aka" the White Helmets.

It is, of course, a necessity for the NATO powers to erase the real Syria Civil Defense and replace them with the White Helmets so that the corporate outlets' information sourcing can come from a "respected" humanitarian organization whenever false claims leveled against the Syrian government. Propaganda sounds so much better when it comes from selfless, humanitarian, rescue operations.

Vanessa Beeley, the researcher who has ripped the mask of the White Helmets numerous times before and who may be the person most responsible for preventing the terrorist support group from receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, describes the real Syria Civil Defense in the following way:

The REAL Syria Civil Defence was established as an organisation, in 1953, some 63 years before the White Helmets were a glimmer in the eyes of CIA and MI6 operatives.

The REAL Syria Civil Defence is a founding member of the ICDO (International Civil Defence Organisation). Other ICDO partners include the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Secretarian of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations of Geneva (UNOG), Red Cross and the Red Crescent.

To our knowledge and according to the Head Quarters of the REAL Syria Civil Defence in Damascus, the White Helmets are NOT a member of the ICDO. The REAL Syria White Helmets have received awards for their participation in the training of other member states in USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) and for their contributions to the Civil Defence community, prior to the NATO dirty war on Syria that began in earnest, in 2011.

Later in Part II, we will go into further detail regarding this affiliation with the ICDO and the role the REAL Syria Civil Defence has played in global civil defence developments for the last 63 years -- which is tremendous, and something the White Helmets could never lay claim to in reality, despite all the superficial accolades being rained down upon them by the US and NATO fueled organisations, foundations and cosmetic award bodies.

This is an introduction to the unsung heroes who, unlike the counterfeit White Helmets, do truly risk their lives every day, working not only in government controlled areas, but forging deep into terrorist strongholds to rescue civilians living under the brutal US-NATO-backed terrorist siege and occupation that engulfs all of Syria.

When Syrian civilians are at risk, injured, or buried under the rubble of homes, schools and hospitals destroyed by terrorist mortar showers, it's not Le Mesurier's White Helmets who rush to their aid -- it's the REAL Syria Civil Defence, a real civic organization who, up until the publication of this article, have never been mentioned by any western media outlets.

Beeley traveled to Syria in 2016 in order to get a firsthand feel for the situation on the ground and to investigate the Syria Civil Defense/White Helmet issue. She traveled all over the country, most notably in Aleppo and Damascus, the latter city being the headquarters of the real Syria Civil Defense. She, along with journalist Eva Bartlett, was able to interview members of the SCD and inspect the organization's equipment and facilities.

Beeley writes,

On the 15th of August, I entered the work yard of Aleppo's REAL Syria Civil Defence and was greeted by an exhausted team of about fifteen crew-members. That morning from 11am until around 3 pm, just before our visit, they had been fighting a fire in a cement and plastics factory which had been ignited by Al Nusra Front mortar fire.

They were understandably wary, but they still gathered around us (my colleague and independent journalist, Eva Bartlett and our translator) in the searing arid summer heat. Over the course of this 5 years and 6 months of this dirty war against Syria, not one western media journalist had ever asked to speak to them.

This extraordinary omission and failure to follow the most rudimentary journalist text book rules by the western media is staggering, but hardly surprising considering the level of spin and propaganda employed daily by the likes of the BBC, CNN, FOX News, The Guardian, New York Times, and Washington Post. Sadly, western media lap dogs end up simply wagging their tails to their masters voice and turning somersaults with the truth to merit reward.

Unfortunately for the Syrian people, western pundits have only reported on crucial and pivotal events in the war on Syria based largely on 'evidence' supplied by the US-UK-NATO construct, the White Helmets, who are ensconsed only in Al Nusra Front aka Al Qaeda and ISIS held areas.

As a result of western media outlets not bothering to make contact with the volunteer Syrians in the REAL Syria Civil Defence, western audiences never received a balanced view of the situation. Instead, western media only disseminates what amounts to a biased, one-sided view which mirrors anti-Syrian state and Syrian Arab Army rhetoric issued by the US State Dept and British Foreign Office.

I explained in detail, why I had come to talk with them, that my objective was to find out who were the real heroes inside Syria, the multi million NATO funded White Helmets created in 2013 or the Syrian Syria Civil Defence established in 1953.

Aleppo's REAL Syria Civil Defence informed us there are 150 volunteers working across all units in Aleppo, the headquarters are in the Hamadaniya area which is one of the most severely targeted civilian areas, by Al Nusra Front Hell Cannon mortar fire and explosive bullets. The volunteers ages range between 25-45 years old, and the minimum age for training is 18.

All members of the crew were genuine volunteers. They spoke proudly of the intensive training process they undergo before they can be accepted into the unit. They are fully trained in urban search and rescue techniques (USAR). They are also fully qualified paramedics.

A glance around their yard revealed that their equipment is tired and worn. The fire trucks were gleaming in the sun but showed signs of heavy use. Tattered jackets hung from the fenders and wing mirrors of the trucks and a Syrian flag had been draped across the radiator of one truck, perhaps in honour of our visit.

She adds,

The West Aleppo crew is forced to attend missions without the standard issue equipment and to deal with situations like chemical weapons attacks with only the ineffectual paper breathing masks. This is another result of the EU-US sanctions being enforced against Syria, and effectively against the Syrian people. The REAL Syria Civil Defence is unable to replace equipment or replenish supplies, unlike the NATO White Helmets who enjoy an endless stream of kit and replacement materials via the Turkey supply chain that has remained unbroken for much of the four years that Aleppo has been under terrorist siege.

Beeley's article, "The REAL Syria Civil Defence Exposes Fake 'White Helmets' As Terrorist-Linked Imposters," details firsthand accounts of SCD volunteers risking (and sometimes losing) their lives in order to save the lives of civilians. The article also details stories from volunteers regarding the horrific aftermath of terrorist hell cannons, missiles, and other indiscriminate strikes against civilian areas. I would highly recommend reading the entirety of Beeley's article.

When Beeley asked the volunteers their opinions on the White Helmets, an image was painted that appears much different from the fantasy portrayed by Western media and Hollywood film sets as well as the Nobel Prize committee. She writes,

When we got on to the subject of NATO's White Helmets, the West Aleppo REAL Syrian Civil Defence crew became animated. One of them, stepped forward and began to talk excitedly to our translator. He had been stationed in East Aleppo at a REAL Syrian Civil Defence unit based in an area that has since been overrun by Al Nusra Front and their associate terrorist gangs.

Again, we are unable, as we have said, to provide names of the men we spoke with. They are prime targets for the Al Nusra Front and company in East Aleppo. This crew member, lets call him 'Khaled,' described what happened when the terrorists (western media still call them "opposition" or "moderate rebels") started to invade East Aleppo in 2012.

"They came in and they drove us out of our homes and they came to the Syria Civil Defence yard and they killed some of my comrades, they kidnapped others. They wanted to force me to work with them. I escaped at night. I was forced to leave my teenage sons behind. They burned my house to the ground and they put my name on all the terrorist checkpoints so if I go back, they will kill me."

Khaled went on to explain how those men who later became the White Helmets were among this first wave of terrorists:

"They are terrorists, not rescuers. They stole our ambulances and three of our fire engines. They don't do any rescue work. They drive round with guns in the back of their car like any other terrorist. Some are from East Aleppo, some are from Syria but not from Aleppo and some are even coming in from abroad."

Granted, this might come as a shock to anyone who has already bought into the public relations image of the group that's already been developed over three years by various agencies in New York, Washington DC and London, but these are the real accounts regarding what one might say is the true unmasked nature of the west's White Helmets.

Beeley also writes that the volunteers of the SCD had a chance to view some of the White Helmets' "rescue videos" and found a number of oddities if the White Helmets were truly rescuing trapped civilians or even simply retrieving bodies.

Beeley continues,

At this point other crew members interjected and told me that they had watched the White Helmet "rescue" videos.

"They are fake. They don't carry out any correct procedures, either as paramedics or as search and rescue experts."

They described how the White Helmets use a heavy-duty power drill to dig down for civilians buried under the rubble of homes allegedly targeted by "Syrian or Russian airstrikes."

"It's the wrong equipment to use. It is not sensitive enough and because it vibrates powerfully, it can displace the rubble which is dangerous if anyone is genuinely buried beneath it."

They went on to describe other aspects of the White Helmet videos that they believe contravene all standard procedures that are followed by genuine search and rescue experts, paramedics and first responders.

In the following very recent video made by a White Helmet camera crew, men pretending to be genuine rescuers attack an area of rubble where they seem to know where a body buried. They start with a mint condition JCB digger, which attacks the heap of rubble with gusto. Then, alarmingly, they begin to pound the rubble with a heavy duty mallet without employing any devices to actually determine where the body is located, under the impenetrable concrete blocks. Finally, the JCB digger returns to the mound of rubble and enters the teeth of its bucket into the rubble without any hesitation, surely not standard procedure if there is a chance of a body being under the debris.

Miraculously, as with all White Helmet videos, they seem to find exactly where the bodies are, despite having displaced the majority of the rubble in the process. They also, miraculously, avoided staving in the first body's head with the mallet. There is no intention to downplay or belittle the deaths that have obviously occurred but we do ask the questions:

1. How did the White Helmets know the bodies would be exactly where they found them?

2. Where is this rescue being filmed?

3. "Activists", "citizen journalists", the White Helmets and western media would have us believe that East Aleppo is under almost constant Russian or Syrian aerial attack yet the White Helmets make, on average, 4 or 5 films per day and we never see or hear any sign of an attack, only the "aftermath".

4. Where do these bodies come from? Are they victims of air strikes as we are told by these NATO funded "activists" and "first responders" or are they taken from among the thousands of "disappeared" that have been kidnapped by Nusra Front and other terrorist gangs in East Aleppo? Are they gruesome props being used inhumanely, to polish the image of this faux NGO embedded in East Aleppo, HQ for Al Nusra Front.

Indeed, upon my own travels to the Middle East, I spoke with Syrians (not volunteers with the SCD) who had similar questions about White Helmets rescues. How do they always know right where to find the bodies? How do they not kill living victims or damage dead bodies with the equipment they are using in the videos? Why are they always videotaped? These were all questions the individuals that I spoke with were asking about the White Helmets. Another issue was the extraordinary budget this group receives from the U.K. and the U.S., a budget that is more akin to a military coffer than a humanitarian one.

Beeley went further, however, and met with the real Aleppo Medical Association. She asked them about the White Helmets and the alleged work they do in East Aleppo (they only operate in terrorist-held territory). Interestingly enough, according to Dr. Bassem Hayak, the man in charge of the medical teams that assess civilians fleeing East Aleppo to West Aleppo, stated that the White Helmets are unknown to civilians in East Aleppo.

Beeley writes,

One of the other meetings we had during our time in Aleppo, was with the Aleppo Medical Association. We met with the Director, Dr Zahar Buttal and Dr Bassem Hayak, who is in charge of the medical teams assessing refugees from East Aleppo who fled to West Aleppo via the Russian and Syrian state humanitarian corridors, created on the 29th July, which have allowed over 2000 people to escape the terrorist strongholds to safety, food and medical care in government-protected West Aleppo. These figures were given to us by the Aleppo Medical Association on the 15th August 2016.

One of the questions I asked Dr Hayak, who spoke good English, was what he knew of the White Helmets. His response was concise and without preamble. His family is still in East Aleppo and although he has not been able to get back into East Aleppo for the last year, his family have told him that the White Helmets are not known in East Aleppo. I asked again to be sure, and was told again, people, civilians do not know of the White Helmets in East Aleppo. Any actual first response work is carried out by foreign workers from various countries, Pakistan and the Gulf region among them. These foreigners work with Syrian people who are not properly trained in first response. They might only receive 2 or 3 months training before being allowed to work.

Dr Hayak says, "Even with our relationship with WHO (World Health Organisation) and the UN, we still didn't hear about the White Helmets."

Are the White Helmets, NATO ghosts?

Dr Hayak also states quite clearly, he has a cousin, working as a surgeon in East Aleppo. ISIS and other terrorist factions have forced her to stay in East Aleppo by threatening to kill her family, should she leave for West Aleppo.

Dr Hayak also said that the majority of civilians in East Aleppo are "hostages"of the NATO/US allied terrorists.

In East Aleppo, civilians living under Al Nusra Front occupation, do not know the White Helmets.

It is possible to view her interview with Dr. Hayak here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G66GSSwpc_w
The History And Formation Of White Helmets -- The Founders And Directors

White Helmets was founded by James Le Mesurier, an admitted former British army officer and mercenary with the Olive Group, a private contracting organization that is now merged with Blackwater-Academi into Constellis Holdings.[1] Although White Helmets half-heartedly attempts to hide its source of funding, the organization is linked to George Soros through a PR firm named Purpose Inc., a pro-war firm that argues for Western intervention against Assad. The co-founder of Purpose is Jeremy Heimans, who also helped found Avaaz, a "pro-democracy" group connected to Soros' Open Society Foundation, SEIU, and MoveOn.org.

In her expose of White Helmets, "White Helmets: War By Way Of Deception," Vanessa Beeley summarizes the history and funding of the organization when she wrote:

The White Helmets were established in March 2013, in Istanbul, Turkey, and is headed by James Le Mesurier, a British "security" specialist and 'ex' British military intelligence officer with an impressive track record in some of the most dubious NATO intervention theatres including Bosnia and Kosovo, as well as Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine. Le Mesurier is a product of Britain's elite Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, and has also been placed in a series of high-profile pasts at the United Nations, European Union, and U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The origins of The White Helmet's initial $300k seed funding is a little hazy, reports are contradictory but subsequent information leads us to conclude that the UK, US and Syrian opposition [Syrian National Council] are connected. Logistical support has been provided by given by Turkish elite natural disaster response team, AKUT.

A further $13 million was poured into the White Helmet coffers during 2013 and this is where it gets interesting. Early reports suggest that these "donations" came from the US, UK and SNC with the previously explored connections to George Soros in the US.

However, subsequent investigations reveal that USAID has been a major shareholder in the White Helmet organisation.

The website for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) claims that "our work supports long-term and equitable economic growth and advances U.S. foreign policy objectives by supporting: economic growth, agriculture and trade; global health; and, democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance."

In a USAID report update in July 2015 it is clearly stated that they have supplied over $ 16m in assistance to the White Helmets.

In addition to Soros and the $16 million, White Helmets is known to receive approximately $23 million dollars from the U.S. State Department via USAID, a figure that was confirmed more recently by Deputy State Department Spokesman Mark Toner when questioned by reporters at a State Department briefing on April 27, 2016.

It is thus no surprise that White Helmets have been publicly calling for Western intervention in Syria, particularly a No-Fly Zone since their creation. The organization is, after all, a fully funded arm of U.S./Western imperialism. It is, therefore, reasonable to expect the group to publicly call for the same desires as their bosses in the United States and Europe.

Raed Saleh, head of White Helmets (aka Syrian Civil Defense) has publicly called for the implementation of a "No-Fly Zone" over Syria by the United Nations Security Council, an act that is tantamount to direct military warfare, an example of which can be seen in the rubble of Libya. Indeed, such a decision would simply be a repeat of the Libyan tragedy.

Saleh has stated on the White Helmets website:

Barrel bombs -- sometimes filled with chlorine -- are the biggest killer of civilians in Syria today. Our unarmed and neutral rescue workers have saved more than 40,823 people from the attacks in Syria, but there are many we cannot reach. There are children trapped in rubble we cannot hear. For them, the UN Security Council must follow through on its demand made last year to stop the barrel bombs, by introducing a 'no-fly zone' if necessary."

Saleh himself is an interesting case. Content to shower Saleh and his organization with millions of dollars and flattering public relations material, the United States apparently does not trust Saleh enough to allow free access to American soil. In April, 2016 Saleh was set to receive another typical back-slapping award in Washington, D.C. However, Saleh's visa was canceled and he was forced to go back to Istanbul. The New York Times reported,

The leader of a Western-backed rescue organization that searches for survivors of bombings in Syriawas denied entry into the United States this week, where he was to receive an award recognizing his contributions to humanitarian relief.

Raed Saleh, the head of the Syria Civil Defense, was to accept the award from InterAction, an alliance of aid agencies, at its gala dinner Tuesday night in Washington. The dinner's keynote speaker was Gayle Smith, the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development.

But when Mr. Saleh, who works in Syria and Turkey, arrived Monday at Washington's Dulles International Airport on a flight from Istanbul, the authorities said he could not enter the United States. He was told his visa had been canceled.

It was unclear whether Mr. Saleh's name might have shown up on a database, fed by a variety of intelligence and security agencies and intended to guard against the prospect of terrorism suspects slipping into the country.

The State Department declined to give specifics, but a spokesman, John Kirby, said that "the U.S. government's system of continual vetting means that traveler records are screened against available information in real time."

"While we can't confirm any possible specific actions in this case, we do have the ability to immediately coordinate with our interagency partners when new information becomes available," he added.

State Department Spokesman Mark Toner was also questioned about the details surrounding Saleh's visa but Toner found it difficult to answer any questions regarding this incident in a coherent fashion. According to the State Department's own published transcripts the reporter/spokesman interaction went as follows:

QUESTION: On the last one --

MR TONER: Yes, sir.

QUESTION: -- you commend this group, you're going to continue to support them, and yet you revoked the visa of their leader. I don't -- that makes zero sense to me.

MR TONER: Well --

QUESTION: What -- what's exactly going on?

MR TONER: Well, I mean, this group, and I would precisely make that --

QUESTION: Yeah, but this is the guy who is the leader of this group who the head of USAID lionized in a -- and her -- that she lauded him --

MR TONER: Sure. Sure.

QUESTION: -- in a speech at the event that he was supposed to be accepting --

MR TONER: Sure.

QUESTION: -- an award that he couldn't get here for because the State Department canceled his visa while he was in the middle -- while he was in midair, presumably, over the Atlantic so that when he arrived at Dulles, he was promptly thrown on the next plane back to Turkey. And now here you are talking about how wonderful his group is. I just don't understand how it works.

MR TONER: So a couple responses. One is, unfortunately, we can't speak to individual visa cases. I think broadly speaking, though, on any visa case we are constantly looking at new information, so-called continually vetting travel or records. And if we do have new information that we believe this -- an individual --

QUESTION: But --

MR TONER: -- let me finish -- would pose a security risk, we'll certainly act on that. I can't speak again specifically to this case, but what I can talk about is this group. And this group, as I said, has saved some 40,000 lives, that are first responders, they operate in a combat zone, and the fact that they're being singled out and hit by the Syrian regime is, frankly, cause for a concern. And we do support this group. We do support their efforts to save lives in what is admittedly a very complex and convoluted battlefield scene.

And to speak to your broader -- to say that this group's -- which I think is the implication of your question, that they somehow have ties to --

QUESTION: No, I'm not suggesting that at all.

MR TONER: Then -- okay.

QUESTION: I'm saying that it just strikes me as a bit odd that you're saying that this group is wonderful and does such a great job and you're commending them for their heroism, and yet, this -- you're doing this just 10 days after the leader of this group, who was supposed to be -- who got his visa revoked and wasn't allowed to travel here. I understand there was an attack that killed some of its members, and I know that that's the immediate cause of it --

MR TONER: Right.

QUESTION: -- but it just strikes me as being a bit inconsistent if you say that this group is wonderful, and yet, you also ban its leader from coming to the States to collect an award for which -- and you say you're going to continue to support the group. I mean, if you have reason to revoke his visa, that he could be a security threat or something like that, why would you continue to support --

MR TONER: But again -- but again, I'm trying to separate this individual from the group, which we believe is --

QUESTION: All right. So the guy is -- you're saying that basically he is suspect but his group is not?

MR TONER: Well, again, I can't speak to the specific allegations against him, Matt.

QUESTION: Well, not if I --

MR TONER: No, I'm sorry, I -- my hands are tied too but --

QUESTION: All right. The other thing --

MR TONER: -- but yes, we're not condemning the group in any way whatsoever.

QUESTION: Off --

MR TONER: We believe it's doing good work.

QUESTION: Could I --

QUESTION: (Off-mike.)

QUESTION: If he is the leader of the group, how do you support this group and he is not allowed to get into the States? This is the question.

MR TONER: I understand that and all I can say is that --

QUESTION: How can you separate the leader of the group from the group?

MR TONER: Well, he's one individual in the group.

QUESTION: But the leader of the group.

MR TONER: And any individual -- again, I'm broadening my language here for specific reasons, but any individual in any group suspected of ties or relations with extremist groups or that we had believed to be a security threat to the United States, we would act accordingly. But that does not, by extension, mean we condemn or would cut off ties to the group for which that individual works for.

QUESTION: Okay. It just seems a little odd.

QUESTION: Could I just follow up on the group? Which group is --

MR TONER: Sophisticated. (Laughter.)

QUESTION: I mean, they are a civil defense group, right? They are --

QUESTION: The White Helmets?

QUESTION: Who are --

MR TONER: The White Helmets. So this is a group --

QUESTION: White Helmets. Okay, I understand.

MR TONER: So, yeah, this is the Syrian Civil Defense Group. Yeah.

QUESTION: Do you know -- I understand about the White Helmets. Do you know who finances them, how they operate, who are they supported by, what kind of organization they have? How do you get your information from them and so on?

MR TONER: Well -- well, I can say we provide them with --

QUESTION: We -- you do know a little bit.

MR TONER: Well, I can tell you that we provide, through USAID, about $23 million in assistance to them.

Vanessa Beeley also exposes Mosab Obeidat, White Helmets Project Officer and Farouq al-Habib. She writes,

Mosab Obeidat, previous Assistant Chief of Mission with the Qatar Red Crescent, one of whose officials, Khaled Diab was accused of supplying $ 2.2 m to secure arms for the terrorist groups in Syria. Details of this transaction and its exposure can be found in this Al Akhbar article from June 2013. http://english.al-akhbar.com/node/16160

At least three other members of the team were a part of the Syrian "revolution" including Farouq al Habib, one of the 3 most prominent White Helmet leaders who was also a leader of the Homs uprising against the Syrian government and according to his testimony, was tortured by the Syrian "regime" security forces in 2012 for smuggling a journalist into Syria to "cover" the "peaceful protests". Habib was a founder member of the 'Homs Revolutionary Council' (the CIA have been linked to nearly all 'Revolutionary Councils in Syria) before fleeing to Turkey in 2013 (A more in-depth analysis of his anti-Syrian government testimony will be presented in Part II of this article).

Fraudulent Photos: White Helmets And The Propaganda Machine

In addition to calling for the implementation of a "No-Fly Zone," the White Helmets have also gone so far as to post fraudulent photos so as to blame the Syrian military for civilian casualties and intentional targeting of civilians when such is not the case. In October, 2015 White Helmets released pictures on its Twitter account purporting to show the aftermath of the Russian bombing campaign against ISIS and assorted terrorists launched on September 30. "Russia strike in Homs today. 33 civilians killed including 3 children and 1 @SyriaCivilDef volunteer" the caption read.

The picture showed a bleeding girl being held by a "Civil Defense" volunteer and claimed that the child was injured along with a number of other civilians.

Unfortunately for the White Helmets, Twitter users immediately exposed the photos as a fraud, since the pictures were actually taken five days prior on September 25, 2015.

Interestingly enough, the White Helmets, in an attempt to assist drumming up opposition to Vladmir Putin and Russia's attack on jihadists, also managed to tweet about the horror of Russia's air strikes hours before Russia's parliament even granted Putin the authority to use the Air Force in Syria, according to Sputnik.
White Helmets: Anti-Assad Propaganda, Support And Rescue Team For Al-Nusra

Despite being routinely cited as a "humanitarian" organization, however, the White Helmets appear to be much more than even a wolf in sheep's clothing in the NGO world. Not only providing the basis for carefully crafted propaganda opportunities, the organization appears to actually work side by side with terrorist outfits like Jobhat al-Nusra both on the propaganda angle and the battlefield.

For one, it is important to note that the area of operation for the White Helmets is never within territory controlled by the Syrian government. It is without deviation solely located within territory held by "moderate terrorists," Nusra, or other related Western-backed terrorist groups. Obviously, if White Helmets truly represented the Syrian people, they would be operating in both territories. As Rick Sterling wrote in his article "Highly Effective Manipulators,"

The trainees are said to be 'nonpartisan' but only work in rebel-controlled areas of Idlib (now controlled by Nusra/Al Queda) and Aleppo. There are widely divergent claims regarding the number of people trained by the White Helmets and the number of people rescued. The numbers are probably highly exaggerated especially since rebel-controlled territories have few civilians. A doctor who recently served in a rebel-controlled area of Aleppo described it as a ghost town. The White Helmets work primarily with the rebel group Jabat al Nusra (Al Queda in Syria).

White Helmets: 'Unarmed And Unbiased'

While the White Helmets' tag line is "unarmed and unbiased," nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, the organization is incredibly biased and visibly armed. In the second part to her expose of White Helmets, "Part II: Syria's White Helmets: War By Way Of Deception," Vanessa Beeley writes,

As part of the myth-building process, White Helmet members are repetitively described as 'ordinary people', specifically, "bakers, tailors, engineers, pharmacists, painters, carpenters, students", and are relentlessly depicted as heroes, miracle workers, saints and super-humans scaling the "Mount Everest" of war zones with impartiality and neutrality. "Unarmed and unbiased" is their strapline, as they sacrifice themselves for the "Syrian People". Indeed, those same Syrian people who have never heard of them. The myth-making continues...

. . . . .

Can a organisation rightly be called an 'independent relief organisation' when it is being funded by a foreign government who is directly involved in the military over-throw of Syria's government? Most intelligent people should have no problem answering that question.

. . . . .

This video below reveals a White Helmet operative describing the "throwing of Shabiha bodies in the trash". Shabiha is a derogatory term for Syrian Government militia or state-employed security forces but is liberally applied by terrorist aka "rebel alliance" factions to any member of the Syrian military, irrespective of whether they are Alawite, Sunni, or Shia. Let's remind ourselves of White Helmet claims on their websites of how its 'aid workers' "have risked sniper fire to rescue SAA bodies to give them a proper burial."

Watch this shocking video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOz0jt_wA8w

This same neutral White Helmet operative goes on to pledge allegiance to the terrorist forces in the region stating:

"They are our role models, the best of people and we have the honour to serve them"
"SERVE THEM [armed terrorists, Al Nusra/Al Qaeda]", curious turn of phrase for a neutral, impartial humanitarian "moderate" organisation? Watch here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qM0Xu4Sz80

He also congratulates the Mujahadeen for liberating Jisr al Shugour from Assad's forces.

"Glad tidings have reached us in Jisr al Shugour by the hands of our Mujahadeen brothers. May Allah strengthen them and make them steadfast on the correct way and soon, insh'Allah, the strongholds of the Assad regime in Latakia and Damascus will be liberated."

It should be clear that these alleged "moderates" you are watching here are actually moderate extremists and jihadists, and the western media has been very careful in hiding this fact. Watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiRquhd50mc

. . . . .

Moving on to another video, this time revealing White Helmet operatives standing on the discarded dead bodies of SAA [Syrian Arab Army] soldiers and giving the victory sign. This display of support for the Al Nusra extremist terrorists who have just massacred these soldiers once again demonstrates where their true allegiances lie.

Numerous photos and large amounts of video footage is available showing the alleged "unarmed" White Helmets parading about with rifles, virtually indistinguishable in their appearance and actions from the terrorists they are working with except for their actual white helmets. In at least on instance, White Helmets members were videotaped apparently taking part in the execution of a man condemned to death by Nusra/ISIS fighters. In this video, the execution of the man who is shot in the head by the terrorists is clearly shown. Before his body is even fully still, the White Helmets arrive at the scene, within seconds, to collect the body as if they were on standby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96AcFZ32RRE

Conclusion

With all of the above information taken together, White Helmets should be considered nothing more than a terrorist rescue operation and propaganda wing for al-Nusra Front. This organization is wholly funded, directed, and promoted by Western governments, intelligence agencies and Foundations for the purposes of assisting Western-backed terrorists in destroying secular Syria and replacing it with a collection of impotent religious/ethnicity-based petty squabbling microstates and mini-states.[2] The organization serves as a clever and opportunistic tool to be used by Western media for the purposes of sourcing false claims from "impartial" "activist" groups on the ground in Syria and giving the claims the source and credibility of a "human rights" organization. Clearly, whatever claims are made by the White Helmets should be immediately dismissed as yet another false statement in a long string of lies easily traced directly back to the United States and the UK.

[1] Anderson, Tim. The Dirty War On Syria. Pg. 75.
[2] Brzezinski, Zbigniew. The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy And Its Geostrategic Imperatives. Basic Books, 1st Edition. 1998.

Brandon Turbeville -- article archive here -- is the author of seven books, Codex Alimentarius -- The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1 and volume 2, The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria, and The Difference it Makes: 36 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Should Never Be President. Turbeville has published over 850 articles on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbeville's radio show Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. His website is BrandonTurbeville.com He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com.

This article may be freely shared in part or in full with author attribution and source link.

Image Credit
Also Read: Syria: White Helmets Caught in Mannequin Challenge-Mess Up
http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2016/11/syria-white-helmets-caught-in-mannequin.html
---

EXCLUSIVE: The REAL Syria Civil Defence Exposes Fake 'White Helmets' as Terrorist-Linked Imposters
http://21stcenturywire.com/2016/09/23/exclusive-the-real-syria-civil-defence-expose-natos-white-helmets-as-terrorist-linked-imposters/

Mideast Peacemaking is No Longer Made-in-America
The U.S. lost the military gamble in Syria; now it appears to be ceding its diplomatic edge, too.
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/in-syria-peacemaking-is-no-longer-made-in-america/

Why Everything You Hear About Aleppo Is Wrong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8mA0h7dCKI
RonPaulLibertyReport
Streamed live on Sep 29, 2016
What's really going on in Aleppo? Are Assad and Putin exterminating the population for sport? Is it a war against US-backed "moderates"? That is what the mainstream media would have us believe. We speak with Vanessa Beeley, a journalist who just returned from Aleppo for the real story.

The Truth About Yemen - With Vanessa Beeley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBN-61G_U8Y
RonPaulLibertyReport
Streamed live on Aug 17, 2017
More than two years after a Saudi-led coalition began attacking Yemen, the country is a wasteland. Thousands of airstrikes, scores of children killed, epidemics, misery. Who's really responsible and what can be done?

Dr Bassem Hayak Aleppo Medical Centre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G66GSSwpc_w
vanessa beeley
Published on Sep 22, 2016
The Aleppo Medical Association
One of the other meetings we had during our time in Aleppo, was with the Aleppo Medical Association. We met with the director Dr Zahar Buttal and Dr Bassem Hayak, who was in charge of the medical teams assessing refugees from East Aleppo who fled to West Aleppo via the Russian and Syrian state humanitarian corridors, created on the 29th July, that have allowed over 2000 people to escape the terrorist strongholds to safety, food and medical care in West Aleppo. These figures were given to us by the Aleppo Medical Association on the 15th August 2016.
One of the questions I asked Dr Hayak, who spoke good English, was what he knew of the White Helmets. His response was concise and without preamble. His family is still in East Aleppo and although he has not been able to get back into East Aleppo for the last year, his family have told him that the the White Helmets are not known in East Aleppo. I asked again to be sure, and was told again, people/civilians do not know the White Helmets in East Aleppo.
The first response work is carried out by foreign workers from various countries, Pakistan and the Gulf region among them. These foreigners work with Syrian people who are not properly trained in first response, perhaps for only 2 or 3 months training before being allowed to work.
Dr Hayak says, "even with our relationship with WHO (World Health Organisation) and the UN, we still didn't hear about the White Helmets."
Are the White Helmets NATO's ghosts?
Dr Hayak also states quite clearly, he has a cousin working as a doctor in East Aleppo. ISIS and other terrorist factions have forced her to stay in East Aleppo by threatening to kill her family, should she leave for West Aleppo. Dr Hayak said that the majority of civilians in East Aleppo are "hostages".
The civilians in East Aleppo do not know the White Helmet rescue workers.

Human Rights Watch FAIL: Uses Photo of American Bombing Destruction To Condemn Assad
https://www.activistpost.com/2015/03/human-rights-watch-fail-uses-photo-of.html
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WHO ARE SYRIA'S WHITE HELMETS (terrorist linked)?
June 21, 2016 By Vanessa Beeley 4 Comments
Vanessa Beeley
21st Century Wire
http://21stcenturywire.com/2016/06/21/who-are-the-syria-white-helmets/

Who are the White Helmets? This is a question that everyone should be asking themselves.

A hideous murder of a rising star in UK politics, Jo Cox MP, has just sent shock waves across the world. Within hours of her death, a special fund was established in her name to raise money for 3 causes. One of those causes is the Syrian White Helmets.

Are we seeing a cynical and obscene exploitation of Jo Cox's murder to revive the flagging credibility of a US State Department & UK Foreign Office asset on the ground in Syria, created and sustained as first responders for the US and NATO Al Nusra/Al Qaeda forces?

white helmet infographic (2)
FOLLOW THE MONEY: The White Helmets are just one component of the new NGO Complex.

If this is the case, and I fear it is, the depravity of our government, the US government, the state led media and associated Syria Campaign support groups have reached a new level of perversion of Humanity. The White Helmets have been demonstrated to be a primarily US and NATO funded organisation embedded in Al Nusra and ISIS held areas exclusively.

This is an alleged "non-governmental" organisation, the definition of an NGO, that thus far has received funding from at least three major NATO governments, including $23 million from the US Government and $29 million (£19.7 million) from the UK Government, $4.5 million (‚¬4 million) from the Dutch Government. In addition, it receives material assistance and training funded and run by a variety of other EU Nations.

A request has been put into the EU Secretary General to provide all correspondence relating to the funding and training of the White Helmets. By law this information must be made transparent and available to the public.

There has been a concerted campaign by a range of investigative journalists to expose the true roots of these Syria Civil Defence operatives, known as the White Helmets. The most damning statement, however, did not come from us, but from their funders and backers in the US State Department who attempted to explain the US deportation of the prominent White Helmet leader, Raed Saleh, from Dulles airport on the 18th April 2016.

"It was unclear whether Mr. Saleh's name might have shown up on a database, fed by a variety of intelligence and security agencies and intended to guard against the prospect of terrorism suspects slipping into the country." -- New York Times

Mark Toner, State Department spokesperson:

"And any individual -- again, I'm broadening my language here for specific reasons, but any individual in any group suspected of ties or relations with extremist groups or that we had believed to be a security threat to the United States, we would act accordingly. But that does not, by extension, mean we condemn or would cut off ties to the group for which that individual works for."

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=792ODrhwKkk

So we come back to the initial question. Why is the tragic death of a passionate and ambitious politician being exploited? Why are all political parties in the UK endorsing the Jo Cox fund to provide financial assistance for an organisation the UK Government is already funding and training?

Why are the public once more being used as political pawns to further our government's imperialist objectives inside Syria and their covert, illegal, proxy intervention of a sovereign nation via both terrorist forces and phony humanitarian first responders?

Phillip hammond meets white helmets
Phillip Hammond, UK Foreign Secretary meeting White Helmets in southern Turkey

The White Helmets are perhaps being demonstrated to be the most crucial component of the US and NATO shadow state building inside Syria. Led by the US and UK this group is essential to the propaganda stream that facilitates the continued media and political campaign against the elected Syrian government and permits the US and NATO to justify their regime of crippling economic and humanitarian sanctions against the Syrian people.

If this latest mechanised 'NGO' blueprint is successful then we could see it being re-deployed as key to future neo-colonialist projects. The White Helmets are a direct intra-venus line into the terrorist enclaves within Syria, acting as a conduit for information, equipment and medical support to maintain the US NATO forces.

Is this the future of warfare, is this the "swarming" outlined in a 2000 report produced by the RAND Corporation and entitled: Swarming and the Future of Conflict.

"The emergence of a military doctrine based on swarming pods and clusters requires that defense policymakers develop new approaches to connectivity and control and achieve a new balance between the two. Far more than traditional approachesto battle, swarming clearly depends upon robust information flows. Securing these flows, therefore, can be seen as a necessary condition for successful swarming."

[Update 22/6/2016] An important "previously unpublished interview with Jo Cox" was released today by Adam Barnett. In this interview Jo Cox makes a clear statement regarding the way the UK Government should be maximising the use of their assets, the White Helmets, inside Syria:

"Second thing: many organisations, whether it's the White Helmets or others, have got really creative ideas about how to operate under the siege and civil war conditions. They've got really interesting ideas about channelling money, getting aid in, thinking creatively about how they operate, which DfID [Department for International Development] should be listening to. [emphasis added]

And then the third thing is about giving airtime to civil society groups, making sure that they get more time on panels-- and making sure this is representative of the diversity of civil society views as well, whether that's women's groups, or the White Helmets, or NGOs, or just doctors or people who are literally trying to get on with making society function in response to the humanitarian crisis."

Is this why we are seeing what is, in effect, crowd funding for proxy war? Do we really want to look back and be "judged by history" for enabling conflict and state terrorism, violating international law and invading sovereign nations. Are we prepared to accept the consequences of such actions, consequences that should be taken by our governments alone but are now being diffused outwards to the general public. Is this an attempt by our government to disassociate themselves from their criminal actions?

To condense our research on the Syria White Helmets, we have collated all relevant articles and interviews below. We condemn wholeheartedly any senseless murder but we recommend that there is serious public and political re-evaluation of the morality of funding a US NATO organisation established to further "regime change" objectives in Syria.

Mass murder is being committed across Syria and the region by US and NATO proxy terrorist militants. Funding the White Helmets will serve to prolong the suffering and bloodshed of the Syrian people.

UK Column: White Helmets, Humanitarians or Executioners?

VIDEO: Vanessa Beeley speaks to Mike Robinson of UK Column about recent executions of Syrian Arab Army soldiers celebrated by White Helmet operatives." Watch:

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVVAmJ-NVN4

Mint Press: Dissecting the "Humanitarian" Propaganda Driving US Intervention in Syria, Again.

"Speaking to Mnar Muhawesh on 'Behind the Headline,' investigative journalist Vanessa Beeley pulls back the curtain on the anti-Assad 'freedom fighters' and 'moderate rebels,' revealing a carefully calibrated propaganda campaign to drive US intervention in the war-torn country." Watch:

Hands Off Syria: The Syria White Helmets Exposed as US UK Agents Embedded with Al Nusra and ISIS

Video made by Hands Off Syria in Sydney Australia based upon the research of Vanessa Beeley on the White Helmets. Watch:

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k6hSS6xBTw

Mint Press: US Propaganda War in Syria: Report Ties White Helmets to US Intervention

"White Helmets primary function is propaganda" reported an independent journalist, who tied the group to George Soros and the controversial advocacy group Avaaz."

Change.org Petition: Do NOT give 2016 Nobel Peace Prize to Syria White Helmets

This petition has currently garnered 1370 signatures. The White Helmets have received over $ 40 million in funding from the US Government [USAID] and the UK Foreign Office despite their claims of being "fiercely independent and accepts no money from governments, corporations or anyone directly involved in the Syrian conflict."

Sputnik: Soros Sponsored NGO in Syria Aims at Ousting Assad not Saving Civilians

"One of the largest humanitarian organizations operating in war-torn Syria -- the White Helmets -- has been accused of being an anti-government propaganda arm that encourages direct foreign intervention."

21st Century Wire: Syria's White Helmets, War by Way of Deception Part 1

This piece examines the role of the Syria Civil Defence aka,'The White Helmets' currently operating in Syria and take a closer look at their financial sources and mainstream media partners in order to better determine if they are indeed "neutral" as media moguls proclaim these "humanitarians" to be.

21st Century Wire: Part II. Syria's White Helmets, "Moderate" Executioners

The NGO hydra has no more powerful or influential serpentine head in Syria than the Syria Civil Defence aka The White Helmets who, according to their leader and creator, James Le Mesurier, hold greater sway than even ISIS or Al Nusra confabs over the Syrian communities. This article explores the White Helmet involvement in terrorist executions of civilians particularly in Aleppo.

21st Century Wire: Humanitarian Propaganda War Against Syria -- Led by Avaaz and the White Helmets

"The White Helmets in their haste to point the finger of blame at Moscow, managed to tweet about Russia's air strikes several hours before the Russian Parliament actually authorized the use of the Air Force in Syria." -- Sott.net

UK Column: Syria White Helmets

"Mike Robinson speaks to Vanessa Beeley about the so-called NGO, the White Helmets. Are they really the humanitarian first responder organisation they claim to be?" Watch:

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLa9ztvAGWw

Eva Bartlett: Human Rights Front Groups Warring on Syria

This page will continue to expand as more so-called "Human Rights" groups are outed for propagating anti-Syria war rhetoric and false allegations against the Syrian government and Syrian Arab Army. As it is, the list of players is quite extensive. Below, I'll list the known HR front people and groups (many, if not most, with links to the US State Department and criminals like George Soros).

Ron Paul Institute: Syria the Propaganda Ring

We have demonstrated that the White Helmets are an integral part of the propaganda vanguard that ensures obscurantism of fact and propagation of Human Rights fiction that elicits the well-intentioned and self righteous response from a very cleverly duped public. A priority for these NGOs is to keep pushing the No Fly Zone scenario which has already been seen to have disastrous implications for innocent civilians in Libya, for example.

Dissident Voice: Seven Steps of Highly Effective Manipulators

"But White Helmets primary function is propaganda. White Helmets demonizes the Assad government and encourages direct foreign intervention."

Prof Tim Anderson: Syrian Women Denounce the White Helmets

"A range of Syrian women have denounced the US-UK funded group the 'White Helmets', led by a former British soldier and recently revealed to be financed by USAID. They come from all the country's communities (e.g. Sunni, Alawi, Druze, Christian) but, like most Syrians, prefer to identify simply as Syrian."

Khamenei.ir: Interview with Prof. Tim Anderson NATO's Dirty War on Syria

"The 'White Helmets' are a Wall Street creation, funded and led by the US and the UK, to give 'humanitarian' cover to the al Qaeda groups they support."

AlternativeView7: Syria: White Helmets Exposed

"We live in a world governed by propaganda where the majority of media mouthpieces are gagged by those who own them and only permitted to release information that serves the narrative of the ruling elite or Imperialist powers."

White Helmets: One of the many suspect Hollywood style promo rescue videos

Please note that the child that is rescued is very clean considering she has allegedly been buried under the rubble of "regime" bombing raids..we do not in any way wish to detract from the heroic work of the true first responders on the ground in Syria, the real Syria Civil Defence and the Red Crescent who are never mentioned in the western media but we do wish to draw your attention to the propaganda methods being employed to amplify US and NATO narratives that are insisting upon "regime change."

.
We will add to the above articles and interviews as they become available. Vanessa Beeley has just completed a speaking tour of the UK and Iran during which she highlighted the role of the NGO complex in general and the White Helmets in particular as a new breed of predatory humanitarianism being unleashed against target nations. Videos of her talks will be published as soon as they become available from the AV7 conference and Frome Stop War.

***

Author Vanessa Beeley is a special contributor to 21WIRE, and since 2011, she has spent most of her time in the Middle East reporting on events there -- as a independent researcher, writer, photographer and peace activist. She is also a US Peace Council delegate and a volunteer with the Global Campaign to Return to Palestine. See more of her work at her blog The Wall Will Fall.

READ MORE WHITE HELMETS NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire White Helmets Files
http://21stcenturywire.com/tag/white-helmets
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The Art of War: US Fleet with 1000 Missiles in the Mediterranean +Video
http://beforeitsnews.com/war-and-conflict/2018/05/the-art-of-war-us-fleet-with-1000-missiles-in-the-mediterranean-video-2469887.html
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*****
6 Reasons Why Russia Cares So Much About Syria
TOPICS:Brandon TurbevilleMiddle EastRussia
October 7, 2015
By Brandon Turbeville
https://www.activistpost.com/2015/10/6-reasons-why-russia-cares-so-much-about-syria.html

As the potential for direct military confrontation between the United States/NATO and Russia in Syria escalates by the day, the vast majority of Americans have little clue why the Russians would have ever become involved in the crisis to begin with. Undoubtedly, most of them believe what they are told through the mainstream media -- that Russia is yet again acting aggressively in its plans for total world domination and the establishment of the Fourth Reich.

For many observers in the alternative media, understanding the Russian move is somewhat more sophisticated but still substantially lacking. For instance, while some simply oppose the Russian involvement on the basis of not wanting to see any further escalation, others heap lavish praise upon Putin for his decisions and present the Russian president as the potential leader for the world. At times, the adulation borders on the cult of personality, a dangerous situation regardless of the pure motives of the individual at the center of worship.

It is true that, in the recent geopolitical back and forth that has been taking place between Russia and the West, the Russians have acted entirely in self-defense and that is has been the West that has provoked the current tensions. Indeed, in the context of Syria, Iran, and Ukraine, Russia has clearly stood on the right side of history while the United States and NATO move further and further in the opposite direction.

However, while Russia has indeed acted and continues to act as a savior in Syria, Iran, and Ukraine, it is important to note that Russian foreign policy is not an act of charity and that, ultimately, Putin's concern is centered with the fate of Russia. Whatever the world wishes to see Putin do in Syria will be subject to the geopolitical, national, and domestic interest of Russia, a stance once can scarcely criticize any national leader for maintaining.

Below are a number of reasons that Putin and Russia are so concerned with the fate of Syria.

1.) The Pipeline

The West has long desired a Qatari pipeline project that would stem from the oil fields of Qatar and traverse Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey before making its way to Europe. Besides the obvious benefits for Qatar and the basic addition of another source of oil and gas for Europe, the pipeline would represent a substantial reduction in the amount of leverage Russia currently holds over Europe. As of today, Russia is the main provider of the majority of Europe's oil and gas. If the EU decides to act too provocatively in its eastern regions, Ukraine, or other areas of the Russian sphere of influence, Russia has the trump card of being able to turn off the oil and gas spigot, leaving Europe in the dark and cold. Europe would then be left with few options in the short to medium term other than to come around to Russia's way of thinking. With the development of the Qatari pipeline, however, that trump card would be removed as Europe would then simply open the Qatari spigot further to make up for what was lost when the Russians cut there's off. In that event, Russia would also be deprived of a substantial amount of oil and gas-related income.

Assad nixed the Qatari pipeline idea back in 2009 in favor of the Iran-Iraq-Syria pipeline that would have seen oil and gas coming from Iran through Iraq and Syria and on into Europe. While not directly beneficial to Russia's oil company Gazprom, the pipeline is one that is owned and operated by Russian allies who are generally beholden to Russian support in the United Nations Security Council and military support when faced with NATO/American war efforts. The Russian leverage over Europe would thus largely still exist and the "out" provided by Qatar would be prevented.

2.) The Warm Water Port

The quest for warm water ports has long played a major role in Russian foreign policy history. Currently, Russia boasts of a number of those ports -- Sevastopol, Crimea, and Tartus.

The Syrian port of Tartus has no doubt been a major force behind Russian support of Assad and Syria throughout the crisis. Up until this point, however, the Russians only controlled a portion of the Tartus port. Recently, however, in concert with Russian military involvement, Russia now controls virtually the entire port. The control of the entirety of the Tartus port most certainly sweetened the deal in terms of Russian involvement. This new development has caused many to wonder whether or not Russia was able to squeeze greater control of the Tartus port out of Assad at a critical moment when Syria needed Russian help the most. It is also worth mentioning of the development of a Russian airbase in Latakia, a port city in its own right.

3.) Strategic Influence

Strategic influence plays a major role in the Russian decision as well. Syria has been in its "sphere of influence" for quite some time, but it has also acted one of the last Russian outposts in the Middle East after the fall of the Soviet Union. Russia does not want to lose this asset, with its pipeline potential, buffering qualities against Western aggression, and, of course, the warm water port. Furthermore, a closer alliance with Syria portends a closer alliance with Iran, the last country on the chessboard to fall before the assault begins on Russia and China proper. Russia's alliance with Iran is a separate discussion but, suffice it to say that a greater alliance with Iran is to Russia's distinct advantage and the close alliance with Syria facilitates that needed alliance with Iran. Likewise, with its entrance into the fight against ISIS, Russia has solidified good relationships with Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Hezbollah.

4.) The Domino Theory

As mentioned above, Russia is presumably aware of the strategy being used against it -- i.e. the attempt to chip away at all nations that resist the dictates of the NATO power structure and, in particular, areas of Russian alliance and influence before finally turning its sights directly on Russia itself. The creeping moves to gradually surround Russia cannot go unnoticed. If Syria falls, so falls Hezbollah. Iran will be isolated. Once Iran falls, there is little else left beyond Russia itself. Putin will then see the increase of terrorism in Russian territories and a greater push east by NATO in Ukraine. In essence, Russia is attempting to prevent the dominoes from falling.

5.) Fighting Terrorism Abroad

The use of Islamic fundamentalists as proxy fighters in Syria long ago raised the eyebrows of Russian leaders because, if for no other reason, that a number of Chechen fighters were flocking to the Middle East in order to engage in Jihad. The fear was not only that they would return to Russia and begin launching terror attacks but that the networks that control both Middle Easter jihadists and the Chechen variety would begin directing their proxies to attack Russia inside Russia, i.e. Chechnya and even farther inside the country. With the constant threat of Western-backed Chechen fighters in Russia launching attacks inside the country in the forefront, Turkey and the puppet government of Ukraine recently collaborated in the creation of "Muslim brigades" to be used against Russia in Crimea and other areas surrounding or in Russia. Thus, Russia is attempting to "fight ISIS abroad so they don't have to fight them at home" by destroying an organized structure that may exist in Syria and hopefully reducing the number of dupes, fanatics, and psychopaths in absolute number.

6.) Turkish Expansion

While perhaps not the most extensive threat by any means, Turkey is attempting to spread its influence across the Middle East and Asia, a theatre that includes Russia as a target as well. While Turkey has provided Yeomen's service in the agenda of NATO and the Anglo-Americans, it is clear that megalomaniacs like Erdoghan have pipe dreams of re-establishing the Ottoman Empire. These dreams are, in reality, delusions. However, these dreams make Turkey dangerous in the meantime, particularly to Russia. The attempt to promote Uyghur terrorism in Asia, in and around Russia's Asian/Eurasian borders, and Tatar terror in Crimea is reason enough for Russia to attempt to crush Turkey's plan for Syria.

***

While Russia's position in Syria is, without a doubt beneficial to the Syrian people, it should not be romanticized that the Russian government is simply sitting at home watching the crisis unfold, overcome with concern for the victims of the war. The truth is that many factors have come into play in this regard. We should not allow ourselves to assume that world leaders are concerned with all of the same issues as the people they "lead."

Still, it is without question that, in regards to Syria, Ukraine, and virtually the entire geopolitical angle, Russia finds itself on the right side of history. As observers, activists, and people of the world, we must support these efforts where they match up with our own agenda and principles, and be prepared to oppose them when they do not.

Image Credit

Brandon Turbeville -- article archive here (https://www.activistpost.com/tag/brandon-turbeville) -- is an author out of Florence, South Carolina. He has a Bachelor's Degree from Francis Marion University and is the author of six books, Codex Alimentarius -- The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1 and volume 2, The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria, and The Difference it Makes: 36 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Should Never Be President. Turbeville has published over 500 articles dealing on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbeville's podcast Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com
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Big Oil, Qataris, Saudis Lick Lips As US 'Fights ISIS' By Bombing Syrian Pipelines
TOPICS:Brandon TurbevilleISISSyria
October 26, 2014
Brandon Turbeville
https://www.activistpost.com/2014/10/big-oil-qataris-saudis-lick-lips-as-us.html

In yet another example of the infantile nature of NATO propaganda regarding the Syrian crisis, it is now being reported in the mainstream media that that the United States must bomb Syrian oil pipelines in order to defeat the ISIS threat that NATO itself created.

While logically fallacious, the rationale offered to the American public remains that ISIS is making millions of dollars per day via the sale of the oil taken from the fields in its possession on the black market to a number of different states.

Yet, while the U.S. media does not bother to explain just how ISIS manages to extract, refine, and ship the oil, or how it is able to procure deals, and complete their transactions outside of the knowledge of Western militaries, governments, and intelligence agencies to the tune of $2 million per day, these outlets do provide the solution -- bomb the oil pipelines belonging to Bashar al-Assad.

Of course, while it is most likely true that ISIS is using their commandeered oil sites to support themselves on a number of fronts, and even attempting (with some success) to sell that oil, the idea that ISIS is somehow able to evade the most sophisticated monitoring network in the entire world during the process of obtaining, refining, selling, and delivering oil across the region is entirely unbelievable. Indeed, it is about as believable as the claim that ISIS was able to seize such large swaths of territory across Syria and Iraq without the knowledge of the United States and NATO.

Regardless, it must be pointed out that, among the countries listed as hosting ISIS customers by mainstream outlets like CNN, Turkey and Jordan are at the top of the list, both close American allies and one a member of NATO. Even more interesting is the fact that ISIS has also allegedly sold "black market" oil to buyers in a number of EU member states.

Still, this newly-formed ISIS oil company is now claimed to be one of the US' "primary concerns" by the Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian affairs, Julieta Valls Noyes, during her recent trip to London. As usual, the U.S. response to its "concerns" involves the "possibility of airstrikes."

Of course, having crossed the boundaries of sanity and logic a long time ago, the United States and its media mouthpieces are now pushing the fantasy that Bashar Al-Assad is one of the buyers of ISIS oil.

In other words, NATO and the U.S. in particular are trying to convince the general public that Bashar al-Assad, who has been fighting ISIS and related terror organizations for at least 4 years, is now buying oil from ISIS in order to fight ISIS. Therefore, according to the American government, the U.S. must fight ISIS by blowing up the oil pipelines that rightfully belong to Assad so ISIS does not fund itself by selling oil to Assad.

Of course, this is not merely staggering logic. It is a lie. It is nothing more than a cover to mask the true nature of the funding of ISIS and other takfiri militants operating in Iraq and Syria, namely that the funding is coming from the United States, NATO, and the GCC. Like the ridiculous claims that ISIS was funding itself entirely through secretive private Twitter donations, the "oil sales" argument is one that should be taken with a healthy dose of salt. After all, mainstream outlets are also asserting that ISIS is selling some of this oil to the Syrian government, a lose-win-lose situation for both sides and a rather poor attempt to portray Assad as an ally of ISIS.

In reality, it should always be remembered that ISIS is entirely a creation of the West and that it remains fundamentally under the control of NATO and the GCC.

Another relevant piece of the puzzle that must be kept in mind is the coveted Qatari oil pipeline desired by both Qatar and the United States. This pipeline would run up from Qatar through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey and, from there, on to the rest of Europe. The establishment of this pipeline would have provided for a much-needed backup plan for Europe that is currently dependent on Russia for much of its supply. Remember, it was in 2009 that Assad nixed the plan for the development of this pipeline.

In lieu of the Qatari deal, Assad began negotiating a deal with Iran that would have seen a pipeline built across Iraq and Syria that also would have provided gas to Europe.

As Nafeez Ahmed wrote for The Guardian in 2013,

The Iran-Iraq-Syria pipeline plan was a "direct slap in the face" to Qatar's plans. No wonder Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan, in a failed attempt to bribe Russia to switch sides, told President Vladmir Putin that "whatever regime comes after" Assad, it will be "completely" in Saudi Arabia's hands and will "not sign any agreement allowing any Gulf country to transport its gas across Syria to Europe and compete with Russian gas exports", according to diplomatic sources. When Putin refused, the Prince vowed military action.

With this in mind, one can clearly see the incentive that Western governments would have in the destruction not only of the potential Iran-Iraq-Syria oil/gas pipeline but also of the existing oil and gas pipeline infrastructure that currently exists. A bombing of Syria's oil pipelines would subsequently allow the Qataris to rebuild the infrastructure that its allies destroyed and, as a result, weaken Russia even further on the geopolitical grand chessboard.

Lastly, it should not be forgotten that the destruction of Syria's oil and gas infrastructure weakens the Syrian government's forces. Remember, in instances where the United States has bombed Syrian oil refineries so far, SAA forces were poised to move in to retake control of the oil refineries managed by terrorists funded by Western powers, but the United States initiated airstrikes just in the nick of time to deprive SAA forces of the opportunity to seize some of the oil refinery infrastructure it desperately needs.

It is also important to note that virtually none of the infrastructure being destroyed by the United States airstrikes was built by ISIS. It was built by the Syrian government. The reality of the bombing campaign is that the United States and its allies are destroying important regions of Syria and leaving nothing of real value for the Syrian military to retake after its long-fought battles against ISIS.

In the end, the latest claims presenting ISIS as impenetrable in its secrecy and daunting in its war and financial strategy is nothing more than pure propaganda. It is nothing more than a justification designed to goad the American people into continued complacency in the face of further US military intervention in Syria and the open assault on the Syrian government. Unfortunately, this has become a task which is far too easy.

Recently from Brandon Turbeville:

How To Stop The Spread Of Ebola Without The Police State
https://www.activistpost.com/2014/10/how-to-stop-spread-of-ebola-without.html

Mainstream 'Journalist' Reveals Agenda; Calls For Rape, Destruction of Syria
https://www.activistpost.com/2014/10/mainstream-journalist-reveals-agenda.html

New York Times FAIL: 'McCain No Connections To ISIS?!?'
https://www.activistpost.com/2014/10/new-york-times-fail-mccain-no.html
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Please write to your congressman and senators and ask them to get us out of Syria. We have no business overthrowing countries! (See the "Wolfowitz Doctrine"; Gen. Wesley Clark re overthrowing 7 countries in 5 years; Confessions of an Economic Hitman.) Remember when Sen. "Dirty Harry" Reid suggested that the CIA feed Donald Trump false intelligence? They are doing it now in order to start a war in Syria.

Virginia Senator Richard Black: CIA Is Pushing False Flag In Syria https://freedomoutpost.com/virginia-senator-richard-black-cia-pushing-false-flag-syria-claims-hillary-ordered-murder-chris-stevens-benghazi/
A war with Syria means a war with Russia and Iran, and more of our brave soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines coming home in body bags, more flag-draped coffins, more widows and children missing a husband and parent - because of a war based on a lie!
https://freedomoutpost.com/you-do-realize-that-the-us-funded-and-trained-isis-right/
https://freedomoutpost.com/syria-islamic-militias-armed-by-pentagon-are-now-fighting-those-armed-by-the-cia/

The U.S. never learns. False Flags are used as an excuse to police the world. Who benefits from starting a Syrian war that risks a full nuke exchange with Russia?
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The Truth About the Chemical Weapons Attack in Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNVkEi9LKfI
Paul Joseph Watson
Published on Apr 8, 2018

This is not "America first," this is the Deep State first. Please make America first by stopping the Deep State from overthrowing more countries and bringing our troops home.

An Appeal to James Mattis on the Supposed Chlorine Attack in Syria
By Colonel W. Patrick Lang
Global Research, April 12, 2018
https://www.globalresearch.ca/an-appeal-to-james-mattis-on-the-supposed-chlorine-attack-in-syria/5635813
I beseech you, sir, to consider the possibility that the supposed chlorine gas attack at Douma, Syria may have been a carefully constructed propaganda fraud on the part of the rebels encircled in Douma. Such a fraud would have as its purpose the elicitation of exactly the kind of response that we are seeing in the Western media. The rebels have been defeated in East Ghouta. Their fighters and families are being evacuated to Turkish occupied Jarabulus by air-conditioned bus. How would it benefit the Syrian government to make such an attack in this situation?
I hope that you will determine the exact facts of what occurred at Douma before any action is taken.
I recommend that you send someone competent to Syria to make an on the ground investigation.
W. Patrick Lang, Colonel (Ret.) US Army
---

A leading weapons academic has claimed that the Khan Sheikhoun nerve agent attack in Syria was staged, raising questions about who was responsible.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/mit-expert-claims-latest-chemical-100819428.html
Theodore Postol, a professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), issued a series of three reports in response to the White House's finding that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad perpetrated the attack on 4 April.

Trending: MIT expert claims latest chemical weapons attack in Syria was staged
Theodore Postol of MIT says there is no concrete evidence linking Assad to the attack.
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/mit-expert-claims-latest-chemical-weapons-attack-syria-was-staged-1617267
He concluded that the US government's report does not provide any "concrete" evidence that Assad was responsible, adding it was more likely that the attack was perpetrated by players on the ground.
Postol said: "I have reviewed the [White House's] document carefully, and I believe it can be shown, without doubt, that the document does not provide any evidence whatsoever that the US government has concrete knowledge that the government of Syria was the source of the chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun, Syria at roughly 6am to 7am on 4 April, 2017.
intelligence findings.
Postol said: "No competent analyst would miss the fact that the alleged sarin canister was forcefully crushed from above, rather than exploded by a munition within it.
"All of these highly amateurish mistakes indicate that this White House report, like the earlier Obama White House Report [from Ghouta in 2013], was not properly vetted by the intelligence community as claimed.
"I have worked with the intelligence community in the past, and I have grave concerns about the politicisation of intelligence that seems to be occurring with more frequency in recent times -- but I know that the intelligence community has highly capable analysts in it.
"And if those analysts were properly consulted about the claims in the White House document they would have not approved the document going forward."... (excerpt)
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No trace of chemical weapons at alleged attack site in Douma -- Russian military
https://www.rt.com/news/423627-russian-military-checks-chemical-douma/
A photo showing a child being washed after what the White Helmets and other anti-government groups in Syria claim was a chemical weapons attack in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, on April 7. The Russian military says the photos were staged...
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Syria Chemical Weapons False Flag: Repeating Baseless Claims Is Not "Mounting Evidence"
By Tony Cartalucci
Global Research, April 12, 2018

Url of this article:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/syria-false-flag-repeating-baseless-claims-is-not-mounting-evidence/5635785

To date, all supposed evidence regarding recent allegations of a chemical weapons attack in Douma, Syria, northeast of the capital Damascus, comes from Western-funded militants and their auxiliaries including the US-European government-funded front, the so-called "Syria Civil Defense," better known at the "White Helmets."

Unverified photographs and video of apparent victims have been the sole sources cited by the US.

WHO "Authority" Used to Bolster Original Unverified Reports, Not Add New Evidence

The World Health Organization, in a recent statement attempting to bolster these accusations, claims that up to 500 patients appear to have been exposed to chemical poisoning, but would cite its "Health Cluster partners," the Daily Beast would report.

The Guardian in its article, "Syria: 500 Douma patients had chemical attack symptoms, reports say," would attempt to claim:

The report from the WHO's partners in Syria adds to mounting evidence of the use of toxic gas in the attack, which killed at least 42 people and has raised the prospect of American airstrikes against forces loyal to the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

However, according to WHO's own website, these partners include Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which in turn, according to MSF's own website trains and supports the White Helmets. MSF has repeatedly admitted throughout the Syrian conflict that it does not have a presence on the ground in conflict areas and merely provides material support to groups that do.

Thus, contrary to the Guardian's claims, the report from WHO's partners in Syria does not "add to mounting evidence," it is simply repeating the same, initial and still unverified claims made by the White Helmets.

The White Helmets have been repeatedly caught in the past fabricating evidence and staging scenes for propaganda value. In fact, all evidence suggests the entire purpose of the White Helmets is the production of propaganda.

This culminated in 2016 when the organization inadvertently revealed their theatrical methods during a protest in multiple European cities. They applied red paint and flour to their bodies and posed as victims for European media outlets and local bystanders. The scenes were indistinguishable from daily clips uploaded by White Helmet members allegedly carrying out emergency services in militant-held territory in Syria.

Absent from virtually all of their videos are scenes of actual injuries -- open wounds, crushed or severed limbs, burns etc. Videos also lack any context, and are often heavily edited.

Real Evidence Requires a Real, Onsite Investigation

Readers should recall that accusations of chemical weapon attacks last year that led to a US cruise missile barrage against Syrian government targets, were also never confirmed.

The investigation carried out by the The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism (OPCW-UN JIM) report on the alleged attack would admit that no investigators even visited the scene of the attack.

The UN in a news article regarding the report would even claim (emphasis added):
https://news.un.org/en/story/2017/11/570192-both-isil-and-syrian-government-responsible-use-chemical-weapons-un-security

Although it was too dangerous to visit Umm Hawh and Khan Shaykum, the panel considered that sufficient information had been gathered to come to a solid conclusion.

The report -- while assigning blame to the Syrian government -- admits it could not confirm a Syrian aircraft dropped the supposed munition allegedly used in the attack -- and that munition fragments passed to investigators lacked a chain of custody, negating its probative value.

As for Western media claims regarding "mounting evidence" regarding the most recent attempt to accuse the Syrian government of using "chemical weapons," no additional -- or credible -- evidence can "mount" until investigators arrive on the ground.

This article was originally published on Land Destroyer Report.
https://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2018/04/syria-false-flag-repeating-baseless.html
---

Lights, Action and War Propaganda: Al-Jazeera Releases White Helmets Video on Alleged Chemical Attack in Douma After Trump Says "It's Time" for U.S. Forces to Leave Syria
By Timothy Alexander Guzman
Global Research, April 12, 2018

Url of this article:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/lights-action-and-war-propaganda-al-jazeera-releases-white-helmets-video-on-alleged-chemical-attack-in-douma-after-trump-says-its-time-for-u-s-forces-to-leave-syria/5635781

Al-Jazeera (who was recently forced to register as a propaganda agent of the Qatari government under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in the U.S.) looks like they want to get on the good side of the Washington establishment has released a video on what it seems to be a staged chemical weapons attack in the Eastern Ghouta city of Douma. According to an Al-Jazeera report who was the first to release the video of the alleged chemical attack said the following:

A chemical attack in Douma, the last rebel-held stronghold near Syria's capital, Damascus, has killed at least 70 people and affected hundreds, rescue workers have told Al Jazeera. The White Helmets, a group of rescuers operating in opposition-held areas in Syria, said on Saturday that most of the fatalities were women and children.

"Seventy people suffocated to death and hundreds are still suffocating," Raed al-Saleh, head of the White Helmets, told Al Jazeera, adding that the death toll was expected to rise as many people were in critical condition. Al-Saleh said that chlorine gas and an unidentified but stronger gas were dropped on Douma. "White Helmet volunteers are trying to help the people but all that we can do is evacuate them to another area by foot because most of the vehicles and centres went out of service"

It does seem that The White Helmets has staged another fake video blaming the Assad government for the chemical attack in Douma and in an important note, has never blamed the U.S. backed rebels (or should be properly be called terrorists) in any past chemical attacks on civilians. Sputnik news.com made a good point on the White Helmets and the victims of the recent chemical attack in the video

"However, the rescuers appeared to be so focused on accusing President Bashar al-Assad of dropping a chemical bomb on Douma that they forgot to put on gas masks or protective suits themselves."

RT News reported:

The Russian military has found no trace of chemical weapons use after searching parts of Syria's Douma allegedly targeted by an "attack." Photos of victims posted by the White Helmets are fake, Russia's Defense Ministry said. Experts in radiological, chemical and biological warfare, as well as medics, on Monday inspected the parts of the Eastern Ghouta city of Douma, where an alleged chemical attack supposedly took place on Saturday, the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria said in a statement.

The specialists "found no traces of the use of chemical agents" after searching the sites, the statement said. The center's medical specialists also visited a local hospital but found no patients that showed signs of chemical weapons poisoning. "All these facts show... that no chemical weapons were used in the town of Douma, as it was claimed by the White Helmets," the statement said, referring to the controversial "civil defense" group that was among the first to report about the alleged attack. "All the accusations brought by the White Helmets, as well as their photos... allegedly showing the victims of the chemical attack, are nothing more than a yet another piece of fake news and an attempt to disrupt the ceasefire," the Reconciliation Center said

What was interesting is was what happened earlier this month when U.S. President Donald Trump made a comment on the U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria when he said

"So we're going to be making a decision. We've had a tremendous military success against ISIS as you know. It is close to 100% as I just said. And we'll be making a decision as to what we do in the very near future. We'll be consulting also with the groups of our people and groups of our allies."

Trump went on to say that "

I want to get out. I want to bring our troops back home. I want to start rebuilding our nation."

Then the alleged chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta city of Douma happens and Trump changes his tone.

Trump was just tweeting nonsense because he is clearly not in charge when it comes to foreign policy. According to CNN

"Spokesperson Heather Nauert said that she had not seen the comments but was not aware of any plan for the US to pull out."

According to CNBC, another mainstream media (MSM) business news television channel "Trump wants to 'get out' of Syria, but US military and national security advisors say ISIS isn't defeated yet" regarding Trump's statement on pulling U.S. troops out of Syria:

Contrary to Trump's statements, Brett McGurk, the U.S. special envoy for the global coalition against ISIS, told a forum Tuesday that the U.S. mission in Syria was far from over. "We are in Syria to fight ISIS. That is our mission, and our mission isn't over, and we are going to complete that mission," McGurk said

CNBC also mentioned Army Gen. Joseph Votel who had practically the same answer on Trump's statement:

Echoing those sentiments, Army Gen. Joseph Votel, who oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East as the head of Central Command, said that while the presence of ISIS in the region had diminished, "it is not gone."

Votel estimated that more than 90 percent of the terror group's territory had been recovered by U.S.-backed forces. He added that the next step for the approximately 2,000 U.S.troops in Syria would be to help stabilize the region. "The hard part, I think, is in front of us, and that is stabilizing these areas, consolidating our gains, getting people back into their homes," Votel said alongside McGurk

The Hill reported on Trump's meeting with his national security team 'Trump clashes with military in Syria pullout push' which shows how much power the president has over his military advisers:

On Tuesday, he reiterated, "I want to get out. I want to bring our troops back home." Later on Tuesday, Trump met with his national security team. By Wednesday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that "the United States and our partners remain committed to eliminating the small ISIS presence in Syria that our forces have not already eradicated."

Still, Sanders said the military mission "is coming to a rapid end, with ISIS being almost completely destroyed." The Pentagon on Thursday asserted that plans for Syria haven't changed, denying that Trump set a six-month timeline during the meeting with his national security team.

"The president has actually been very good in not giving us a specific timeline, so that's a tool that we can use to our effect as we move forward," Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, director of the Joint Staff, said during a briefing. "We've always thought that as we reach finality against ISIS in Syria, we're going to adjust the level of our presence there. So in that sense, nothing actually has changed." But before Trump's proclamation, military and diplomatic officials had spoken for months about the need for a long-term military commitment in Syria

Now, another chemical attack has taken place in the Eastern Ghouta town of Douma, an enclave that was held by U.S. supported rebels (who are affiliated with members from ISIS and other terrorist networks) as CNN reported:

US President Donald Trump warned Sunday of a "big price to pay" in Syria after a suspected chemical attack on the last rebel-held town in Eastern Ghouta left scores dead and injured. Dozens of Syrians were killed and hundreds of others were affected by the attack on Douma, on the outskirts of the capital Damascus, rescue workers and an aid group said Sunday.

Anti-government activists claimed Syrian military helicopters dropped barrel bombs filled with chemicals on the town on Saturday night, suffocating some residents and sending others into violent convulsions

Trump tweeted

"Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria. Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inaccessible to outside world. President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price..."

Trump is now following the Pentagon's script with the familiar accusations of Assad has gassed his people when Syrian forces are gaining ground against US -backed rebels in Eastern Ghouta. The Butcher of Damascus must be at it again. He never learns. Assad is a mad man, a crazed psychopath who gasses his own people after he gains control over disputed territories and on the way to victory. It's ludicrous, in fact it is ridiculous to believe Washington and the MSM's manufactured propaganda to oust Assad.

Russia and Syria Knew that a chemical attack was going to be carried out by the terrorists was Inevitable. What is interesting about trump's tweet is how he Capped the word "CHEMICAL" attack in Syria, code word for Washington, Israel (we should never forget Israel's role) and the MSM to accuse Assad of another chemical attack on his people to the international community in a push for war. France and the UK are already on board to join U.S. forces to remove Assad by force. Sputnik News reported back on March 19th that the Russian government was warned by a resident from Eastern Ghouta that terrorists were planning a chemical attack in the near future:

The Russian Center for Syrian reconciliation said Monday it had received information that terrorists in Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta were preparing a possible provocation involving the use of chemical warfare agents. According to the center's commander Maj. Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko, a resident of Eastern Ghouta called the center's "hotline" on Monday to report that Nusra Front* militants had installed on a roof of a building and tested a turbine, placing tightly sealed containers with poisonous substances nearby.

"The caller said he believed that terrorists can use these preparations to disperse toxic substances in residential areas, which will lead to a large number of casualties among the local residents. The mass poisoning of civilians will be used to accuse the government troops of the use of chemical weapons against peaceful citizens," Yevtushenko stressed

The Syrian Government responded to the chemical attacks that took place in Douma:

Foreign Ministry: Allegations of using chemical weapons unconvincing stereotype

A source at Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said on Sunday that allegations of using chemical weapons have become an unconvincing stereotype, except for some countries which traffic with the blood of civilians and support terrorism in Syria.

Every time the Syrian Arab Army advances in combatting terrorism, the allegations of using chemical weapons emerge as a pretext to prolong the presence of terrorists in Douma, the source added.

"The pretext of using chemicals in Ghouta was pre-planned and there is documented and confirmed information about this against which the Syrian state has previously warned," the source said. A number of misleading media outlets and those that speak by the name of terrorist organizations have launched a campaign to accuse the Syrian Arab Army of using chemical weapons during operations against terrorists in Duma, followed by a US-led Western political campaign to justify any hostile moves against Syria aimed at supporting terrorists and preventing them from collapsing

Then the State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert quickly released a statement blaming the Assad government and Russia without any proven evidence (only a video provided by Al-Jazeera starring the discredited White Helmets who are closely associated with terrorist organizations such as ISIS and Jebbah al-Nusra). The State Department made sure to add Assad's history of allegedly "using chemical weapons against his own people" mantra in the statement:

We continue to closely follow disturbing reports on April 7 regarding another alleged chemical weapons attack, this time targeting a hospital in Douma, Syria. Reports from a number of contacts and medical personnel on the ground indicate a potentially high number of casualties, including among families hiding in shelters. These reports, if confirmed, are horrifying and demand an immediate response by the international community.

The United States continues to use all efforts available to hold those who use chemical weapons, in Syria and otherwise, accountable. The regime's history of using chemical weapons against its own people is not in dispute, and in fact nearly one year ago on April 4, 2017, Assad's forces conducted a sarin gas attack on Khan Sheikhoun, which killed approximately 100 Syrians.

The Assad regime and its backers must be held accountable and any further attacks prevented immediately. Russia, with its unwavering support for the regime, ultimately bears responsibility for these brutal attacks, targeting of countless civilians, and the suffocation of Syria's most vulnerable communities with chemical weapons. By shielding its ally Syria, Russia has breached its commitments to the United Nations as a framework guarantor. It has betrayed the Chemical Weapons Convention and UN Security Council Resolution 2118. Russia's protection of the Assad regime and failure to stop the use of chemical weapons in Syria calls into question its commitment to resolving the overall crisis and to larger non-proliferation priorities.

The United States calls on Russia to end this unmitigated support immediately and work with the international community to prevent further, barbaric chemical weapons attacks

The Rush to Judgment on Behalf of the Military-Industrial Complex

Trump was scheduled to meet with his war cabinet and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is also meeting to discuss Syria in New York. According to The Daily Mail 'Trump will decide whether to strike Syria after emergency UN Security Council meeting and top-brass military briefing about chemical weapons attack' reported on what several lawmakers in Washington had recently said concerning the alleged chemical attack in Douma:

Sen. Lindsay Graham this morning said that Assad should be classified as a war criminal, and Trump ought to totally destroy his air force. 'The world is watching the president, Iran is watching the president, Russia is watching the president and North Korea's watching the president,' the GOP lawmaker who has Trump's ear said. 'This president has a chance to do exactly the opposite of Obama: send a strong signal that there's a new sheriff in town and America's back'

Both Democrats and Republicans including the outspoken warmonger, Senator John McCain who called for the continued U.S. occupation suggesting that Trump should not to pull out of Syria according to The Daily Mail article:

After the weekend chemical attack, lawmakers from both parties were urging Trump not to immediately vacate Syria. Top GOP legislators were demanding new military action.

'The President responded decisively when Assad used chemical weapons last year. He should do so again, and demonstrate that Assad will pay a price for his war crimes,' Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain said. McCain tore into Trump on Sunday for sending mixed signals on Syria that he said 'emboldened' Assad and his allies.

'President Trump last week signaled to the world that the United States would prematurely withdraw from Syria. Bashar Assad and his Russian and Iranian backers have heard him, and emboldened by American inaction, Assad has reportedly launched another chemical attack against innocent men, women and children,' McCain charged. 'Initial accounts show dozens of innocent civilians, including children, have been targeted by this vicious bombardment designed to burn and choke the human body and leave victims writhing in unspeakable pain.' McCain said Assad's brutal regime had killed more than half a million of its people and turned another 11 million into refugees

The Syrian Opposition has Launched Chemical Attacks in the Past with Help from the U.S., But This Time, it was a Staged Attack

Trump was never going to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria because it is a key Iranian ally in the region. The U.S., Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Western allies want to remove Assad and destabilize Syria so that the military can focus on a future conflict against Iran. Now the Trump White house is considering airstrikes against the Assad government according to CNN:

Secretary of Defense James Mattis said that he wouldn't rule out anything in regards to how to respond to another reported chemical weapons attack by the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria. While speaking to reporters Monday, Mattis blasted Russia over its role to oversee the removal of chemical weapons from Syria due to a past agreement struck in 2013. The latest attack over the weekend reportedly killed dozens of people in a rebel-held suburb of Damascus.

"Can you rule out taking action, launching airstrikes against Assad, Mr. Secretary?" a reporter asked. "I don't rule out anything right now," Mattis said

Earlier today, Trump tweeted

"Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and "smart!" You shouldn't be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it! "

So Assad enjoys killing his people with gas?

Will Trump move forward with a military strike against the Assad government? How will Syria, Iran and Russia respond if Trump and his war cabinet decide to launch another missile strike against the Syrian government? Last year Trump ordered 59 tomahawk missile strikes inside Syria that targeted airfield were the Syrian government allegedly had launched the chemical attack on in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, a rebel-held area last April. TASS, the Russian News Agency reported on what Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had said during Monday's press conference:

Russia advocates a fair investigation into the alleged chemical attacks in Syria, and is strongly against assigning anyone the blame without finding any proof, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during Monday's press conference. "We are in total support of a fair and immediate investigation, when they ask for it. However, when the investigation is intended to come at a predetermined point -- that is, it was done by Assad with Putin's support -- there are no grounds for a serious discussion," he noted.

"We had already commented on this situation before it became a reality," the top diplomat stressed. "Our military currently in Syria and the Syrian government have warned countless times that a serious provocation is being concocted, aimed at blaming Damascus for using chemical weapons against civilians"

Is Washington and the MSM listening? No. Why? They knew what was going to happen because they have given the terrorists all the necessary weapons and supplies over the years to carry out such attacks. In April 2017, Professor Michel Chossudovsky, the editor of Global Research published 'Pentagon Trained Syria's Al Qaeda "Rebels" in the Use of Chemical Weapons, Confirmed by CNN' pointing out who was actually training the U.S. backed rebels in the use of chemical weapons:

In a twisted logic, the Pentagon's mandate was to ensure that the rebels aligned with Al Qaeda would not acquire or use WMD, by actually training them in the use of chemical weapons (sounds contradictory):

Moreover, in an earlier report dated December 9 2012, CNN confirms that:

"The training [in chemical weapons], which is taking place in Jordan and Turkey, involves how to monitor and secure stockpiles and handle weapons sites and materials, according to the sources. Some of the contractors are on the ground in Syria working with the rebels to monitor some of the sites, according to one of the officials.

The nationality of the trainers was not disclosed, though the officials cautioned against assuming all are American. (CNN, December 09, 2012, emphasis added)

The CNN story 'Sources: U.S. helping underwrite Syrian rebel training on securing chemical weapons' also points to Jordan 's participation in the training exercise:

One of the aims, the sources said, is to try to get real time surveillance of the sites because the international community would not have time to prevent the use of the weapons otherwise. The program could explain how U.S. intelligence was able to learn what U.S. officials said was evidence the Assad government is mixing precursors for chemical weapons and loading those compounds into bombs. The intelligence, one U.S. official told CNN last week, came not just from satellite surveillance, but also from information provided by people. The official would not say whether the human intelligence came from telephone intercepts, defectors or people inside Syria.

The U.S. military is also working with neighboring Jordan's military to train for the potential need to secure chemical weapons sites. But U.S. troops cannot train rebel forces because the United States has only authorized nonlethal aid for the opposition

So CNN states that "U.S. troops cannot train rebel forces because the United States has only authorized nonlethal aid for the opposition"? That was a lie. The Israeli-based newspaper, Haaretz, admitted years later in a June 7th, 2014 article titled 'U.S. Admits Supplying Lethal Aid to Syrian Rebels' that Washington was in fact providing lethal and non-lethal support to the Syrian rebels:

"Washington is providing both "lethal and non-lethal" support to members of the Syrian opposition, U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice said on Friday, according to Saudi-owned TV channel al-Arabiya." Susan Rice's spokesperson at the time, Caitlin Hayden "later declined to say whether Rice's openness on U.S. assistance reflected a new policy initiative. "We're not in a position to detail all of our assistance, but as we've made clear, we provide both military and non-military assistance to the opposition," Hayden said.

The U.S. backed terrorists now operating in Syria have the means to conduct a false-flag attack, however, this time the chemical Weapons attack was a staged event.

Syria will be Trump's War

The fake chemical attack on the Eastern Ghouta city of Douma is being used as a staging ground to blame President Bashar al-Assad (who does not have no political motive to attack "his own people") especially when the Syrian army is gaining momentum in defeating ISIS and other terrorist groups. Russia has warned the international community last month that a false flag chemical attack was going to happen and it did, but it was a fake chemical attack staged by the Oscar-wining "White Helmets." The Trump administration and the Military-Industrial complex never had any intention of withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria. The main objective is to remove Assad, then in coordination with Israel, Hezbollah and then Lebanon before moving on to the main adversary, Iran. The Trump administration's main course of action against Syria is the continued support of its rebel forces and giving Israel the green light to carry-out missile strikes to further destabilize Syria. It will lead to World War III. Humanity is in the cross hairs.

Trump and his war cabinet look like they have already decided a plan of action against Syria, because at this point in time, peace seems out of the question. Peace was never on the table for the ruling American Empire. A US-Israeli led war is for the geopolitical control over the Middle East and its abundant natural resources. It will also allow Israel to expand its territory beyond its borders also known as The Yinon Plan which is an Israeli strategic plan to become the regional superpower through what we can call "the balkanization" of its Arab neighbors and turning them into weak states that cannot defend themselves against Israel's military power which has nuclear weapons in its arsenal.

If Syria and the rest of their neighbors are destabilized, it will make it much easier for Israel's military to control and dominate the Middle East politically and militarily. The U.S. and Israel along with Saudi Arabia want to control the Middle East and that won't happen until Syria, Lebanon, Hezbollah and Iran are taken out of the equation but with Russia and China in the picture, it will be practically impossible to achieve. The long war has practically begun.

This article was originally published on Silent Crow News.
http://silentcrownews.com/wordpress/?p=5860
---

US Planning a Terrorist False Flag Chemical Attack to Justify Bombing Syria:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/us-planning-a-terrorist-false-flag-chemical-attack-to-justify-bombing-syria-russia-says-it-will-respond/5632791

Events in Syria increasingly resemble a direct confrontation between major powers rather than a proxy war. Lavrov's words, delivered a few days ago, reveal the critical phase of international relations the world is going through, with a potentially devastating conflict ready to ignite in the Middle East region.

An alarming warning by Sergei Lavrov and Chief of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, was announced via the RT broadcaster and several Russian media. The content is explosive and deserving of the widest possible dissemination. Gerasimov claimed that Moscow had "reliable information that fighters are preparing to stage the use by government troops of chemical weapons against the civilian population." He alleged that the US intends to accuse Assad's troops of using chemical weapons against civilians, and then "carry out a bombing attack" on Damascus. Gerasimov warned that Russia would "take retaliatory measures" if the US targeted areas where its military are located in the Syrian capital. "Russian military advisers, representatives of the Center for Reconciliation and members of military police" are currently in the Syrian capital, Gerasimov said, adding that in the event that the lives of Russian military personnel are placed in danger, the Russian Armed Forces will respond with certain measure to both "missiles" and their "launchers". A few hours earlier, Lavrov responded, "criticizing the remarks by the US envoy to the UN, Nikki Haley, about Washington's readiness to "bomb Damascus and even the presidential palace of Bashar Assad, regardless [of the] presence of the Russian representatives there." "It is an absolutely irresponsible statement," the Russian top diplomat added.

The words of Gerasimov (image on the right) are even more dire, since he explains how the United States and its allies are preparing the ground to justify an attack on Syria. According to reports, terrorists stationed in Al-Tanf (an illegal US military base in Syria) received 20 tons of chlorine gas and detonators, disguised as cigarette packs, in order to attack in an area under the control of the terrorists that is densely inhabited by civilians. What would then happen is already obvious, with the White Helmets (AKA Al-Qaeda) and mainstream media ready to broadcast the images of the victims of the attack, tugging at the heartstrings of Western viewers otherwise unaware of the conspiracy being played out. Efforts to frame Russia have already reached the highest alert levels, with the false-flag poisoning of the Russian spy in the United Kingdom. It seems that there is a significant effort by the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany to provoke a military confrontation with Moscow. How else are we able to interpret threats from Macron to strike Damascus, together with his ominous advice to foreign journalists not to go to Damascus in the coming days and, for those already there, to leave the capital immediately? There has even been chatter within diplomatic circles that suggest that UN personnel are leaving Damascus. This could be psychological warfare, or it could be a prelude to war. With the stakes so high, we cannot afford to ignore any detail, even if it may be disinformation. The American attack seems imminent, with mounting signs of movements of American and Russian warships in the Mediterranean in attack formation.

Russian military representatives have reiterated that in the event of an attack, they will respond by hitting both the missiles launched as well as the ships from which the missiles were launched. Things are getting pretty dicey, and the risk of a direct confrontation between the United States and the Russian Federation are rising with every passing hour. The transfer of numerous US aircraft from Incirlik, Turkey, to Al-Azrak, Jordan, is another indication of preparations for an attack, since the forces moved to Jordan are close to the Al-Tanf base. The proposed strategy could involve an assault on the city of Daraa, for the purposes of securing the borders between Syria and Jordan and Syria and Israel.

The warnings raised by Lavrov and Gerasimov appear unprecedented, given that they detail a plan already set in course, evidently approved at the highest levels and aimed at provoking and justifying an attack on Syria; and attack that would encompass the Russian forces in Syria. Tensions continue to grow, following Russia's shooting down of a drone by two surface-to-air missiles launched from its Hmeimim Air Base. Moscow has even deployed to the Mediterranean the Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate Admiral Essen and the Krivak II-class anti-submarine frigate Pytivyy. Both are prepared for anti-ship and anti-submarine operations. Sources claim that this deployment was planned some time ago and is part of a routine deployment of the Russian navy. But during such a delicate moment, it pays to focus on every detail. Without resorting to excessive alarmism, if Lavrov said that "the movements of the warships of the United States and its allies in the Mediterranean seem compatible with the strategy of using this chemical attack to justify an attack on the Syrian Arab army and government installations", then it is reasonable to speculate on whether the Russian ships are moving in to the area to counter any provocations.

There are two fundamental flaws in the reasoning of US policy-makers and the US military establishment. They are convinced that an American demonstration of strength (involving a large number of cruise missile launched against Syria through a significant involvement of aircraft carriers as well as bombers) would stun Russia into passivity. Furthermore, US military generals are convinced that Syria and Russia do not have the ability to defend themselves for an extended period of time. They seem to be fooling themselves with their own propaganda. As their Israeli colleagues have already learned, such an assumption is mistaken. While the idea that a high level of firepower would meet with some kind of success, the possibility of a response from Syrian and Russian forces remains. And this possibility seems not to have been given sufficient weight by the US and her allies.

How would the American military and the Trump presidency react to a US warship being sunk by anti-ship missiles? It would only serve to demonstrate how vulnerable American naval forces are when confronted with such advanced weapons. It would represent a tremendous shock for the US military, possibly the biggest shock since the end of WWII. What would Trump and the generals in charge do? They would respond with further bombardment of Russian forces, leaving themselves open to a devastating Russian response. The conflict could escalate within the space of a few minutes, leading to a situation where there could be no possible winners.

***
The normal reasoning I employ when considering total annihilation is placed to one side when US special forces deliver 20 tons of chlorine gas to Al Qaeda terrorists in Syria order to execute a false flag for the purposes of blaming Damascus and Moscow. If we connect this event to what is currently happening in the United Kingdom, and the hysteria in the United States surrounding alleged Russian hacking during the American elections, we can understand just how much international relations have deteriorated. This situation is reminiscent of Ukraine in 2015. Ukrainian forces suffered repeated defeats at the hands of the Donbass resistance, being contained in the thousands in different "cauldrons". Within NATO headquarters in Brussels during that time, there were open discussion over sending a contingent to support Ukrainian troops. The plan, however, was never realized, given the possibility of direct confrontation in Ukraine between the Russian Federation and NATO.

In recent months, the possibility of a war on the Korean Peninsula has also been evoked and perhaps simultaneously averted by the unpredictable consequences for both Seoul and the American forces in the region.

In Syria, the approach of Washington and its diplomatic and military emissaries seems more reckless and less tied to a chain of command where the buck stops at the American president. It seems that the US deep state in Syria has a greater and more hidden control over American forces, sabotaging every agreement made between Moscow and Washington. We saw this during the Obama presidency, where the US Air Force bombed government troops in Deir ez-Zor only a few hours after a ceasefire had been reached between Lavrov and Secretary of State Kerry.

The grave circumstance about which we write seem to be without precedent, seeming as they do to lead towards a direct confrontation between nuclear-armed powers. Alas, in such circumstances, we can only hope for the best but prepare for the worst; we can only wait to read on the mainstream media notifications of the latest chemical attack in Syria. We can only hope that there is someone in Washington retaining enough sense to factor in the devastating consequences of an attack on Damascus and the Russian forces in the region.

Never before has the region been on the verge of such an explosion as in the next few hours -- as a result of the typically reckless actions of the United States.

This article was originally published on Strategic Culture Foundation.
https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2018/03/20/us-planning-terrorist-false-flag-chemical-attack-bombing-syria-russia-says-will-respond.html
---

World War III: The False Narrative that Fuels Conflict in Syria and Beyond
By The Daily Bell Staff - April 12, 2018
http://www.thedailybell.com/news-analysis/world-war-iii-the-false-narrative-that-fuels-conflict-in-syria-and-beyond/

The timing is fit for a movie plot climax!

Just as Trump announced intentions to get out of Syria, Assad did something unspeakable. According to Assad's opposition, the Syrian government "once again" used chemicals weapons on civilians.

***
At a time when the war is almost won for Assad, he decided to re-ignite international calls for his ouster by senselessly murdering about the same number of civilians the Las Vegas Shooter killed. Seems logical, right?

Well, there goes the Syrian exit!

Quick catch-up:

Amid uprisings in Libya and Egypt, in 2011 Syrians rebelled against their own oppressive government.

***
Documents from Wikileaks show that the U.S. State Department wanted to help rebels overthrow Syrian ruler Assad in order to strengthen Israel's position against Iran. (Israel is once again bombing Syria and calling for the US to join in.)

Iran, Syria, and Russia are the main allies in the region with conflicting interests of the USA and Israel.

Turkey is harder to peg. They were once on decent terms with the Assad regime, then called for his ouster. Turkey helped train rebels, as well as the controversial 'rescue' group the "White Helmets."

Turkey considers the Kurds terrorists, while the U.S. arms and supports the Kurds who led the main assault on the Syrian stronghold of ISIS.

So Turkey and the U.S. are nominally on the "same side" when it comes to opposition to the Assad regime. But each country's opposition is definitely not on the "same side" and are already fighting.

When the conflict started, the U.S. had already armed rebels in Libya to take out Gaddafi. Now they decided to transfer some recovered Libyan weapons to the Syrian rebels.

Some sources claim Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed in Libya while overseeing weapons transfers from Libya to Turkey and Syria to arm the rebels.

368 days ago, we were having this exact same discussion after the first alleged chemical attack by Assad on his own people. The Daily Mail reported but later recanted, information from a source who claimed that the U.S. planned a false flag chemical attack to justify military action in Syria.

Leaked emails have allegedly proved that the White House gave the green light to a chemical weapons attack in Syria that could be blamed on Assad's regime and in turn, spur international military action in the devastated country.

CNN reported in 2012 that America was involved in training the rebels to secure and monitor chemical weapons sites.

The United States and some European allies are using defense contractors to train Syrian rebels on how to secure chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria, a senior U.S. official and several senior diplomats told CNN Sunday.

The training, which is taking place in Jordan and Turkey, involves how to monitor and secure stockpiles and handle weapons sites and materials, according to the sources. Some of the contractors are on the ground in Syria working with the rebels to monitor some of the sites, according to one of the officials.

This confirms that rebel forces had access to chemical weapons and that the U.S. helped familiarize rebel groups with storing and transporting the weapons.

And now, with the rebels almost defeated, someone decided to use chemical weapons against a few dozen civilians. And everyone had to know that this was the most likely way to drag the U.S. deeper into the conflict.

The White Helmets claim the attack was carried out by Assad Regime forces. The White Helmets are allegedly a neutral aid group. They were trained in Turkey, and "receive tens of millions of dollars in funding from various Western charities, governments and private organizations."

They have been steeped in controversy, including disposing of corpses of Assad loyal fighters who were executed by rebels. They do not appear to be a trustworthy source of information as they are clearly in opposition to Assad.

Here is an extreme simplification of who is fighting who:

Turkey backed rebels: fighting Assad, ISIS, and the Kurds.

U.S. backed Kurds: fighting ISIS and Turkey backed rebels.

U.S. backed rebels (which might include al-Qaeda affiliates): fighting Assad.

Assad, backed by Russia and Iran: fighting everyone.

ISIS: fighting everyone (except some ISIS-friendly rebels).

There are No Good Guys

It is important to remember that there are no "good guys and bad guys" here. Arguably, they are all bad guys. And that is all the more reason for the USA to get the hell out! No matter who they support, they are supporting a bad guy.

The U.S. will only continue to escalate tensions by being involved at all. Best case scenario, America's best intentions will have unforeseen unintended consequences... like arming Syrian rebels who turned out to be ISIS.

With Russian support for Assad, this also is not the first time the U.S. has armed rebels to fight a proxy war against Russia. When Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the U.S. provided military assistance and weapons to the resistance group which evolved into the Taliban.

Al-Qaeda came to assist the Afghan forces and ended up being trained and armed with American resources. And of course, the U.S. ended up fighting wars against both the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

So the U.S. does not have the best track record, having directly or inadvertently provided support to ISIS, al-Qaeda, and the Taliban before going on to fight wars against each.

Where will further intervention in Syria get the U.S.?

The rebel group that occupied the town of the alleged chemical attack has itself been accused of using chemical agents against Kurds. They are an Islamist unit that wants to turn Syria into a Sharia state.

It is impossible for the United States to "win" by getting further involved.

Unless of course, "winning" just means ensuring conflict will continue in the region. That also ensures military budgets stay inflated, and defense contractors stay wealthy. It means creating the desired buffer zone for Israel and installing more American basis in the center of the worldwide conflict.

And it means the U.S. can continue its crusade against "terrorists" which always seems to be turned around and aimed at American civilians.

More from Ben Swann:
Reality Check: Syrian Gas Attack Connected to Bigger Conflict?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcOxFAp-nx4
Published on Apr 10, 2018
Reality Check with Ben Swann: http://truthinmedia.com/reality-check-syrian-gas-attack-connected-to-bigger-conflict/

The Syrian government is being blamed for another gas attack.

Then, Israel is blamed for a missile strike on a Syrian air base killing 14 people including Iranians.

There are major problems with what is being played out in the Middle East that other media are just going to ignore. But we won't.

Let's give it a Reality Check.
-

Trump Vows Syria Retaliation WITHOUT Investigation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rdTBmCRSB4

https://www.activistpost.com/2013/11/11-signs-of-false-flag.html

https://www.newstarget.com/2016-08-04-60-false-flags-admitted-by-presidents-politicians-generals-and-spies.html
-

World War 3: Cabalists Planning to Cull the Goyim Again? -- henrymakow.com
April 11, 2018 by SARTRE
http://batr.net/war/world-war-3-cabalists-planning-to-cull-the-goyim-again-henrymakow-com/

The West's excoriation of Syria and Russia for the latest nerve gas false flag is batshit crazy. Thus we must assume this tawdry psyop was designed to demonize Putin and prepare for another world war sought by Cabalist Satanists.
Trump's recent moves support this interpretation. 1) Replacing Rex Tillerson with Mike Pompeo 2. Replacing H.R. McMaster with John Bolton 3. Trump's plan to kill the Iran nuclear deal. 4. The US exercises with Israel and arms buildup in Jordan. 5. The Skripal psy op. 6.Putin's recent display of nuclear superiority and enunciation of his nuclear doctrine. 7. Trump joining EU leaders in expelling Russian diplomats. 8. The increased Deep State blackmail pressure, ie. Stormy Daniels et al. 9. The FBI raid on Michael Cohen's office. 10. Swedish General: Expect WW3 Within a Few Years

Source: World War 3: Cabalists Planning to Cull the Goyim Again? -- henrymakow.com
https://www.henrymakow.com/2018/04/cull-the-goyim%20.html
-


Chemical weapons attack, maybe, by someone possibly
by Eeyore
https://vladtepesblog.com/2018/04/11/chemical-weapons-attack-maybe-by-someone-possibly/

The first casualty of war is truth. And we are pretty much always at war. So... yeah.

Here is a clip from the Syrian Army showing a chemical weapons factory they found belonging to the terrorists in Ghouta.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AudLl2nLbgo&w=840&h=503

The Russians claim not to have found any trace of a chemical weapons attack at all, and are making rather clear threats to retaliate against a US strike on Syria to any platform that launches the strike. This would mean US naval assets. The US takes that sort of attack rather seriously with the notable exception of Barack Obama who seemed to encourage them.

#BREAKING NEWS: #Russian fleet based in #Syria's port is now fully deployed with air defense suites active and connected with land based radars and air defense launchers. Ships are moving into their positions for optimal coverage of Syria's coast.
-- NewsAlertHQ (@NewsAlertHQ) April 11, 2018

From Iranian propaganda outlet, Farsnews:

The Arabic service of RT news channel quoted a Russian military diplomatic source as warning that any increased military build-up in the Mediterranean will intensify tensions, adding that Moscow is pursuing and assessing the developments.

He stressed that the Russian A-50 reconnaissance planes have been monitoring the guided-missile destroyer the USS Donald Cook's voyage in the past few days, saying, "The Russian warships are able to give a rapid response if necessary."

The source noted that the Russian navy also has deployed submarines in the Mediterranean equipped with torpedoes and missiles to destroy marine and ground targets.

Meantime, Russia's Humeimim airbase in Syria's Lattakia province is equipped with anti-ship cruise missiles of Kh-35 type.

The US newspaper, Wall Street Journal, reported earlier that the US already has one guided-missile destroyer, the USS Donald Cook, in the eastern Mediterranean, where it could take part in any strike on Syria, according to US defense officials. A second, the USS Porter could get there in a few days.

Russia has maintained that there has been no evidence of any chemical attack in Douma and sees Washington's threats to "punish" Syria with military force as a pretext for intervention.

On March 13, Russia's military chief of staff, General Valery Gerasimov, said that Moscow had intelligence about militants in Eastern Ghouta preparing a false-flag chemical attack in the area.

The senior official added that the US could use the fake attack as a pretext for striking out at government quarters in Damascus.

Mirror.UK: Russia will shoot down US missiles fired at Syria and target launch sites, warns ambassador

US missiles fired at Syria will be shot down, and launch sites targeted, a Russian ambassador warned today.

The measures threatened by Alexander Zasypkin, Russia's ambassador to Lebanon, could trigger a major escalation in the Syrian conflict.

In comments broadcast on Tuesday evening, said he was referring to a statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian armed forces chief of staff.

The Russian military said on March 13 that it would respond to any U.S. strike on Syria, targeting any missiles and launchers involved in such an attack. Russia is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's most powerful ally.

The United States and its allies are considering whether to hit Syria over a suspected poison gas attack that medical relief organisations say killed dozens of people in the rebel-held town of Douma near Damascus on Saturday.

Many years ago, this site posted videos taken by the pre-Islamic state groups, Al-Qaeda or Nusra front or whatever Muslim Brotherhood front group of jihadis you want to name in the region, where they were developing chemical weapons and testing them on rabbits with grotesque success. Those videos are likely scrubbed off the internet but in an emergency can likely be found and reposted.

Shortly after the Islamic State was declared, there were other videos of Islamic terrorist groups using fairly crude home made or adapted weapons systems to launch chemical weapon containers into neighbourhoods. So the evidence of these groups using these weapons against civilians is very strong. While the likelihood of the optometrist, Assad, leader of Syria, launching a pointless WMD attack against his own population hours or days after the US president announces he is planning a troop withdrawal seems counter-intuitive.

Clearly it would result in an undesirable outcome for Syria.

Unless it doesn't.

The only thing that fits the puzzle to me would be if the US hit Iranian assets in the area, freeing Al Assad from the yoke of that tyranny using the weapons attack as a false flag to do that.

Its possible that Assad could be a good partner in the region if he was free of the pressure from Iran which I am certain is large and undesired.

But then again, the first casualty of war, right? Just speculating really.

Looking forward to all your reasoned responses.

Eeyore for VladTepesBlog.
-

"Russia Hysteria Is Making US International Laughing Stock"- Chomsky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MRQlC9wnok

Russia Convicted Of Nerve Attack Before Investigation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfA6_H080rY
The Jimmy Dore Show
Published on Mar 14, 2018
Despite not having conclusive evidence, the Theresa May and the corporate media have already condemned Russia. Also, even if Russia is responsible, some of the response does not make any sense.

VIDEO: Russia Accuses U.S. Of Staging Chem. Attack In Syria As Pretext For War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzw4ZvwTL48
Published on Apr 12, 2018
Alex Jones presents video footage of Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzea, accusing the United States of Staging the chemical attacks in Syria as a pretext for expanding war in the middle east.

Tucker Carlson Tells Truth About Syria - Crosses Trump
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbQB1EQ32CE

WORLD WAR SYRIA w/ Syrian Girl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xvmr3GOOik
Paul Joseph Watson
Published on Apr 10, 2018
Sleepwalking into another Middle Eastern quagmire.

International Journalist Tells The Truth About Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WisDjl6g6rk
The Jimmy Dore Show
Published on Jan 3, 2018
International Journalist Tells The Truth About Syria

False Flag Operations... - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiyVkL6sVts

Senator Exposes Syrian WMD False Flag; Says Hillary Ordered Murder Of Chris Stevens - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiU-XdKiaRY

Reality Check: Ex CIA Director Says U.S. Meddles for a 'Good Cause' - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdG1RESSP48

Reality Check: Syrian Gas Attack Connected to Bigger Conflict? - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcOxFAp-nx4

Syrian Chemical Attack Is A False Flag To Start World War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkEDUgeVl8s
War Room
Published on Apr 10, 2018
The Globalist cabal often repeats techniques out of the same playbook to force the US into war, but the American people are beginning to catch-on.

US training Syria militants for false flag chemical attack as basis for airstrikes -- Russian MoD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmYCgK2zHCI
RT
Published on Mar 17, 2018
Russia's Defense Ministry says "US instructors" are training militants to stage false flag chemical attacks in south Syria. The incidents are said to be a pretext for airstrikes on Syrian government troops and infrastructure.
\Check out http://rt.com

Tucker: Why is Washington united behind a war in Syria?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-yba3R6IBY
Fox News
Published on Apr 10, 2018
Tucker: Virtually all of official Washington, Republicans and Democrats, have united behind the idea that the United States has a moral obligation to go deeper into war in Syria after a suspected gas attack. Yet, our merely asking obvious questions, we are told to shut up and just obey. #Tucker

Corbyn Responds Rationally To Russian Nerve Attack - Immediately Smeared
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsnAIUZIt8M
The Jimmy Dore Show
Published on Mar 15, 2018
Jeremy Corbyn gives a rational and appropriate response to the UK attack. The establishment smears him as a 'Putin Puppet' anyway.

Can US confirm Assad regime was behind gas attack in Syria?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFxEACyEdp4
Fox News
Published on Apr 11, 2018
Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, on efforts to identify responsibility for suspected chemical weapons attack.

'Assad had no reason to launch chem attack, unlike those who want US involvement' -- Ron Paul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-z_eQcdQVI
RT
Published on Apr 9, 2018
Washington and the US media seem to have no doubts about the Syrian government's complicity in the Douma incident despite the fact that those who want America to stay in Syria have far more solid motives, Ron Paul told RT.
Check out http://rt.com

We are in the Last Days before all Hell breaks loose -- PaulCraigRoberts.org
April 11, 2018 by SARTRE
http://batr.net/america-first-news/we-are-in-the-last-days-before-all-hell-breaks-loose-paulcraigroberts-org/

Last days of Pompey? I was just there last week and I saw the future, not the past. To anyone watching the UN Security Council "debate" last night it is crystal clear we are in the last days before all hell breaks out. So, here we are at Judgment Day, and there surely will not be one soul out on Pennsylvania Avenue to raise an anti-war placard. The tattered remains of the American peace movement is rotten to the core. -- Gilbert Doctorow

Gilbert Doctorow, a knowledgeable and cautious observer of Russia, who, unlike the US National Security Council, Western think thanks and universities, actually understands Russia, appears to have joined The Saker and me in our pessimistic evaluation of the likely outcome of Washington's insane treatment of Russia, loading false accusation after false accusation on the Russian government.

Source: We are in the Last Days before all Hell breaks loose -- PaulCraigRoberts.org
https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2018/04/10/last-days-hell-breaks-loose/
-

Israeli Officials Encourage Trump To Strike Syria In Response To Alleged Chemical Attack In Douma
https://southfront.org/israeli-officials-encourage-trump-strike-syria-response-alleged-chemical-attack-douma/
As the situation over the alleged chemical attack in Douma is developing, Israeli officials have publicly encouraged US President Donald Trump to strike Syria...
-

Trump Goes Nuclear, Blames "Putin, Russia And Iran" For Alleged Douma Chemical Attack
https://southfront.org/trump-goes-nuclear-blames-putin-russia-and-iran-for-alleged-douma-chemical-attack/

Here we go.

Donald Trump once again demonstrates a "wise approach" towards the situation in Syria that apparently looks not so complicated for the US president.

So, according to Mr Trump it's "President Putin, Russia and Iran" responsible for the alleged chemical attack in the Eastern Ghouta district of Douma.

The US president does not care that the alleged chemical attack took place when the only side that can capitalize on it is the so-called "Syrian rebels" in the area. MORE ABOUT THE ALLEGED ATTACK HERE
https://southfront.org/old-new-story-msm-claims-70-people-killed-douma-chemical-attack-assad-regime/

Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria. Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inaccessible to outside world. President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price...
-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 8 April 2018

It's also interesting to note that Trump used the tweet in an attempt to improve his image among mainstream "the Russians did it" media outlets. ...to blame "Obama" and "Animal Assad" for the current situation.

....to pay. Open area immediately for medical help and verification. Another humanitarian disaster for no reason whatsoever. SICK!
-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 8 April 2018

If President Obama had crossed his stated Red Line In The Sand, the Syrian disaster would have ended long ago! Animal Assad would have been history!
-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 8 April 2018

Is Trump going to make an attempt to repeat his 2017 Shayrat missile strike in Douma? Let's see.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned that any foreign military actions against Syria over "fabricated" reports of chemical attacks may lead to the "gravest consequences."

"Hoaxes on attacks using chlorine or other poisonous substances by Syrian government forces are continuing to emerge. Another such hoax that has supposedly taken place is the alleged chemical attack in Douma yesterday. At the same time, references have been made to the notorious NGO "White Helmets," which has been repeatedly caught acting with terrorists, as well as other so-called humanitarian organizations based in the United Kingdom and the United States," the ministry said in a statement at its website.

"It is necessary to warn once again that military intervention under far-fetched and fabricated pretexts in Syria, where the Russian servicemen are deployed at the request of the legitimate government, is absolutely unacceptable and might lead to the gravest consequences."
-

Old New Story: MSM Claims 70 People Killed In Douma Chemical Attack By "Assad Regime"
#FROMTHEFRONT#SYRIA 08.04.2018 - 4,573 views
https://southfront.org/old-new-story-msm-claims-70-people-killed-douma-chemical-attack-assad-regime/

At least 70 people have been killed and hundreds injured (500-700) in an alleged chemical attack on the distict of Douma in the Damascus subrub of Eastern Ghouta, the mainstream media (MSM) reports citing "rescuers and medics" in the militant-held area. [for example: BBC, SkyNews]

Obviously, the alleged attack was immediately blamed on the Syrian government.

According to mainstream and pro-militant "analysts" and "media outlets", the "Assad regime" has nothing to do but to conduct chemical attacks in Douma. Especially, considering that the militants' defense fully collapsed in Eastern Ghouta, Douma is now the only militant stronghold in the entire area and Jaish al-Islam has no chances to win the battle for Douma even theoretically.

First reports, about the alleged chemical attack in the area appeared on April 7 when the Syrian Army re-newed its military operation against Jaish al-Islam militants controlling Douma. It's intersting to note that according to initial reprots by Jaish al-Islam-linked media only 15 people had been affected by the attack. However, by April 8, the story had reached the MSM and the death toll had grown to "at least 70".

The notorious al-Qaeda-linked propaganda organization White Helmets as always played a key role in sppreading the story.

The White Helmets closely cooperated with the Syrian al-Qaeda branch -- Jaish al-Islam, and continued to cooperate with the group after it was re-branded to Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and then Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

However, even the MSM and Western government were forced to admit [at least now] that the White Helmets' story can hardly been verified.

The US State Department has reacted to the story by saying that if reports are confirmed, the US demands an "immediate response by the international community".

"The United States continues to use all efforts available to hold those who use chemical weapons, in Syria and otherwise, accountable," the State Department said adding that Russia "ultimately bears responsibility for these brutal attacks."

The Syrian government has denied all the allegations that it has used chemical weapons in Douma.

"The chemical fabrications, which did not serve the terrorists and their sponsors in Aleppo and Eastern Ghouta, will not serve them today either, as the Syrian state is determined to end terrorism in every square inch of Syrian territory," the government said in a statement.

The Russian Defense Ministry has also rejected the reports adding that Western states and NGOs like the White Helmets have supported such claims in order to undermine the anti-terrorist operation in the area.

"We strongly deny these claims and announce our readiness to send Russian experts in radiation, chemical and biological defense to Douma after its liberation from terrorists to gather evidence, which would prove that the allegations on the chemical weapons use were staged," said Maj. Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko, commander of the Russian Center for Syria reconciliation.

The major general added that these claims are aimed at undermining the deal on evacuation of Jaish al-Islam militants in Douma. [The deal was reached with the group, then, rejected by the group and then once again reached after the Syrian Army had resumed a military operation in Douma.]
-

Trump and Syria: "The Worst Case Scenario Is Now Our Reality."
By Felicity Arbuthnot
Global Research, April 12, 2018

Url of this article:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/trump-and-syria-the-worst-case-scenario-is-now-our-reality/5635749

As all becomes ever more rapidly surreal it seems that, barring a miracle, Donald Trump might trigger a world war, over an incident in Syria which is entirely evidence free.

The discredited White Helmets -- a "rescue" group only operating in areas held by "rebels" who routinely decapitate, including children, set fire to people and commit numerous unspeakable acts -- have produced a video of an apparent chemical attack on 7th April.

The "White Helmets" are funded in millions by the UK Foreign Office, the US, Canada and various other Western governments. Coupled with this is: A UK government £5.3 million media activists programme included training Syrian independent journalists and activists, including for reporting of "White Helmets" activities across Twitter and Facebook. (See Foreign and Commonwealth Office: "Providing non-humanitarian assistance in Syria", Updated 1 December 2015.)

No wonder every seemingly staged "rescue" always has a few convenient camera people handy, recording the "victims." The duty of first responders of course, is to also protect the victim at all cost, in their vulnerable state, from public view.

The latest camera friendly crisis is yet another "chemical weapons attack" which the US, UK and usual suspects are blaming on the Syrian government. However this is such a worn and discredited theme, were it not for trigger-happy Trump and his band of war obsessed mongers, it would simply be dismissed out of hand. For the US both supplying chemical weapons to the "moderate head choppers" and the discrediting of the endless attempts to pin chemical attack on the government, see Professor Michel Chossudovsky's meticulous documentations. (1) See also Robert Stuart's impressive, minute unraveling of the propaganda which was "Saving Syria's Children." (2)

***
It also seems to have escaped the Trumposphere that in 2013, Syria surrendered all stocks of chemical weapons, under the auspices of the UN Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical weapons and international observers and participants.

I wrote at the time:

"On 12th September 2013 Syria's President al-Assad committed to surrender Syria's chemical weapons, with the caveats that the United States must stop threatening his country and supplying weapons to the terrorists." (Weapons disposal detail, 3.)

"Why do you need the attribution mechanism, if you've already named the perpetrators before any investigation?" asked Russia's Ambassador to the UN this week, referring to blatant accusations against Damascus coming from the US and its allies.

It is worth noting that those dealing with patients suffering the effects of a chemical weapons attack need specific protective clothing. Pictures have been shown of an allegedly affected toddler being sprayed with water, held and sprayed by people in jeans, t-shirts and without even plastic gloves.

Strangely at the site of an alleged chemical attack at Khan Sheikhun on 5th April 2017, just two days over a year before the latest allegations, pictures not only emerged of first responders with no protective clothing, gloves, but of the White Helmets in flip flops and casual clothing "gathering soil samples" from areas allegedly hit by the weapons.

In Douma the Russian military have been rather more professional, with the Russian Embassy in South Africa Tweeting:

Russian MoD investigates #DoumaProvocation, sheds light on the situation: All soil test results from Douma, #Syria have shown NO trace of neither sarin nor chlorine nor any other chemical agent. Local hospitals have NOT received ANY patients with chemical poisoning symptoms pic.twitter.com/cwIY8zXOIC
-- Russia in RSA ???? (@EmbassyofRussia) April 10, 2018

An accompanying correspondent wrote:

War Correspondent Alexander Bilibov from #Syria: "We checked the place of the alleged CW attack together with #Russian military, asked the civilians. Nobody heard about #CW attack". Alexander's group went to all hospitals,spoke to the doctors. Nothing. #SyrianCWHoax #EastGhouta pic.twitter.com/CKcVOWqseh
-- Springprincess (@TamrikoT) April 10, 2018

At the UN, on Monday, 9th April -- ironically the fifteenth anniversary of the toppling of Saddam's statue in Baghdad's Firdos Square, marking the destruction of Iraq on pack of lies -- Steffan de Mistura, Special Envoy for Syria, stated regarding the attack that:

"... the United Nations was not in a position to verify those reports" (of a chemical weapons attack.)

The UK and France were predictably hawkish with the Russian Ambassador responding factually:

" ... that Washington, D.C., and those blindly following it -- namely London and Paris -- were deliberately stoking international tensions and engaging in a confrontational policy against the Russian Federation and Syria without any justification.

"The United States and its partners did not understand the potential consequences of their reckless geopolitical experiment in the Middle East, he said, emphasizing that Western capitals were taking up rumours spread by non-governmental organizations, the White Helmets and the media. The use of sarin or chlorine gas in Douma had not been confirmed, he stressed, calling for a prompt investigation and for Western politicians to scale down their rhetoric.

"Syria's representative agreed that the lies of some permanent Council Members had fuelled conflicts, including in Viet Nam, the Korean Peninsula and Iraq. Now they sought to defeat Syria.

"Emphasizing that the United States, United Kingdom and France were eager to hold Council meetings on the basis of fabricated information, he recalled that the Syrian Government had warned the Council, OPCW and the Joint Investigative Mechanism on many occasions about terrorist groups possessing chlorine and sarin. The White Helmets would fabricate evidence and Hollywood-like scenes intended to stir incitement against Syria and its allies. The Syrian military had no chemical weapons, having destroyed them under United States auspices, he stressed." (4) Emphasis mine.

Of course in this new equivalent of the "forty five minute to destruction" lie (Tony Blair's government's infamous September 2002 dossier of fairy tales which massively contributed to Iraq's destruction) who should pop up but Tony Blair, urging Prime Minister May to join strikes on Syria without even putting it to a Parliamentary vote.

He said that there was no need for her to ask her MPs as reprisals were likely to be "air action, rather than ground force action." Work that one out. And Blair, who if justice existed, should be answering for his part in Nuremberg's "supreme international crime" at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, was "Middle East Peace Envoy."

The British and Americans of course, on Syrian land, in sea or air space are in the country entirely illegally.

***
President Assad has immediately invited the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to Syria to investigate, as did the Russians, the US are fighting their visit. Doesn't take much thinking about. According to the OPCW website, they are leaving "shortly."

However, in this truly terrifying scenario the world is facing not the ruthless horrors of the Bush family, or of the Clintons, Jimmy Carter's threats to the Middle East, Nixon's criminality. No, we have Donald Trump.

In "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump", twenty seven eminent psychiatrists and mental health experts put their careers on the line, flagging up their clinical assessments, arguing that in Mr. Trump's case they had a moral and civil "duty to warn."

Each chapter is more concerning than the last. But perhaps in the present circumstances it is apt to quote John D. Gartner, Ph.D, clinical psychologist, who taught at the Department of Psychiatry at John Hopkins University Medical School for twenty eight years. In a chapter entitled: "Donald Trump is A) Mad B) Bad C)All of the Above", he cites a colleague's assessment of Trump's grasp on reality:

"He cannot be contained because he is psychologically off the chain. With each passing week he displays the classic symptoms of medium grade mania in more disturbing forms ...

"Trump's first hypomanic crash resulted in only a few bankruptcies, but while he is President the consequences could be on a scale so vast it's difficult to even contemplate:

" ... exhibiting malignant narcissism ... His worsening hypomania is making him increasingly more irrational, grandiose, paranoid, aggressive, irritable, impulsive ... He evinces the most destructive and dangerous collection of psychiatric symptoms possible for a leader. The worst case scenario is now our reality." He warns of the consequences being "most likely catastrophic."

Professor Gartner ends the chapter defending the authors of the book for breaking the rules by going public:

"History will not be kind to a profession that aided the rise of an American Hitler through its silence."

It would be hard to dispute this chilling assessment having read how lightly Trump takes a possible world war in a Tweet today:

Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and "smart!" You shouldn't be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!
-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018

Now Trump's right hand man is John Bolton, arch hawk, advocate of regime change in Iran, North Korea, Syria, supporter of the horrors of Libya and Iraq.

But of course, for someone possibly in a parallel universe, incinerating a nation or the planet would be a great diversion from Trump's troubles at home and the raid on his lawyer's office and seizure of countless possibly incriminating documents.

*

Veteran War Correspondent Felicity Arbuthnot is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization and Associate Editor of Global Research.

Notes

1. https://www.globalresearch.ca/the-syria-chemical-weapons-saga-the-staging-of-a-us-nato-sponsored-humanitarian-disaster/5315273

2. https://bbcpanoramasavingsyriaschildren.wordpress.com

3. https://theecologist.org/2014/mar/13/syrias-chemical-weapons-lawbreakers-rule-supreme

4. https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13284.doc.htm

Featured image is from PravdaReport.
--

The Most Important U.N. Security Council Vote Ever? Alleged Syria Chemical Weapons Attack and US-NATO Plans to Invade Syria
By Eric Zuesse
Global Research, April 12, 2018

Url of this article:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/the-most-important-u-n-security-council-vote-ever-alleged-syria-chemical-weapons-attack-and-us-nat-plans-to-invade-syria/5635765

On Tuesday, April 10th, the U.S. and France were sending missiles, ships, planes and soldiers for an invasion of Syria, which is defended by Russia; and two alternative draft proposals were presented to the U.N. Security Council for authorizing an expert investigation to be done into the alleged April 7th chemical attack in Douma in Syria, which alleged event the U.S. and France allege to be the justification for their planned invasion.

***
One proposal, from the United States, would have sidelined the existing official investigative agency for chemical weapons, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and set up a brand new "independent mechanism of investigation to determinate accountability" for the chemical-weapon attack that the U.S. and its allies allege to have happened but for which no evidence had been presented (other than alleged videos of it that were taken and spread by the White Helmets branch of Al Qaeda in Syria and which group the U.S. and its allies praise for helping injured 'rebels' and their associates). Russia vetoed the U.S. proposal because by the time such a new organization would be set up and officially accuse the Syrian and Russian Governments for the presumed chemical attack, the war between the U.S. and Russia would probably already be long past, and so the U.S. proposal couldn't possibly prevent the U.S.-led invasion of Syria, anyway. Russia had been hoping to prevent an attack for long enough so that the OPCW, which was due to leave for Syria on April 10th, could get to Douma in order to examine to find any residues of a chemical weapons attack there, if such even existed, but the U.S. and its allies wanted to invade without there being any such investigation preceding the invasion.

After that vote on the American draft, came the vote on the alternative draft-resolution:

"The Council then failed to adopt the draft resolution submitted by the Russian Federation by a recorded vote of 6 in favour (Bolivia, China, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation) to 7 against (France, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States), with 2 abstentions (CÃ'te d'Ivoire, Kuwait)."

As regards whether or not there had actually been a chemical attack in Douma, the only public information (other than the video that was produced by the White Helmets), was a news report published on April 9th by Russia, which is likely to be as much ignored by Americans as news-reports by the U.S. are ignored by Russians, and it was headlined "No trace of chemical weapons at alleged attack site in Douma -- Russian military", and it stated:

The Russian military has found no trace of chemical weapons use after searching parts of Syria's Douma allegedly targeted by an "attack." Photos of victims posted by the White Helmets are fake, Russia's Defense Ministry said.

Experts in radiological, chemical and biological warfare, as well as medics, on Monday inspected the parts of the Eastern Ghouta city of Douma, where an alleged chemical attack supposedly took place on Saturday, the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria said in a statement.

The specialists "found no traces of the use of chemical agents" after searching the sites, the statement said. The center's medical specialists also visited a local hospital but found no patients that showed signs of chemical weapons poisoning. "All these facts show... that no chemical weapons were used in the town of Douma, as it was claimed by the White Helmets," the statement said, referring to the controversial "civil defense" group that was among the first to report about the alleged attack.

Then, late on April 10th, Russian Television headlined "Europe air traffic control issues alert over 'possible air strikes on Syria within 72 hours'", and the U.S. and France were set for a full-force invasion, which was expected to target especially "Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Hama, Deir ez Zor, and Rakka. In particular, it is planned to strike the area of the Russian military base in Tartus."

Some people expect these attacks to be met by counterattacks from Syria, Russia, Hezbollah, and Iran, but some expect them to be so defeated in Syria, as to surrender, and for Russia also not to launch nuclear attacks against the invaders for having started WW III on the basis of unexamined accusations.

In any case, the question can be considered, even before the outcome is known (and if the world still exists after that), as to whether the U.S. and its allies are invading upon even shabbier 'evidence' than it had invaded Iraq in 2003. In domestic matters, the comparable situation exists when a lynch mob seeks to kill a seized person without any investigatory process at all, but only upon the allegation by the mob saying that the person who is being lynched is 'guilty'. However, when this is done in international matters, and the attackers are calling themselves 'democracies', the situation is even worse than merely a domestic lynching. And this could factor into the Russian Government's decision as to how to respond to these invasions of its ally.

The present situation could be even more dangerous than was the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
-

New exposé by Seymour Hersh: Turkey staged gas attack to provoke US war on Syria
By Patrick Martin
7 April 2014
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/04/07/syri-a07.html

In a lengthy article published Sunday by the London Review of Books, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh reports that the sarin gas attack on a Damascus suburb on August 21, 2013 was actually carried out by Syrian "rebel" forces acting at the behest of Turkey, for the purpose of providing a pretext for a US attack on Syria.

The gas attack killed many hundreds of people in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta, and the Obama administration and the corporate-controlled US media immediately blamed the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad for the atrocity. The New York Times, in particular, published a lengthy analysis by its military "expert," C. J. Chivers, which purported to show, based on rocket trajectories, prevailing winds and other technical factors, that the gas shells could only have been fired from Syrian army artillery positions.

For several weeks, the Ghouta attack became the pretext for a warmongering campaign by the White House and the US and European media. Obama threatened immediate air strikes, claiming that the Syrian government had crossed a "red line" against the use of chemical weapons, which he had laid down in 2012.

The US president then abruptly reversed himself and announced he would seek congressional approval first, only to call off any overt military action in favor of a deal brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin in which Assad agreed to the supervised dismantling of his chemical weapons stockpiles.

By Hersh's account, "Obama's change of mind had its origins at Porton Down, the defence laboratory in Wiltshire. British intelligence had obtained a sample of the sarin used in the 21 August attack and analysis demonstrated that the gas used didn't match the batches known to exist in the Syrian army's chemical weapons arsenal. The message that the case against Syria wouldn't hold up was quickly relayed to the US joint chiefs of staff... As a consequence the American officers delivered a last-minute caution to the president, which, in their view, eventually led to his cancelling the attack."

The US military leadership also knew that White House claims that there could be no other source for the sarin gas than the Syrian army were false. "The American and British intelligence communities had been aware since the spring of 2013 that some rebel units in Syria were developing chemical weapons," Hersh reports. "On 20 June analysts for the US Defense Intelligence Agency issued a highly classified five-page 'talking points' briefing for the DIA's deputy director, David Shedd, which stated that al-Nusra maintained a sarin production cell..."

Hersh quotes extensively from this US government document, which the office of the US director of national intelligence now denies ever existed:

"Al-Nusrah Front's relative freedom of operation within Syria leads us to assess the group's CW [chemical weapons] aspirations will be difficult to disrupt in the future... Turkey and Saudi-based chemical facilitators... were attempting to obtain sarin precursors in bulk, tens of kilograms, likely for the anticipated large scale production effort in Syria."

Hersh notes that members of al-Nusra were arrested in Turkey last May in possession of two kilograms of sarin. They were charged in a 130-page indictment with "attempting to purchase fuses, piping for the construction of mortars, and chemical precursors for sarin." All have since been released pending trial, or had charges dropped altogether.

Those arrests followed chemical weapons attacks in Syria in March and April 2013, where a UN investigation found evidence implicating the Syrian "rebels." One source told Hersh, "Investigators interviewed the people who were there, including the doctors who treated the victims. It was clear that the rebels used the gas. It did not come out in public because no one wanted to know."

The "no one," of course, was the US government, its European allies, and its UN stooges -- as well as their political apologists in the media and the pseudo-left groups such as the International Socialist Organization that were either openly campaigning for military intervention in Syria or justifying it by portraying the US-financed "rebels" as the bearers of a democratic revolution.

When the August 21 attack took place, Obama ordered the Pentagon to draw up plans for bombing Syria, and, as a former intelligence official told Hersh, "the White House rejected 35 target sets provided by the joint chiefs of staff as being insufficiently 'painful' to the Assad regime."

The US bombing plan ultimately envisioned "a monster strike" involving two wings of B-52 bombers equipped with 2,000-pound bombs, as well as Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from submarines and surface warships.

Hersh continues: "The new target list was meant to 'completely eradicate any military capabilities Assad had,' the former intelligence official said. The core targets included electric power grids, oil and gas depots, all known logistic and weapons depots, all known command and control facilities, and all known military and intelligence buildings."

The bombing attack drawn up at the direction of the Obama White House would have itself constituted a war crime, causing thousands if not tens of thousands of casualties and crippling Syria as a functioning society.

Hersh then passes on to his most important revelation: that US officials believed the Turkish government, or its intelligence agencies, had instigated the gas attack in Ghouta.

He cites concerns among US military and intelligence leaders that "there were some in the Turkish government" who supported "dabbling with a sarin attack inside Syria -- and forcing Obama to make good on his red line threat."

This was reinforced by the British military intelligence finding on the type of gas used in Ghouta. This included a message to the Americans: "We're being set up here." This was followed by a further message about the Ghouta attack that "a senior official in the CIA sent in late August: 'It was not the result of the current regime [i.e., Assad]'. UK & US know this."

Hersh suggests that the bitter controversy over the attack on a US consulate and CIA mission in Benghazi, Libya in 2012, which killed four Americans including the ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, is directly linked to the infighting over Syria.

It has been widely reported that the CIA organized the shipment of Libyan weapons stockpiles from Benghazi to the Syrian rebels. Hersh cites a "highly classified annex" to the report of the Senate committee that investigated the Benghazi attack.

This document "described a secret agreement reached in early 2012 between the Obama and [Turkish] Erdogan administrations... By the terms of the agreement, funding came from Turkey, as well as Saudi Arabia and Qatar; the CIA, with the support of MI6, was responsible for getting arms from Gaddafi's arsenals into Syria. A number of front companies were set up in Libya, some under the cover of Australian entities. Retired American soldiers, who didn't always know who was really employing them, were hired to manage procurement and shipping. The operation was run by David Petraeus, the CIA director who would soon resign when it became known he was having an affair with his biographer."

According to Hersh, after the Benghazi fiasco, the CIA was pulled out, but the Libya to Turkey to Syria pipeline continued, possibly including "manpads" -- portable surface-to-air missile launchers, which the Obama administration had opposed supplying the rebels out of concern that they would be used to attack civilian airliners.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan tasked Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) with engineering a provocation that would give a pretext for direct US military intervention. Hersh quotes his source: "'The MIT was running the political liaison with the rebels, and the Gendarmerie handled military logistics, on-the-scene advice and training -- including training in chemical warfare,' the former intelligence official said. 'Stepping up Turkey's role in spring 2013 was seen as the key to its problems there... Erdogan's hope was to instigate an event that would force the US to cross the red line. But Obama didn't respond in March and April.'"

Two sources described to Hersh a working dinner during Erdogan's visit to Washington in May 2013 in which Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Adviser Thomas Donilon met Erdogan, foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu and MIT chief Hakan Fidan. Erdogan appealed for Obama to attack Syria, telling him "your red line has been crossed." Obama then pointed at Fidan and said, "We know what you're doing with the radicals in Syria."

Hersh cites a "US intelligence consultant" who describes a classified briefing for Martin Dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, prepared before the August 21 gas attack. The briefing noted "the acute anxiety" in the Erdogan regime over the military setbacks for the Syrian rebels and warned that the Turkish leadership felt "the need to do something that would precipitate a US military response."

In the period following the gas attack, Hersh's former intelligence official source explained, communications intercepts and other data supported the suspicion that Turkey had organized the Ghouta attack. "We now know it was a covert action planned by Erdogan's people to push Obama over the red line,' the former intelligence official said. 'They had to escalate to a gas attack in or near Damascus when the UN inspectors' -- who arrived in Damascus on 18 August to investigate the earlier use of gas -- 'were there. The deal was to do something spectacular. Our senior military officers have been told by the DIA and other intelligence assets that the sarin was supplied through Turkey -- that it could only have gotten there with Turkish support. The Turks also provided the training in producing the sarin and handling it.'"

Only a week ago, evidence surfaced that supports the credibility of Hersh's report. A video was posted on YouTube of a meeting of Turkish officials, including Fikan, in which the intelligence chief suggests that Turkish agents should mount an attack on a Muslim shrine inside Syria to provide a pretext for a Turkish invasion of the country.

Hersh's account is his second long exposé in four months of the "false flag" gas attack in Damascus. Both articles were published in the British journal because no major US newspaper or magazine will any longer publish material from the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.

Beginning with his reporting of the My Lai massacre in Vietnam for the New York Times, Hersh has specialized in developing sources in the US military and intelligence apparatus, frequently those with policy differences with the current administration in Washington. Hersh left the Times for Newsday, and then wrote for the New Yorker for many years.

Both the New Yorker and the Washington Post refused to publish his first report on the Ghouta gas attack, which charged that the sarin attack had been carried out by Syrian rebels in the al-Nusra Front, forcing Hersh to find a British publisher for his account. The US press was largely silent on that report, and it has so far blacked out the latest exposure.

The author also recommends:

Seymour Hersh exposes US government lies on Syrian sarin attack
[10 December 2013]
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/12/10/pers-d10.html

The war drive against Syria
[26 August 2013]
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/08/26/pers-a26.html

Syria chemical warfare claims aim to provoke Western intervention
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/08/22/syri-a22.html
[22 August 2013]
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/08/22/syri-a22.html

US media demands full-scale assault against Syria
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/04/11/syri-a11.html
-

Another False Flag - Will Trump Escalate In Syria?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8Udgh_aECE
US-backed proxy Rebel-allied organizations in Syria have claimed that the government has released chlorine gas near Ghouta, killing dozens. The Syrians and Russians deny the charges. Neocons are all demanding that Trump launch a bigger attack or America will "lose face." Will the Russians sit back and allow another US attack on the Syrian government? And if they don't?
-

US, Britain and France prepare onslaught against Syria
12 April 2018
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/04/12/pers-a12.html

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump threatened a major new escalation of the seven-year-old US war for regime change in Syria, declaring in a tweet, "Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!'"

Trump's threat expresses the criminality of the US-led campaign against Syria. The president of the United States is about to launch an unprovoked war of aggression. The US and European governments lie without restraint to justify their predatory war aims and the most incredible statements go unchallenged by the press.

The claims by the United States that its planned attack on Syria is a response to a chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime on April 7 are without any independent substantiation. The only people claiming to have witnessed the attack are US-backed proxy forces in Syria.

The United States' humanitarian pretenses do not stand up to any serious scrutiny. The massacres of unarmed Palestinian demonstrators in Gaza by the Israeli army have been supported by the United States and virtually ignored in the Western media. Saudi Arabia, the United States' key Arab ally in the Middle East, is carrying out a genocidal war in Yemen. The rampage of the United States through the Middle East has destroyed entire societies.

Aside from the absence of evidence, no credible explanation has been given as to why the Assad regime would carry out a chemical weapons attack just as it was on the verge of driving out the Al Qaeda-linked insurgents funded by the US and its allies.

But there are plenty of reasons why the United States would instruct its proxies to either stage or fabricate such an incident. Just two days before the alleged attack in Douma, a New York Times editorial complained that Trump was "letting Russia take the lead in Syria" and allowing Iran to gain a "foothold" in the country. The Times asked, "How does that serve American interests?"

Just one hour after Trump's Wednesday morning Twitter outburst, he admitted in a subsequent tweet that the campaign against Russia is being driven by political forces in Washington. "Much of the bad blood with Russia is caused by the Fake & Corrupt Russia Investigation, headed up by the all Democrat loyalists, or people that worked for Obama," Trump wrote.

Behind the increasingly bitter sectarian warfare gripping Washington lie substantial divisions over foreign policy, centered on the conflict in Syria, which have been simmering for years.

In 2013, the United States was on the brink of a full-scale military assault to carry out regime change against Syrian President Assad, seeking to follow up on the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. But amid overwhelming popular opposition, President Obama was ultimately forced to pull back after the failure of a vote in the UK parliament to authorize British participation in the onslaught. Instead of a direct attack on Syria, the US agreed to a deal brokered by Russia to destroy Syria's chemical weapons stocks.

In a lecture given in September 2013, in the immediate aftermath of the agreement, World Socialist Web Site Editorial Board Chairman David North warned:

But the postponement of war does not lessen the likelihood, indeed, the inevitability, of the outbreak of a major war. As the bellicose statements emanating from Washington make clear, the "military option" remains on the table. Nor is Syria the only target for military attack. US operations against Syria would set the stage for a clash with Iran. And, still further, the logic of US imperialism's drive for global dominance leads to a confrontation with Russia and China.

This warning has been vindicated. The leaders of American imperialism have never forgotten what they saw as a colossal embarrassment and setback for US imperialism in failing to enforce Obama's "red line."

Now, as the US-backed Islamist proxies in Syria face defeat at the hands of the Syrian government, Iran, and Russia, the American intelligence agencies have manufactured a series of pretexts to justify their longstanding war plans.

The accusations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons on April 7 followed by only a few days the collapse of claims by the British government that Russia carried out a chemical weapons attack on British soil. The supposed victims of a nerve gas ten times more powerful than Sarin have not only recovered, but are being blocked by British authorities from making public statements. The incidents in Salisbury and Douma, as with the entire anti-Russia campaign, are part of a carefully orchestrated propaganda offensive aimed at legitimizing a military attack on Syria and escalation against Russia.

Fifteen years ago, France opposed the American intervention in Iraq, leading to the denunciation of "Old Europe" by the Bush administration and calls to change the name of French fries to "Freedom fries." Since that time, France has completely reversed its position, anxious to reestablish itself as a colonial power by participating in the carve-up of the Middle East. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is now declaring that France is ready to "do its duty."

No less significant than the geopolitical motivations for the war are pressing domestic considerations. All of the major imperialist powers preparing for war are riven by deep internal crises and a growing movement of the working class.

French President Macron has signaled his support for the US war drive as his government is embroiled in a head-on confrontation with transportation workers over his hated neoliberal policies. Germany's right-wing grand coalition government, cobbled together after months of back-room deals, enjoys minuscule public support.

The British state, thrown into crisis by the Brexit-mandated withdrawal from the European Union, is led by a prime minister who is held in universal contempt, with no authority or legitimacy. Theresa May is so afraid of public opposition to British involvement in Syria and a repeat of Prime Minister David Cameron's debacle in 2013 that she has announced plans to proceed with an attack without a vote in Parliament.

And the United States is embroiled in the greatest political crisis since Watergate and the forced resignation of Nixon, exacerbated by a growing strike wave of teachers and mounting opposition throughout the working class.

The rush by NATO to embrace a conflict with Russia leaves the distinct impression that the US and the European powers would welcome a de facto state of war, which they could use as a pretext to intensify their drive to censor the Internet and outlaw domestic political opposition. The NATO powers are in the grip of a war fever as reckless as it is criminal. As their internal crises intensify, their military provocations become all the more naked.

The Putin government, for its part, is caught between elements within the military pushing for Russia to confront the US and powerful oligarchs who, battered by economic sanctions, are desperately seeking an accommodation with the United States. Iran likewise is under pressure from US economic measures that have led to a 35 percent drop in the value of the rial.

While Alexander Zasypkin, the Russian ambassador to Lebanon, said Wednesday, "If there is a strike by the Americans, then...the missiles will be downed and even the sources from which the missiles were fired," President Vladimir Putin has sought to play down tensions, declaring he hoped "common sense" will prevail.

The Russian government is now facing the consequences of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, whose ultimate logic is the reduction of the country to the status of a semi-colony. Both Moscow and Tehran confront the fact that no concessions they make will satisfy the United States, which is seeking nothing less than their total subjugation. Neither the Russian nor Iranian bourgeoisie can resist the forces of world imperialism.

The escalation of the Syrian crisis demonstrates that the imperialist powers are driving toward a new world war. Whatever the outcome of the latest crisis, the onslaught against Syria is only a precursor to war against Iran, Russia and, ultimately, China, threatening the annihilation of mankind in a nuclear conflagration.

The only way to avert this catastrophe is to link the emerging international movement of the working class with the struggle against imperialist war.
-

Poison Gas -- Weapon of Choice for "False News"
By Peter Koenig
Global Research, April 12, 2018
https://www.globalresearch.ca/poison-gas-weapon-of-choice-for-false-news/5635839
Poison gas is not only deadly, it often provokes a slow suffocating death. That, perpetrated on innocent children, is particularly cruel. But when such poison gas attacks are mere false flags, or by the new term, "false news", and are used to provoke war, perhaps an all annihilating war, then humanity has turned to what it never should have become -- a lowly-lowly herd of brainless zombies. Is that what we have become -- brainless, greedy, selfish beings, no sense of solidarity, no respect for other beings; I am not even talking about humans, but any living being...
-

False Flag in Syria Sets Stage for Wider War
By Tony Cartalucci
Global Research, April 12, 2018

Url of this article:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/false-flag-in-syria-sets-stage-for-wider-war/5635846

The US threatened war within hours of an alleged chemical weapons attack taking place in Douma, northeast of Damascus.

The US rush to conflict attempts to sidestep any meaningful investigation into the attack, fitting a larger pattern of Washington and its allies using baseless chemical weapon allegations for wars of aggression stretching back to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

US accusations and threats of war come at a pivotal moment in Syria's now 7 year conflict in which the Syrian government has finally liberated all territory around the capital from foreign-sponsored militants.

Zero Evidence

To date, all supposed evidence comes from Western-funded militants and their auxiliaries including the US-European government-funded front, the so-called "Syria Civil Defense," better known at the "White Helmets." Unverified photographs and video of apparent victims have been the sole sources cited by the US.

The World Health Organization, in a recent statement attempting to bolster these accusations, claims that up to 500 patients appear to have been exposed to chemical poisoning, but would cite its "Health Cluster partners," the Daily Beast would report.

However, according to WHO's own website, these partners include Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which in turn, according to MSF's own website trains and supports the White Helmets. MSF has repeatedly admitted throughout the Syrian conflict that it does not have a presence on the ground in conflict areas and merely provides material support to groups that do.

The White Helmets have been repeatedly caught in the past fabricating evidence and staging scenes for propaganda value. In fact, all evidence suggests the entire purpose of the White Helmets is the production of propaganda.

This culminated in 2016 when the organization inadvertently revealed their theatrical methods during a protest in multiple European cities. They applied red paint and flour to their bodies and posed as victims for European media outlets and local bystanders. The scenes were indistinguishable from daily clips uploaded by White Helmet members allegedly carrying out emergency services in militant-held territory in Syria.

Absent from virtually all of their videos are scenes of actual injuries -- open wounds, crushed or severed limbs, burns etc. Videos also lack any context, and are often heavily edited.

One Year Ago -- Similar Lies

Previous allegations of the Khan Shaykhun chemical weapon attack the US cited in 2017 ahead of cruise missile strikes on Syria's Shayrat Airbase, were also baseless.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism (OPCW-UN JIM) report on the alleged attack would admit that no investigators even visited the scene of the attack.

The UN in a news article regarding the report would even claim (emphasis added):

Although it was too dangerous to visit Umm Hawh and Khan Shaykum, the panel considered that sufficient information had been gathered to come to a solid conclusion.

Evidence instead consisted of interviews with alleged witnesses and physical evidence passed to investigators from possible suspects -- since even the report itself admitted the possibility of the incident being staged to implicate the Syrian government. The report itself would also cite an absence of a chain of custody for evidence it received, diminishing their probative value.

Normalizing military aggression based on allegations of chemical attacks in which onsite investigations are not conducted produces the perfect conditions to stage incidents and rush to war.

The US rush to war without even awaiting an incomplete and questionable investigation as carried out by the OPCW-UN JIM in 2017 -- indicates that the United States is not interested in, and possibly even attempting to obstruct the truth.

Zero Motivation

Syria and Russia have been conducting security operations around Damascus with particular care, fully acknowledging the level of international scrutiny the Syrian conflict is under, including the conduct of the Syrian government and its allies.

Humanitarian corridors were opened to allow civilians to flee areas where fighting was taking place. Once defeated, remaining militants were even allowed to board buses and escape north to the Syrian-Turkish border.

Not only are the chemical weapons cited by the US ineffective relative to the conventional weapons Syria and its allies have in their possession, the use of chemical weapons in military operations against an all but defeated enemy -- considering the political costs of doing so -- would be inexplicable.

The US government and the Western media have resorted to assigning essentially cartoon villain motivations to the Syrian government in an effort to explain why -- on the verge of victory in Syria -- the Syrian government would risk justifying a long sought after US military intervention against Damascus itself.

The US is already illegally operating in and around Syrian territory. This includes the occupation of Syrian territory by US troops east of the Euphrates River. The US has already conducted multiple air strikes on Syrian government targets. In addition to the strike on Shayrat Airbase in 2017, US airpower has repeatedly attacked Syrian troops operating near US positions.

The Grand Finale

Making it even more inexplicable for Syria's government to have deployed chemical weapons at this of all junctures -- was the recent announcement by US President Donald Trump of interest in withdrawing US troops from Syria.

While some interpreted his announcement as genuine, and suggest the likely staged chemical attack in Douma, Syria was an attempt to draw the US back in, a much more likely scenario is that President Trump simply lied to provide the US with plausible deniability ahead of a premeditated chemical weapons incident the US itself planned.

US policy papers have provided the framework for just such a scheme.

In the 2009 Brookings Institution policy paper titled, "Which Path to Persia? Options for a New American Strategy Toward Iran" (PDF), everything from supporting terrorists in a proxy war to staged provocations and full-scale war were planned in excruciating detail.

Included among the US policy think-tank's schemes was the description of a deception similar to the one likely playing out in Syria.

The paper would state (emphasis added):

...any military operation against Iran will likely be very unpopular around the world and require the proper international context -- both to ensure the logistical support the operation would require and to minimize the blowback from it. The best way to minimize international opprobrium and maximize support (however, grudging or covert) is to strike only when there is a widespread conviction that the Iranians were given but then rejected a superb offer -- one so good that only a regime determined to acquire nuclear weapons and acquire them for the wrong reasons would turn it down. Under those circumstances, the United States (or Israel) could portray its operations as taken in sorrow, not anger, and at least some in the international community would conclude that the Iranians "brought it on themselves" by refusing a very good deal.

For Syria, the "offer" was a US withdrawal and Damascus and its neighbors "given" the responsibility to humanely end the conflict and stabilize the region. The "rejection" inviting the US to intervene is the staged chemical attacks in Douma the US is now citing.

Regarding staged provocations, the Brookings paper mentions them as well, claiming (emphasis added):

...it would be far more preferable if the United States could cite an Iranian provocation as justification for the airstrikes before launching them. Clearly, the more outrageous, the more deadly, and the more unprovoked the Iranian action, the better off the United States would be. Of course, it would be very difficult for the United States to goad Iran into such a provocation without the rest of the world recognizing this game, which would then undermine it. (One method that would have some possibility of success would be to ratchet up covert regime change efforts in the hope that Tehran would retaliate overtly, or even semi-overtly, which could then be portrayed as an unprovoked act of Iranian aggression.)

Nothing could be more "outrageous" or "deadly" than using chemical weapons on civilians.

"The Israel Approach"

In the immediate aftermath of the alleged chemical attack in Douma, Syria, Israel launched missiles into Syrian territory, striking Tiyas (T4) Military Airbase.

The same Brookings policy paper would also make specific mention of how this tactic would fit into a wider strategy of drawing a nation further into direct war with the United States itself.

The paper would state that (emphasis added):

...the most salient advantage this option has over that of an American air campaign is the possibility that Israel alone would be blamed for the attack. If this proves true, then the United States might not have to deal with Iranian retaliation or the diplomatic backlash that would accompany an American military operation against Iran. It could allow Washington to have its cake (delay Iran's acquisition of a nuclear weapon) and eat it, too (avoid undermining many other U.S. regional diplomatic initiatives).

The report also states (emphasis added):

It would presumably be easier to convince Israel to mount the attack than it would be to generate domestic political support for another war in the Middle East (let alone the diplomatic support from a region that is extremely wary of new American military adventures).

The same report would also state (emphasis added):

However, as noted in the previous chapter, the airstrikes themselves are really just the start of this policy. Again, the Iranians would doubtless rebuild their nuclear sites. They would probably retaliate against Israel, and they might retaliate against the United States, too (which might create a pretext for American airstrikes or even an invasion).

Clearly these options laid out for Iran in 2009 have been repeatedly used instead against Syria. Among this most recent and unprecedented juncture, these ploys are being used again, in rapid succession and ultimately toward US-led regime change.
America's Motivation

The US -- since the end of the Cold War -- has established a unipolar international order that serves the interests of US corporations and financial institutions and those of Washington's allies. In a bid to preserve its primacy, the US has pursued a policy of encircling and containing potential competitors -- most notably Russia and China. It has done this through economic pressure, covert regime change, overt military invasion and occupation, or usually a combination of all three.

Reordering Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Central and Southeast Asia over the past two decades was meant to provide America with a united front of client states to wield against a reemerging Russia and a rising China before eventually folding both into its international order as well.However, these efforts have mostly failed. Technology has bridged gaps in economic and military power the US and Europe had previously exploited to achieve centuries of global hegemony over the global East and South.
The US now finds itself mired in a protracted conflict -- so far unsuccessful in not only toppling the Syrian government, but also floundering on secondary objectives aimed at Balkanizing the country.

While a US withdrawal from Syria on its own terms will all but admit the end of American hegemony in the Middle East, should it remain and still fail -- it will not only accelerate the emergence of a multipolar world order -- but one in which the US finds itself an impotent pariah.

US Options

The US -- clearly having failed to sell its case to the global public -- may simply launch a limited strike as it did in 2017. The strikes will do little to change the trajectory of American foreign policy objectives and their ultimate failure in Syria. The operation -- likely to kill Syrians and even possibly Russians and Iranians -- will tentatively provide the US with an opportunity to save face in the wake of its recent and increasingly reckless bluster.

Syria and its allies will likely weather the attacks -- if limited -- as they have before, attempting to avoid the desired, wider confrontation the US seeks and letting the clock run out on Washington's failed proxy war.However, US policymakers may believe that the window of opportunity for the US to reassert itself as global hegemon has yet to close. It may calculate that its desire to carry out a direct military intervention in Syria to finally achieve regime change is greater than Russia and Iran's willingness to risk direct war with the US to stop it.The US may also be reckless enough to calculate that a limited confrontation directly with Russian assets in Syria would allow Washington to reassert itself in a much more dramatic way -- with Russia not willing to escalate the conflict beyond the region. The US may even be willing to sacrifice US warships, aircraft, and ground bases during the ensuing conflict to achieve this goal -- believing Russia will limit retaliation to the immediate theater of conflict.However the possibility of these incredibly risky options spiraling out of control and quickly involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, Iraq, and beyond would hopefully make such opinions all but inconceivable -- even for increasingly desperate US policymakers.

Syria and its allies have attempted to provide the US with multiple, graceful exits from its failed proxy war. However, it is not the need to save face that now drives US persistence in Syria -- it is the fact that withdrawing from Syria now will signify to the world an accelerated, irreversible decline of the American Empire.
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SYRIA: The Egregious Western Media 'Chemical Weapon' Fraud in Eastern Ghouta
April 8, 2018 By Vanessa Beeley Leave a Comment
http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/08/syria-the-egregious-western-media-chemical-weapon-fraud-in-eastern-ghouta/

One of the many unsubstantiated claims of "Napalm attack" made by the UK/US created propaganda construct, the White Helmets in Eastern Ghouta.

Vanessa Beeley
21st Century Wire

Napalm was a US invention. Napalm "was invented in a top-secret 1942 war research collaboration between Harvard University and the U.S. government". In 1952 the U.S. Patent Office issued certificate 2,606,107 for "Incendiary Gels" and made napalm's precise formula available worldwide.

"U.S. troops used a substance known as napalm from about 1965 to 1972 in the Vietnam War; napalm is a mixture of plastic polystyrene, hydrocarbon benzene, and gasoline. This mixture creates a jelly-like substance that, when ignited, sticks to practically anything and burns up to ten minutes. The effects of napalm on the human body are unbearably painful and almost always cause death among its victims." -- The Vietnam War

The accusation of "napalm attack" conjures up terrible images designed to shock. In 1945 the US B29 bombers dropped their payload of 69,000 pounds of Napalm over Tokyo, Japan in one hour. An estimated 100,000 Japanese men, women and children perished in the resulting fire storm. Washington considered the 10 days of Napalm bombing raids across all Japan's major cities, a huge success. The US also used Napalm in North Korea with devastating consequences for its people in the 1950s. Washington dropped 32,557 tonnes of Napalm on Vietnam.

The US most recent use of Napalm was during the Iraq war in 2003 when "dozens of napalm bombs were dropped near bridges over the Saddam Canal and the Tigris River, south of Baghdad" according to an article in the Indpendent. In the same article a US commander of Marin Air Group 11 states:

"We napalmed both those [bridge] approaches," said Colonel James Alles, commander of Marine Air Group 11. "Unfortunately there were people there ... you could see them in the [cockpit] video. They were Iraqi soldiers. It's no great way to die. The generals love napalm. It has a big psychological effect."

According to Robert M Neer, author of Napalm: An American Biography, the countries who have used Napalm are:

"Countries that have used napalm, in addition to the United States, include: Greece (the first use after World War II), France, Britain, Portugal, United Nations forces in Korea, the Philippines, South Vietnam and North Vietnam (in flamethrowers), Cuba, Peru, Bolivia, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, India, Iraq, Nigeria, and Brazil."

Syria is not mentioned.

Neer goes on to explain that the UN had banned the use of Napalm against "concentrations of civilians" under Protocol III of the 1980 UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. The US signed the protocol almost thirty years after it had been adopted by the General Assembly, on January 21 2009. It was President Obama's first full day in office. The caveat being "the US can disregard the treaty at its discretion if doing so would save civilian lives". Considering just how many civilian lives had been destroyed by the US deployment of Napalm, it is hard to imagine a scenario where Napalm might be beneficial to civilians...but the inference is "we should trust the US to make that decision on our behalf and on behalf of the civilians in any given situation".

The Syrian Napalm Narrative

The 'Chemical Weapon' narrative has sustained the conflict in Syria with alleged attacks being attributed almost entirely to the Syrian government, the Syrian Arab Army and Russia. The seven year information war has been ferocious with NATO-aligned media, think tanks and self appointed experts such as Eliot Higgins and Bellingcat doing all in their power to reinforce the "Syria did it" narrative.

If we were to map the chemical weapon claims in each terrorist held area undergoing liberation by the Syrian Arab Army, we would clearly see that the claims are commensurate with the pressure felt by the terrorist factions as the SAA closes in on their stronghold. In other words, as the SAA nears victory and liberation of Syrian civilians we are expected to believe they would use chemical weapons against those civilians in an urban area which is even more densely packed as the terrorists withdraw into a shrinking combat zone, taking the civilians with them as human shields and hostages.

It appears to be a propaganda tactic employed by the terrorist factions to gain time, secure a ceasefire and to call for a No Fly Zone and further "humanitarian" intervention from the regime-change-war alliance. A ceasefire allows the militants to organise themselves and to re-arm. We know that terrorist chemical weapon attacks against the civilian population in West Aleppo were never given equivalent importance by the same "humanitarian" minded nations, in fact they were largely ignored. Therefore it is reasonable to conclude that crying "chemical weapon" is a tactic designed to protect the NATO-member-state assets occupying Syrian territory.

We need only cast our minds back to August 2013 and the extraordinary BBC Panorama report on the "Napalm-like school bombing" in Urem-Al-Kubra, Aleppo province -- Saving Syria's Children

Independent journalist, Robert Stuart, has masterfully and forensically exposed this report to be nothing more than war theatre orchestrated by the BBC in order ratchet up UK military intervention in Syria, coinciding with the time of David Cameron's vote in Parliament to join the US bombing campaign in Syria "to deter the use of chemical weapons" by the Syrian government (of course). This BBC report came hot on the heels of the alleged chemical weapon attack in Eastern Ghouta in August 2013 which was immediately blamed upon the Syrian government. Since then, that claim has been discredited by a number of analysts and independent experts.

This alleged attack, reported by BBC Panorama, was naturally accompanied by the familiar witness testimony effectively calling for the World to intervene and bomb for "Peace" -- "Dear United Nations, you are calling peace, you are calling for peace. What kind of peace are you calling for? Don't you see this, don't you see this? What do you need to see?" from the Telegraph article at the time.

Fast forward to Eastern Ghouta which is now 90% liberated from the many terrorist factions that have occupied this eastern suburb of Damascus since 2012 and we have seen an uptick in the claims of chemical weapon attacks as the SAA noose draws tighter around the terrorist enclaves. Most of those claims are being circulated by the Al Qaeda auxiliary organisation, the White Helmets.

A Mother and her daughter burnt alive and many others injured after #Russian warplane airstrikes dropped 'Napalm' rockets on the residential areas of #Sarqib city, #CivilDefense teams rushed to help the wounded, extinguish the fire and continue the rescue operation pic.twitter.com/JHPRbUzpL2
-- The White Helmets (@SyriaCivilDef) January 31, 2018

Terrorist Chemical Weapon Capability in Eastern Ghouta.

Journalist and geopolitical analyst, Sharmine Narwani, was in liberated Eastern Ghouta a few weeks ago when a Chemical Weapons laboratory was discovered in the farmlands between between Shifouniyeh and Douma. Narwani comments on the western media "disinterest" in this discovery:

"The media disinterest is strange, given that US officials appear poised to green-light military attacks against Syria, which they claim has used chemical weapons (CW) against civilian populations. This charge remains unproven and highly contentious, with other parties arguing that anti-government militants are employing CW munitions to provoke a US military intervention against Syria.

So perhaps it's not so strange that a chemical lab discovered right at the epicenter of a major strategic battle over Syria is being ignored by one side. In the end, it is likely that only one side is right about who is using CWs in Syria. Which is why one side went silent when this lab was revealed."

Children stand next to the entrance to a chemical weapons manufacturing centre in Erbin, Eastern Ghouta. (Photo: Vanessa Beeley)

I had a similar experience two days ago on the 6th April 2018. We were on a foreign media trip to the liberated sectors of Eastern Ghouta with the Syrian Arab Army. Many western media journalists resent being accompanied by what they perceive as "security" but my experience is that they are not prevented from covering any story they think is important in areas they visit.

Primary supporters of the regime change "humanitarian" war narrative, CNN were on this trip with me -- correspondent, Frederick Pleitgen, his camerawoman and a translator, I did not see them restricted in any way, on the contrary they were given free rein provided the area was clean of mines, IEDs and booby traps left behind by the evacuated terrorist groups. The army's presence is necessary in any district recently liberated as there are always risks involved and I am grateful that they care enough about our safety to be with us on these trips and to provide answers to any questions we have.

The chemical weapons manufacturing site (on right) in Erbin, Eastern Ghouta on 6th April 2018. (Photo: Vanessa Beeley)

We entered the district of Erbin and we were shown a bomb making factory and a chemical weapons facility, both above ground and not part of the elaborate tunnel systems that had housed terrorist field hospitals and equipment store rooms among other elements of the terrorist military apparatus.

We were told that much of the building had still not been cleared of mines and booby traps so we were warned to stay close and to not wander off. Some of the bags containing the chemical ingredients were still booby trapped and therefore it was not possible to pick them up to show the labels more clearly. It was also very dark but I did my best to photograph everything I saw there.

Among the documents found in this makeshift laboratory were instructions to manufacture a napalm hand grenade and directions are given how best to mix the components. I do not want to publish such step by step instructions so I will only show part of the notebook in my photos. There are also handwritten notes showing how to make the grenade more deadly by adding nails and White Phosphorous to the grenade to ensure that the incendiary effect lasts longer and is more intense. The notebook states that this mixture is known as OB2 in military terms.

The formulations were fully explained to us by the guide assigned to us, who had been present when this chemicals weapons facility had been discovered during the clean up operation, post liberation. (Photo: Vanessa Beeley)

We were told that another document found on site explains how to calibrate the mortars to target specific geolocation coordinates in Damascus and in the surrounding countryside:

A final document that we were shown apparently gives the names of the terrorist group members who were in charge of this facility:

There were a number of sacks and barrels of ingredients, not all were easy to identify by the brand name on the bags and we were told that the terrorists had rebagged some of the ingredients. One of the bags contained the chemical compound RDX.

"RDX is the organic compound with the formula (O2NNCH2)3. It is a white solid without smell or taste, widely used as an explosive.[2] Chemically, it is classified as a nitramide, chemically similar to HMX. A more energetic explosive than TNT, it was used widely in World War II." -- Wikipedia.

A bag of RDX chemical compound, Erbin, Eastern Ghouta. (Photo: Vanessa Beeley)

Alongside these chemical ingredients which will be shown in a photo gallery at the end of this article were boxes of rockets that would be packed with the chemical and exposive components. At least one box of these specialised missiles was still booby trapped according to our guide so were unable to examine them closely:

Photo: Vanessa Beeley

We saw shelves still laden with equipment, smaller hand grenades and missiles. It was clear that this facility had been operational for some time.

Photo: Vanessa Beeley

We saw a barrel containing what looked like tar next to the chemical ingredients and rockets. An expert who was with us said it was a mix of oil, soap and other ingredients that are used to coat the missile to ensure the chemical package sticks to its target more effectively. This was a factory of death... where the terrorist factions had designed some of the most sadistic weaponry possible to be used against civilian targets:

Photo: Vanessa Beeley

The question must be asked, who used chemical weapons in Syria and in Eastern Ghouta? It is a question that has not been asked by the majority of mainstream media journalists from the West and that includes Frederick Pleitgen of CNN who saw that chemical weapon factory and yet failed to mention it during his live broadcast last night during the widespread accusations of Syrian Arab Army chemical weapon use in Douma during the final hours of Jaish Al Islam's occupation.

@fpleitgenCNN Why no mention of #EasternGhouta terrorist chemical weapons lab u visited wth me on 6th March? Why no mention of 3,500 plus civilian prisoners of Jaish Al Islam held in "repentance" prisons? Who gains fm this alleged CW use? https://t.co/UMe1xyhfl2 @PiersRobinson1

-- vanessa beeley (@VanessaBeeley) April 8, 2018

On the 23rd March, for example, Qatar's mouthpiece, Al Jazeera ran with the headline "Dozens burned to death in Syria attacks on Eastern Ghouta" . In the article the testimony of the White Helmets was taken without question despite their history of whitewashing the crimes and atrocities committed by the terrorist factions, dominated by Al Qaeda, against Syrian civilians:

"Sources on the ground and rescuers from the Syrian Civil Defence, a volunteer rescue group also known as the White Helmets, said on Friday that at least 37 victims burned to death after air raids carrying napalm gas hit the shelter in the town of Irbin."

I was told by people I spoke with, in Erbin, that the terrorist factions had carried out the attacks on civilians in that district in order to blame it on the Syrian government, army and Russia.

While there is no way to fully verify these on the ground reports, it must raise the question -- why do western media repeat the narrative fed to them by western backed & financed groups like the White Helmets who are proven to be closely affiliated to extremist groups including Al Qaeda and who consistently produce questionable videos and accounts of events that serve in the main to protect the terrorist factions and reinforce the regime change narrative for their sponsor states.

Why is there never any context to the chemical weapon reports that intensify in line with SAA military advances? So just at the point of victory, we are led to believe that they will use ineffectual chemical weapons against the civilians they are tasked to liberate and whose lives they always attempt to preserve even if it means delaying their final attacks on terrorist centres.

The use of chemical weapons and the subsequent corporate media hysteria and sensationalism serves only the imperialist West and their assets on the ground in Syria, the terrorist factions.

An official source in Damascus told SANA this morning:

"The chemical fabrications, which did not serve the terrorists and their sponsors in Aleppo and Eastern Ghouta, will not serve them today either, as the Syrian state is determined to end terrorism in every square inch of Syrian territory"

"Each time the SAA advances and is victorious against the terrorists, the countries who support the terrorist factions raise the flag of chemical weapons which is a complete false flag, as Syria had relinquished its chemical weapons in 2013 when it signed the non-proliferation treaty and completely respected the terms of that agreement in 2014." -- Dr Ayssar Midani, Damascus

We shoud also remember that on the 28th February 2018, Syria's permanent representative to the UN, New York, Dr Bashar Al Jaafari reported that on the 20th February Turkey "had transported barrels of weapons-grade chlorine into Idlib towns run by Turkish terrorists. One school has been turned into a warehouse of these chemical weapons. The terrorists are preparing to use these weapons on a large scale and to accuse the SAR. The conspiracy is meant to coincide with the Eighty-Seventh Executive Council of the OPCW meeting, beginning on 13 March."

Watch Dr Bashar Al Jaafari's full intervention at the UN here:

...

"Before you believe the CNN warmongers in Damascus. Their correspondent, Frederick Pleitgen, was with me when we visited a terrorist chemical weapons lab in Erbin, Eastern Ghouta two days ago. He does not mention it in his sensationalist report "live" from Damascus.

Nor does he mention the estimated 3500 plus prisoners being held by Jaish Al Islam terrorists in their "repentance" prisons, many women and children among them who are very probably now being murdered to produce the last ditch attempt chemical weapon attack" -- Vanessa Beeley Facebook status.

In other words, the corporate media lies are becoming more blatant as the SAA and allies march inexorably towards full and final liberation of Eastern Ghouta which has long been recognised here as a pivotal strategic stronghold for Israel, effectively crippling Damascus' air defence capability and maintaining pressure on the Syrian government and people with the daily collective punishment of civilians by indiscriminate terrorist shelling, mortar fire etc. Not for much longer.

Below are the chemical weapon ingredients found at the Erbin terrorist manufacturing facility:

Photos supplied by Vanessa Beeley @21WIRE
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Germany Together with 190 Other UN Member States, Have No Intention of Attacking Syria. Why Has Britain?
By Hans Stehling
Global Research, April 12, 2018
Url of this article:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/germany-together-with-190-other-un-member-states-have-no-intention-of-attacking-syria-why-has-britain/5635851
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With Latest Syria Threats, Trump Continues to Be More Confrontational Toward Russia Than Obama Was
https://theintercept.com/2018/04/11/the-trump-administration-continues-to-be-more-confrontational-toward-russia-than-obama-was/
The civil war in Syria began in 2011 and escalated for five years during the Obama presidency, yet Barack Obama -- despite demands from leaders of both parties and think tanks across the spectrum -- never once bombed Syrian government targets. Although the CIA under Obama spent $1 billion per year (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/lawmakers-move-to-curb-1-billion-cia-program-to-train-syrian-rebels/2015/06/12/b0f45a9e-1114-11e5-adec-e82f8395c032_story.html?utm_term=.ddf83135ff97) to covertly train and fund Bashar al-Assad's enemies, it was never close to enough to topple him: just enough to keep the war going...

Secret CIA effort in Syria faces large funding cut
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/lawmakers-move-to-curb-1-billion-cia-program-to-train-syrian-rebels/2015/06/12/b0f45a9e-1114-11e5-adec-e82f8395c032_story.html?utm_term=.d3c8fa724cbf
Rebel fighters from the "First Battalion" under the Free Syrian Army take part in military training on June 10, 2015, in rebel-held country near the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. (Baraa al-Halabi/AFP/Getty Images)
By Greg Miller and Karen DeYoung June 12, 2015
Key lawmakers have moved to slash funding of a secret CIA operation to train and arm rebels in Syria, a move that U.S. officials said reflects rising skepticism of the effectiveness of the agency program and the Obama administration's strategy in the Middle East.
The House Intelligence Committee recently voted unanimously to cut as much as 20 percent of the classified funds flowing into a CIA program that U.S. officials said has become one the agency's largest covert operations, with a budget approaching $1 billion a year.
"There is a great deal of concern on a very bipartisan basis with our strategy in Syria," said Rep. Adam B. Schiff (Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the intelligence panel. He declined to comment on specific provisions of the committee's bill but cited growing pessimism that the United States will be in a position "to help shape the aftermath" of Syria's civil war...

EXCLUSIVE: The Violent Reality of 'Western Propaganda Construct' White Helmets
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201803121062324498-white-helmets-vanessa-beeley/
Western media and politicians have venerated the work of the White Helmets in Syria. However, journalist Vanessa Beeley has uncovered troubling evidence of the group's true nature and affiliations. Speaking exclusively to Sputnik, she documents her most shocking findings...

A child runs along a street in front of clouds of smoke billowing following a reported air strike on Douma, the main town of Syria's rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta
Does Presence of White Helmets Indicate False Flag Chemical Attacks in Syria?
© AFP 2018/ Hasan Mohamed
20:29 10.04.2018(updated 20:56 10.04.2018) Get short URL
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201804101063408629-white-helmets-propaganda-beeley/
Since September 2013, independent researcher Robert Stuart has forensically investigated the BBC Panorama documentary Saving Syria's Children, identifying innumerable inconsistencies, contradictions, anomalies and apparent falsehoods along the way.
...the men are initially "quiet and static," before the central figure looks directly into the camera for several moments and raises his arm, at which point "they start rolling around in agony and wailing. It looks farcical, ridiculous," Robert told Sputnik.
A GMC-registered practicing doctor, who'd worked with burns victims firsthand, believed the scene to be "an act."
"[They] were able to sit down, be touched by others, even talk. This is not how a severe burn victim would present. Most would be screaming the place down in agony even after treatment and all sorts of pain drugs, but they're able to speak and breathe very well. Some are shown with skin hanging off but the flesh beneath actually looks like more skin. Also, if the poison was dropped from a plane, their hair would've been lost and patches would be evident -- many still have full heads," the doctor said...

EXCLUSIVE: One Man's Quest to Expose 'Absolutely Historic' BBC Panorama 'Fakery'
© REUTERS/ Ammar Abdullah
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201712291060412907-syria-documentary-fakery-bbc/
20:24 29.12.2017(updated 19:19 30.12.2017)
For over four years, Robert Stuart has been forensically investigating the innumerable inconsistencies, contradictions, anomalies and apparent falsehoods in the BBC Panorama documentary Saving Syria's Children. Speaking exclusively to Sputnik, the former journalist shares his most troubling discoveries...
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Syria - Timelines Of 'Gas Attacks' Follow A Similar Scheme (Update II)
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/04/timelines-of-gas-attacks-in-syria-follow-a-similar-scheme.html
April 08, 2018

Updated below

An alleged new 'chemical incident' in Syria reminds of a similar series of events we saw last year. We are told to believe that each time the U.S. pulls back from the war on Syria the Syrian government is responding with a 'chemical attack' that pulls the U.S. back in.

March 30 2017
U.S. priority on Syria no longer focused on 'getting Assad out': Haley

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States' diplomatic policy on Syria for now is no longer focused on making the war-torn country's president, Bashar al-Assad, leave power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said on Thursday, in a departure from the Obama administration's initial and public stance on Assad's fate.

April 4 2017
Suspected gas attack in Syria reportedly kills dozens

World leaders expressed shock and outrage Tuesday at reports of a suspected chemical attack in northwestern Syria that killed scores of civilians, with one UK official suggesting the incident amounted to a war crime.

April 7 2017
Trump launches attack on Syria with 59 Tomahawk missiles

The U.S. military attacked a Syria-government airfield with 59 Tomahawk missiles on Thursday evening.

April 10 2017
US envoy Nikki Haley says Syria regime change is inevitable

The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has told CNN that removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power is a priority, cementing an extraordinary U-turn in the Trump administration's stance on the embattled leader.

The Khan Sheikhun incident had been faked. An international investigation found that half of the alleged casualties arrived in hospitals before the incident was said to have happened. Nothing followed after Haley's last announcement. The administration was apparently not willing to go beyond the one-off strike. The flip-flop was attributed to confusion or infighting within the Trump administration.

A year later the exactly same development can be observed.

March 29 2018
Trump says US will withdraw from Syria 'very soon'

Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump said Thursday that the US would "be coming out of Syria like very soon," just hours after the Pentagon highlighted the need for US troops to remain in the country for the immediate future. "We're knocking the hell out of ISIS. We'll be coming out of Syria like very soon. Let the other people take care of it now," Trump told supporters at an Ohio event on infrastructure.

April 7 2018
Syria poison gas attack kills at least 40, activists and medics say

A poison gas attack late Saturday on a rebel-held town near Syria's capital has killed at least 40 people, activists, rescuers and medics said.

April 7 2018
U.S. State Department On the Chemical Attack in Douma

We continue to closely follow disturbing reports on April 7 regarding another alleged chemical weapons attack, this time targeting a hospital in Douma, Syria. Reports from a number of contacts and medical personnel on the ground indicate a potentially high number of casualties, including among families hiding in shelters. These reports, if confirmed, are horrifying and demand an immediate response by the international community.

April 8 2018
Donald J. Trump

Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria. Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inaccessible to outside world. President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price...
....to pay. Open area immediately for medical help and verification. Another humanitarian disaster for no reason whatsoever. SICK!

...

http://www.moonofalabama.org/images6/doumamap20180407-s.jpg

Over the last months the Syrian army secured 90% of 'rebel' enclave in east-Ghouta right next to the Syrian capital Damascus. Only the town of Douma, held by the Saudi financed Salafist Takfiris of Jaish al-Isalm, was left in enemy hands. Negotiations about an evacuation of the terrorist were ongoing. At one point last week the hard core leaders of Jaish al-Islam pulled their negotiators back from the talks and reportedly executed them. Jaish al-Islam wanted to essentially stay in place and keep all its weapons. The Russian negotiators did not agree with this. On Friday the negotiations failed.

Barrages of missiles and grenades from Douma hit Damascus. The 'rebel' supporting Syrian Observatory reported of several killed in Damascus and dozens of wounded. The Syrian army hit back with intensive air strikes and artillery fire on Douma.

The terrorist in Douma hold several thousand of hostages who were abducted in 2013 from the town of Adra. The prisoners were paraded around in cages. The abducted men were forced to dig the extensive tunnel network Jaish al-Isalm uses to hide its weapons and fighters.

Two years ago Jaish al-Islam admitted that it used chemical weapons against a Kurdish suburb of Aleppo. Just two days ago the Russian military command said that it detected 'rebel' preparations for new false flag gas attacks.

Now the terrorists and their supporters claim that a new "chemical weapon attack" happened and blame the Syrian government. A video of the alleged gas attack aftermath shows a basement with some 30 dead children between two and 10 years old. They seem to have suffocated, probably from carbon monoxyd. Astonishingly there are no dead women or men - only children under 10.

Russia, which has observers on the ground, rejects any claims of Syrian government involvement in the incident.

It is quite obvious that the "chemical weapon attack" is a false flag event. The terrorist commit the crime and blame the Syrian government. They want the U.S. to attack the Syrian government.

Will Trump fall for this stunt and attack Syria? Or had he and his minions planned this series of events all along?

Added:

Trump and the U.S. military claim to "fight ISIS" but have completely stopped doing so. There are some 3,000 ISIS fighter in east Syria near the border with Iraq. Most of these are north of the Euphrates where U.S. troops are stationed. If Syrian government troops cross the Euphrates northwards the U.S. attacks them. But ISIS can cross the Euphrates southward and launches large attacks on Syrian government positions in east Syria:

[I]n a surprise attack, the militants stormed Boukamal on Monday, triggering heavy fighting before Iranian-backed Shiite militias beat them out, according to a war monitoring group and Syrian opposition activists with connections to the region. Approximately 400 Islamic State fighters crossed the Euphrates River and ambushed the town, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, killed 11 pro-government fighters in clashes, and losing five of their own.

From their desert territory, the ISIS militants have harassed forces at oil stations, as well, according to Mohammad al-Ayed, director of the Palmyra News Network.

Another group of ISIS fighters is in the south-eastern corner of Syria and under protection of U.S. forces stationed in al-Tanf, near Jordan.

Despite large concentrations of ISIS troops, air attacks of the U.S. coalition against ISIS have practically stopped.

US led Coalition strikes update
http://www.moonofalabama.org/images6/coalairstrikes-s.jpg
via Simla - bigger

Trump is playing theater to the crowd that wants the U.S. out of Syria. He claims that U.S. troops will leave soon. At the same time he is asking the Saudis to come up with $5 billion to pay for the U.S. 'service' of occupying a third country. Trump claims that he wants to eliminate ISIS, but the U.S. military is doing absolutely nothing to achieve such. On the contrary - it protects ISIS from Syrian government attacks.

Russia has troops embedded with every Syrian unit. Russia had warned that it will attack U.S. launching platforms, ships and air planes, should the U.S. strike at Syrian forces and thereby endanger its own soldiers.

Is Trump really willing to escalate towards that?

Update II

Elijah J. Magnier, currently in Syria, relates information about the attack on the T4 airbase in Syria a few hours ago:

8 missiles launched against the T4 could be #Israeli attack. Jet heard over the Lebanese city of Baalbek. #Damascus said the missiles came from the south. Syrian air defence managed to intercept 3 missiles. #ISIS advanced towards Sabaa-Byar simultaneously with the missile attack.
The information coming from #Syria T4 military base report at least 6 killed and 12 wounded by the 8 #Tomahawk missiles launched in the last hours.
The T4 military airport is situated in the heart of al-Badiya and serves to deal mainly with #ISIS pocket
In my [April 1] article I said Israel won't accept the ROE despite #Israel Chief of State - I would say tactical - denial: Israel won't leave the Syrian sky alone and Damascus is ready for confrontation
The number/type of missiles launched against the military airport called T4 situated in rural #Homs and the count of casualties need to be confirmed. In few hours, #Damascus will issue a communiqué offering its version in details.
Many #Syrians celebrate #Israel attack against their own country. This is what #Assad #Iran and #Hezbollah are mainly fighting along with takfiree.
T4 military airport supports Deir-Ezzour & al-Badiyah battle against #ISIS. It is unrelated to "#Hezbollah supply of weapons". The attack is directly related to #Israel unwilling to see the end of the war in #Syria. Israel supports Jihadists in the south.
Because #USA #UK #France can't look weak and not bomb the #Syrian army in response to the "chemical attack" claim/staged in #Ghouta... Because #Russia can't look weak and not respond... Maybe the T4 #Isrtaeli attack is a compromise to halt a wider war?

Posted by b on April 8, 2018 at 06:31 AM | Permalink

There apparently is no limit to the number of lies that Americans will believe, as long as they are told to them by their government.

***
Posted by: bolasete | Apr 8, 2018 7:35:07 AM | 4
If Trump possesses one talent it must surely be the ability to spot a Con Artist pulling a fast one.
If he can't connect the same dots that b has just done then Trump has to be an idiot, and I don't for a second believe that he is an idiot.
Surely this is a golden opportunity for Trump to go off-script and shaft those who are trying to con him.
All it would take is one twitter post from him stating that only an dimwit would fall for such an obvious trap, and he will turn the tables on anyone who shouts that The USA Must Do Something About This!!!!!
Trump's retort would be devastating: there ya' go, Dimwit Number One.

Posted by: Yeah, Right | Apr 8, 2018 7:45:54 AM | 5
Just one thing that I should point out: the Syrian Observatory is NOT claiming that there has been a chemical weapons attack on Douma.
It is claiming that there have been excessive civilian deaths, sure, including a large number who have suffocated in their shelters.
But the claim that those suffocations were the result of chlorine attack is being made by the white helmets, not (at least so far) by the SOHR.
Posted by: Yeah, Right | Apr 8, 2018 8:12:22 AM | 6
-

China Concerned Over Possible Escalation in Syria, Calls for Restraint
© REUTERS/ Bassam Khabieh
13:53 12.04.2018
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201804121063474183-china-syria-escalation-concern-reaction/
BEIJING (Sputnik) - China is concerned over the possible escalation of tensions in Syria after the alleged chemical attack in the city of Douma and calls on all parties involved to exercise restraint, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang said on Thursday...

US 'May Be Entrenched Into the Syrian War on a Larger Scale' - Analyst
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201804121063476006-us-syria-military-operation/

US Recent Statements Are 'Silly, Warmongering' - Russian Prime Minister
https://sputniknews.com/world/201804121063476679-us-russia-syria-statements-silly/

Fabrication in BBC Panorama 'Saving Syria's Children'
https://bbcpanoramasavingsyriaschildren.wordpress.com/2017/07/09/bbc-panorama-team-embedded-with-islamic-state-partner-group/
Analysis of the 30 September 2013 BBC Panorama documentary 'Saving Syria's Children' and related BBC News reports, contending that sequences filmed by BBC personnel and others at Atareb Hospital, Aleppo on 26 August 2013 purporting to show the aftermath of an incendiary bomb attack on a nearby school are largely, if not entirely, staged.
BBC Panorama team embedded with Islamic State partner group
Scenes in the 2013 BBC Panorama special Saving Syria's Children reveal that the award-winning team of reporter Ian Pannell and cameraman Darren Conway OBE were embedded with jihadi group Ahrar al-Sham which, according to Human Rights Watch, had three weeks earlier worked alongside Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra as one of "the key fundraisers, organizers, planners, and executors" of an attack in which at least 190 civilians were killed and over 200 -- "the vast majority women and children" -- were kidnapped. [1]...
---

'Trump's Disastrous Syria Attack' - Ron Paul's 16 April Column
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2018/april/16/trump-s-disastrous-syria-attack/
Please help us spread the message of peace.
Consider a tax-deductible contribution to the Ron Paul Institute.

Trump's Disastrous Syria Attack

Over the weekend, President Trump celebrated firing more than 100 missiles into Syria by Tweeting, "Mission Accomplished!" They say if you cannot learn from history you are condemned to repeat it. So I guess we are repeating it.

We all remember that "Mission Accomplished" was the banner behind then-President Bush as he gloated aboard a US navy ship that the war in Iraq had been won. After his "victory," however, some 4,000 US military personnel were killed, perhaps a million Iraqis were killed, and the country's infrastructure and social fabric were so badly destroyed that they probably can never be repaired.

Actually, there is much about the US attack on Syria that reminds us of Iraq.

**********
With Iraq, the US moved in to start bombing before international inspectors had completed their mission to verify whether or not Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Had they been allowed to complete their mission and verify that he did not, imagine the suffering, death, and destruction that could have been avoided. In Syria, the US decided to start bombing before the international inspectors were even allowed to start checking claims that Assad gassed his own people in Douma. Why? What was the rush? Was Washington afraid they might not find Assad guilty?

Who really benefits from US attacks on the Syrian government? There were reports that ISIS began making moves immediately after the air strikes. Do we really want to be al-Qaeda and ISIS's airforce? Is that going to keep us safer? I remember when al-Qaeda was actually considered our enemy, not an ally in overthrowing the last secular government in the Middle East.

Will Syria's Christians be better off after the recent US attack? Just over a week ago Christians celebrated Easter in Aleppo for the first time in years. What changed? The Syrian army kicked out al-Qaeda, which had been occupying the eastern part of the city. So no, Christians will be much worse off if our "moderate terrorists" take control of Syria.

If Syria really had sarin and other chemical weapons factories, does it make sense for the US to bomb the buildings and risk killing thousands by widely disbursing the poisons? Does it make sense to risk killing Syrian civilians with chemical weapons in retaliation for allegations that the Syrian government killed civilians with chemical weapons? No, it seems more like the phony "mobile WMD labs" we were told that Saddam Hussein had constructed.

If the US knew Syria was manufacturing chemical weapons in the buildings they bombed, why not notify the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)? The OPCW had certified the very building the US bombed as chemical weapons free not that long ago. Why not just call them up and ask them to check it out? After all, they were just arriving in the country as the US started bombing.

There are many more questions about President Trump's terrible decision to again make war on Syria. For example, where is Congress? It was disgraceful to see Speaker Paul Ryan telling the President he needs no Congressional authorization to attack Syria. All Members of Congress take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution and the Constitution says that only Congress can declare war. Does that oath mean nothing these days?

President Trump will come to regret the day he let the neocons take over his foreign policy. Their track record is abysmal. His attack on Syria was clearly illegal and should his party lose the House in November he may find his new fair-weather friends in the Democratic Party quickly turning foul.

Read more great articles on the Ron Paul Institute website.
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Copyright © 2017 by RonPaul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.
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*******
Weapons Inspector Debunks Syrian Chemical Weapons Claim
https://yournewswire.com/weapons-inspector-debunks-syrian-chemical-weapons/
April 30, 2018 Sean Adl-Tabatabai News, US 2

Weapons inspector completely debunks U.S. chemical weapons claim in Syria

A U.S. weapons inspector has debunked claims that Syria possesses chemical weapons, warning that Washington is about to carry out an attack on a sovereign nation based on no hard evidence.

William Scott Ritter Jr. was a United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq from 1991 to 1998. He was one of the grounder-breakers in developing on-site inspection techniques and methodologies.

Consortiumnews.com reports: According to Ritter, in the following Flashpoints Radio interview with Dennis Bernstein conducted on April 23rd, US, British and French claims that the Syrian Government used chemical weapons against civilians last month appear to be totally bogus.

Dennis Bernstein: You have been speaking out recently about the use of chemical weapons in Syria. Could you outline your case?

Scott Ritter: There are a lot of similarities between the Syrian case and the Iraqi case. Both countries possess weapons of mass destruction. Syria had a very large chemical weapons program.

In 2013 there was an incident in a suburb of Damascus called Ghouta, the same suburb where the current controversy is taking place. The allegations were that the Syrian government used sarin nerve agent against the civilian population. The Syrian government denied that, but as a result of that incident the international community got together and compelled Syria into signing the Chemical Weapons Convention, declaring the totality of its chemical weapons holdings, and opening itself to be disarmed by inspections of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Russia was chosen to be the guarantor of Syria's compliance. The bottom line is that Syria had the weapons but was verified by 2016 as being in 100% compliance. The totality of Syria's chemical weapons program was eliminated.

At the same time that this disarmament process was taking place, Syria was being engulfed in a civil war which has resulted in a humanitarian crisis. Over a half million people have died. It is a war that pits the Syrian government against a variety of anti-regime forces, many of which are Islamic in nature: the Islamic State, Al Nusra, Al Qaeda. Some of these Islamic factions have been in the vicinity of Ghouta since 2012.

Earlier this year, the Syrian government initiated an offensive to liberate that area of these factions. It was very heavy fighting, thousands of civilians were killed, with massive aerial bombardment. Government forces were prevailing and by April 6 it looked as if the militants were preparing to surrender.

Suddenly the allegations come out that there was this chemical weapons attack. It wasn't a massive chemical weapons attack, it was dropping one or two so-called "barrel bombs," improvised devices that contained chlorine gas canisters. According to the militants, between 40 and 70 people were killed and up to 500 people were made ill. The United States and other nations picked up on this, saying that this was proof positive that Syria has been lying about its chemical weapons program and that Russia has been behind Syria's retention of chemical weapons. This is the case the US made to launch its missile strike [on April 14].

There are a lot of problems with this scenario. Again, why would the Syrian government, at the moment of victory, use a pinprick chemical attack with zero military value? It added nothing to the military campaign and invited the wrath of the West at a critical time, when the rebels were begging for Western intervention.

Many, including the Russian government, believe that this was a staged event. There has been no hard evidence put forward by anyone that an attack took place. Shortly after allegations of the attack came out, the entire town of Douma was taken over by the Syrian Army while the rebels were evacuated.

The places that were alleged to have been attacked were inspected by Russian chemical weapons specialists, who found zero trace of any chemicals weapons activity. The same inspectors who oversaw the disarmament of Syria were mobilized to return to Syria and do an investigation. They were supposed to start their work this past weekend [April 21-22]. They arrived in Damascus the day after the missile strikes occurred but they still haven't been out to the sites. The United States, France and Great Britain have all admitted that the only evidence they have used to justify this attack were the photographs and videotapes sent to them by the rebel forces.

I have great concern about the United States carrying out an attack on a sovereign nation based on no hard evidence. The longer we wait, the longer it takes to get inspectors onto the site, the more claims we are going to get that the Russians have sanitized it. I believe that the last thing the United States wanted was inspectors to get on-site and carry out a forensic investigation that would have found that a chemical attack did not in fact take place.

DB: It is sort of like cleaning up a police crime scene before you check for evidence.

SR: The United States didn't actually bomb the site that was attacked. They bombed three other facilities. One was in the suburbs of Damascus, a major metropolitan area. The generals said that they believed there were quantities of nerve agent there. So, in a building in a densely populated area where we believe nerve agent is stored, what do we do? We blow it up! If there had in fact been nerve agent there, it would have resulted in hundreds or even thousands of deaths. That fact that nobody died is the clearest evidence yet that there was no nerve agent there. The United States is just winging it, making it up.

One of the tragedies is that we can no longer trust our military, our intelligence services, our politicians. They will manufacture whatever narrative they need to justify an action that they deem to be politically expedient.

DB: Isn't it also the case that there were problems with the allegations concerning Syria using chemical weapons in 2013 and then again in 2015? I believe The New York Times had to retract their 2013 story.

SR: They put out a story about thousands of people dying, claiming that it was definitely done by the Syrian government. It turned out later that the number of deaths was far lower and that the weapons systems used were probably in the possession of the rebels. It was a case of the rebels staging a chemical attack in order to get the world to intervene on their behalf.

A similar scenario unfolded last year when the Syrian government dropped two or three bombs on a village and suddenly there were reports that there was sarin nerve agent and chlorine gas wafting through the village, killing scores of people. Videotapes were taken of dead and dying and suffering people which prompted Trump to intervene. Inspectors never went to the site. Instead they relied upon evidence collected by the rebels.

As a weapons inspector, I can tell you that chain of custody of any samples that are to be used in the investigation is an absolute. You have to be at the site when it is collected, it has to be certified to be in your possession until the laboratory. Any break in the chain of custody makes that evidence useless for a legitimate investigation. So we have evidence collected by the rebels. They videotaped themselves carrying out the inspection, wearing training suits that would not have protected them at all from chemical weapons! Like almost everything having to do with these rebels, this was a staged event, an act of theater.

DB: Who has been supporting this particular group of rebels?

SR: On the one hand, we have the actual fighters, the Army of Islam, a Saudi-backed fundamentalist group who are extraordinarily brutal. Embedded within the fighters are a variety of Western-trained and Western-funded NGOs such as the White Helmets and the Syrian-American Medical Society. But their primary focus isn't rescue, in the case of the White Helmets, or medical care in the case of the Syrian-American Medical Society, but rather anti-regime propaganda. Many of the reports that came out of Douma originated with these two NGO's.

DB: You mentioned "chain of custody." That's what was most ridiculous about sending in inspectors. The first thing you would want to do is establish chain of custody and nail down the crime scene.

SR: I was a participant in the Gulf War and we spent the bulk of that war conducting a massive aerial campaign against Iraq. I was one of the people who helped come up with the target list that was used to attack. Each target had to have a purpose.

Let's look what happened in Syria [on April 14]. We bombed three targets, a research facility in Damascus and two bunker facilities in western Syria. It was claimed that all three targets were involved with a Syrian chemical weapons program. But the Syria weapons program was verified to be disarmed. So what chemical weapons program are we talking about? Then US officials said that one of these sites stored sarin nerve agent and chemical production equipment. That is a very specific statement. Now, if Syria was verified to be disarmed last year, with all this material eliminated, what are they talking about? What evidence do they have that any of this material exists? They just make it up.

If I had been a member of that inspections team, I would have been able to tell you with 100% certainty what took place at that site. It wasn't that long ago that the allegations took place, there are very good forensic techniques that can be applied. We would be able to reverse engineer that site and tell you exactly what happened when. Let's say an inspection team had gone in and we found that there was sarin nerve agent. Now, the US government can say, there is not supposed to be any sarin nerve agent in Syria, therefore we can state that the Syrians have a covert sarin nerve agent capability. But still you don't know where it is, so now you have to say we assess that it could be in this bunker.

We bombed empty buildings. We didn't degrade Syria's chemical weapons capability. They got rid of it. We were among the nations that certified that they had been disarmed. We just created this phantom threat out of nothing so that we could attack Syria and our president could be seen as being presidential, as being the commander in chief at a time when his credibility was being attacked on the home front.

DB: Amazing. That helps clarify the situation. Of course, it also leaves us terrified because we are so far away from the truth.

SR: As an American citizen who happens to be empowered with knowledge about how weapons inspections work, how decisions are made regarding war, I am disillusioned beyond belief.

This isn't the first time we have been lied to by the president. But we have been lied to by military officers who are supposed to be above that. Three top Marine Corps officers stood before the American people and told bald-faced lies about what was going on. We have been lied to by Congress, who are supposed to be the people's representatives who provide a check against executive overreach. And we have been lied to by the corporate media, a bunch of paid mouthpieces who repeat what the government tells them without question.

So Donald Trump can say there are chemical weapons in Syria, the generals parrot his words, the Congress nods its head dumbly, and the mass media repeats it over and over again to the American public.

DB: Are you worried that we might end up in a shooting war with Russia at this point?

SR: A week ago I was very worried. If I am going to give kudos to Jim Mattis it will be because he took the desire of Trump and Bolton to create a major crisis with Russia over the allegations of Syrian chemical weapons use and was able to water that down into putting on a show for the American people. We warned the Russians in advance, there were no casualties, [https://newswithviews.com/the-burden-against-damascus/ reportedly killing at least 42 adults and children] we blew up three empty buildings. We spent a quarter of a billion dollars of taxpayer money and we got to pat ourselves on the back and tell everybody how great we are. But we avoided a needless confrontation with the Russians and I am a lot calmer today about the potential of a shooting war with Russia than I was a week ago.
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The Syria Narrative Comes Apart - With Guest Sen. Richard Black
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2018/april/26/the-syria-narrative-comes-apart-with-guest-sen-richard-black/
Apr. 26 - Strange how the media seems to have moved away from Washington's claims about a "chemical attack" in Syria just as more and more evidence comes to light that seriously undermines the US narrative. The media is reduced to accusing those who question the narrative -- even with evidence -- of being "conspiracy theorists." Virginia State Senator Richard Black is a retired US military officer and JAG officer with a Purple Heart earned in Vietnam. He is not buying the mainstream media and Trump Administration claims about the attack. He has followed the Syria war closely and in 2016 even took a trip to Syria. He joins today's Liberty Report to shine the light on the falsehoods being spread:
The Syria Narrative Comes Apart - With Guest Sen. Richard Black
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUXDEvt2bfw

Related
The Airwaves Are Still Heaving With Spin Two Days After US Airstrikes Against Syria - 26 September 2014
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2014/september/26/the-airwaves-are-still-heaving-with-spin-two-days-after-us-airstrikes-against-syria/
The Real Status of Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq - 5 October 2014
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2014/october/05/the-real-status-of-forces-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/
Presidents and the War Power - 8 October 2014
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2014/october/08/presidents-and-the-war-power/
The Siege Of Kobani: Obama's Syrian Fiasco In Motion - 6 October 2014
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2014/october/06/the-siege-of-kobani-obama-s-syrian-fiasco-in-motion/
Is Obama Misleading the World to War? Depends How You Define 'Misleading' - 26 September 2014
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2014/september/26/is-obama-misleading-the-world-to-war-depends-how-you-define-misleading/

CNN Is Just Horrible. Reporter Sniffs For Odorless Chem Residue On Bookbag. Avoids Real Discussion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t39m8pwuPeg
Streamed live on Apr 19, 2018

CNN Reporter Sniffs "Poison" On Air
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mydfue-vF90
A CNN reporter sniffs a backpack allegedly doused with chemicals.

RonPaulLibertyReport
Published on Apr 26, 2018
Nothing the US government tells us about Syria and the alleged chemical attack at Douma makes any sense. VA State Senator and retired US Army JAG officer Richard Black joins today's Liberty Report to draw on his experiences traveling to Syria and following the war. He does not believe what Washington is telling us and he makes a very good case for why we are being lied to.

BBC Host Tries Censoring Truth On Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pwXfHyTlCo
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Groups Attempt to Block Damning US Gov't Terror Report
https://clarionproject.org/groups-attempt-block-damning-govt-terror-report/
Home > Political Islam > In the US > Government > Groups Attempt to Block Damning US Gov't Terror Report
By Clarion Project Sunday, April 29, 2018

https://qb5cc3pam3y2ad0tm1zxuhho-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/USA-Manhattan-Hudson-River-Truck-Ramming-2-DON-EMMERT-AFP-Getty-1024-600.jpg
Aftermath of the truck attack which killed eight in Manhattan on Tuesday October 31, 2017. The terror attack was perpetrated by Sayfullo Saipov, originally from Uzbekistan. (Photo: DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images)

A terrorism report (https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/doj-dhs-report-three-out-four-individuals-convicted-international-terrorism-and-terrorism) released by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security has come under fire from two groups seeking to suppress the information contained in the report, reported The Washington Times.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/apr/10/muslim-group-sues-block-trump-terrorism-report/

Muslim Advocates and Democracy Forward are suing the government to block report, saying that it is so misleading that it violates the Information Quality Act.

The report found that 73 percent (three out of every four persons) convicted of international terrorism-related charges in U.S. courts between September 11, 2001 and December 31, 2016 were foreign-born.

During the same time period, the report states, "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed approximately 1,716 aliens with national security concerns. Further, in 2017 alone DHS had 2,554 encounters with individuals on the terrorist watch list (also known as the FBI's Terrorist Screening Database) traveling to the United States."

The report was required by President Trump's Executive Order 13780, "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States." The order directed the government to raise the baseline for the vetting and screening of foreign nationals to "prevented the entry of malicious actors," thus "[enhancing] the safety and security of the American people."

Commenting on the report, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said, "This report reveals an indisputable sobering reality -- our immigration system has undermined our national security and public safety.

Sessions further said, "And the information in this report is only the tip of the iceberg: we currently have terrorism-related investigations against thousands of people in the United States, including hundreds of people who came here as refugees. Our law enforcement professionals do amazing work, but it is simply not reasonable to keep asking them to risk their lives to enforce the law while we admit thousands every year without sufficient knowledge about their backgrounds."

Critics who object to the report -- and Trump's travel pause -- say it is misleading in that the number of foreign-born people convicted of terrorism-related charges in recent years has significantly decreased. One such critic, Karen Greenberg, who is the director of the Center on National Security at Fordham University School of Law, says 60 percent of individuals convicted of ISIS cases in the U.S. in "the last few years" were born in the U.S.

Greenberg, however, did not offer the number of years for her statistic, nor did she comment all terror-related cases (only those involving ISIS).

Ironically, Greenberg as well as other critics say that the report is too vague, pointing to certain language in the report.

For example, when the report states that in 2017 alone the DHS had 2,554 encounters with individuals on the terrorist watch list, it does not state the outcome of those encounters.

"You can't say because someone is investigated that they're guilty," said Greenberg.

Critics also noted that the report does not include statistics about white supremacist groups for comparison. One reason is because the report looked at terror-related cases in federal courts. Since there are no federal laws regarding domestic terrorism, those cases are tried in state court or through other federal charges such as murder or using a weapon of mass destruction.

The executive order banning immigration from countries considered to be security risks was lifted in January after a 90-day review of vetting rules. New procedures are now in place to weed out potential security and criminal risks from Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and other countries that remain unnamed.
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*** Great Article *** (This Really Connects all the dots of what the global elites are doing to us!)
These 3 Wars Being Waged on Humanity Offer Full Picture of End Game
January 25, 2016 | Activist Post | www.activistpost.com | 3,870 views
By Bernie Suarez
http://www.thedailysheeple.com/these-3-wars-being-waged-on-humanity-offer-full-picture-of-end-game_012016

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Rarely can we summarize the times we live in so clearly and concisely that (if you don't already see and understand what is happening globally) after reading this article, anyone who wasn't sure at first but is paying attention to developments shouldn't have any trouble seeing the end game agenda at play.

As I've stated many times in the past, humanity is being sifted. Scientists call it survival of the fittest. I describe it as a process of mental and consciousness-related natural selection. The same way that scientists describe natural selection is the same way this consciousness and awareness natural selection works. The scientific natural selection states that it's a:

Process that results in the adaptation of an organism to its environment by means of selectively reproducing changes in its genotype, or genetic constitution.

In natural selection, those variations in the genotype that increase an organism's chances of survival and procreation are preserved and multiplied from generation to generation at the expense of less advantageous ones. Evolution often occurs as a consequence of this process. Natural selection may arise from differences in survival, in fertility, in rate of development, in mating success, or in any other aspect of the life cycle.

Now if you read the definition of natural selection and insert the words "consciousness and awareness" as a replacement to the words "genotype" and "genetic constitution" you'll immediately get where I'm going with this. Also, if you consider that "consciousness and awareness" of the times we live in is easily another "aspect of the life cycle" then you'll see exactly my point here.

We're talking survival of the human race, and anyone reading this article who is curious about the times we live in and in the search for truth should see that being informed, aware and conscious of the evil and oppression humanity is under today is now a key component to the survival of the human race.

Ask yourself, if humans are "conscious" creatures with a sense of morality, right versus wrong and a sense of empathy not found in other animals, how can consciousness not be part of the equation that determines whether our species survives?

The question then becomes, are we conscious creatures or not? And doesn't that very consciousness appear in the equation determining whether we will survive or not? The answer is absolutely yes!

Consciousness is very much a major part of our survival equation. And since it is, let us consider 3 critical wars being waged against humanity that define the globalist end game scenario, and 3 wars that if you can see and properly categorize in your mind for easier recognition could make a difference on whether you live or die.

Before I begin I want to say that the beauty of seeing these 3 wars is that it will help you categorize and identify the work of other activists and revolutionaries of our times. You'll be able to see which of these three categories they are fighting for and if your favorite activist is fighting for 2 of these 3 categories or even all 3. If nothing else, understanding these 3 wars being waged against humanity will help you simplify your understanding of the information war we are currently in and it will help you more clearly see the goals of the new world order so that you can more easily pick and choose how you are going to fight them.

Now let's examine the 3 wars being waged against humanity:

1 -- War against nation states

The first of these 3 wars being waged against humanity is a war against nation states. Interestingly, in terms of political parties and the artificial left-right paradigm we see constantly promoted in America, the war against nation states is traditionally led by the Right Wing Republican party. Traditionally that is. Even though both Democrats and Republicans deep down have few differences, the outward war against nation states (at least the rhetoric) is traditionally spearheaded by the Republican party.

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From the 9/11 false flag attack on America to justify the endless phony war on terror to the creation of Al Qaeda and ISIS and the US military's, CIA's and the Pentagon's ongoing foreign policy of endless war on nation states. The Secretary of State, Intelligence, and military brass have been systematically waging wars by spreading propaganda, arming proxy armies, waging psychological warfare in foreign nations, hiring mercenaries, trading arms with the enemy and much more for decades, all to facilitate the destruction of nation states like they have in Iraq, Sudan, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan and now Syria.

Anyone can read the Neocon PNAC plans and see this plan was in place long ago. And anyone can see that the purpose of the NATO alliance is for this very purpose of conquering nation states, globally.

We all know about the ongoing illegal foreign wars but you may be wondering what else is being implemented right under our noses to destroy nation states? Much more subtle than outright wars and invasions are things like United Nation's Agenda 21 and Agenda 2030 "sustainable" global living plans.

This component of the war against nation states is much more dangerous since it is being implemented by consent. Interestingly, this is where the baton is handed by the Right Wing Republicans to the Left Wing "progressive" Liberals.

Understanding what I'm about to say will help you see exactly how the ruling elite use the Left-Right paradigm to perfectly suit all their agendas against humanity. So while the Left is scolding and chastising the Right about its wars of aggression, they gladly pick up the baton and (under the dogma of the global warming lies) call for corporations and people to be responsible for the planet. This is why it is so important to understand the deception behind the climate religion and it's vital role in not only the undermining of the nation states but the actual formation of the new world order.

Left wing progressives dangerously carry a morality about the climate that frightens the rest of the world in the same way that the Right flaunts their morality about Islamophobia and the need for more wars to destroy the "evil doers". Both are wrong, both are based on lies and both please the ruling class since they both contribute to the destruction of nation states and ultimately to the creation of the coming global order which is the end game goal.

Both Republicans and Democrats have been giving more and more power to transnational corporations with illegal trade agreements (like the TPP) that undermine national sovereignty. And we've seen the Obama administration open up the borders to illegal aliens under the Left wing morality of equality and refugee care. Immigration is just another way to destroy the integrity of a nation state; and, again, we've seen how ISIS has been used in various ways including to induce more immigration and refugee issues throughout Europe, the Middle East and here in the US.

2 -- War against the individual

It isn't enough that the ruling elite are destroying nation states and using both the Republicans and Democrats to do it. Then there is the raging war against the individual and individual sovereignty.

In the same way that the Republicans have traditionally led the way in the wars that destroy nation states, similarly the Democrats have been leading the way in the war against individual freedom.

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No presidential administration has waged war against the 2nd Amendment, freedom of speech and individual rights like the Obama administration has. There have been over 160 mass shootings alone during Obama's term, many of them staged crisis actor false flag shootings in a clear attempt to awkwardly and quickly blame gun ownership for these shootings. The attempt to destroy the 2nd Amendment has been so intense and shameless that now crisis actors throughout the United States have to worry about their safety and well being as awakened Americans realize we have traitors and criminals cashing in on public sympathy over the deaths of supposed loved ones who no one has any proof ever died or even existed at any point.

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The ongoing war against the individual has been illustrated powerfully by the militarization of police and the American police state. The police state flexed its muscles during the Occupy Revolution of 2011 and has not let up since then. Hundreds of Americans are being murdered each year at the hands of police who often get off easy for their actions. The staged Boston bombing event brought us "Lockdown" and now we're seeing today where a snow storm or in some cases a "blizzard that wasn't" in New York City can now be used as justification for a "travel ban" which is a type of lockdown where anyone caught in the streets can be fined just for walking in public. This is simply practice for martial law since if someone wants to walk or travel in the snow it is not up to the government to decide if an individual has that right in a free country.

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Since the Boston bombing crisis actor staged event, we've seen numerous versions of the "lockdown" where almost any event is used today as an excuse for "lockdown" including a crime scene, bad weather, Intelligence rumors of possible "bomb" scares and other events. Today almost anything constitutes a "state of emergency". All of these events are opportunities for the state to flex its muscles, intimidate the individuals of the public and strip the individual of his or her rights and sovereignty.

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We've also seen where parents have been losing their right to determine what education their children will be exposed to and what medications their children will be subjected to. Medical tyranny somehow has become the norm in just the last 7 years Obama has been in office. For the first time we're seeing forced vaccination [and chemotherapy/radiation] and the ridiculing and demonization of anyone who believes in medical choice and freedom.

Then there is the depopulation agenda at play. One need only look up and see the daily and ongoing geoengineering and chemtrails spraying of our skies that are destroying the planet as the modification of our food system with cancer-causing (GMO) agents. It's no wonder why the individual is now dying at an alarming rate with cancer and many other diseases while the pharmaceutical companies and the medical industrial complex cashes in on your sickness.

The war against the individual has been intensified by the private banking system, the IRS and the state. More than ever people are financially enslaved. Today over 40 million Americans are stuck in huge student loan debt, many cannot afford to pay these loans and none of them saw it coming. Many Americans are slaves to these creditors who never had that money to begin with but will harass, collect and garnish your wages if you don't pay. Who's laughing now?

Legislation to restrict travel freedom within the US has already been passed. Under the guise of being on their terror watch list, the state can now revoke your passport. And this travel restriction agenda is being further worked on as the IRS seeks to confiscate the passports of travelers they determine owe a certain amount in taxes.

As we will see again this year in 2016, voting rights are non-existent when a corrupt political system can fraudulently determine who the next president will be. Not only have individual rights to vote been undermined the way Agenda 21 undermines national sovereignty, but as we see in both cases the outer shell remains in place making people think that the function (of nation states or the election process) still works.

All of these takeovers are happening subtly and slowly, which is why we must sound the alarm about these first two wars (on nation states and individuals) that are happening simultaneously and in a coordinated fashion.

As mentioned above, the two-front war is being waged by BOTH the Left and the Right. For this reason those that are still stuck in the Left-Right paradigm may find that truth seekers, liberty lovers (or "conspiracy theorists") may agree with them partially or some of the times on some issues but not on most issues. That's because both sides indeed have some truth to what they believe but neither sees the greater picture. And neither political party wants to admit to the greater plan for a new world order. This brings us to the third and possibly most important war being waged against humanity.

3 -- War on Truth, and the search for Truth

The 3rd war we are seeing manifest today may be the most important of all the wars because it is an attempt to block the knowledge of the first 2 wars and to destroy the messenger. It's the war on Truth itself and the very search for truth.

Today we are seeing a growing attack on the search for truth as I mentioned in a previous article. We are now seeing truth seekers demonized and attacked to the point of losing their jobs (like professor James Tracy) just for asking questions and confronting crisis actors about their claims which if proven to be lies constitute a very serious federal crime. We're seeing where activist websites (like MemoryHoleBlog.com) have had their PayPal accounts terminated admittedly due to "the nature of your activities". I want readers to know this is not an attack against the individual as much as it is an attack against the very search for truth.

Now more than ever it is easier to brand someone radical or "extremist" for simply questioning mainstream media breaking news. We saw that at Sandy Hook when treasonous traitor Lt Paul Vance threatened truth-seeking Americans not to question the initial narrative of the Sandy Hook hoax and he was never indicted for this crime against the freedom to ask questions and search for truth. We also have seen where a book revealing that nobody died at Sandy Hook was banned by Amazon and the nationwide media.

Here in Los Angeles where I live we recently saw a major truth group infiltration where suspected operatives attempted to take over the narrative of the group to sell government propaganda and "official story" lies about 9/11. When they were called out by the entire group, they then kicked out truth seekers from the group including the assistant organizer who were accused of "disrupting" their disinformation. The operatives then continued revealing the "new" truth and condemned or ridiculed anyone who thinks there is such a think as a new world order, false flags or global agenda.

I suspect this was not an isolated incident since it mysteriously coincided with the news that former TalkNetwork.com host "Rebekah Roth" may have been fully exposed as a government plant to infiltrate the 9/11 Truth movement. News that shocked many truth seekers including yours truly as many of us thought she was believable. You decide for yourself.

None of this should surprise anyone who understands the war against truth that is now very real and must not be ignored. There is a plan already in play to criminalize anyone who tries to expose the new world order or any of its players. The line between activist and terrorist is getting thinner and thinner. Following the Paris false flag attacks we saw legislation in New York to create a new division within the NYPD to deal with terrorism AND demonstrations.

When it's all said and done this war against truth itself is the ultimate battleground by which all activists will be tested. Everyone has to decide which side of truth they will stand and how far they are willing to go standing for truth.

Solutions: Understanding our differences

Now it's time to come together and understand each other. Left, Right and Center. Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Anarchists and plain ole truth seekers. I've stated many times there is a huge difference between the Truth movement and the Liberty movement. They often sound the same but they are not the same.

More than ever it is important to understand each other. More than ever we need objectivity. This is why its so important to ask someone key questions before you engage in political discussion or current event issues. Try to ask the person, do you believe in objectivity or do you believe there is such a thing as objective "truth"?

When a person doesn't believe in objective truth, there's your first problem. It is impossible to get at something that you don't believe in. For without "truth" or some concept of what you think truth is, you'll never reach a consensus of what is happening in the world.

We've discussed the Left-Right paradigm and how the involved parties are purposely skewed for the agenda of the ruling elite. Without both the Left and the Right acknowledging this model it is nearly impossible to get at the root of the problem we face.

Libertarians on the other hand care about freedom and that's great. However if you only care about freedom then lies CAN be introduced in a way that appears to promote freedom. Well meaning Libertarians are often susceptible to military intelligence propaganda which may suggest things that are designed to point to an engineered external threat that is not true and intended to rally your support for more military action. Whereas truth seekers are not married to any one ideology other than the suspicion of government lies, propaganda and the search for truth.

Nothing less than establishing a forum, a platform or an open source narrative that forces people to see the overall picture of how the different activists and political persuasions fit into this 3-front war being waged against humanity will work at getting us closer to a concrete solution.

In this election year of 2016, now is the time for people to see their own political party persuasion for what it is before it's too late. Now is the time to see truth for what it is before it's too late and before truth seekers are fully persecuted. Only then will you be able to see that there is a war against Truth itself. People on both the Left, Right and Center are willing and able to identify either the war against nation states and or the war against the individual for various reasons, and that is a good thing. But when will we all see that these wars are all working together with the war on truth itself in order to give birth to a global order of enslavement?

This new world order I speak of is the grand prize. And anyone still acting as a partial activist fighting for only one cause, supporting your favorite party while ignoring the other important causes may find that your efforts may be in vain.

I realize that some people specialize in bringing one specific topic to the general public and there's nothing wrong with that. However, we must all see the overall battlefield for what it is. The time is now to see the big picture or risk losing it all. See the 3-front war ... for the war is coming to you whether you welcome it or whether you realize it or not.

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US, France, UK, Establish More Bases In Syria To Push Breakup Of Country
https://www.activistpost.com/2018/05/us-france-uk-establish-more-bases-in-syria-to-push-breakup-of-country.html
May 21, 2018
By Brandon Turbeville

As virtually all pretense of leaving Syria has vanished from the rhetoric of the White House, American and French soldiers have now moved into Kurdish-held territory in northern Syria near Manbij in an effort to prevent Turkish military operations aimed at clearing the Kurds from the border area as well as any Syrian attempt to liberate northern Syria from Turkish terrorists.

The United States has established at least two new bases in the area near Manbij and French Special Forces have been deployed alongside the Americans.

If there was any belief that America was planning to leave Syria, that belief should now be dispelled. This is not an exit strategy, it is an occupation. It is also an attempt to solidify the "federalization" of Syria through foreign military forces acting as a deterrent to liberation.

Early on, it was reported by sources within the Kurdish/jihadist SDF that French forces were moving about in SDF territory. Shortly after those reports, photos were acquired by Sputnik that showed not only French but American forces working together in SDF territory. The photo showed two armored vehicles with military personnel in and next to them, one with a French flag and one with a US flag. The picture was taken in the area of the Sajur River in the Manbij area.

According to a senior member of the Military Council of Manbij cited by Sputnik, about 50 French soldiers were stationed in the area. On April 5, it was reported that French military forces were busy constructing a military base in the north of Manbij.

"Recently the French military arrived in Manbij. Now they are busy building a military base in the north of Manbij. They are increasing their presence in the region in order to prevent a possible operation from the Turkish Armed Forces and the units of the Free Syrian Army," the source said.

He added that the French military is constantly patrolling the Sajur River area.

"While on duty, they use armored vehicles, on which the French flag is visible. There are about 50 French military forces on the border of Manbij," he said.

Muhammed Ebu Adil, commander of the Military Council of Manbij stated that a US-French joint military team had arrived at the border.

Reports suggested that 250 French soldiers are based in SDF regions, north of Ayn al-Arab (Kobane), Tabqa, Raqqa, and Deir ez Zor.

For its part, Turkey has announced a desire and plan to remove YPG forces from Manbij as well. During a meeting between Russia, Turkey and Iran in Ankara to discuss the Syrian crisis, Turkish President Erdogan stated, "I would like to repeat that unless we ensure security in all the regions controlled by the YPG [the Kurdish People's Protection Units] first of all, in Manbij, we will not stop."

French President Emmanuel Macron had previously publicly stated in an official meeting with the SDF that France pledged a number of troops to support the SDF in their "resistance" against Turkey.

In response, Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli warned France "not to take such a reckless step."

"In other words, if France tries to deploy their troops in northern Syria, it will violate international law. The activities of France could be considered as an attempt to occupy the Syrian territories," Canikli stated.

Erdogan reiterated his warning, saying that "hosting, at the most senior level, members of a terrorist organization . . . is nothing short of hostility towards Turkey." He also added that Turkey would never negotiate with terrorists.

But the French are not the only ones pledging support and deploying troops to protect the SDF from Turkey and Syria. The United States itself established two military bases in the Manbij area in the Aleppo Governate in Kurdish held territory. Anadolou Agency reported that, according to "trustworthy local sources" in the city of Manbij, "[One] base will be located eight kilometers (4.9 miles) from Sajur River, which forms the frontline between Jarabulus, the Euphrates Shield area, and Manbij." Anadolou also stated that "the other base is being built four km (2.4 mi) from the frontline, south of Dadat."

The media source also stated that, on April 1, 300 US soldiers arrived in Manbij along with a convoy of a large number of armored vehicles and machines for construction projects. As mentioned above, further reports have revealed that US forces have been patrolling the Sajur River on a daily basis. Previously, the patrols had reportedly taken places on a weekly basis.

The outlet also stated that US-backed forces are stationed in a "Nuaymiyah" farm and that they were engaged in construction work. The installation, once completed, will be "the closest US base to the Euphrates Shield forces."

Representatives from the SDF spoke to Sputnik and confirmed that the US-led coalition had increased its presence in Manbij with both a US and French military contingent as well as a British deployment.

"The United States and France have increased the number of their military in Manbij following Turkey's statements," Helil Bozi, the commander of the Military Council of Manbij of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), stated to Sputnik Turkey.

"The US has deployed its Special Forces units near the Sajur River thereby setting a red line the crossing of which will be seen by the [US-led] coalition forces as an attack and will prompt retaliatory actions," Bozi highlighted. "Our alliance with the forces of the coalition continues to operate, nothing has changed in this sense. The [US-led] coalition continues to support the SDF."

Rezan Gulo, the Defense Minister of the Kurdish canton of Jazire of the self-proclaimed Rojava, also confirmed the presence of the US, UK, and France.

"The military contingent of the US, Britain and France is located not only in Manbij but also in Tell Abyad, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa and Tabqa within the framework of the [US-led] coalition's assistance [to the SDF]. The coalition forces are increasing their presence throughout northern Syria," he specified.

"Yes, the international coalition is building new bases in Manbij, and it is connected with military plans. ... Be it US bases or French ones, we are interacting with it [the coalition] rather than the countries. In general, the construction of bases is underway in northern Syria, especially in the east of the Euphrates," Gilo said.

"Whether the Americans will decide to leave or stay on [in Syria], we hope for their strength, as well as the strength of our people and our fighters. The presence of the US-led coalition helps us combat terrorists. But in any case, we are ready to obliterate the terrorists in the east of the Euphrates and in northern Syria as a whole," he added.

Anadolou subsequently reported that French Special Forces were stationed at the US military base in Rmelan but that they were also stationed at five military bases in Kurdish territory.

The presence of the bases has since been confirmed by Reuters. You can see the photographs of the newly constructed facilities in the Reuters article here.

The Western strategy here is clear in that it is attempting to help carve out Kurdistan from Syrian territory in order to move forward with the "Plan B" of federalizing Syria in the event that the total destruction of the Syrian government fails. However, this plan puts two NATO allies, who were once united in their war on Syria, at odds with one another. With Turkey adamant that it will not accept a Kurdish "nation" on its borders and the US, France, and Britain seemingly doing whatever they can to create one, a stand off is taking shape in northern Syria. The question then remains whether or not Turkey and its fellow NATO members will turn their ever marching armies on one another or find a compromise that allows greater focus on aggression against non-Atlanticist states.

Brandon Turbeville writes for Activist Post -- article archive here -- He is the author of seven books, Codex Alimentarius -- The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1 and volume 2, The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria, The Difference it Makes: 36 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Should Never Be President, and Resisting The Empire: The Plan To Destroy Syria And How The Future Of The World Depends On The Outcome. Turbeville has published over 1000 articles on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbeville's radio show Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. His website is BrandonTurbeville.com He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com.

This article may be freely shared in part or in full with author attribution and source link.

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"7 Countries In 5 Years:" 2007 Wesley Clark Interview Reveals US Plan To Go To War With Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Lebanon, Somalia, And Sudan
May 23, 2018
By Brandon Turbeville
https://www.activistpost.com/2018/05/7-countries-in-5-years-2007-wesley-clark-interview-reveals-us-plan-to-go-to-war-with-iraq-iran-syria-libya-lebanon-somalia-and-sudan.html

https://www.activistpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/middle-east-chessboard-21st-century-wire-1024x581-1-1024x581-1024x581-1024x581-1024x581-1.jpg

After the scrapping of the Iran nuclear deal by the Trump administration, the re-imposition of sanctions against the Persian nation, and the threat to impose the "toughest sanctions in history," the US gear-up to destabilize or perhaps even go to war with Iran is becoming more and more visible by the day. A war of words between Iran and the United States is now ensuing with actual military aggression against Iran by Israel in Syria promising to provide an even greater likelihood that the U.S. military and America's busy intelligence community will soon be working even harder to ensure that Iran is no longer able to resist Atlanticist hegemony.

However, the plan to destroy Iran is nothing new as anyone who has been following the US war machine can easily attest to.

For those who are unaware as to the recent history of the American plan to destroy Iran in the same manner as Afghanistan, Libya, and Iraq (and attempted against Syria), it is important to mention a 2007 interview with US General Wesley Clark who, during the course of a talk with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, revealed a Pentagon plan to destroy Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Iran. Clark revealed his shock and surprise at a plan to not only invade Iraq after 9/11 but also to invade seven countries within five years.

Wesley Clark, of course, was no conspiracy theorist. He's also not peace activist. Remember, he was a retired 4-star general and was the former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO during the devastating 1999 war against Yugoslavia where he personally ordered attacks on civilian targets.

Clark's statements are yet more evidence that the plan to go to war with Iraq, Iran, Libya, and Syria is not some recent creation but a carefully constructed scheme thought out years ago and one that is proceeding according to plan. Below is a transcript of the interview: Hat tip to Global Research for posting a transcript of this interview in their article, "Global Warfare: 'We're Going To Take Out 7 Countries In 5 years: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan & Iran.'"
Global Warfare: "We're Going to Take out 7 Countries in 5 Years: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan & Iran.."
Video Interview with General Wesley Clark
https://www.globalresearch.ca/we-re-going-to-take-out-7-countries-in-5-years-iraq-syria-lebanon-libya-somalia-sudan-iran/5166

Today we spend the hour with General Wesley Clark, the retired four-star general. He was the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO during the Kosovo War. In 2004 he unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic presidential nomination. He recently edited a series of books about famous U.S. generals including Dwight Eisenhower and Ulysses Grant -- both of whom became president after their military careers ended.

Well for the rest of the hour we are going to hear General Wesley Clark on the possibility of a U.S. attack on Iran, the impeachment of President Bush, the use of cluster bombs, the bombing of Radio Television Serbia during the Kosovo War and much more. I interviewed Wesley Clark on Tuesday at the 92nd Street Y in New York.

AMY GOODMAN: Today, an exclusive hour with General Wesley Clark, the retired four-star general. He was Supreme Allied Commander of NATO during the Kosovo War. He has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2004, he unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic presidential nomination. He recently edited a series of books about famous US generals, including Dwight Eisenhower and Ulysses Grant, both of whom became president after their military careers ended.

On Tuesday, I interviewed Wesley Clark at the 92nd Street Y Cultural Center here in New York City before a live audience and asked him about his presidential ambitions.

AMY GOODMAN: What do you think of these generals who run for president?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I like them. It's happened before.

AMY GOODMAN: Will it happen again?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: It might.

AMY GOODMAN: Later in the interview, I followed up on that question.

AMY GOODMAN: Will you announce for president?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I haven't said I won't.

AMY GOODMAN: What are you waiting for?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I'm waiting for several different preconditions, which I'm not at liberty to discuss. But I will tell you this: I think about it every single day.

AMY GOODMAN: Well, for the rest of the hour, we'll hear General Wesley Clark in his own words on the possibility of a US attack on Iran; the impeachment of President Bush; the use of cluster bombs; the bombing of Radio Television Serbia during the Kosovo War under his command; and much more. I interviewed General Clark on Tuesday at the 92nd Street Y in New York.

AMY GOODMAN: Now, let's talk about Iran. You have a whole website devoted to stopping war.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Www.stopiranwar.com.

AMY GOODMAN: Do you see a replay in what happened in the lead-up to the war with Iraq -- the allegations of the weapons of mass destruction, the media leaping onto the bandwagon?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, in a way. But, you know, history doesn't repeat itself exactly twice. What I did warn about when I testified in front of Congress in 2002, I said if you want to worry about a state, it shouldn't be Iraq, it should be Iran. But this government, our administration, wanted to worry about Iraq, not Iran.

I knew why, because I had been through the Pentagon right after 9/11. About ten days after 9/11, I went through the Pentagon and I saw Secretary Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz. I went downstairs just to say hello to some of the people on the Joint Staff who used to work for me, and one of the generals called me in. He said, "Sir, you've got to come in and talk to me a second." I said, "Well, you're too busy." He said, "No, no." He says, "We've made the decision we're going to war with Iraq." This was on or about the 20th of September. I said, "We're going to war with Iraq? Why?" He said, "I don't know." He said, "I guess they don't know what else to do." So I said, "Well, did they find some information connecting Saddam to al-Qaeda?" He said, "No, no." He says, "There's nothing new that way. They just made the decision to go to war with Iraq." He said, "I guess it's like we don't know what to do about terrorists, but we've got a good military and we can take down governments." And he said, "I guess if the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem has to look like a nail."

So I came back to see him a few weeks later, and by that time we were bombing in Afghanistan. I said, "Are we still going to war with Iraq?" And he said, "Oh, it's worse than that." He reached over on his desk. He picked up a piece of paper. And he said, "I just got this down from upstairs" -- meaning the Secretary of Defense's office -- "today." And he said, "This is a memo that describes how we're going to take out seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran." I said, "Is it classified?" He said, "Yes, sir." I said, "Well, don't show it to me." And I saw him a year or so ago, and I said, "You remember that?" He said, "Sir, I didn't show you that memo! I didn't show it to you!" [emphasis added]

AMY GOODMAN: I'm sorry. What did you say his name was?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I'm not going to give you his name.

AMY GOODMAN: So, go through the countries again.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, starting with Iraq, then Syria and Lebanon, then Libya, then Somalia and Sudan, and back to Iran. So when you look at Iran, you say, "Is it a replay?" It's not exactly a replay. But here's the truth: that Iran, from the beginning, has seen that the presence of the United States in Iraq was a threat -- a blessing, because we took out Saddam Hussein and the Baathists. They couldn't handle them. We took care of it for them. But also a threat, because they knew that they were next on the hit list. And so, of course, they got engaged. They lost a million people during the war with Iraq, and they've got a long and unprotectable, unsecurable border. So it was in their vital interest to be deeply involved inside Iraq. They tolerated our attacks on the Baathists. They were happy we captured Saddam Hussein.

But they're building up their own network of influence, and to cement it, they occasionally give some military assistance and training and advice, either directly or indirectly, to both the insurgents and to the militias. And in that sense, it's not exactly parallel, because there has been, I believe, continuous Iranian engagement, some of it legitimate, some of it illegitimate. I mean, you can hardly fault Iran because they're offering to do eye operations for Iraqis who need medical attention. That's not an offense that you can go to war over, perhaps. But it is an effort to gain influence.

And the administration has stubbornly refused to talk with Iran about their perception, in part because they don't want to pay the price with their domestic -- our US domestic political base, the rightwing base, but also because they don't want to legitimate a government that they've been trying to overthrow. If you were Iran, you'd probably believe that you were mostly already at war with the United States anyway, since we've asserted that their government needs regime change, and we've asked congress to appropriate $75 million to do it, and we are supporting terrorist groups, apparently, who are infiltrating and blowing up things inside Iraq -- Iran. And if we're not doing it, let's put it this way: we're probably cognizant of it and encouraging it. So it's not surprising that we're moving to a point of confrontation and crisis with Iran.

My point on this is not that the Iranians are good guys -- they're not -- but that you shouldn't use force, except as a last, last, last resort. There is a military option, but it's a bad one.

AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to get your response to Seymour Hersh's piece in The New Yorker to two key points this week, reporting the Pentagon's established a special planning group within the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to plan a bombing attack on Iran, that this is coming as the Bush administration and Saudi Arabia are pumping money for covert operations into many areas of the Middle East, including Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, in an effort to strengthen Saudi-supported Sunni Islam groups and weaken Iranian-backed Shias -- some of the covert money has been given to jihadist groups in Lebanon with ties to al-Qaeda -- fighting the Shias by funding with Prince Bandar and then with US money not approved by Congress, funding the Sunnis connected to al-Qaeda.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I don't have any direct information to confirm it or deny it. It's certainly plausible. The Saudis have taken a more active role. You know, the Saudis have --

AMY GOODMAN: You were just in Saudi Arabia.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Hmm?

AMY GOODMAN: You just came back from Saudi Arabia.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Yeah. Well, the Saudis have basically recognized that they have an enormous stake in the outcome in Iraq, and they don't particularly trust the judgment of the United States in this area. We haven't exactly proved our competence in Iraq. So they're trying to take matters into their own hands.

The real danger is, and one of the reasons this is so complicated is because -- let's say we did follow the desires of some people who say, "Just pull out, and pull out now." Well, yeah. We could mechanically do that. It would be ugly, and it might take three or four months, but you could line up the battalions on the road one by one, and you could put the gunners in the Humvees and load and cock their weapons and shoot their way out of Iraq. You'd have a few roadside bombs. But if you line everybody up there won't be any roadside bombs. Maybe some sniping. You can fly helicopters over, do your air cover. You'd probably get safely out of there. But when you leave, the Saudis have got to find someone to fight the Shias. Who are they going to find? Al-Qaeda, because the groups of Sunnis who would be extremists and willing to fight would probably be the groups connected to al-Qaeda. So one of the weird inconsistencies in this is that were we to get out early, we'd be intensifying the threat against us of a super powerful Sunni extremist group, which was now legitimated by overt Saudi funding in an effort to hang onto a toehold inside Iraq and block Iranian expansionism.

AMY GOODMAN: And interestingly, today, John Negroponte has just become the number two man, resigning his post as National Intelligence Director to go to the State Department, Seymour Hersh says, because of his discomfort that the administration's covert actions in the Middle East so closely echo the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s, and Negroponte was involved with that.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I'm sure there are a lot of reasons why John would go back to the State Department. John's a good -- he's a good man. But, you know, the question is, in government is, can you -- are you bigger than your job? Because if you're not bigger than your job, you get trapped by the pressures of events and processes into going along with actions that you know you shouldn't. And I don't know. I don't know why he left the National Intelligence Director's position. He started in the State Department. Maybe he's got a fondness to return and finish off his career in State.

AMY GOODMAN: Can you talk about -- do you know who the generals are, who are threatening to resign if the United States attacks Iran?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: No, I don't. No, I don't. And I don't want to know.

AMY GOODMAN: Do you agree with them?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I'll put it this way. On Labor Day weekend of 1994, when I was the J5 -- I was a three-star general. I was in the Pentagon. And it was a Saturday morning, and so I was in the office. Walt Kross was the director of the Joint Staff, and he was in the office. And I think it was either Howell Estes or Jack Sheehan who was the J3 at the time. The three of us -- I think it was Jack still on the job for the last couple of days. And the three of us were in Shalikashvili's office about 11:00 in the morning on a Saturday morning, and he had just come back from a White House meeting. And he was all fired up in the way that Shali could be. And he said, "So," he said, "we will see who will be the real soldiers this weekend! There's much work to be done! This operation on Haiti has to be completed! The planning must be done correctly, and it must be done this weekend! So we will see who are the real soldiers!"

Then the phone buzzed, and he got up from this little round table the four of us were sitting at to take the call from the White House. We started looking at each other. We said, "Gosh, I wonder where this came from." I mean, we were all getting ready to check out of the building in an hour or so. We had finished off the messages and paperwork. And we just usually got together because there was normally a crisis every Saturday anyway, and so we normally would come in for the Saturday morning crisis. And so, Shali came back, and so I said to him, I said, "Well, sir, we've been talking amongst ourselves, and we're happy to work all weekend to get all this done, but this is just a drill, right, on Haiti?"

He looked at me, and he said, "Wes," he said, "this is no drill." He said, "I'm not authorized to tell you this. But," he said "the decision has been made, and the United States will invade Haiti. The date is the 20th" -- I think it was this date -- "of the 20th of September. And the planning must be done, and it must be done now. And if any of you have reservations about this, this is the time to leave." So I looked at Jack, and I looked at Walt. They looked at me. I mean, we kind of shrugged our shoulders and said, "OK, if you want to invade Haiti, I mean, it's not illegal. It's not the country we'd most like to invade. The opposition there consists of five armored vehicles. But sure, I mean, if the President says to do it, yeah, we're not going resign over it." And so, we didn't resign. Nobody resigned.

But Shali was a very smart man. He knew. He knew he was bigger than his job, and he knew that you had to ask yourself the moral, legal and ethical questions first. And so, I'm encouraged by the fact that some of these generals have said this about Iran. They should be asking these questions first.

AMY GOODMAN: General Wesley Clark. He says he thinks about running for president again every day. We'll come back to my interview with him in a minute.

[break]

AMY GOODMAN: We go back to my interview with General Wesley Clark.

AMY GOODMAN: What about the soldiers who are saying no to going to Iraq right now?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Iraq?

AMY GOODMAN: To going to Iraq. People like First Lieutenant Ehren Watada, first commissioned officer to say no to deploy. And they just declared a mistrial in his court-martial. He will face another court-martial in a few weeks. What do you think of these young men and women -- there are now thousands -- who are refusing? But, for example, Ehren Watada, who says he feels it's wrong. He feels it's illegal and immoral, and he doesn't want to lead men and women there.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think, you know, he's certainly made a personally courageous statement. And he'll pay with the consequences of it.

AMY GOODMAN: Do you think he should have to go to jail for that?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think that you have to have an effective armed forces. And I think that it's not up to the men and women in the Armed Forces to choose where they'll go to war, because at the very time you need the Armed Forces the most is -- there will be a certain number of people who will see it the other way. And so, I support his right to refuse to go, and I support the government's effort to bring charges against him. This is the way the system works.

Now, the difference is, the case that I described with Shalikashvili is, we would have been given the chance to retire. We would have left our jobs. We might not have retired as three-star generals, because we hadn't done our duty. But we weren't in the same circumstance that he is, so there wasn't necessarily going to be charges brought against us.

But an armed forces has to have discipline. It's a voluntary organization to join. But it's not voluntary unless it's illegal. And you can bring -- the trouble with Iraq is it's not illegal. It was authorized by the United States Congress. It was authorized by the United Nations Security Council resolution. It's an illegitimate war, but not an illegal war.

AMY GOODMAN: Do you think it's wrong?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: It's wrong to fight in Iraq? Well, I think it's a mistake. I think it's a bad strategy. I think it's brought us a lot of grief, and it will bring us a lot more grief. I think it's been a tremendous distraction from the war on terror, a diversion of resources, and it's reinforced our enemies. But on the other hand, his case is a moral case, not a legal case. And if you're going to be a conscientious objector morally like this, then what makes it commendable is that you'll take your stand on principle and pay the price. If there's no price to be paid for it, then the courage of your act isn't self-evident. So he's taken a very personally courageous stand. But on the other hand, you have to also appreciate the fact that the Armed Forces has to be able to function.

So, you know, in World War I in France, there were a series of terribly misplaced offensives, and they brought -- they failed again and again and again. The French took incredible losses. And these were conscript armies. And after one of these failures, a group of thousands of soldiers simply said, "We're not doing this again. It's wrong." You know what the French did? They did what they call decimation. They lined up the troops. They took every tenth soldier, and they shot them. Now, the general who ordered that, he suffered some severe repercussions, personally, morally, but after that the soldiers in France didn't disobey. Had the army disintegrated at that point, Germany would have occupied France. So when you're dealing with the use of force, there is an element of compulsion in the Armed Forces.

AMY GOODMAN: But if the politicians will not stop it -- as you pointed out, the Democrats joined with the Republicans in authorizing the war -- then it's quite significant, I think, that you, as a general, are saying that this man has taken a courageous act. Then it's up to the people who are being sent to go to say no.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Yeah. But the courage that we need is not his courage. We need the courage of the leaders in the United States government: the generals who could affect the policy, the people in Congress who could force the President to change his strategy. That's the current -- that's the courage that's needed.

AMY GOODMAN: And how could they do that?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, you start with a non-binding resolution in the United States Congress, and you build your momentum from there. And you keep hammering it. The Congress has three principal powers. It has the power to appoint, power to investigate, power to fund. And you go after all three. On all three fronts, you find out what the President needs, until he takes it seriously. I think it's a difficult maneuver to use a scalpel and say, "Well, we're going to support funding, but we're not going to support funding for the surge," because that's requiring a degree of micro-management that Congress can't do.

But you can certainly put enough squeeze on the President that he finally calls in the leaders of the Congress and says, "OK, OK, what's it going to take? I've got to get my White House budget passed. I've got to get thirty judges, federal judges, confirmed. I've got to get these federal prosecutors -- you know, the ones that I caused to resign so I could handle it -- they've got to get replacements in place. What do I have to do to get some support here?" I mean, it could be done. It's hard bare-knuckle government.

AMY GOODMAN: Do you think Congress should stop funding the war?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I think Congress should take a strong stand to get the strategy changed. I don't think that if you cut off funding for the war, it's in the -- right now that's not in the United States' interest. What is in the United States' interest is to change the strategy in the war. You cannot succeed by simply stopping the funding and saying, "You've got six months to get the Americans out." That's not going to end the misery in Iraq. It's not going to restore the lives that have been lost. And it's not going to give us the power in the region to prevent later threats.

What we do have to do is have a strategy that uses all the elements of America's power: diplomatic, economic, legal and military. I would send a high-level diplomatic team into the region right now. I'd have no-holds-barred and no-preconditioned discussion with Iran and Syria. And I would let it be known that I've got in my bag all the tricks, including putting another 50,000 troops in Iraq and pulling all 150,000 troops out. And we're going to reach an agreement on a statement of principles that brings stability and peace and order to the region. So let's just sit down and start doing it. Now, that could be done with the right administrative leadership. It just hasn't been done.

You know, think of it this way. You're on a ship crossing the Atlantic. It's a new ship. And it's at night. And you're looking out ahead of the ship, and you notice that there's a part of the horizon. It's a beautiful, starry night, except that there's a part of the horizon, a sort of a regular hump out there where there are no stars visible. And you notice, as the ship plows through the water at thirty knots, that this area where there are no stars is getting larger. And finally, it hits you that there must be something out there that's blocking the starlight, like an iceberg. So you run to the captain. And you say, "Captain, captain, there's an iceberg, and we're driving right toward it." And he says, "Look, I can't be bothered with the iceberg right now. We're having an argument about the number of deck chairs on the fore deck versus the aft deck." And you say, "But you're going to hit an iceberg." He says, "I'm sorry. Get out of here." So you go to the first officer, and he says, "I'm fighting with the captain on the number of deck chairs."

You know, we're approaching an iceberg in the Middle East in our policy, and we've got Congress and the United States -- and the President of the United States fighting over troop strength in Iraq. It's the wrong issue. The issue is the strategy, not the troop strength.

AMY GOODMAN: General Clark, do you think Guantanamo Bay should be closed?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Absolutely.

AMY GOODMAN: If Congress cut off funds for the prison there, it would be closed. Should they?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think the first thing Congress should do is repeal the Military Commissions Act. I'm very disturbed that a number of people who are looking at the highest office in the land have supported an act which advertently or inadvertently authorizes the admission into evidence of information gained through torture. That's not the America that I believe in. And the America that I believe in doesn't detain people indefinitely without charges. So I'd start with the Military Commissions Act.

Then I'd get our NATO allies into the act. They've said they don't like Guantanamo either. So I'd like to create an international tribunal, not a kangaroo court of military commissions. And let's go back through the evidence. And let's lay it out. Who are these people that have been held down there? And what have they been held for? And which ones can be released? And which ones should be tried in court and convicted?

You see, essentially, you cannot win the war on terror by military force. It is first and foremost a battle of ideas. It is secondly a law enforcement effort and a cooperative effort among nations. And only as a last resort do you use military force. This president has distorted the capabilities of the United States Armed Forces. He's used our men and women in uniform improperly in Guantanamo and engaged in actions that I think are totally against the Uniform Code of Military Justice and against what we stand for as the American people.

AMY GOODMAN: Do you think that President Bush should be impeached?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think we ought to do first thing's first, which is, we really need to understand and finish the job that Congress started with respect to the Iraq war investigation. Do you remember that there was going to be a study released by the Senate, that the senator from Iowa or from Kansas who was the Republican head of the Senate Intelligence Committee was going to do this study to determine whether the administration had, in fact, misused the intelligence information to mislead us into the war with Iraq? Well, I've never seen that study. I'd like to know where that study is. I'd like to know why we've spent three years investigating Scooter Libby, when we should have been investigating why this country went to war in Iraq.

AMY GOODMAN: The Center for Constitutional Rights has filed a complaint against Donald Rumsfeld, General Miller and others in a German court, because they have universal jurisdiction. Do you think that Donald Rumsfeld should be tried for war crimes?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I'd like to see what the evidence is against Rumsfeld. I do know this, that there was a lot of pressure put on the men and women in uniform to come up with intelligence. I remember -- I think it was either General Sanchez or General Abizaid, who stated that we don't need more troops -- this is the fall of 2003 -- we just need better information. Well, to me, that was immediate code words that we were really trying to soak these people for information.

And it's only a short step from there to all the kinds of mistreatment that occur at places like Abu Ghraib. So we know that Al Gonzales wrote a couple of really -- or authored, or his people authored and he approved, a couple of outrageous memos that attempted to define torture as deliberately inflicted pain, the equivalent of the loss of a major bodily organ or limb, which is -- it's not an adequate definition of torture. And we know that he authorized, to some degree, some coercive methods, which we have -- and we know President Bush himself accepted implicitly in a signing statement to a 2005 act on military detainees that he would use whatever methods were appropriate or necessary. So there's been some official condoning of these actions.

I think it's a violation of international law and a violation of American law and a violation of the principles of good government in America. There have always been evidences of mistreatment of prisoners. Every army has probably done it in history. But our country hasn't ever done it as a matter of deliberate policy. George Washington told his soldiers, when they captured the Hessians and the men wanted to run them through, because the Hessians were brutal and ruthless, he said, "No, treat them well." He said, "They'll join our side." And many of them did. It was a smart policy, not only the right thing to do, but a smart policy to treat the enemy well. We've made countless enemies in that part of the world by the way we've treated people and disregarded them. It's bad, bad policy.

AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to ask -- you're a FOX News contributor now?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Oh, at least.

AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to ask you what you think of the dean of West Point, Brigadier General Patrick Finnegan, together with a military interrogator named Tony Lagouranis and the group Human Rights First, going to the heads of the program 24, very popular hit show on FOX, to tell them that what they're doing on this program, glorifying torture, is inspiring young men and women to go to Iraq and torture soldiers there, and to stop it?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: And not only that, but it doesn't work. Yeah, Pat Finnegan is one of my heroes.

AMY GOODMAN: So what do you think about that?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I think it's great.

AMY GOODMAN: And have you been involved in the conversation internally at FOX, which runs 24, to stop it?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, as far as I know, they actually put out a call to all the writers in Hollywood. My son's a writer, and he was one of them who got a call. They were all told: stop talking about torture. It doesn't work. So I think it was an effective move by Pat Finnegan.

AMY GOODMAN: So you support it?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Absolutely.

AMY GOODMAN: General Wesley Clark. I'm interviewing him at the 92nd Street Y. We're going to come back to the conclusion of that interview in a minute.

[break]

AMY GOODMAN: General Wesley Clark recently edited a series of books about famous US generals: Grant, LeMay, Patton and Eisenhower. When I interviewed him at the 92nd Street Y, I asked him a question about the presidency of General Dwight Eisenhower

1. Gen. Wesley Clark, Democracy Now! interview, 2007
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLBzzaQKAsgNOJYpr92FqqUnuK_BhpDAET&v=bSL3JqorkdU
2. Gen. Wesley Clark, Democracy Now! interview, 2007
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAJxN8NYTwA&list=PLBzzaQKAsgNOJYpr92FqqUnuK_BhpDAET&index=2
3. Gen. Wesley Clark, Democracy Now! interview 2007
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ15UqgsaV0&list=PLBzzaQKAsgNOJYpr92FqqUnuK_BhpDAET&index=3
4. Gen. Wesley Clark, Democracy Now! interview, 2007
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsBKSrfYvjM&list=PLBzzaQKAsgNOJYpr92FqqUnuK_BhpDAET&index=4
Wesley Clark, "Don't Wait for the Next War"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKOJhRKqAtI
Plans for Middle East - U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark | HD 1080p
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz5fZziMWEE
Wesley Clark - This Country was Taken Over by a Group of People
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzmW8c66UaI
John Pilger's "The War You Don't See" -- watch it NOW in full for free.
http://johnpilger.com/videos/the-war-you-dont-see
Jim Tucker's BILDERBERG DIARY -- a MUST read!
http://shop.americanfreepress.net/store/p/54-JIM-TUCKER-S-BILDERBERG-DIARY.html
Gen. Wesley Clark weighs presidential bid
https://www.democracynow.org/2007/3/2/gen_wesley_clark_weighs_presidential_bid
Wesley Clark to Fox News Bimbo We use radical Islamists for
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB-YGMWI7vY
The Plan -- according to U.S. General Wesley Clark (Ret.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXS3vW47mOE
Putin on the destruction of the Middle East -- Must watch!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy5F5nDuXYY

AMY GOODMAN: 1953 was also a seminal date for today, and that was when Kermit Roosevelt, the grandson of Teddy Roosevelt, went to Iran and led a coup against Mohammed Mossadegh under Eisenhower.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: People make mistakes. And one of the mistakes that the United States consistently made was that it could intervene and somehow adjust people's governments, especially in the Middle East. I don't know why we felt that -- you can understand Latin America, because Latin America was always an area in which people would come to the United States, say, "You've got to help us down there. These are banditos, and they don't know anything. And, you know, they don't have a government. Just intervene and save our property." And the United States did it a lot in the '20s. Of course, Eisenhower was part of that culture. He had seen it.

But in the Middle East, we had never been there. We established a relationship during World War II, of course, to keep the Germans out of Iran. And so, the Soviets and the Brits put an Allied mission together. At the end of World War II, the Soviets didn't want to withdraw, and Truman called their bluff in the United Nations. And Eisenhower knew all of this. And Iran somehow became incorporated into the American defense perimeter. And so, his view would have been, we couldn't allow a communist to take over.

AMY GOODMAN: But wasn't it more about British Petroleum?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Oh, it's always -- there are always interests. The truth is, about the Middle East is, had there been no oil there, it would be like Africa. Nobody is threatening to intervene in Africa. The problem is the opposite. We keep asking for people to intervene and stop it. There's no question that the presence of petroleum throughout the region has sparked great power involvement. Whether that was the specific motivation for the coup or not, I can't tell you. But there was definitely -- there's always been this attitude that somehow we could intervene and use force in the region. I mean, that was true with -- I mean, imagine us arming and creating the Mujahideen to keep the Soviets out of Afghanistan. Why would we think we could do that? But we did. And, you know, my lesson on it is, whenever you use force, there are unintended consequences, so you should use force as a last resort. Whether it's overt or covert, you pay enormous consequences for using force.

AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to ask you about what you think of the response to Jimmy Carter's book, Peace, Not Apartheid.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I'm sorry to say I haven't read the book. And it's one of the things I've been meaning to read, and I just haven't. I will tell you this, that we're in a very, very difficult position in Israel. I say "we," because every American president has committed to the protection and survival of the state of Israel. And I think that's right. And I certainly feel that way, and I'm a very strong supporter of Israel.

But somehow we've got to move off top dead center in terms of these discussions with the Palestinians. And this administration has failed to lead. They came into office basically determined not to do anything that Bill Clinton did. I think that was the basic guideline. And so, they have allowed unremitting violence between Israel and the Palestinians with hardly an effort to stop that through US leadership. And now, it's almost too late. So Condi was over there the other day, and she didn't achieve what she wanted to achieve, and people want to blame the Saudis. But at least the Saudis tried to do something at Mecca by putting together a unity government. So I fault the administration.

Jimmy Carter has taken a lot of heat from people. I don't know exactly what he said in the book. But people are very sensitive about Israel in this country. And I understand that. A lot of my friends have explained it to me and have explained to me the psychology of people who were in this country and saw what was happening in World War II, and maybe they didn't feel like they spoke out strongly enough, soon enough, to stop it. And it's not going to happen again.

AMY GOODMAN: General Clark, I wanted to ask you a tough question about journalists.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, now, that would be the first tough question you've asked me tonight.

AMY GOODMAN: There are more than a hundred journalists and media workers in Iraq who have died. And particularly hard hit are Arab journalists. I mean, you had Tariq Ayoub, the Al Jazeera reporter, who died on the roof of Al Jazeera when the US military shelled Al Jazeera, then went on to shell the Palestine Hotel and killed two reporters, a Reuters cameraman and one from Telecinco in Spain named Jose Couso. Many Arab journalists feel like they have been targeted, the idea of shooting the messenger. But this tough question goes back to your being Supreme Allied Commander in Yugoslavia and the bombing of Radio Television Serbia. Do you regret that that happened, that you did that?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: No, I don't regret that at all. That was part of the Serb command and control network. And not only that, I was asked to take out that television by a lot of important political leaders. And before I took it out, I twice warned the Serbs we were going to take it out. We stopped, at one news conference in the Pentagon, we planted the question to get the attention of the Serbs, that we were going to target Serb Radio and Television.

AMY GOODMAN: RTS.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Yeah. And that night, in fact, Milosevic got the warning, because he summoned all the foreign journalists to come to a special mandatory party at RTS that night. But we weren't bombing that night. We put the word out twice before we actually I did it.

AMY GOODMAN: You told CNN, which was also there, to leave?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I told -- I used -- I think I used CNN to plant the story and to leak it at the Pentagon press conference. But we didn't tell anyone specifically to leave. What we told them was it's now a target. And it was Milosevic who determined that he would keep people there in the middle of the night just so there would be someone killed if we struck it. So we struck it during the hours where there were not supposed to be anybody there.

AMY GOODMAN: But you killed civilians.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Six people died.

AMY GOODMAN: I think sixteen. But I think it's the media -- it's the beauticians, the technicians. It was a civilian target.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Yeah, they were ordered to stay there by Milosevic. Yeah.

AMY GOODMAN: But it was a civilian target.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: It was not a civilian target. It was a military target. It was part of the Serb command and control network

AMY GOODMAN: What do you think of Amnesty International calling it a war crime?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think it was investigated by the International Criminal Tribunal in Yugoslavia and found to be a legitimate target. So I think it's perfectly alright for Amnesty International to have their say, but everything we did was approved by lawyers, and every target was blessed. We would not have committed a war crime.

AMY GOODMAN: Upon reflection now and knowing who died there, the young people, the people who worked for RTS, who -- as you said, if Milosevic wanted people to stay there, they were just following orders.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, it was a tragedy. But I'll tell you something. If you want to talk about tragedies, how about this one? We bombed what we thought was a Serb police station in Kosovo. We saw the Serb vehicles. We flew unmanned aerial vehicles over it. And we did everything we could to identify it. And we found that there were Serb police vehicles parked there at night, so we sent an F-16 in, dropped two 500-pound laser-guided bombs and took it out. We killed eighty Albanians who had been imprisoned by the Serbs there. They were trying to escape, and the Serbs locked them up in this farmhouse and surrounded them with vehicles. So, I regret every single innocent person who died, and I prayed every night that there wouldn't be any innocent people who died. But this is why I say you must use force only as a last resort.

I told this story to the high school kids earlier, but it bears repeating, I guess. We had a malfunction with a cluster bomb unit, and a couple of grenades fell on a schoolyard, and some, I think three, schoolchildren were killed in Nish. And two weeks later, I got a letter from a Serb grandfather. He said, "You've killed my granddaughter." He said, "I hate you for this, and I'll kill you." And I got this in the middle of the war. And it made me very, very sad. We certainly never wanted to do anything like that. But in war, accidents happen. And that's why you shouldn't undertake military operations unless every other alternative has been exhausted, because innocent people do die. And I think the United States military was as humane and careful as it possibly could have been in the Kosovo campaign. But still, civilians died. And I'll always regret that.

AMY GOODMAN: Do you think cluster bombs should be banned?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: You know, we used, I think 1,400-plus cluster bombs. And there's a time when you have to use cluster bombs: when they're the most appropriate and humane weapon. But I think you have to control the use very carefully. And I think we did in Yugoslavia.

AMY GOODMAN: Right now, the US has rejected an international call to ban the use of cluster bombs. On Friday, forty-six countries were in Oslo to develop a new international treaty to ban the use of cluster munitions by -- I think it's 2008. Would you support that?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, you know, people who are against war often make the case by trying to attack the weapons of war and stripping away the legitimacy of those weapons. I've participated in some of that. I'd like to get rid of landmines. I did participate in getting rid of laser blinding weapons. And I was part of the team that put together the agreement that got rid of laser blinding weapons. I'd like to get rid of nuclear weapons. But I can't agree with those who say that force has no place in international affairs. It simply does for this country. And I would like to work to make it so that it doesn't. But the truth is, for now it does. And so, I can't go against giving our men and women in uniform the appropriate weapons they need to fight, to fight effectively to succeed on the battlefield, and to minimize their own casualties.

AMY GOODMAN: Well, we'll have to leave it there. I thank you very much, General Wesley Clark.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.

AMY GOODMAN: General Wesley Clark. I interviewed him at the 92nd Street Y, the cultural center here in New York, on the publication of the Great General Series, on Grant, LeMay, Patton and Eisenhower.

Brandon Turbeville writes for Activist Post -- article archive here [http://www.activistpost.com/tag/brandon-turbeville] -- He is the author of seven books, Codex Alimentarius -- The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1 and volume 2, The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria, The Difference it Makes: 36 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Should Never Be President, and Resisting The Empire: The Plan To Destroy Syria And How The Future Of The World Depends On The Outcome. Turbeville has published over 1000 articles on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbeville's radio show Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. His website is BrandonTurbeville.com He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com.

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Idaho Moves Bill Nullifying NDAA Indefinite Detention
Written by Alex Newman
Wednesday, 31 January 2018
https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/28170-idaho-moves-bill-nullifying-ndaa-indefinite-detention

Lawmakers in Idaho voted unanimously Wednesday morning to move forward legislation that would prohibit the indefinite detainment of Americans by the federal government or anyone else in that state. If passed into law, the bill would nullify unconstitutional provisions of the infamous 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which purported to authorize the capture and imprisonment of citizens by the military without any semblance of due process. While some local governments in Idaho have already passed similar measures, activists and lawmakers say it is important that residents all over the state be protected from the unconstitutional abuses by the federal government. After being approved in a committee hearing, the measure now moves on to be formally considered by the legislature.

***
The indefinite detention provisions of the 2012 NDAA, passed by Congress and signed by Obama, [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/14512-states-join-the-fight-to-nullify-indefinite-detention-under-ndaa] pretended to authorize the U.S. military to arrest and detain indefinitely anyone whom federal officials claim is a "suspected terrorist." Under the scheme, even U.S. citizens captured in America could be held in a military facility forever without even being accused of wrongdoing or formally charged with a crime -- much less having a trial by jury, legal counsel, or an opportunity to present evidence and contest the detainment. As neoconservative globalist U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) put it while shilling for the measure, "it designates the world as the battlefield, including the homeland." Graham also ridiculed those who would someday be detained under the measure: "Shut up! You don't get a lawyer!"

***
Ostensibly a tool for waging the global so-called "terror war" even within the "Homeland," critics say the NDAA measure is a blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution, the God-given rights protected under it, and Anglo-Saxon legal traditions of due process going back more than a millennium. In fact, so outrageous are the relevant provisions trampling due process and other inalienable rights that the scheme sparked rare unity across the political spectrum. At least on indefinite detention by the military, conservatives, liberals, Tea Party activists, constitutionalists, Occupy Wall Street protesters, and more have all joined forces -- and not just because all of those groups and many others have been identified as potential extremists or terrorists in government documents.

The bipartisan unity on this issue was evident in Idaho, where the legislation to nullify the NDAA was sponsored by a Republican and a Democrat, and was supported by activists on the Left, the Right, and everywhere in-between. Lawmakers from both parties also voted unanimously to move the bill forward after its initial hearing in committee, known as a "print" hearing because it determines whether the bill will be printed and considered by the legislature. One of its key sponsors also emphasized the trans-partisan nature of the support for the legislation protecting fundamental, inalienable rights of American citizens.

"I'm honored to run this bill," said State Representative Bryan Zollinger, the Republican sponsor, after giving the history of the NDAA and explaining its constitutional problems during the initial hearing. "People from all parties agree that this NDAA is unconstitutional, and just about all legal experts would agree that this NDAA is an unconstitutional act." Indeed, in his brief comments urging colleagues to move the bill forward, the Republican lawmaker noted that everyone from left-wing MSNBC personality Rachel Maddow to constitutional conservative pundit Judge Andrew Napolitano have blasted the NDAA as a clear violation of the Constitution. On the Democratic side, State Representative Paulette Jordan, who is running for governor, also sponsored the bill.

When questioned by his colleagues about the implications of the nullification bill, dubbed the Restore Constitutional Governance Act, Representative Zollinger noted that it would have protected, for instance, Japanese-Americans in Idaho during World War II from the "tragedy" of being indefinitely interned in camps. That round-up of mostly U.S. citizens was carried out under the purported "authority" of an "executive order" by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that was rubber-stamped by the Supreme Court. But while similar abuses may seem unlikely today, under the indefinite detention provisions of the NDAA, they are certainly conceivable. Indeed, even late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia warned law students in 2014 that "you are kidding yourself if you think the same thing will not happen again."
https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/17571-supreme-court-justice-scalia-warns-of-u-s-internment-camps

The legislation, which as of January 31 was still awaiting a bill number, makes it unlawful for "any person" -- including soldiers, federal agents, law-enforcement officers, or anyone else -- to kidnap or kill anyone in Idaho "under the law of war." That prohibition applies even if the kidnapper or killer was a government agent acting under a purported "authority" or "law" enacted at the state, local, or federal level. "Any person in violation of this act shall be prosecuted under the criminal code relating to, but not limited to, assault, battery, kidnapping, and/or murder, as applicable," the bill says. In other words, anyone who follows unconstitutional orders to murder or kidnap Americans in violation of the Constitution would be prosecuted. So it is a nullification bill, "with teeth," as supporters put it.

Of course, exceptions are provided in the legislation for applying the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to members of the Armed Services who may be serving in Idaho, as provided in the U.S. Constitution. But beyond that, using the military or other government agency to round up and indefinitely detain American citizens in Idaho under the guise of the "terror war," without respect for due process, would be strictly prohibited. "It is the determination of Congress that the United States is not a 'battlefield' subject to the 'laws of war,' and that neither Congress nor the President can constitutionally apply the 'laws of war' to any person in the United States, or citizen of the United States, who is not serving" in the Armed Services in time of war, the bill says.

***
In a short discussion on his bill that was posted on social media, [https://www.facebook.com/pandaID1776/videos/1646821315398160/] Representative Zollinger explained to the public why the measure is so important. The NDAA provisions in question purport to "allow the federal government, under wartime law, to come in and arrest a citizen without due process," he warned, adding that his legislation would "ineffectualize" the unconstitutional abuses. Already, "a few cities in Idaho have actually done that, as well as several other states, and I think it's time we hop onboard," Zollinger continued, noting that U.S. Representative Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) had voted against the NDAA scheme in Congress. "So we're going to go ahead and try to ineffectuate that law and say, 'we're a sovereign state, and we're going to give our citizens due process,' that's all this does."

Activists and leaders advocating for the measure also explained how important it was. "It doesn't matter what you stand for or against, as long as the powers of the 2012 NDAA exist, you can be declared a 'terrorist' and indefinitely detained without charge or trial," warned Jason Casella, the national and Idaho director of People Against the NDAA (PANDA), [http://pandaunite.org/] which has helped rally nationwide resistance to the NDAA all across the political spectrum. "The Idaho Restoring Constitutional Governance Act bans the president from using the laws of war to indefinitely detain anyone without charge or trial, and places criminal penalties on any federal or state agents who violate those rights."

Casella noted that the same bill was introduced in 2014 in Idaho. And while it passed the print hearing, which decides whether the legislation will get a bill number and move forward, it never got a public hearing by the full legislature due to statehouse leadership. But this time around, Casella told The New American that, being an election year, he expects lawmakers will not want to explain to their constituents why they blocked legislation designed to protect the most basic liberties of citizens. "From the Tea Party to Occupy Wall Street and anywhere and everywhere in-between, Americans want their rights respected," he said. "The NDAA gives the federal government the power to violate our most fundamental rights, and now we have a chance to right that mistake and defend basic human rights in Idaho."

At the federal level, lawmakers who take their oath of office to the Constitution seriously have long been working to make clear that kidnapping Americans without charges is unconstitutional. Last year, Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) introduced [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/26611-citing-indefinite-detention-sen-paul-delays-ndaa] the Sixth Amendment Preservation Act (S.1300),[https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1300/] which would "prohibit the indefinite detention of persons by the United States." Under the measure, no person could be imprisoned or otherwise detained by the federal government except in a manner consistent with the U.S. Constitution. "A general authorization to use military force, a declaration of war, or any similar authority, on its own, shall not be construed to authorize the imprisonment or detention without charge or trial of a person apprehended in the United States," reads the legislation, which is still sitting in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

At the state and local level, policymakers from across the political spectrum have also been working hard to nullify the NDAA's indefinite detention provisions. The efforts are in keeping with the advice of American Founding Fathers including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, who said nullification of unconstitutional federal usurpations was the "rightful remedy." [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/11158-the-case-for-nullification] A number of states, ranging from liberal California to conservative Alaska to now-purple Virginia, have already passed laws nullifying the NDAA. In some states, such as Michigan, [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/15153-michigan-house-unanimously-passes-ndaa-nullification-bill] lawmakers even voted unanimously to nullify the unconstitutional power grab by the feds. Dozens of cities and counties have approved measures to nullify NDAA as well. Whether Idaho will become the next jurisdiction to do so likely depends on the work of activists in that state.

Photo: hoozone/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Alex Newman is a correspondent for The New American, covering economics, education, politics, and more. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow him on Twitter @ALEXNEWMAN_JOU or on Facebook.

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States Join the Fight to Nullify Indefinite Detention Under NDAA

Michigan House Unanimously Passes NDAA Nullification Bill

Arizona Bill Would Nullify NDAA's Indefinite Detention

California Bill Would Nullify NDAA, Protect Citizens From Indefinite Detention

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States Join the Fight to Nullify Indefinite Detention Under NDAA
Written by Joe Wolverton, II, J.D.
Thursday, 14 February 2013
https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/14512-states-join-the-fight-to-nullify-indefinite-detention-under-ndaa

President Barack Obama signed the latest National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law on January 2, renewing the power to apprehend and detain Americans indefinitely granted in the previous year's version.

In order to protect their citizens from being grabbed and imprisoned under the provisions of the NDAA, many state lawmakers are standing up to the federal government, proposing resolutions nullifying this unconstitutional power at the state borders.

Nullification is a concept of constitutional law recognizing the right of each state to nullify, or invalidate, any federal measure that exceeds the few and defined powers allowed the federal government as enumerated in the U.S. Constitution.

Nullification exists as a right of the states because the sovereign states formed the union, and as creators of the compact, they hold ultimate authority as to the limits of the power of the central government to enact laws that are applicable to the states and the citizens thereof.

As President Obama continues accumulating all legislative, executive, and judicial power, the need for nullification is urgent, and liberty-minded citizens are encouraged to see state legislators boldly asserting their right to restrain the federal government through application of that very powerful and very constitutional principle.

The House of Representatives of Washington, for example, is considering the "Washington State Preservation of Liberty Act." Introduced earlier this month, this bill "condemns and criminalizes" the use of the indefinite detention provision of the NDAA.

H.B. 1581 enjoys bipartisan support. The bill's primary sponsor is state Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos (D), who is joined by at least eight other Democrats and 12 Republicans.

The state senate in the the Evergreeen State is considering a companion bill, co-sponsored by Democrats Bob Hosegawa and Maralyn Chase.

Both measures intend to prevent the president from sending the military to arrest and detain Washingtonians, under the authority of Section 1021 of the Fiscal Year 2012 NDAA.

Section 4 of H.B. 1581 prohibits:

state or local official or employee, or agent of the state of Washington, or employee of a corporation providing services to the state of Washington, or member of the national guard or state defense forces acting in his or her capacity as a state or local official or employee, or agent of the state of Washington, or employee of a corporation providing services to the state of Washington, or member of the national guard or state defense forces...

from knowingly participating in the "investigation or detainment of a United States citizen or lawful resident alien located within the United States of America by the armed forces of the United States of America."

Another section makes a violation of this prohibition a felony.

As of press time, The Preservation of Liberty Act sits in the House's Committee on Public Safety.

Sponsors await the scheduling by committee chairmen of a hearing on the bill.

As reported by the Examiner, "last year's version of the bill died in committee, so supporters are urged by activists to pressure the chairmen of the committees to act while the tide is high."

In the nation's heartland, as well, state representatives are standing up for the constitutional rights of their constituents.

Kansas state Representative Brett Hildabrand has introduced HB 2161, a bill protecting Kansans from being nabbed and detained by the military operating under orders from the president as authorized by the NDAA.

One notable and noteworthy aspect of the Kansas legislation is described by a report published buy the Tenth Amendment Center.

This bill is different from and quite a bit stronger than previous bills introduced around the country to nullify NDAA indefinite detention. It includes kidnapping charges for federal agents attempting to arrest people in Kansas without due process.

Legally speaking, when a suspect is denied of his constitutionally protected rights of due process, any detention -- regardless of the detaining authority -- is nothing less than government-sanctioned kidnapping. The Kansas bill appreciates this legal reality.

Hildabrand's bill states, in part: "A person who violates the provisions of this section may also be prosecuted for, convicted of, and punished for kidnapping or aggravated kidnapping, K.S.A. 2012 Supp. 21-5408, and amendments thereto."

Anyone convicted of kidnapping as a result of his participation with the indefinite detention is subject to the following criminal penalties provided in the bill:

Kidnapping is a severity level 3 felony with a potential of 8 years in prison. Aggravated kidnapping is a severity level l felony with a prison sentence of over 20 years being possible. Both of these felonies are subject to a fine "to not exceed $300,000.

"Indefinite detainers" are also subject to being charged with a misdemeanor for the "denial of due process" of anyone apprehended under the terms of the NDAA. Punishment for conviction of violating this section could include "a definite term of confinement in the county jail which shall be fixed by the court and shall not exceed one year" and "a sum not exceeding $2,500."

"When I first heard that the federal government was considering indefinite detention, I was horrified, but I was unaware of how to fight it at the state level. After reading about anti-NDAA legislation introduced in Texas, I knew we needed to attempt the same thing in Kansas," said Representative Hildabrand, as quoted by the Tenth Amendment Center.

He continued, "The kidnapping portion was added to convey the seriousness of the offense. If a non-government official were to take someone against their will and hold them without access to the outside world, we would consider that a kidnapping. If a government official does the same thing, without granting access to a lawyer or the courts, I see no difference."

In a final denial of federal usurpation of police power, Representative Hildabrand's bill protects citizens in the Sunflower State from being placed under the jurisdiction of the U.S. military.

"I believe that a person either supports the whole Constitution, in every circumstance or they do not support it at all. Therefore, when any one is denied due process, I consider it an assault on the Constitution," Hildabrand explained.

Finally, there is news out of Texas that on February 6, a bill blocking the indefinite detention provision of the NDAA was placed before the Federalism and Fiscal Responsibility Committee of the state House of Representatives.

The Texas bill (HB 149), like those in Washington and Kansas, aims at denying the president the power to apprehend and indefinitely detain citizens without affording them their constitutionally protected due process rights.

Criminal penalties are provided in the bill for federal agents attempting to execute the indefinite detention provisions of the NDAA within the state of Texas. Penalties for conviction are set at "one year, a fine of not more than $10,000, or both the confinement and the fine."

These state legislators stand on very sound constitutional ground in their battle against federal overreaching. Acts of the federal government that exceed the constitutional boundaries on its power are null, void, and of no legal effect. In fact, they are not laws at all. As Alexander Hamilton explained in The Federalist, No. 33:

If a number of political societies enter into a larger political society, the laws which the latter may enact, pursuant to the powers intrusted [sic] to it by its constitution, must necessarily be supreme over those societies and the individuals of whom they are composed.... But it will not follow from this doctrine that acts of the larger society which are not pursuant to its constitutional powers, but which are invasions of the residuary authorities of the smaller societies, will become the supreme law of the land. These will be merely acts of usurpation, and will deserve to be treated as such. [Emphasis in original.]

Joe A. Wolverton, II, J.D. is a correspondent for The New American and travels frequently nationwide speaking on topics of nullification, the NDAA, and the surveillance state. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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Alabama Bill Would Encourage Use of Gold and Silver in Trade
https://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/economics/item/28162-alabama-bill-would-encourage-use-of-gold-and-silver-in-trade

Tuesday, 30 January 2018
Alabama Bill Would Encourage Use of Gold and Silver in Trade
Written by Alex Newman

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Alabama Bill Would Encourage Use of Gold and Silver in Trade

Legislation making its way through the Alabama legislature would exempt gold and silver from state taxes, thereby facilitating the use of precious metals in commerce while ending what supporters of the legislation say is unfair treatment of dealers and investors. The implications -- even if unintended -- could be huge, supporters say.

Similar bills in various states across America were specifically intended to gradually sideline the debt-based Federal Reserve Notes and to instead stimulate trade in metals, long viewed as "real money." But while lawmakers and citizens involved in the Alabama legislation said that might be a "collateral benefit" of this particular legislation, it was not the original intent. Still, advocates of a sound monetary system celebrated the bill as a positive development.

Under the legislation, the proceeds from the sale of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bullion would be exempt from state sales and use taxes -- at least for the next five years, and possibly longer if the measure were renewed by the legislature. The exemption applies to bars, ingots, and coins, though not jewelry. The bill would add precious metals to a list of other goods and services that are statutorily exempt from such taxes.

In the State Senate, the legislation is known as SB156 and was introduced by Senator Tim Melson (R-Florence). The next stop for the bill is the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee. If it gets out of committee by majority vote, it will move to the full Senate, officials at the legislature explained. Melson could not be reached for comment on his bill.

On the Alabama House side, HB19, the companion bill, was introduced by State Representative Ron Johnson, also a Republican. In a phone interview, Representative Johnson told The New American that sales taxes on precious metals and coins generate a measly $200,000 a year for the state, and that this measure could help bring in much more.

Already, Johnson said his office has received multiple calls from businesses that would like to host coin and metals conventions in Alabama, but would not be able to do so and remain competitive if the sales and use taxes remain in place. "We expect this bill would help bring in millions in increased revenues for state and local governments," added Johnson, noting that some other states do not tax gold or silver.

When asked whether the bill was intended as a way to promote precious metals in commerce, Graham Champion, a contractor and lobbyist representing coin and bullion dealers in Alabama who is helping push the bill, said that was not the original intent. However, "that could be a collateral benefit of the legislation, yes," he explained in a phone interview with The New American.

"The simple reason why we need this bill is that we should not have a sales tax on investments," he said, noting that there are no such taxes on real estate or other investments. "Precious metals are an investment, they aren't a commodity that's going to be consumed. And so it doesn't make sense to treat these differently."

"This legislation fixes that problem," added Graham, echoing comments by Johnson and other supporters of the measure. "Other states around Alabama recognize this, so we want to level the playing field for metals dealers and coin dealers in the state of Alabama."

But regardless of the authors' primary intent, sound money advocates and constitutionalists have already started rallying around the legislation. Among the influential organizations now touting the bill is the Tenth Amendment Center, a national non-profit organization that advocates nullification of unconstitutional federal acts by state governments as prescribed by some of America's most important Founders.

In a post this month about the bill, TAC Communications Director Mike Maharrey touted the benefits of sound money, as well as the importance of ending taxes on gold and silver. "Imagine if you asked a grocery clerk to break a $5 bill and he charged you a 35 cent tax," he wrote. "Silly, right? After all, you were only exchanging one form of money for another. But that's essentially what Alabama's sales tax on gold and silver bullion does."

The article, headlined "Alabama Bill Would Encourage Use of Gold and Silver as Money," goes on to explain why the Alabama bill is so important. "By removing the sales tax on the exchange of gold and silver, Alabama would treat specie as money instead of a commodity," wrote Maharrey, author of the book Our Last Hope: Rediscovering the lost path to liberty. "This represents a small step toward reestablishing gold and silver as legal tender and breaking down the Fed's monopoly on money."

On a practical level, Maharrey and the TAC noted that ending taxes on gold and silver sales would "crack open the door" for people to be able to use precious metals in regular business transactions. "This would mark an important small step toward currency competition," Maharrey added. "If sound money gains a foothold in the marketplace against Federal Reserve notes, the people would be able to choose the time-tested stability of gold and silver over the central bank's rapidly-depreciating paper currency."

As it relates to the Constitution, Maharrey pointed to Article I, Section 10, which prohibits states from making "any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts." The TAC and many other advocates of enforcing the Constitution contend that this crucial constitutional provision has simply been ignored by state governments for far too long -- and that it must change.

In fact, states have, in many cases, made it practically impossible to use gold and silver as money due to the taxes imposed that treat the metals as commodities rather than money. "This Alabama bill takes a step towards that constitutional requirement, ignored for decades in every state," Maharrey noted. "Such a tactic would set the stage to undermine the monopoly of the Federal Reserve by introducing competition into the monetary system."

Citing constitutional tender expert William Greene, the piece goes on to argue that the introduction of precious metals in commerce alongside of Federal Reserve Notes at the state level would effectively "nullify" the Federal Reserve and its monopoly on currency. Professor Greene is quoted saying that sound money could drive out the perpetually declining fiat money created by the Fed as people realize that metals hold their value while the purchasing power of Federal Reserve Notes is constantly shrinking.

"As this happens, a cascade of events can begin to occur, including the flow of real wealth toward the state's treasury, an influx of banking business from outside of the state -- as people in other states carry out their desire to bank with sound money -- and an eventual outcry against the use of Federal Reserve notes for any transactions," argued Professor Greene in a paper for the market-oriented Ludwig von Mises Institute.

Alabama has been among the leading states in resisting usurped and unconstitutional authority by the federal government. For instance, the state became the first in America to ban the implementation of the controversial United Nations "Agenda 21" program of "sustainable development," citing massive attacks on private property rights. Every single lawmaker, both Democrat and Republican, voted to nullify the radical UN scheme.

But on money, other states have been far more aggressive. Indeed, multiple states have already taken important steps to make competition in money a reality, starting with Utah. In 2011, the "Utah Legal Tender Act" became law, ending taxes on certain forms of precious metals. One of the lawmakers behind the bill explained that it was a way to "hold up our economy as the dollar continues to shrink." Other legislators made similar remarks.

Numerous other states have since passed similar measures. But the boldest move thus far was made by Texas. In 2015, lawmakers passed and the governor signed a bill creating the Texas Bullion Depository. Among other benefits, the bill's chief sponsor, State Representative Giovanni Capriglione, noted that it allows customers to conduct commerce "outside of the Federal Reserve System." The depository is expected to open very soon.

While the Alabama lawmakers and businesses pushing the bill may not have intended it, the legislation exempting gold and silver from state taxes could represent another important step on the road toward restoring at least the option to use sound money in commerce. Of course, even though President Donald Trump has a good understanding of the problem, America is still a long way from restoring an honest money system. But by legalizing currency competition by ending taxes on gold and silver, states are laying a foundation that could prove to be immensely beneficial in the years ahead.

Photo: Clipart.com

Alex Newman is a correspondent for The New American, covering economics, education, politics, and more. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow him on Twitter @ALEXNEWMAN_JOU or on Facebook.

Related articles [go here for these links https://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/economics/item/28162-alabama-bill-would-encourage-use-of-gold-and-silver-in-trade]:

Texas Launches Gold-backed Bank, Challenging Federal Reserve

Oklahoma Affirms Gold and Silver as Legal Tender

Gold and Silver Currency Bills: Will States Nullify the Fed's Money Monopoly?

Missouri Sound Money Act Would Make Gold & Silver Legal Tender

Alabama Adopts First Official State Ban on UN Agenda 21

Blasting "False Economy," Trump Takes on the Federal Reserve

Fed Manipulations in the Crosshairs

The Federal Reserve: Bankers for the New World Order

Central Bankers Prepare to Flood the World with More Funny Money

Texas Bill Would Prepare for Federal Meltdown
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DOJ, DHS Report: Three Out of Four Individuals Convicted of International Terrorism and Terrorism-Related Offenses were Foreign-Born
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/doj-dhs-report-three-out-four-individuals-convicted-international-terrorism-and-terrorism
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
DOJ, DHS Report: Three Out of Four Individuals Convicted of International Terrorism and Terrorism-Related Offenses were Foreign-Born
Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Release Data for the First Time on Terrorism-Related Activity

Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a report, revealing that three out of every four, or 402, individuals convicted of international terrorism-related charges in U.S. federal courts between September 11, 2001, and December 31, 2016 were foreign-born. Over the same period, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed approximately 1,716 aliens with national security concerns. Further, in 2017 alone DHS had 2,554 encounters with individuals on the terrorist watch list (also known as the FBI's Terrorist Screening Database) traveling to the United States.

This report was required by Section 11 of President Trump's Executive Order 13780, Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States, which declared that "it is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, including those committed by foreign nationals," directed a series of actions to enhance the security and safety of the American people. The actions directed by Executive Order have raised the baseline for the vetting and screening of foreign nationals, prevented the entry of malicious actors, and enhanced the safety and security of the American people.

"This report reveals an indisputable sobering reality -- our immigration system has undermined our national security and public safety," said Attorney General Sessions. "And the information in this report is only the tip of the iceberg: we currently have terrorism-related investigations against thousands of people in the United States, including hundreds of people who came here as refugees. Our law enforcement professionals do amazing work, but it is simply not reasonable to keep asking them to risk their lives to enforce the law while we admit thousands every year without sufficient knowledge about their backgrounds. The pillars of President Trump's immigration policy -- securing our porous borders, moving to a merit-based immigration system that ends the use of diversity visas and chain migration, and enforcing our nation's laws -- will make their jobs easier and make the United States a safer place."

"My top priority as Secretary of Homeland Security is to ensure the safety and security of the American people," said Secretary Nielsen. "This report is a clear reminder of why we cannot continue to rely on immigration policy based on pre-9/11 thinking that leaves us woefully vulnerable to foreign-born terrorists, and why we must examine our visa laws and continue to intensify screening and vetting of individuals traveling to the United States to prevent terrorists, criminals, and other dangerous individuals from reaching our country. Without legislative change, DHS will continue to see thousands of terrorists a year attempt to enter the United States, and while we must be right every time, the terrorists only need to be lucky once. Therefore, DHS has personnel deployed around the world and along our borders working with our global and domestic law enforcement partners to stop terrorists before they enter the homeland."

The report reveals that at least 549 individuals were convicted of international terrorism-related charges in U.S. federal courts between September 11, 2001, and December 31, 2016. An analysis conducted by DHS determined that approximately 73 percent (402 of these 549 individuals) were foreign-born. Breaking down the 549 individuals by citizenship status at the time of their respective convictions reveals that:

254 were not U.S. citizens;
148 were foreign-born, naturalized and received U.S. citizenship; and,
147 were U.S. citizens by birth.

According to information available to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), since September 11, 2001, there were approximately 1,716 removals of aliens with national security concerns.

As mentioned above, in FY 2017, DHS encountered 2,554 individuals on the terrorist watchlist (also known as the FBI's Terrorist Screening Database) traveling to the United States. Of those individuals, 335 were attempting to enter by land, 2,170 were attempting to enter by air, and 49 were attempting to enter by sea. Where consistent with the law, such individuals are denied entry into the United States, while in some cases law enforcement authorities are notified and can take appropriate action.

From October 1, 2011, to September 30, 2017, a total of 355,345 non-U.S. citizen offenders, were administratively arrested after previously being convicted of an aggravated felony, as defined in 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(43), or two or more crimes each punishable by more than one year (felony offenses). During that same period, a total of 372,098 non-U.S. citizen offenders were removed from the United States after conviction of an aggravated felony or two or more felonies.

Data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate shows that between 2007 and 2017, USCIS referred 45,858 foreign nationals who applied for immigration benefits to ICE for criminal or civil enforcement action, based on information indicating that such foreign nationals had committed egregious public safety-related offenses within the United States.

Between FY 2010 and FY 2016, CBP identified and prevented the boarding of 73,261 foreign travelers on flights destined for the United States, who may have presented an immigration or security risk.

In October, the Trump Administration sent to Congress a list of legislative priorities that would enhance our national security -- such as eliminating the diversity visa lottery and extended family chain migration, funding the wall, closing loopholes in our asylum system, combatting visa overstays, and closing other loopholes in existing law that potentially benefit aliens who pose threats to our national security.

Background on the Executive Order

Section 11 of Executive Order requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, to collect and make publicly available the following information:

Information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been charged with terrorism-related offenses while in the United States; convicted of terrorism-related offenses while in the United States; or removed from the United States based on terrorism-related activity, affiliation with or provision of material support to a terrorism-related organization, or any other national-security-related reasons;
Information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been radicalized after entry into the United States and who have engaged in terrorism-related acts, or who have provided material support to terrorism-related organizations in countries that pose a threat to the United States;
Information regarding the number and types of acts of gender-based violence against women, including so-called "honor killings," in the United States by foreign nationals; and,
Any other information relevant to public safety and security as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General, including information on the immigration status of foreign nationals charged with major offenses.

Attachment(s):
Download Executive Order 13780 Section 11 Report
https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1026436/download

Component(s): Office of the Attorney General
http://www.justice.gov/ag/

Press Release Number: 18-38
---

Bin Laden Bodyguard Living on Welfare in Germany
https://clarionproject.org/bin-laden-bodyguard-living-welfare-germany/
---

Hungarian FM responds to slander and barbs and untruths from European Union 'Human Rights' body
VladTepesBlog
https://www.bitchute.com/video/vMjn2O6k8Ywd/
https://seed02.bitchute.com/5259/vMjn2O6k8Ywd.mp4
First published at 01:01 UTC on April 29th, 2018.
This guy is a true champion of his people. I hope Hungarians value him half as much as I wish he was Canadian.
Official description:
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjárto
Answering questions after speaking to the European Parliament's LIBE Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs about the recent general election in Hungary
April 26, 2018

Related:
https://voiceofeurope.com/2018/03/thousands-of-soros-puppets-want-to-make-hungarys-government-pro-immigration/
https://voiceofeurope.com/2018/02/hungary-and-poland-we-wont-take-illegal-immigrants-and-our-cooperation-becomes-stronger/
https://voiceofeurope.com/2018/02/hungary-and-poland-we-wont-take-illegal-immigrants-and-our-cooperation-becomes-stronger
http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/09/16/hungary-builds-a-wall-cuts-illegal-immigration-by-over-99-per-cent/
The FIRE RISES: The EU's ROGUE STATE: Hungary DEFIANT - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Heda8CVBJ4c
Message to illegal immigrants from Hungary - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgJRjy2Xc0c
How Hungary Cut Illegal Immigration By Over 99% - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjWD4V-l4tA

************
For Updates see these websites and sign up for free email updates for the latest news (that is censored by mainstream news/MSM):

https://barenakedislam.com/2017/06/30/
https://barenakedislam.com/2017/06/30/eu-officials-livid-that-donald-trumps-next-foreign-trip-is-to-poland-which-has-a-no-muslim-migrant-policy/
http://barenakedislam.com/2018/01/14/south-dakota-republican-lawmaker-under-fire-for-attacking-islam-in-an-interfaith-meeting-asking-if-you-dont-have-the-freedom-to-leave-a-religion-is-there-freedom-of-religion-in-that-faith/

https://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/
https://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2017/03/29/video-dept-of-educations-islamic-indoctrination-program-for-public-schools/

https://www.jihadwatch.org/
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2007/10/feds-recommend-closing-saudi-school-in-virginia
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2009/03/virginia-saudi-academy-revises-textbooks-yet-hatred-and-intolerance-still-lurk

http://gatesofvienna.net/
http://gatesofvienna.net/2013/12/the-doctrine-of-abrogation/

https://vladtepesblog.com/
vladtepesblog.com
https://vladtepesblog.com/category/irrational-leftism/frankfurt-school/

PI-NEWS Politically Incorrect
www.pi-news.net

https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/
https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/articles/10-reasons-not-peace.aspx
https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/muhammad/index.aspx
---

******
How False Flag Operations Are Carried Out Today
Written by Philip Giraldi
Thursday April 26, 2018
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2018/april/26/how-false-flag-operations-are-carried-out-today/

False Flag is a concept that goes back centuries. It was considered to be a legitimate ploy by the Greeks and Romans, where a military force would pretend to be friendly to get close to an enemy before dropping the pretense and raising its banners to reveal its own affiliation just before launching an attack. In the sea battles of the eighteenth century among Spain, France and Britain hoisting an enemy flag instead of one's own to confuse the opponent was considered to be a legitimate ruse de guerre, but it was only "honorable" if one reverted to one's own flag before engaging in combat.

Today's false flag operations are generally carried out by intelligence agencies and non-government actors including terrorist groups, but they are only considered successful if the true attribution of an action remains secret. There is nothing honorable about them as their intention is to blame an innocent party for something that it did not do. There has been a lot of such activity lately and it was interesting to learn by way of a leak that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has developed a capability to mimic the internet fingerprints of other foreign intelligence services. That means that when the media is trumpeting news reports that the Russians or Chinese hacked into U.S. government websites or the sites of major corporations, it could actually have been the CIA carrying out the intrusion and making it look like it originated in Moscow or Beijing. Given that capability, there has been considerable speculation in the alternative media that it was actually the CIA that interfered in the 2016 national elections in the United States.

False flags can be involved in other sorts of activity as well. The past year's two major alleged chemical attacks carried out against Syrian civilians that resulted in President Donald Trump and associates launching 160 cruise missiles are pretty clearly false flag operations carried out by the rebels and terrorist groups that controlled the affected areas at the time. The most recent reported attack on April 7th might not have occurred at all according to doctors and other witnesses who were actually in Douma. Because the rebels succeeded in convincing much of the world that the Syrian government had carried out the attacks, one might consider their false flag efforts to have been extremely successful.

The remedy against false flag operations such as the recent one in Syria is, of course, to avoid taking the bait and instead waiting until a thorough and objective inspection of the evidence has taken place. The United States, Britain and France did not do that, preferring instead to respond to hysterical press reports by "doing something." If the U.N. investigation of the alleged attack turns up nothing, a distinct possibility, it is unlikely that they will apologize for having committed a war crime.

The other major false flag that has recently surfaced is the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury England on March 4th. Russia had no credible motive to carry out the attack and had, in fact, good reasons not to do so. The allegations made by British Prime Minister Theresa May about the claimed nerve agent being "very likely" Russian in origin have been debunked, in part through examination by the U.K.'s own chemical weapons lab. May, under attack even within her own party, needed a good story and a powerful enemy to solidify her own hold on power so false flagging something to Russia probably appeared to be just the ticket as Moscow would hardly be able to deny the "facts" being invented in London. Unfortunately, May proved wrong and the debate ignited over her actions, which included the expulsion of twenty-three Russian diplomats, has done her severe damage. Few now believe that Russia actually carried out the poisoning and there is a growing body of opinion suggesting that it was actually a false flag executed by the British government or even by the CIA.

The lesson that should be learned from Syria and Skripal is that if "an incident" looks like it has no obvious motive behind it, there is a high probability that it is a false flag. A bit of caution in assigning blame is appropriate given that the alternative would be a precipitate and likely disproportionate response that could easily escalate into a shooting war.

Reprinted with permission from Strategic Culture Foundation.
Related
The Airwaves Are Still Heaving With Spin Two Days After US Airstrikes Against Syria - 26 September 2014
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2014/september/26/the-airwaves-are-still-heaving-with-spin-two-days-after-us-airstrikes-against-syria/
The Real Status of Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq - 5 October 2014
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2014/october/05/the-real-status-of-forces-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/
Presidents and the War Power - 8 October 2014
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2014/october/08/presidents-and-the-war-power/
The Siege Of Kobani: Obama's Syrian Fiasco In Motion - 6 October 2014
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2014/october/06/the-siege-of-kobani-obama-s-syrian-fiasco-in-motion/
Is Obama Misleading the World to War? Depends How You Define 'Misleading' - 26 September 2014
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2014/september/26/is-obama-misleading-the-world-to-war-depends-how-you-define-misleading/
---

'No Attacks, No Victims': Syria Chemical Attack Video Participants Speak At OPCW Briefing
Written by Tyler Durden
Friday April 27, 2018
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2018/april/27/no-attacks-no-victims-syria-chemical-attack-video-participants-speak-at-opcw-briefing/

http://ronpaulinstitute.org/media/121725/eleven-year-old-syrian-hasan-diab-talks-during-a-press-conference-as-a-part-of-the-video-with-his-im_374704_.jpg?width=443px&height=304px

Russian officials brought fifteen people to The Hague from the city of Douma, Syria, said to have been present during the alleged April 7 chemical attack - including 11-year-old Hassan Diab, who was seen in a widely-distributed video taken by the controversian NGO organization known as the "White Helmets," who filmed themselves giving Diab "emergency treatment" after the alleged incident.

"We were at the basement and we heard people shouting that we needed to go to a hospital. We went through a tunnel. At the hospital they started pouring cold water on me," said Diab, who was featured in the video which Russia's ambassador to the Netherlands says was staged.

The boy and his family have spoken to various media outlets, who say there was no attack.

Others present during the filming of Diab's hospital "cleanup" by the White Helmets include hospital administrator Ahmad Kashoi, who runs the emergency ward.

There were people unknown to us who were filming the emergency care, they were filming the chaos taking place inside, and were filming people being doused with water. The instruments they used to douse them with water were originally used to clean the floors actually," Ahmad Kashoi, an administrator of the emergency ward, recalled. "That happened for about an hour, we provided help to them and sent them home. No one has died. No one suffered from chemical exposure. -RT

Also speaking at The Hague was Halil al-Jaish, an emergency worker who treated people at the Douma hospital the day of the attack - who said that while some patients did come in for respiratory problems, they were attributed to heavy dust, present in the air after recent airstrikes, but that nobody showed signs of chemical warfare poisoning.

The hospital received people who suffered from smoke and dust asphyxiation on the day of the alleged attack, Muwaffak Nasrim, a paramedic who was working in emergency care, said. The panic seen in footage provided by the White Helmets was caused mainly by people shouting about the alleged use of chemical weapons, Nasrim, who witnessed the chaotic scenes, added. No patients, however, displayed symptoms of chemical weapons exposure, he said. -RT

Emergency paramedic Ahmad Saur who is with the Syrian Red Crescent, said that his hospital ward did not receive any patients exposed to chemical weapons the day of the alleged incident, and that all the patients either needed general medical care or help with injuries.

That said, none of these people's testimony will make it into the "official record" as it currently stands. Russia's permanent representative to the OPCW, Aleksandr Shulgin, said that the OPCW has already interviewed six alleged Douma witnesses brought to The Hague , and they won't interview any more.

'The others were ready too, but the experts are sticking to their own guidelines. They've picked six people, talked to them, and said they were "completely satisfied" with their account and did not have any further questions' -Aleksandr Shulgin

Shulgin also said that "certain Western countries" accusing Russia and Syria of trying to "hide" witnesses to the attack is not true.

Meanwhile, the West - unhappy with this unexpected diversion to its narrative - has called the Russian press conference a "stunt" - with Britain and France both denouncing it as an "obscene masquerade."

"This obscene masquerade does not come as a surprise from the Syrian government, which has massacred and gassed its own people for the last seven years," said France's ambassador to the Netherlands, Philippe Lalliot.

"The OPCW is not a theatre," Britain's envoy to the agency, Peter Wilson, said in a statement. "Russia's decision to misuse it is yet another Russian attempt to undermine the OPCW's work, and in particular the work of its fact-finding mission investigating chemical weapons use in Syria."

In other words, the West is happy to bomb a sovereign nation based on nothing more than non-public "evidence" suspected to have been staged and provided by the White Helmets, but when actual residents of Douma show up to tell their side of it, they are condemned as an "obscene masquerade" and denied an opportunity to submit their testimony on the record. Sounds about right for the military industrial complex which if nothing else scored a few extra billion in procurement contracts thanks to the latest farcical attack on Syria.

Reprinted with permission from ZeroHedge.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-27/no-attacks-no-victims-syria-chemical-attack-video-participants-speak-opcw-briefing
---

The Neocons Are Selling Koolaid Again!
Written by Col. W. Patrick Lang
Monday April 23, 2018
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/neocon-watch/2018/april/23/the-neocons-are-selling-koolaid-again/

http://ronpaulinstitute.org/media/121721/kool_stand-copy.jpg?width=440px&height=240px

In 2004 I published an article in the journal, Middle East Policy that was entitled "Drinking the Koolaid." The article reviewed the process by which the neocon element in the Bush Administration seized control of the process of policy formation and drove the United States in the direction of invasion of Iraq and the destruction of the apparatus of the Iraqi state. They did this through manipulation of the collective mental image Americans had of Iraq and the supposed menace posed by Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Not all the people who participated in this process were neocon in their allegiance but there were enough of them in the Bush Administration to dominate the process. Neoconism as it has evolved in American politics is a close approximation of the imperialist political faction that existed in the time of President William McKinley and the Spanish-American War. Barbara Tuchman described this faction well in "The Proud Tower."

Such people, then and now, fervently believe in the Manifest Destiny of the United States as mankind's best hope of a utopian future and concomitantly in the responsibility of the United States to lead mankind toward that future. Neocons believe that inside every Iraqi, Filipino or Syrian there is an American waiting to be freed from the bonds of tradition, local culture and general backwardness. For people with this mindset the explanation for the continuance of old ways lies in the oppressive and exploitative nature of rulers who block the "progress" that is needed. The solution for the imperialists and neocons is simple. Local rulers must be removed as the principal obstacle to popular emulation of Western and especially American culture and political forms. In the run up to the invasion of Iraq I was often told by leading neocon figures that the Muslims and particularly the Iraqis had no culture worth keeping and that once we had created new facts, (a Karl Rove quote) these people would quickly abandon their old ways and beliefs as they sought to become something like Americans. This notion has one major flaw. It is not necessarily correct. Often the natives are willing to fight you long and hard to retain their own ways. In the aftermath of the Spanish-American War the US acquired the Philippine Islands and sought to make the islands American in all things. The result was a terrible war against Filipino nationalists who did not want to follow the example of the "shining city on a hill." No, the "poor fools" wanted to go their own way in their own way. The same thing happened in Iraq after 2003. The Iraqis rejected occupation and American "reform" of their country and a long and bloody war ensued.

The neocons believe so strongly that America must lead the world and mankind forward that they accept the idea that the achievement of human progress justifies any means needed to advance that goal. In the case of the Iraq invasion the American people were lectured endlessly about the bestialities of Saddam's government. The bestialities were impressive but the constant media display of these horrors was not enough to persuade the American people to accept war. From the bestialities meme the neocons moved on to the WMD meme. The Iraqi government had a nuclear weapons program before the First Gulf War but that program had been thoroughly destroyed in the inspection regime that followed Iraq's defeat and surrender. This was widely known in the US government because US intelligence agencies had cooperated fully with the international inspectors in Iraq and in fact had sent the inspectors to a long list of locations at which the inspectors destroyed the program. I was instrumental in that process.

After 9/11 the US government knew without any doubt that the Iraqi government did not have a nuclear weapons program, but that mattered not at all to the neocons. As Paul Wolfowitz infamously told the US Senate "we chose to use the fear of nuclear weapons because we knew that would sell." Once that decision was made an endless parade of administration shills appeared on television hyping the supposed menace of Iraqi nuclear weapons. Vice President Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice were merely the most elevated in position of the many vendors of the image of the "mushroom shaped cloud."

And now we have the case of Syria and its supposed chemical weapons and attacks. After the putative East Gouta chemical attack of 2013, an OPCW program removed all the chemical weapons to be found in Syria and stated its belief that there were no more in the country. In April of 2017 the US-Russian de-confliction process was used to reach agreement on a Syrian Air Force strike in the area of Khan Sheikoon in southern Idlib Province. This was a conventional weapons attack and the USAF had an unarmed reconnaissance drone in the area to watch the strike go in against a storage area. The rebel run media in the area then claimed the government had attacked with the nerve gas Sarin, but no proof was ever offered except film clips broadcast on social media. Some of the film clips from the scene were ludicrous. Municipal public health people were filmed at the supposed scene standing around what was said to be a bomb crater from the "sarin attack." Two public health men were filmed sitting on the lip of the crater with their feet in the hole. If there had been sarin residue in the hole they would have quickly succumbed to the gas. No impartial inspection of the site was ever done, but the Khan Sheikoon "gas attack" has become through endless repetition a "given" in the lore of the "constant Syrian government gas attacks against their own civilians."

On the 4th of April it is claimed that the Syrian Government, then in the process of capturing the town of Douma caused chlorine gas to be dropped on the town killing and wounding many. Chlorine is not much of a war gas. It is usually thought of as an industrial chemical, so evidently to make the story more potent it is now suggested that perhaps sarin was also used.

No proof that such an attack occurred has been made public. None! The Syrian and Russian governments state that they want the site inspected. On the 15th of April US Senator Angus King (I) of Maine told Jake Tapper on SOTU that as of that date the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence had not been given any proof by the IC or Trump Administration that such an attack had occurred. "They have asserted that it did" he said.

The US, France and the UK struck Syria with over a hundred cruise missiles in retaliation for this supposed attack but the Administration has not yet provided any proof that the Syrian attack took place.

I am told that the old neocon crew argued as hard as possible for a disabling massive air and missile campaign intended to destroy the Syrian government's ability to fight the mostly jihadi rebels. John Bolton, General (ret.) Jack Keane and many other neocons argued strongly for this campaign as a way to reverse the outcome of the civil war. James Mattis managed to obtain President Trump's approval for a much more limited and largely symbolic strike but Trump was clearly inclined to the neocon side of the argument. What will happen next time?

Colonel W. Patrick Lang is a retired senior officer of U.S. Military Intelligence and U.S. Army Special Forces (The Green Berets). He served in the Department of Defense both as a serving officer and then as a member of the Defense Senior Executive Service for many years

Reprinted with permission from Unz.com
http://www.unz.com/plang/the-neocons-are-selling-koolaid-again/
---

Why 55 US Senators Voted for Genocide in Yemen
Written by Michael S. Rozeff
Saturday March 24, 2018
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/congress-alert/2018/march/24/why-55-us-senators-voted-for-genocide-in-yemen/

http://ronpaulinstitute.org/media/120793/yemen-bomb.jpg?width=441px&height=294px

That's the headline of a blog. It's a good question. There are six factors involved: Iran, sales of arms, Israel, the CIA, indifferent cruelty, and the system of empire. These are all bad reasons that shouldn't persuade right-thinking and honorable US senators, but votes for genocide do not come from right-thinking and honorable senators.

Iran. The idea is that Saudi Arabia is thwarting Iran in Yemen. The evidence for this is very, very thin, but even if the Saudis want to thwart Iran somehow in Yemen, that doesn't justify either a war initiated by Saudi Arabia, a war of the type and scale being waged by the US and Saudi Arabia, and a US presence in that war.

Sales of arms. Huge sales to the Saudis are being made by US companies who influence senators.

******
Israel. Israel is anti-Iran and in league with Saudi Arabia. Senators are influenced by the Israel lobby.

Notice that in none of these factors or those to follow does the American public play a part. The Senate is only remotely under the control of Americans on this issue, and why would it be? Americans are little affected by what their government does in Yemen, and the US role is kept quite hidden. The visible and well-heeled Israel lobby is more influential than the invisible "pro-American public" lobby.

******
The CIA. The CIA operates an anti-al Qaeda operation inside Yemen. The war has allowed al-Qaeda to expand. This justifies an expanded CIA presence there. This benefits the CIA.

Indifferent cruelty. The lives of Yemenis count for little to those who vote for genocide. This is a characteristic of fallen man that is sometimes ameliorated by moral teachings and the threat of punishments or worse blowback, but only now and then. The institutional customs and mechanisms to control this trait are not strong enough to stop genocides.

The system of empire. Habitual cruelty is a feature of the US empire. Empires enforce "order", actually control and dominance, over broad domains that they seek to extend. They use killing to accomplish their expansion in most cases. Their victims are not counted as costs.

Reprinted with permission from LewRockwell.com
https://www.lewrockwell.com/lrc-blog/55-u-s-senators-voted-genocide-yemen/
---

US: Russia Hacked The Evidence Of Chemical Attack In Syria
Written by Caitlin Johnstone
Tuesday April 17, 2018
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/peace-and-prosperity/2018/april/17/us-russia-hacked-the-evidence-of-chemical-attack-in-syria/

http://ronpaulinstitute.org/media/121707/da92mfvv4aaeg8v.jpg?width=400&height=300

We are now being told (and I assure you I am not making this up) that if the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons doesn't find evidence that the Syrian government conducted a chemical weapons attack in Douma last week, it's because Russia hid the evidence.

"It is our understanding the Russians may have visited the attack site," reports US Ambassador Kenneth Ward. "It is our concern that they may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the efforts of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission to conduct an effective investigation."

I guess the idea is that this international top-level investigative team on which tremendous credibility has been placed by the western world can be thwarted by Russians showing up with a Hoover and spraying some Febreze in the air like a teenage stoner when mom comes home? I'm not sure, but given the immense dearth of evidence we've been seeing in support of the establishment Douma narrative and the mounting pile of evidence contradicting it, it sure does sound fishy.

Now that the jihadist-occupied suburb of Douma has been retaken by the Syrian government, western journalists have been allowed in to poke around and start asking questions, and so far it isn't looking great for the propaganda machine.

The Independent's Robert Fisk has published a report which affirms the story so many westerners have been dismissing as Kremlin propaganda for days now after interviewing a doctor from the hospital of the area where the Douma attack was supposed to have occurred. Dr Assim Rahaibani told Fisk that what was in actuality an outbreak of respiratory distress among occupants of a dusty oxygen-deprived tunnel was made to look like the aftereffects of a chemical weapons attack when a member of the White Helmets started shouting about a gas attack in front of a bunch of video cameras. Everyone panicked and started hosing themselves down, but in the video, according to Rahaibani, "what you see are people suffering from hypoxia? -- ?not gas poisoning."

This report was independently backed up by a reporter from One America News Network named Pearson Sharp, who gave a detailed account of his interviews with officials, doctors, as well as many civilians on the street Sharp says he deliberately selected at random in order to avoid accusations of bias. Many people hadn't even heard that a chemical weapons attack had taken place, and the ones who had said it was staged by Jaysh al-Islam. The staff at the hospital, including a medic-in-training who was an eyewitness to the incident, gave the same story as the account in Fisk's report.

The increasing confidence with which these unapproved narratives are being voiced and the increasing discomfort being exhibited by empire loyalists like Ambassador Ward indicate a weakening narrative in the greater propaganda campaign against the Assad government and its allies, but don't hold your breath for the part where Fox News and the BBC turn around and start asking critical questions of the governments that they are meant to be holding to account.

The journalists who have been advancing the establishment narrative on Syria aren't about to start reporting that they've gotten the entire Syria story assballs backward and have been promoting a version of events manufactured for the benefit of CIA-MI6-Mossad agendas. You're not about to see CNN, who last year staged a fake scripted interview with a seven year-old Syrian girl to manufacture support for escalations against Assad, suddenly turn around and start asking if we're being told the full story about what's happening Syria.

Watch them closely. Watch how they steadfastly ignore the growing mountain of evidence and keep promoting the Syrian regime change agenda that the western empire has been working toward for decades. Watch them dismiss all evidence they can't ignore as Kremlin propaganda and shift the narrative whenever things start to look bad for them. Those riding the crest of the wave of establishment media are too far gone into the blob to ever admit error and change. The least among us aren't about to stop constructing a public reality tunnel which depicts them as heroes of truth, tear it all down, and start advancing a narrative which makes them look like fools at best and villains at worst. It will not happen.

Luckily for us, it doesn't need to. Internet censorship is still far from closing the door on our ability to network and share information, and we've been very effective at sowing skepticism among the masses. The war propagandists are not nearly as good at their jobs as they want to believe, and we can beat them.

They work so hard to manufacture support for war because they require that consent. If the oligarchs try to launch a war against a disobedient nation amidst very clear opposition from the public, they will shatter the illusion of freedom and democracy that their entire empire is built upon, and then they're exposed. Corporatist oligarchy has succeeded in weaving its web of dominance because its oppression has thus far remained hidden and its depravity disguised as humanitarianism. They cannot expose themselves by transgressing a loud NO from the public or else the masses will realize that everything they used to believe about their country, their government and their world is a lie.

They won't risk that. We can force them into retreating from open war by circulating facts and information and keeping a healthy level of skepticism circulating among the public. Watch them squirm, move goalposts and shift narratives, and point and yell about it whenever it happens. We can win the media war against the propagandists. We have truth on our side.

Reprinted with author's permission from Medium.com
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/us-russia-hacked-the-evidence-of-chemical-attack-in-syria-85a17e6d6087

Support Johnstone's work on Patreon or Paypal.
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4445783
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---

'Cruise Missile Left' Complicit in American Escalation Toward World War III
Written by Danny Haiphong
Thursday April 26, 2018
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2018/april/26/cruise-missile-left-complicit-in-american-escalation-toward-world-war-iii/

http://ronpaulinstitute.org/media/120834/peace-bomb.png?width=444px&height=294px

The US-led alliance of imperial nations has waged war on Syria for eight years with the hopes of overthrowing the independent Arab nationalist state led by President Bashar Al-Assad. Syria was believed to be another domino destined to fall in imperialism's great power game to contain any international threat to its rule. Former NATO general Wesley Clarke revealed US plans (https://www.mintpressnews.com/the-u-s-plan-to-topple-all-7-countries-on-trumps-refugee-ban-list/224475/) in 2007 to use the September 11th attacks to justify the overthrow seven countries in five years: Iraq, Iran, Libya, Lebanon, Somalia, Sudan, and Syria. Most of these countries have since been thrown into chaos by way of US imperial expansion in the Middle East and North Africa. Clarke's admission should be enough to clarify the Trump Administration's most recent airstrikes on Syria as an escalation of the broader war for US hegemony in the region and the world.

Yet many who reside in the United States view the war on Syria from the lens of the US empire. This lens is articulated by both US political parties, their foreign partners, and their faithful corporate media servants. These expert liars claim that Assad is a butcher and the Syrian government a brutal "regime." They don't talk about how the US military occupies a large portion of Syria, coincidently in the country's most resource rich region. (https://www.mintpressnews.com/how-the-us-occupied-the-30-of-syria-containing-most-of-its-oil-water-and-gas/240601/) Also ignored is the fact that US allies such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey [and the UK, Israel, France] have loathed the Syrian government for its decision in 2009 to construct an independent pipeline (https://www.counterpunch.org/2016/09/15/assads-death-warrant/) with Iran and Iraq to transport precious gas and oil resources to European markets. Never mind that the US, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and Israel to name a few have funded and armed hundreds of thousands of jihadist mercenaries for seven years in hopes that they would rid of pesky Assad and his nationalist policies. Imperialism wants Assad out because he stands in the way of US goals to dominate the region and keep Iran, Russia and China's rise to global prominence at bay.

Syria is the number one target of US imperialism. The ongoing war there has the potential to spark a confrontation between great powers unforeseen in human history. In many ways, this confrontation has already begun. Russian forces in Syria have daily confronted US-backed jihadists armed with American-made weapons. US coalition strikes have killed Russian military personnel. (http://www.newsweek.com/us-military-kills-russians-syria-airstrikes-against-assad-supporters-reports-803949) Just prior to Trump's airstrikes, seven Iranians were murdered in Syria by Israeli fighter jets. (https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/russia-outs-israel-two-israeli-fighter-jets-struck-iranian-base-in-syria-1.5979943) Russia has spent years enhancing its military capabilities in preparation for a major confrontation with the US, whether in Syria or at its own borders with NATO.

Yet when the US, UK, and France launched over a hundred strikes on Syrian territory on April 14th, few in the US and West expressed any public outrage. Anti-war groups like the United National Anti-war Coalition (UNAC) mobilized around the country, but that was about it. Americans were once again immobilized for the usual reasons. Wall to wall pro-war corporate media coverage blaming Assad for the attack effectively drowned out any anti-war analysis from reaching the ears of most Americans. Perhaps the most important factor in the lack of outrage was the scant possibility that American troops were going to be sacrificed during the escalation. No Russians were hit by the strikes, so a larger military confrontation was unlikely. And the US military showed how weak it has become as the Syrian government was able to shoot down a majority of the strikes with decades-old Soviet technology.

Americans usually care about American troops dying but have a difficult time developing class-based solidarity with people around the world. The Black Radical Tradition has historically been the force that counters white supremacist chauvinism and pro-war sentiments in the US. Eight years of Obama effectively shifted the Black polity so far right that polls showed Black Americans possessing a more favorable view (https://blackagendareport.com/content/black-america-more-pro-war-ever) of Obama's declaration of war against Syria in 2013 than whites and Latinos. Neoliberal identity politics and the two-party duopoly system has for now swallowed the left whole. The Democratic Party wing of imperialism has dug deep into its Wall Street coffers to disguise itself as the anti-Trump "resistance" that will bring stability back to the empire.

The Democrats and their Republican allies seek a more stable Administration in Washington to properly manage the affairs of the ruling class. Those affairs mainly deal with the questions of austerity and war. Trump has been deemed "morally unfit" for the Presidency by spooks like James Comey because his unpredictable and egoist tendencies make him less interested in the preservation of empire and more interested in the preservation of the voting bloc and conditions that made his Presidency possible. We largely have the "cruise missile left" to thank for the lack of an alternative to the crisis of US imperialism. The cruise missile left has aligned with the Democratic Party and the intelligence agencies against Trump and have dropped any anti-war, anti-imperialist, and anti-capitalist tendencies in the process.

Nowhere is this clearer than in its position on Syria. The cruise missile left is best represented by the likes of Democracy Now! and The Intercept. Both sources have worked together to subtly forward the agenda of US imperialism. Since 2011, Amy Goodman has never strayed from the NATO line on countries such as Libya, Syria, and Russia. Like the corporate media, Goodman and her staff at Democracy Now! have provided positive coverage of so-called humanitarian groups like the White Helmets which have long been proven to work directly with NATO-armed jihadist mercenaries ravaging Syria. (http://21stcenturywire.com/2017/11/28/vanessa-beeley-presents-new-white-helmets-expose-to-swiss-press-club-geneva/) The Intercept and Democracy Now! have refused to invite any guests on their show that deviate from the NATO line on Syria.

These sources have benefited from the corporate takeover of the US media. Democracy Now! and The Intercept act as an escape valve from corporate media lies, which make them more difficult to criticize when they serve the same interests as the corporate media outlets that spurred their formation. In their coverage of the alleged chemical attack in Douma, both Amy Goodman and Glenn Greenwald joined the imperial chorus that the Syrian government bore responsibility for an attack that had yet to be proven even happened. Even Secretary of Defense James "Mad Dog" Mattis admitted that the US lacked evidence backing up their claims against Assad. The Intercept and Democracy Now! staked their firm position against the Syrian government despite the overwhelming evidence that Syria destroyed its chemical weapons in the OPCW brokered deal between Russia and the US in 2013 and that Syria, Russia, and their allies are the only parties interested in coming to a peaceful resolution to the war.
https://www.rt.com/usa/423961-mattis-syria-chemical-evidence/

Cruise missile leftists thus bear much of the responsibility for the US, UK, and French airstrikes conducted against Syria on April 14th. After the strikes, Amy Goodman invited Chelsea Manning and so-called activist Rahmah Kudaimi to her show. Manning was given little time to speak while over seventy percent of the joint interview was taken up by Kudaimi's assertions that US airstrikes "enable" the Syrian "regime." Kudaimi practically begged the US to conduct the airstrikes correctly and fulfill the legitimate demand of the Syrian people to overthrow the Syrian government. Nowhere did Amy Goodman challenge such blatant support of US imperial objectives in Syria and beyond.

Democracy Now! and The Intercept are more interested in the overthrow of the Syrian government than its own government's role in the region. Neither source gives any coverage to the influx of head-chopping jihadist mercenaries whose roots lie in the CIA-sponsored war in Afghanistan in 1979. Neither mentions how numerous primary sources, such as the 2012 Defense Intelligence Agency leaked document, pin US, Turkish, and Saudi support for "Salafists" in Syria for the rise of ISIS. (https://www.rt.com/usa/312050-dia-flynn-islamic-state/) The millions of displaced Syrians and hundreds of thousands dead fall at the feet of US imperialism. And the cruise missile left would rather the world become engulfed in the flames of World War III than admit this fact.

The US government is the most murderous entity the world has ever known yet the focus of the cruise missile left remains the chauvinistic and racist depictions of the Syrian government. These depictions have been proven to be outright lies time and time again. The Syrian government is the rightfully elected government of the Syrian people. President Bashar Al-Assad was reelected to office in 2014 by a large majority. Cruise missile leftists on Democracy Now! or The Intercept never bother to ask how a nation attacked by imperialism would benefit from murdering its own citizens and suppressing a legitimate rebellion of the people.

The imperial war on Syria is legitimate to the cruise missile left because it allows them to express white supremacy as a civilizing crusade. It was no different during the US-NATO invasion of Libya. Gaddafi was painted by the cruise missile left as a barbaric and despotic dictator who armed his Black mercenary army with Viagra to rape women and children. Assad has faced the same treatment as Gaddafi. The political legitimacy that collaboration with imperialism affords means much more to the cruise missile left than solidarity. After all, solidarity with oppressed people won't get you lucrative partnerships with billionaire backed foundations like First Look Media, the primary benefactor for The Intercept.

Democracy Now! and The Intercept not only betray the people of Syria and Russia when it peddles pro-war narratives, but also poor and working-class people here in the United States. Neither the terror of police occupation and mass incarceration in the Black community nor the poverty being enforced by the US austerity regime will become any less ruthless should US imperialism spark a nuclear conflict in Syria. In fact, endless war only exacerbates the declining conditions of the oppressed. The cruise missile left, however, sees its petty privileges as far more important than the future of humanity.

Reprinted with permission from Black Agenda Report.
https://www.blackagendareport.com/cruise-missile-left-complicit-american-escalation-toward-world-war-iii

Related:
Wesley Clark, U.S. Army, takes questions from reporters during a briefing at the Pentagon on the status of the NATO-led, international peacekeeping operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Dec. 9, 1999. The first U.S. peacekeepers entered the war-ravaged country five years ago this month in an effort to stop the ethnic killings and prevent further deterioration of the region's infrastructure. DoD photo by R. D. Ward. (Released)
The U.S. Plan To Topple All 7 Countries On Trump's Refugee Ban List
https://www.mintpressnews.com/the-u-s-plan-to-topple-all-7-countries-on-trumps-refugee-ban-list/224475/
According to four-star General Wesley Clark, shortly after the attacks of 9/11, the Pentagon adopted a plan to topple the governments of seven countries; Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, and Iran.

How the US Occupied the 30% of Syria Containing Most of its Oil, Water and Gas
https://www.mintpressnews.com/how-the-us-occupied-the-30-of-syria-containing-most-of-its-oil-water-and-gas/240601/
While gaining control of key resources for partitioning Syria and destabilizing the government in Damascus, the U.S.' main goal in occupying the oil and water rich northeastern Syria is aimed not at Syria but at Iran.

Mattis: Still no evidence on Syria chemical attack, but I believe there was one
https://www.rt.com/usa/423961-mattis-syria-chemical-evidence/
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US ex-intelligence chief on ISIS rise: It was 'a willful Washington decision'
https://www.rt.com/usa/312050-dia-flynn-islamic-state/

Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. © Gary Cameron / Reuters

The US didn't interfere with the rise of anti-government jihadist groups in Syria that finally degenerated into Islamic State, claims the former head of America's Defense Intelligence Agency, backing a secret 2012 memo predicting their rise.

An interview with retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), given to Al Jazeera's Mehdi Hasan, confirms earlier suspicions that Washington was monitoring jihadist groups emerging as opposition in Syria.

'American foreign policy demands demons' (Op-Edge) http://t.co/nUsRpDeJAFpic.twitter.com/XhOcziLb7g
-- RT America (@RT_America) July 29, 2015

General Flynn dismissed Al Jazeera's supposition that the US administration "turned a blind eye" to the DIA's analysis.

Flynn believes the US government didn't listen to his agency on purpose.

"I think it was a decision. I think it was a willful decision," the former DIA chief said.

READ MORE: Iraq Diary, Day 8: Does the DIA report talk about ISIS roots?
http://www.rt.com/op-edge/262265-dia-report-isis-roots/

The classified DIA report presented in August 2012, stated that "the Salafist, the Muslim Brotherhood, and AQI [Al- Qaeda in Iraq] are the major forces driving the insurgency in Syria," being supported by "the West, Gulf countries and Turkey."
http://www.judicialwatch.org/document-archive/pgs-287-293-291-jw-v-dod-and-state-14-812-2/

US wants to use ISIS for projects in Iraq -- Shiite militia leader http://t.co/vGlEgbDx5rpic.twitter.com/Ge2mOkJF4J
-- RT (@RT_com) July 29, 2015

The document recently declassified through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), analyses the situation in Syria in the summer of 2012 and predicts: "If the situation unravels, there is the possibility of establishing a declared or undeclared Salafist principality in eastern Syria... and this is exactly what the supporting powers to the opposition want, in order to isolate the Syrian regime."

Putin's initiative to create 'united front' to fight #ISIS intrigues US, allies -- Lavrov http://t.co/IjV56XdUeipic.twitter.com/dLUvD0Qsta
-- RT (@RT_com) August 9, 2015

The report warns of "dire consequences" of this scenario, because it would allow Al-Qaeda to regain its positions in Iraq and unify the jihadist Sunni forces in Iraq, Syria and the rest of the Sunnis in the Arab world against all other Muslim minorities they consider dissenters.

READ MORE: 'US created conditions for ISIS': RT talks to Iraqi Shia militia as they leave to fight
http://www.rt.com/news/266578-iraq-shia-militia-isis/

"ISI (the Islamic State of Iraq) could also declare an Islamic State through its union with other terrorist organizations in Iraq and Syria, which will create grave danger in regards of unifying Iraq and the protection of its territory," the DIA report correctly predicted at the time.

Those groups eventually emerged as Islamic State (IS formerly ISIS/ISIL) and Al-Nusra Front, an Islamic group loyal to Al-Qaeda.

ISIS no weaker after a year of airstrikes - US intelligence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpU-vIXIvaM

Unlike the US State Department, which rushed to label the declassified DIA memo as unimportant soon after its declassification, the DIA's former head expressed full trust in the 2012 report, stressing he "paid very close attention" to this document, adding "the intelligence was very clear."

'Root of all evil? US intervention, not Assad' -- Ron Paul University director to RT https://t.co/Dvud6bnZsF
-- RT (@RT_com) August 7, 2015

Al Jazeera notes that Lieutenant General Michael Flynn became "the highest ranking intelligence official to go on record," saying the US and other states, notably Turkey and the Gulf Arab states, were sponsoring Al-Qaeda-led rebels in Syria with political support and weapons in an attempt to overthrow President Bashar Assad.

When Al Jazeera's Hasan asked Flynn why he didn't attempt to stop the US coordinating arms transfers to Islamic extremists, the retired general said: "I hate to say it's not my job, but my job was to ensure the accuracy of our intelligence," said Flynn, who also served as director of intelligence for the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) during the US hunt for Bin Laden.

SoundCloud button

READ MORE: 'US seems to be constantly one step behind ISIS'
http://www.rt.com/op-edge/266569-us-isis-strategy-iraq/

With the Al-Qaeda's notorious founder killed in Pakistan in 2011, the former DIA head admitting the US sponsored Al-Qaeda-associated groups a year later in Syria should come as a shock to American media outlets, such as the Daily Beast, which criticized the DIA memo as unworthy.

Author for the Levant Report, Brad Hoff says hours after he published a rebuttal to the Daily Beast article, he was contacted by a personal friend, a high level official with CIA Public Affairs, who urged Hoff to drop his comments regarding the IS issue, insisting the Daily Beast article had been "written insightfully."
Assad blame game 'encourages more groups like ISIS'

RT's Gayane Chichakyan asked US State Department spokesperson John Kirby to comment on the DIA memo and Flynn's assessment of it. In response, Kirby ignored the claims, solely blaming Assad for the rise of Islamic State forces.

"I am certainly not going to talk about the intelligence report that I haven't seen ... The rise of ISIL inside Syria was, in fact, helped by Assad regime's lack of legitimacy to govern effectively its own people and its own territory," Kirby said.

Washington's approach to Syria only helps to further destabilize the situation by exclusively presenting the Syrian president as a leader who has 'lost' legitimacy, Washington Bureau Chief for Al-Quds, Said Arikat, told RT.

"It is very difficult to contain the situation in Syria or Iraq. It is very difficult to put that genie back in the bottle. If the United States was really intent on defeating ISIS, it has to create or facilitate conditions by which or through which you can have a political resolution," Arikat said.

"And you begin by saying we want all Syrian representatives, including those who look at Assad as a representative. That is the only way. To continue to adhere to the stubborn line that Assad has lost his legitimacy is basically agitating for more of these groups to emerge. Today we have ISIS, tomorrow we might have something else," he added.

Related:

Iraq Diary, Day 8: Does the DIA report talk about ISIS roots?
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/262265-dia-report-isis-roots/

'US created conditions for ISIS': RT talks to Iraqi Shia militia as they leave to fight
https://www.rt.com/news/266578-iraq-shia-militia-isis/

'US seems to be constantly one step behind ISIS'
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/266569-us-isis-strategy-iraq/

Mocking the DIA Report on the Creation of ISIS
http://original.antiwar.com/Brad_Hoff/2015/06/12/mocking-the-dia-report-on-the-creation-of-isis/
...neither my reporting, nor Nafeez Ahmed's ever claimed that the DIA document exists as stand-alone "smoking gun" proof of the claims that the West knowingly fueled the rise of Islamic State. As I said soon after writing my report on the Scott Horton show, the DIA document merely "completes the picture" -- a picture that many, including Ahmed, have been piecing together for years.
But that the West and the USdid fuel the rise of ISIS through political support, weapons, logistical coordination, and supplies given to militants in Syria is hardly the theory of a few independent journalists when you have the likes of former Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford going around confessing that he himself knowingly backed rebels fighting alongside ISIS and Al-Qaeda in Syria (Nusra) in 2013. Remember that Ford was the State Department's top man in Syria and thus had a key role in the rebel "vetting" process. (As for other former government officials, current politicians, and even FSA commanders that have also said that the West gave political and material support to the then nascent Islamic State...well the list is too long for this column.)
While government officials like to claim that "we didn't know" or that "we had good intentions," this DIA document is just additional proof that at the very least, at some official level, they did know. The dynamics of the conflict and potential consequences of the West's course of action were spelled out in quite precise (and prescient) terms, and put into writing in the form of an information report and circulated widely (the early reporting never claimed the document was itself produced as an active or official policy document)...

*******
2012 Defense Intelligence Agency document: West will facilitate rise of Islamic State "in order to isolate the Syrian regime"
https://levantreport.com/2015/05/19/2012-defense-intelligence-agency-document-west-will-facilitate-rise-of-islamic-state-in-order-to-isolate-the-syrian-regime/

WHO WE ARE
https://levantreport.com/
LEVANT REPORT is composed of a network of Texas professionals who are deeply alarmed by what Washington is doing in the Middle East. The LR Editors are primarily made up of educators -- at the university and high school levels -- who have lived, studied, and traveled extensively in the region.

NATO's Slow Genocide in Libya: Syria is Next
https://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2012/04/natos-slow-genocide-in-libya-syria-is.html
What the world has to look forward to if NATO and the UN gets its way in Syria.
-

Time to Defund the Syrian Rebels
http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2013/09/26/time-to-defund-the-syrian-rebels/
Now that they've officially joined al-Qaeda
by Justin Raimondo Posted on September 27, 2013

Those cuddly "moderate" Syrian rebels are at it again! No sooner had the President, John Kerry, John McCain and Lindsey Graham assured us the majority of those "freedom fighters" are really the equivalent of George Washington and the Continental Army, than the rebels commanders on the ground announced they were joining al-Qaeda. They are through with the "National Council" and are organizing their own "Islamist Alliance":

"The al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra, designated a terrorist organization by the United States, is the lead signatory of the new group ... Others include the Tawheed Brigade, the biggest Free Syrian Army unit in the northern city of Aleppo; Liwa al-Islam, the largest rebel group in the capital, Damascus; and Ahrar al-Sham, the most successful nationwide franchise of mostly Syrian Salafist fighters. Collectively, the new front, which does not yet have a formal name but has been dubbed by its members the 'Islamist Alliance,' claims to represent 75 percent of the rebels fighting to topple Assad."

In this context, the al-Qaeda affiliates aren't even the worst. As Max Fisher puts it in the Washington Post:

"As a sign of how bad things have gotten, al-Nusra is actually somewhere near the ideological center of the rebel movement; the al-Qaeda group Islamic State (ISIS), whose fighters are streaming into Syria from Iraq are considerably more ideologically extreme."

Yes, you read that right: a group that has pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda is composed of "moderates" who represent the "center" of the rebel movement, while those baddies over at ISIS are the Real Problem. Once you go down this rabbit hole, you wind up in a kind of Syrian Wonderland, where things get curiouser and curiouser.

There we learn this radicalization is the fault of those unreliable Americans, who have "betrayed" the rebels by not bombing and failing to arm them with the really big guns. According to Syrian National Council spokesman Louay al-Mokdad, "they told us they signed this because they lost all hope in the international community. They said: 'We are really tired, Bashar al-Assad is killing us, all the West is betraying us, and they want to negotiate with the regime over our blood.'"

Yes, those poor babies are tired -- after all, beheading infidels really takes it out of you! It's hard on the arms. Burning churches, destroying entire villages, not to mention car-bombs -- what could be more exhausting? I mean, have a heart!

Besides which, the Islamists are among the best fighters, according to Abu Hassan, who speaks for a gang of thugs calling itself the Tawheed Brigade:

"Jabhat al-Nusra is a Syrian military formation that fought the regime and played an active role in liberating many locations. So we don't care about the stand of those who don't care about our interests."

So does this mean our recently stepped-up effort to arm the rebels is a non-starter? Not so fast: President Obama recently signed a waiver exempting the Syrian rebels from a law prohibiting US aid to terrorist groups. So it's okay! The coast is clear! It's all "legal" -- US tax dollars will continue to flow to Syria, where they'll be used to arm a group that has the official al-Qaeda franchise and wants to create an Islamic state.

Oh, but we're "vetting" the Syrian opposition, right? Well, yeah, if you call this "vetting." It's really more like the honor system -- and, call me cynical, but somehow I don't think getting "handwritten receipts" from local commanders will work with these folks.

I had to laugh at our clueless government's reaction to this latest development in the ongoing Syrian rebel saga:

"The development appeared to take the Obama administration by surprise. A senior State Department official, briefing reporters Tuesday night on a meeting at the United Nations between Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Syrian Opposition Coalition Chairman Ahmad al-Jarba, was unaware of the rebel announcement that had been made several hours earlier."

Looks like the State Department was tied up with this and just didn't notice they'd been outflanked by Ayman al-Zawahiri. However, by the next morning they were totally up to speed:

"In a statement Wednesday, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that officials had 'seen the reports' and were 'discussing with the moderate opposition what impact this will have going forward.' ... U.S. aid would continue, she said, 'taking into account that alliances and associations often change on the ground based on resources and needs of the moment.'"

Ah yes, the "needs of the moment" -- that about sums up Washington's reckless by-the-seat-of-our-pants foreign policy. But what else do you expect from a government that goes bankrupt every few months and threatens to shut down altogether? Surely not competence. A nation that boasts of its ability to deliver "precision" missile strikes has no idea where millions of dollars in "foreign aid" is going -- except, perhaps, straight into the coffers of the same people who brought down the World Trade Center on 9/11.

Is it really incompetence? I wonder. The last time we played the regime change game in the region, we sent portable surface-to-air missile units to the Afghan mujahideen, i.e. what later became al-Qaeda and the Taliban. But, hey, didn't we declare war on those guys more recently? I seem to remember an authorization for the use of military force that specifically named al-Qaeda and allied groups as justification for a worldwide "war on terrorism" -- a war that continues to this day. So how do we reconcile this with the Obama administration's support for our sworn enemies?

This deranged policy isn't unique to the Obamaites: it's a continuation of the Sunni "turn" initiated by the Bush administration. Bogged down in Iraq, and facing rising opposition to the war on the home front, they had to come up with a solution -- i.e. a "victory" -- but quick. So the "surge" was born, coupled with "outreach" to Iraq's Sunni tribesman (i.e. we bribed them). Having "won" the battle of Anbar province with the help of these worthies, we declared the operation a success.

Team Bush had by that time already decided to ditch Iraq and go after the Big Kahuna, i.e. Iran -- and that meant forging a regional alliance of Sunni radicals, oil-rich Emirs, and the Saudi Kingdom. As Fisher reports, al-Qaeda represents the "centrist" element in this sinister mix.

That's how we got here, i.e. to the point where the ghost of Osama bin Laden is cheering on Uncle Sam. He may be dead as a doornail, but he's had the last laugh.

The Syrian rebels have spent the past year or so blaming America for their inability to win the civil war they started, and issuing all kinds of threats, including threats to attack the US.

Their suit-and-tie advocates are subtle about it, warning of the "consequences of inaction." What are these consequences? They've been threatening to go over to al-Qaeda for months. One rebel apologist opined that if the West failed to send arms, Syria would become "a jihadist magnet." The clear implication being that the rebels would take their jihad to other shores.

Israel is right next door, which is why their amen corner has joined up with the Saudi/Qatari-financed pro-rebel lobby, but what's scary is that America would hardly be exempt. After all, the oft-stated goal of al-Qaeda -- otherwise known as Syrian "centrists" -- has always been to strike at the "far enemy," i.e. the United States, and, from the sound of things, they wouldn't have much trouble persuading their newest Syrian recruits to join them in this effort. We "betrayed" them, and they're pretty mad about it -- but are they mad enough to ram a car bomb into an American shopping mall?

In short, what the rebels have been saying, usually implicitly and under their breath, has been: send us money and arms, or else run the risk of another 9/11. In deciding to arm the rebels and call for air strikes against the Syrian regime, the Obama administration is responding to what is in effect a blackmail note.

It all works out very neatly for both sides: the rebels get their guns, and the administration gets a fresh justification for the Surveillance State, because, you know, the Bad Guys really are out to get us. Yes, war is a racket, as Gen. Smedley Butler famously opined, but more than just money is involved.

In their statement, the Islamist Alliance not only rejected the Syrian Opposition Council and called for the imposition of Islamic law, they also demanded the rebels reject Western aid. Why not grant them their wish?

Millions of US taxpayer dollars are being spent to support and arm them -- and does anybody in Congress know how much is going to our avowed enemies? With 75 percent of the rebel fighters on the ground pledging allegiance to this "Islamist Alliance," anything less than that would be astonishing. If even one dollar is going to these murderous goons it's a moral obscenity.

Now is the time for some enterprising member of congress with a nose for news to pounce on this issue and introduce a bill to defund the rebels. The House of Representatives could do it as part of a budget deal -- that is, if they don't shut down the government first. Because something tells me that if the government does shut down, US aid to Obama's contras will keep flowing -- even if a few of our air traffic controllers are told to stay home.

NOTES IN THE MARGIN

You can check out my Twitter feed by going here. But please note that my tweets are sometimes deliberately provocative, often made in jest, and largely consist of me thinking out loud.

I've written a couple of books, which you might want to peruse. Here is the link for buying the second edition of my 1993 book, Reclaiming the American Right: The Lost Legacy of the Conservative Movement, with an Introduction by Prof. George W. Carey, a Foreword by Patrick J. Buchanan, and critical essays by Scott Richert and David Gordon (ISI Books, 2008).
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Secret Pentagon Report Reveals US "Created" ISIS As A "Tool" To Overthrow Syria's President Assad
Profile picture for user Tyler Durden
by Tyler Durden
Sun, 05/24/2015 - 15:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-05-23/secret-pentagon-report-reveals-us-created-isis-tool-overthrow-syrias-president-assad

From the first sudden, and quite dramatic, appearance of the fanatical Islamic group known as ISIS which was largely unheard of until a year ago, on the world's stage and which promptly replaced the worn out and tired al Qaeda as the world's terrorist bogeyman, we suggested that the "straight to beheading YouTube clip" purpose behind the Saudi Arabia-funded Islamic State was a simple one: use the Jihadists as the vehicle of choice to achieve a political goal: depose of Syria's president Assad, who for years has stood in the way of a critical Qatari natural gas pipeline, one which could dethrone Russia as Europe's dominant - and belligerent - source of energy, reaching an interim climax with the unsuccessful Mediterranean Sea military build up of 2013, which nearly resulted in quasi-world war.

The narrative and the plotline were so transparent, even Russia saw right through them. Recall from September of last year:

If the West bombs Islamic State militants in Syria without consulting Damascus, LiveLeak reports that the anti-ISIS alliance may use the occasion to launch airstrikes against President Bashar Assad's forces, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Clearly comprehending that Obama's new strategy against ISIS in Syria is all about pushing the Qatar pipeline through (as was the impetus behind the 2013 intervention push), Russia is pushing back noting that the it is using ISIS as a pretext for bombing Syrian government forces and warning that "such a development would lead to a huge escalation of conflict in the Middle East and North Africa."

But it's one thing to speculate; it's something entirely different to have hard proof.

And while speculation was rife that just like the CIA-funded al Qaeda had been used as a facade by the US to achieve its own geopolitical and national interests over the past two decades, so ISIS was nothing more than al Qaeda 2.0, there was no actual evidence of just this.

That may all have changed now when a declassified secret US government document obtained by the public interest law firm, Judicial Watch, shows that Western governments deliberately allied with al-Qaeda and other Islamist extremist groups to topple Syrian dictator Bashir al-Assad.

According to investigative reporter Nafeez Ahmed in Medium, the "leaked document reveals that in coordination with the Gulf states and Turkey, the West intentionally sponsored violent Islamist groups to destabilize Assad, despite anticipating that doing so could lead to the emergence of an 'Islamic State' in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

According to the newly declassified US document, the Pentagon foresaw the likely rise of the 'Islamic State' as a direct consequence of the strategy, but described this outcome as a strategic opportunity to "isolate the Syrian regime."

And not just that: as we reported last week, now that ISIS is running around the middle east, cutting people's heads of in 1080p quality and Hollywood-quality (perhaps literally) video, the US has a credible justification to sell billions worth of modern, sophisticated weapons in the region in order to "modernize" and "replenish" the weapons of such US allies as Saudi Arabia, Israel and Iraq.

But that the US military-industrial complex is a winner every time war breaks out anywhere in the world (usually with the assistance of the CIA) is clear to everyone by now. What wasn't clear is just how the US predetermined the current course of events in the middle east.

Now, thanks to the following declassified report, we have a far better understanding of not only how current events in the middle east came to be, but what America's puppermaster role leading up to it all, was.

From Nafeez Ahmed: Secret Pentagon report reveals West saw ISIS as strategic asset Anti-ISIS coalition knowingly sponsored violent extremists to 'isolate' Assad, rollback 'Shia expansion', originally posted in Medium.

https://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/images/user5/imageroot/2015/05/isis%20US%20role_0.jpeg

Hypocrisy

The revelations contradict the official line of Western government on their policies in Syria, and raise disturbing questions about secret Western support for violent extremists abroad, while using the burgeoning threat of terror to justify excessive mass surveillance and crackdowns on civil liberties at home.

Among the batch of documents obtained by Judicial Watch through a federal lawsuit, released earlier this week, is a US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) document then classified as "secret," dated 12th August 2012.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Pg.-291-Pgs.-287-293-JW-v-DOD-and-State-14-812-DOD-Release-2015-04-10-final-version11.pdf

The DIA provides military intelligence in support of planners, policymakers and operations for the US Department of Defense and intelligence community.

So far, media reporting has focused on the evidence that the Obama administration knew of arms supplies from a Libyan terrorist stronghold to rebels in Syria.

Some outlets have reported the US intelligence community's internal prediction of the rise of ISIS. Yet none have accurately acknowledged the disturbing details exposing how the West knowingly fostered a sectarian, al-Qaeda-driven rebellion in Syria.

Charles Shoebridge, a former British Army and Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism intelligence officer, said:

"Given the political leanings of the organisation that obtained these documents, it's unsurprising that the main emphasis given to them thus far has been an attempt to embarrass Hilary Clinton regarding what was known about the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi in 2012. However, the documents also contain far less publicized revelations that raise vitally important questions of the West's governments and media in their support of Syria's rebellion."

The West's Islamists

The newly declassified DIA document from 2012 (http://www.judicialwatch.org/document-archive/pgs-287-293-291-jw-v-dod-and-state-14-812-2/) confirms that the main component of the anti-Assad rebel forces by this time comprised Islamist insurgents affiliated to groups that would lead to the emergence of ISIS. Despite this, these groups were to continue receiving support from Western militaries and their regional allies.

Noting that "the Salafist [sic], the Muslim Brotherhood, and AQI [al-Qaeda in Iraq] are the major forces driving the insurgency in Syria," the document states that "the West, Gulf countries, and Turkey support the opposition," while Russia, China and Iran "support the [Assad] regime."

The 7-page DIA document states that al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), the precursor to the 'Islamic State in Iraq,' (ISI) which became the 'Islamic State in Iraq and Syria,' "supported the Syrian opposition from the beginning, both ideologically and through the media."

The formerly secret Pentagon report notes that the "rise of the insurgency in Syria" has increasingly taken a "sectarian direction," attracting diverse support from Sunni "religious and tribal powers" across the region.

In a section titled 'The Future Assumptions of the Crisis,' the DIA report predicts that while Assad's regime will survive, retaining control over Syrian territory, the crisis will continue to escalate "into proxy war."

The document also recommends the creation of "safe havens under international sheltering, similar to what transpired in Libya when Benghazi was chosen as the command centre for the temporary government."

In Libya, anti-Gaddafi rebels, most of whom were al-Qaeda affiliated militias, were protected by NATO 'safe havens' (aka 'no fly zones').

'Supporting powers want' ISIS entity

In a strikingly prescient prediction, the Pentagon document explicitly forecasts the probable declaration of "an Islamic State through its union with other terrorist organizations in Iraq and Syria."

Nevertheless, "Western countries, the Gulf states and Turkey are supporting these efforts" by Syrian "opposition forces" fighting to "control the eastern areas (Hasaka and Der Zor), adjacent to Western Iraqi provinces (Mosul and Anbar)":

"... there is the possibility of establishing a declared or undeclared Salafist Principality in eastern Syria (Hasaka and Der Zor), and this is exactly what the supporting powers to the opposition want, in order to isolate the Syrian regime, which is considered the strategic depth of the Shia expansion (Iraq and Iran)."

The secret Pentagon document thus provides extraordinary confirmation that the US-led coalition currently fighting ISIS, had three years ago welcomed the emergence of an extremist "Salafist Principality" in the region as a way to undermine Assad, and block off the strategic expansion of Iran. Crucially, Iraq is labeled as an integral part of this "Shia expansion."

The establishment of such a "Salafist Principality" in eastern Syria, the DIA document asserts, is "exactly" what the "supporting powers to the [Syrian] opposition want." Earlier on, the document repeatedly describes those "supporting powers" as "the West, Gulf countries, and Turkey."

Further on, the document reveals that Pentagon analysts were acutely aware of the dire risks of this strategy, yet ploughed ahead anyway.

The establishment of such a "Salafist Principality" in eastern Syria, it says, would create "the ideal atmosphere for AQI to return to its old pockets in Mosul and Ramadi." Last summer, ISIS conquered Mosul in Iraq, and just this month has also taken control of Ramadi.

Such a quasi-state entity will provide:

"... a renewed momentum under the presumption of unifying the jihad among Sunni Iraq and Syria, and the rest of the Sunnis in the Arab world against what it considers one enemy. ISI could also declare an Islamic State through its union with other terrorist organizations in Iraq and Syria, which will create grave danger in regards to unifying Iraq and the protection of territory."

The 2012 DIA document is an Intelligence Information Report (IIR), not a "finally evaluated intelligence" assessment, but its contents are vetted before distribution. The report was circulated throughout the US intelligence community, including to the State Department, Central Command, the Department of Homeland Security, the CIA, FBI, among other agencies.

In response to my questions about the strategy, the British government simply denied the Pentagon report's startling revelations of deliberate Western sponsorship of violent extremists in Syria. A British Foreign Office spokesperson said:

"AQ and ISIL are proscribed terrorist organisations. The UK opposes all forms of terrorism. AQ, ISIL, and their affiliates pose a direct threat to the UK's national security. We are part of a military and political coalition to defeat ISIL in Iraq and Syria, and are working with international partners to counter the threat from AQ and other terrorist groups in that region. In Syria we have always supported those moderate opposition groups who oppose the tyranny of Assad and the brutality of the extremists."

The DIA did not respond to request for comment.
Strategic asset for regime-change

Security analyst Shoebridge, however, who has tracked Western support for Islamist terrorists in Syria since the beginning of the war, pointed out that the secret Pentagon intelligence report exposes fatal contradictions at the heart of official pronunciations:

"Throughout the early years of the Syria crisis, the US and UK governments, and almost universally the West's mainstream media, promoted Syria's rebels as moderate, liberal, secular, democratic, and therefore deserving of the West's support. Given that these documents wholly undermine this assessment, it's significant that the West's media has now, despite their immense significance, almost entirely ignored them."

According to Brad Hoff, a former US Marine who served during the early years of the Iraq War and as a 9/11 first responder at the Marine Corps Headquarters in Battalion Quantico from 2000 to 2004, the just released Pentagon report for the first time provides stunning affirmation that:

"US intelligence predicted the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS), but instead of clearly delineating the group as an enemy, the report envisions the terror group as a US strategic asset."

Hoff, who is managing editor of Levant Report -- ?an online publication run by Texas-based educators who have direct experience of the Middle East? -- ?points out that the DIA document "matter-of-factly" states that the rise of such an extremist Salafist political entity in the region offers a "tool for regime change in Syria."

The DIA intelligence report shows, he said, that the rise of ISIS only became possible in the context of the Syrian insurgency? -- ?"there is no mention of US troop withdrawal from Iraq as a catalyst for Islamic State's rise, which is the contention of innumerable politicians and pundits." The report demonstrates that:

"The establishment of a 'Salafist Principality' in Eastern Syria is 'exactly' what the external powers supporting the opposition want (identified as 'the West, Gulf Countries, and Turkey') in order to weaken the Assad government."

The rise of a Salafist quasi-state entity that might expand into Iraq, and fracture that country, was therefore clearly foreseen by US intelligence as likely? -- ?but nevertheless strategically useful? -- ?blowback from the West's commitment to "isolating Syria."
Complicity

Critics of the US-led strategy in the region have repeatedly raised questions about the role of coalition allies in intentionally providing extensive support to Islamist terrorist groups in the drive to destabilize the Assad regime in Syria.

The conventional wisdom is that the US government did not retain sufficient oversight on the funding to anti-Assad rebel groups, which was supposed to be monitored and vetted to ensure that only 'moderate' groups were supported.

However, the newly declassified Pentagon report proves unambiguously that years before ISIS launched its concerted offensive against Iraq, the US intelligence community was fully aware that Islamist militants constituted the core of Syria's sectarian insurgency.

Despite that, the Pentagon continued to support the Islamist insurgency, even while anticipating the probability that doing so would establish an extremist Salafi stronghold in Syria and Iraq.

As Shoebridge told me, "The documents show that not only did the US government at the latest by August 2012 know the true extremist nature and likely outcome of Syria's rebellion"? -- ?namely, the emergence of ISIS? -- ?"but that this was considered an advantage for US foreign policy. This also suggests a decision to spend years in an effort to deliberately mislead the West's public, via a compliant media, into believing that Syria's rebellion was overwhelmingly 'moderate.'"

Annie Machon, a former MI5 intelligence officer who blew the whistle in the 1990s on MI6 funding of al-Qaeda to assassinate Libya's former leader Colonel Gaddafi, similarly said of the revelations:

"This is no surprise to me. Within individual countries there are always multiple intelligence agencies with competing agendas."

She explained that MI6's Libya operation in 1996, which resulted in the deaths of innocent people, "happened at precisely the time when MI5 was setting up a new section to investigate al-Qaeda."

This strategy was repeated on a grand scale in the 2011 NATO intervention in Libya, said Machon, where the CIA and MI6 were:

"... supporting the very same Libyan groups, resulting in a failed state, mass murder, displacement and anarchy. So the idea that elements of the American military-security complex have enabled the development of ISIS after their failed attempt to get NATO to once again 'intervene' is part of an established pattern. And they remain indifferent to the sheer scale of human suffering that is unleashed as a result of such game-playing."

Divide and rule

Several US government officials have conceded that their closest allies in the anti-ISIS coalition were funding violent extremist Islamist groups that became integral to ISIS.

US Vice President Joe Biden, for instance, admitted last year that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Turkey had funneled hundreds of millions of dollars to Islamist rebels in Syria that metamorphosed into ISIS.

But he did not admit what this internal Pentagon document demonstrates? -- ?that the entire covert strategy was sanctioned and supervised by the US, Britain, France, Israel and other Western powers.

The strategy appears to fit a policy scenario identified by a recent US Army-commissioned RAND Corp report.

The report, published four years before the DIA document, called for the US "to capitalise on the Shia-Sunni conflict by taking the side of the conservative Sunni regimes in a decisive fashion and working with them against all Shiite empowerment movements in the Muslim world."

The US would need to contain "Iranian power and influence" in the Gulf by "shoring up the traditional Sunni regimes in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Pakistan." Simultaneously, the US must maintain "a strong strategic relationship with the Iraqi Shiite government" despite its Iran alliance.

The RAND report confirmed that the "divide and rule" strategy was already being deployed "to create divisions in the jihadist camp. Today in Iraq such a strategy is being used at the tactical level."

The report observed that the US was forming "temporary alliances" with al-Qaeda affiliated "nationalist insurgent groups" that have fought the US for four years in the form of "weapons and cash." Although these nationalists "have cooperated with al-Qaeda against US forces," they are now being supported to exploit "the common threat that al-Qaeda now poses to both parties."

The 2012 DIA document, however, further shows that while sponsoring purportedly former al-Qaeda insurgents in Iraq to counter al-Qaeda, Western governments were simultaneously arming al-Qaeda insurgents in Syria.

The revelation from an internal US intelligence document that the very US-led coalition supposedly fighting 'Islamic State' today, knowingly created ISIS in the first place, raises troubling questions about recent government efforts to justify the expansion of state anti-terror powers.

In the wake of the rise of ISIS, intrusive new measures to combat extremism including mass surveillance, the Orwellian 'prevent duty' and even plans to enable government censorship of broadcasters, are being pursued on both sides of the Atlantic, much of which disproportionately targets activists, journalists and ethnic minorities, especially Muslims.

Yet the new Pentagon report reveals that, contrary to Western government claims, the primary cause of the threat comes from their own deeply misguided policies of secretly sponsoring Islamist terrorism for dubious geopolitical purposes.

Dr Nafeez Ahmed is an investigative journalist, bestselling author and international security scholar. A former Guardian writer, he writes the 'System Shift' column for VICE's Motherboard, and is also a columnist for Middle East Eye. He is the winner of a 2015 Project Censored Award, known as the 'Alternative Pulitzer Prize', for Outstanding Investigative Journalism for his Guardian work, and was selected in the Evening Standard's 'Power 1,000' most globally influential Londoners.

Nafeez has also written for The Independent, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Scotsman, Foreign Policy, The Atlantic, Quartz, Prospect, New Statesman, Le Monde diplomatique, New Internationalist, Counterpunch, Truthout, among others. He is the author of A User's Guide to the Crisis of Civilization: And How to Save It (2010), and the scifi thriller novel ZERO POINT, among other books. His work on the root causes and covert operations linked to international terrorism officially contributed to the 9/11 Commission and the 7/7 Coroner's Inquest.
-

******
Assad's Death Warrant
https://www.counterpunch.org/2016/09/15/assads-death-warrant/
https://uziiw38pmyg1ai60732c4011-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/dropzone/2016/09/shutterstock_397019095.jpg
"Secret cables and reports by the U.S., Saudi and Israeli intelligence agencies indicate that the moment Assad rejected the Qatari pipeline, military and intelligence planners quickly arrived at the consensus that fomenting a Sunni uprising in Syria to overthrow the uncooperative Bashar Assad was a feasible path to achieving the shared objective of completing the Qatar/Turkey gas link. In 2009, according to WikiLeaks, soon after Bashar Assad rejected the Qatar pipeline, the CIA began funding opposition groups in Syria."

-- Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Why the Arabs don't want us in Syria, Politico
http://www.politico.eu/article/why-the-arabs-dont-want-us-in-syria-mideast-conflict-oil-intervention/

The conflict in Syria is not a war in the conventional sense of the word. It is a regime change operation, just like Libya and Iraq were regime change operations.

The main driver of the conflict is the country that's toppled more than 50 sovereign governments since the end of World War 2. (See: Bill Blum here.) We're talking about the United States of course.

Washington is the hands-down regime change champion, no one else even comes close. That being the case, one might assume that the American people would notice the pattern of intervention, see through the propaganda and assign blame accordingly. But that never seems to happen and it probably won't happen here either. No matter how compelling the evidence may be, the brainwashed American people always believe their government is doing the right thing.

But the United States is not doing the right thing in Syria. Arming, training and funding Islamic extremists -- that have killed half a million people, displaced 7 million more and turned the country into an uninhabitable wastelands --is not the right thing. It is the wrong thing, the immoral thing. And the US is involved in this conflict for all the wrong reasons, the foremost of which is gas. The US wants to install a puppet regime in Damascus so it can secure pipeline corridors in the East, oversee the transport of vital energy reserves from Qatar to the EU, and make sure that those reserves continue to be denominated in US Dollars that are recycled into US Treasuries and US financial assets. This is the basic recipe for maintaining US dominance in the Middle East and for extending America's imperial grip on global power into the future.

The war in Syria did not begin when the government of Bashar al Assad cracked down on protestors in the spring of 2011. That version of events is obfuscating hogwash. The war began in 2009, when Assad rejected a Qatari plan to transport gas from Qatar to the EU via Syria. As Robert F Kennedy Jr. explains in his excellent article "Syria: Another pipeline War":

"The $10 billion, 1,500km pipeline through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Turkey....would have linked Qatar directly to European energy markets via distribution terminals in Turkey... The Qatar/Turkey pipeline would have given the Sunni Kingdoms of the Persian Gulf decisive domination of world natural gas markets and strengthen Qatar, America's closest ally in the Arab world. ....

In 2009, Assad announced that he would refuse to sign the agreement to allow the pipeline to run through Syria "to protect the interests of our Russian ally....

Assad further enraged the Gulf's Sunni monarchs by endorsing a Russian approved "Islamic pipeline" running from Iran's side of the gas field through Syria and to the ports of Lebanon. The Islamic pipeline would make Shia Iran instead of Sunni Qatar, the principal supplier to the European energy market and dramatically increase Tehran's influence in the Mid-East and the world..."

Naturally, the Saudis, Qataris, Turks and Americans were furious at Assad, but what could they do? How could they prevent him from choosing his own business partners and using his own sovereign territory to transport gas to market?

What they could do is what any good Mafia Don would do; break a few legs and steal whatever he wanted. In this particular situation, Washington and its scheming allies decided to launch a clandestine proxy-war against Damascus, kill or depose Assad, and make damn sure the western oil giants nabbed the future pipeline contracts and controlled the flow of energy to Europe. That was the plan at least. Here's more from Kennedy:

"Secret cables and reports by the U.S., Saudi and Israeli intelligence agencies indicate that the moment Assad rejected the Qatari pipeline, military and intelligence planners quickly arrived at the consensus that fomenting a Sunni uprising in Syria to overthrow the uncooperative Bashar Assad was a feasible path to achieving the shared objective of completing the Qatar/Turkey gas link. In 2009, according to WikiLeaks, soon after Bashar Assad rejected the Qatar pipeline, the CIA began funding opposition groups in Syria.

******
Repeat: "the moment Assad rejected the Qatari pipeline", he signed his own death warrant. That single act was the catalyst for the US aggression that transformed a bustling, five thousand-year old civilization into a desolate Falluja-like moonscape overflowing with homicidal fanatics that were recruited, groomed and deployed by the various allied intelligence agencies.

But what's particularly interesting about this story is that the US attempted a nearly-identical plan 60 years earlier during the Eisenhower administration. Here's another clip from the Kennedy piece:

"During the 1950's, President Eisenhower and the Dulles brothers ... mounted a clandestine war against Arab Nationalism -- which CIA Director Allan Dulles equated with communism -- particularly when Arab self-rule threatened oil concessions. They pumped secret American military aid to tyrants in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon favoring puppets with conservative Jihadist ideologies which they regarded as a reliable antidote to Soviet Marxism....

The CIA began its active meddling in Syria in 1949 -- barely a year after the agency's creation.... Syria's democratically elected president, Shukri-al-Kuwaiti, hesitated to approve the Trans Arabian Pipeline, an American project intended to connect the oil fields of Saudi Arabia to the ports of Lebanon via Syria. (so)... the CIA engineered a coup, replacing al-Kuwaiti with the CIA's handpicked dictator, a convicted swindler named Husni al-Za'im. Al-Za'im barely had time to dissolve parliament and approve the American pipeline before his countrymen deposed him, 14 weeks into his regime.....

(CIA agent Rocky) Stone arrived in Damascus in April 1956 with $3 million in Syrian pounds to arm and incite Islamic militants and to bribe Syrian military officers and politicians to overthrow al-Kuwaiti's democratically elected secularist regime....

But all that CIA money failed to corrupt the Syrian military officers. The soldiers reported the CIA's bribery attempts to the Ba'athist regime. In response, the Syrian army invaded the American Embassy taking Stone prisoner. Following harsh interrogation, Stone made a televised confession to his roles in the Iranian coup and the CIA's aborted attempt to overthrow Syria's legitimate government....(Then) Syria purged all politicians sympathetic to the U.S. and executed them for treason." (Politico)

See how history is repeating itself? It's like the CIA was too lazy to even write a new script, they just dusted off the old one and hired new actors.

Fortunately, Assad --with the help of Iran, Hezbollah and the Russian Airforce-- has fended off the effort to oust him and install a US-stooge. This should not be taken as a ringing endorsement of Assad as a leader, but of the principal that global security depends on basic protections of national sovereignty, and that the cornerstone of international law has to be a rejection of unprovoked aggression whether the hostilities are executed by one's own military or by armed proxies that are used to achieve the same strategic objectives while invoking plausible deniability. The fact is, there is no difference between Bush's invasion of Iraq and Obama's invasion of Syria. The moral, ethical and legal issues are the same, the only difference is that Obama has been more successful in confusing the American people about what is really going on.

And what's going on is regime change: "Assad must go". That's been the administration's mantra from the get go. Obama and Co are trying to overthrow a democratically-elected secular regime that refuses to bow to Washington's demands to provide access to pipeline corridors that will further strengthen US dominance in the region. That's what's really going on behind the ISIS distraction and the "Assad is a brutal dictator" distraction and the "war-weary civilians in Aleppo" distraction. Washington doesn't care about any of those things. What Washington cares about is oil, power and money. How can anyone be confused about that by now? Kennedy summed it up like this:

"We must recognize the Syrian conflict is a war over control of resources indistinguishable from the myriad clandestine and undeclared oil wars we have been fighting in the Mid-East for 65 years. And only when we see this conflict as a proxy war over a pipeline do events become comprehensible."

That says it all, don't you think?
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Why the Arabs don't want us in Syria
They don't hate 'our freedoms.' They hate that we've betrayed our ideals in their own countries -- for oil.
By Robert F. Kennedy, Jr
2/23/16, 8:50 AM CET
Updated 9/16/16, 10:12 AM CET
https://www.politico.eu/article/why-the-arabs-dont-want-us-in-syria-mideast-conflict-oil-intervention/

U.S. Coalition Kills Russians in Airstrikes Against Assad Supporters in Syria, Reports Say
http://www.newsweek.com/us-military-kills-russians-syria-airstrikes-against-assad-supporters-reports-803949

Israeli Jet Downed by Syrian Anti-Aircraft Fire, After IDF Takes Out Iranian Drone
http://www.newsweek.com/israeli-jet-downed-syrian-anti-aircraft-fire-after-idf-takes-out-iranian-drone-802597

Syria's War in 2018 Sees U.S. Allies Kill Each Other as Russia Struggles to Make Peace
http://www.newsweek.com/syria-war-2018-us-allies-kill-one-another-russia-tries-make-peace-796795

U.S. Says Turkey Is Helping ISIS by Bombing Kurds in Syria
By Tom O'Connor On 1/25/18 at 4:25 PM
http://www.newsweek.com/us-says-turkey-helping-isis-bombing-kurds-syria-791274
Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army fighters are pictured at a checkpoint in Azaz, Syria, on January 24. The Free Syria Army was once the foremost insurgent force in Syria and received CIA support for years, but lost out to jihadi groups and now only controls a small pocket of territory along the Turkish border...

Iran Says U.S. 'Even Worse' Than ISIS After Bombing Supreme Leader's Allies in Syria
By Tom O'Connor On 2/9/18 at 12:36 PM
http://www.newsweek.com/iran-says-us-even-worse-isis-bombing-supreme-leader-allies-syria-802257
Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned U.S. foreign policy across the Middle East, accusing Washington of destabilizing the region through its intervention...

U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia Leading World to War With Iran, France Says
http://www.newsweek.com/us-israel-saudi-arabia-leading-world-war-iran-france-says-770728
Updated | French President Emmanuel Macron has accused the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia of instigating a war as their mutual foe, Iran, was rocked by a week of protests.

Macron on Wednesday joined several other world leaders to weigh in on protests that began as demonstrations against austerity measures under Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and later spilled into isolated, deadly clashes between civilians and security forces. The French leader called for dialogue with Tehran and criticized three of his international partners for pursuing what he considered bellicose policies toward a country the trio have increasingly sought to isolate and undermine in recent years.
"The official line pursued by the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, who are our allies in many ways, is almost one that would lead us to war," Macron told reporters, according to Reuters.

Related:

What the Iran protesters really want: It is not Trump's 'great support'
http://www.newsweek.com/what-iran-protesters-really-want-not-trump-great-support-769530
Iranians took to the streets Wednesday for the sixth consecutive day of protests that have been largely leaderless and diverse in their demands, a reality not reflected by the ongoing social media commentary of President Donald Trump.
In his latest tweet, Trump told Iranians they would "see great support from the United States at the appropriate time," a remark that originally carried more militant language and has helped fuel Iranian government accusations that outside forces have played a hand in the recent unrest that has gripped the nation. While the demonstrations have so far appeared to be largely homegrown and representative of a widespread desire for reform among the population, Iranians may not necessarily be taking comfort in Trump's promise that "the U.S. is watching."
"I think when Trump inserts himself, he is really projecting what the U.S. wants, not really what most of Iranians want," Jamal Abdi, policy director at the Washington-based National Iranian American Council, told Newsweek.

U.S.-Iran Relations: Regime change, revolution and wars in the Middle East
http://www.newsweek.com/us-iran-relations-regime-change-revolution-wars-middle-east-768384
By Tom O'Connor On 1/2/18 at 6:16 PM
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http://s.newsweek.com/sites/www.newsweek.com/files/styles/lg/public/2018/01/02/gettyimages-160316677_0.jpg
Persian soldiers chase rioters during civil unrest in Tehran, August 1953. On August 19, 1953, democratically elected Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh was overthrown in a coup orchestrated by the CIA and British intelligence, after having nationalized the oil industry. The Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was re-installed in the primary position of power. Massive protests broke out across the nation, leaving almost 300 dead in firefights in the streets of Tehran.

Russia Warns Trump That Foreign Interference in Iran Is 'Inadmissible'
http://www.newsweek.com/russia-embassy-iran-trump-warn-767910
The Russian Embassy warned of external interference in Iran after Trump tweeted about protests in the country. Monday marked the fifth day of deadly protests in Iran, where 21 people have now been killed as Iranians protest the country's economic and political instability.
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*******
Iran to U.S.: Don't Even Think About Overthrowing Our Government Again
By Tom O'Connor On 7/13/17 at 7:38 PM
http://www.newsweek.com/iran-us-dont-think-about-overthrow-government-again-636380

http://s.newsweek.com/sites/www.newsweek.com/files/styles/lg/public/2017/07/14/rts18ddg.jpg
An Iranian cleric attends the annual pro-Palestinian rally marking Al-Quds Day in Tehran, Iran, June 23. Since deposing a U.S.-backed ruler in 1979, Iran's leadership has been deeply suspicious that Washington will once again try to overthrow its government in order to install leaders more friendly to Western interests. NAZANIN TABATABAEE YAZDI/TIMA VIA REUTERS

A top Iranian military commander is the latest official to speak out against U.S. chatter of pursuing a policy of regime change against the government in Tehran, Iran, something Washington has successfully done once before.

Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff for the Iranian military, attacked remarks made recently by high-ranking U.S. officials such as Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson suggesting they may seek to topple the Iranian government, which they accuse of sponsoring terrorism and political oppression. The military leader's words echoed long-held suspicions by Iran that the U.S. is plotting to oust the nation's political and religious leaders forcefully in favor of ones more sympathetic to the West, as it did by sponsoring a coup in 1953. More than half a century later, Jazayeri said Iran was unphased by such comments from the administration of President Donald Trump, but vowed to respond with action.

Related: U.S. has no proof ISIS leader Baghdadi is alive, Russia thinks it killed him, and Iran is sure he's dead

"The ridiculous dreams of the Americans about the overthrow of the Islamic Republic of Iran is nothing more than disturbed delusions, and we are not worried that they have preoccupied themselves in such a way," Jazayeri said, according to Press TV, an English-language affiliate of the semiofficial Islamic Republic Broadcasting Agency.

"We will respond to the nonsensical talks of the American authorities in the theaters of action," he added.

http://s.newsweek.com/sites/www.newsweek.com/files/styles/full/public/2017/07/14/rts18ddg_0.jpg
RTS18DDG
An Iranian cleric attends the annual pro-Palestinian rally marking Al-Quds Day in Tehran, Iran, June 23. Since deposing a U.S.-backed ruler in 1979, Iran's leadership has been deeply suspicious that Washington will once again try to overthrow its government in order to install leaders more friendly to Western interests. NAZANIN TABATABAEE YAZDI/TIMA VIA REUTERS

Prior to 1953, Iran's government was headed by a democratically elected prime minister named Mohammad Mosaddegh whose popularity ultimately allowed him to supersede the authority of the country's monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, known as the Shah. Mosaddegh nationalized Iran's oil industry in 1951, infuriating the U.K., which heavily invested in Iranian oil. The U.K. ultimately appealed to the CIA to sponsor a coup d'etat against Mosaddegh, which U.S. intelligence did in 1953, arresting Mosaddegh and replacing him with Iranian General Fazlollah Zahedi. The Shah regained his former authority and implemented an authoritarian rule backed by the West for more than 25 years, until he himself was deposed in the Islamic Revolution of 1979 that saw Shiite Muslim cleric Ayatollah Khomeini take power and pursue anti-West policies that persist to this day.

******
The U.S. only publicly admitted its role in the 1953 coup in 2013, and last month the CIA released a trove of previously top-secret documents publicly revealing new details of the affair, known as Operation AJAX. Relations between the U.S. and Iran somewhat warmed during the administration of President Barack Obama, who signed a deal that lifted U.S. sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program. Trump, however, has taken a more hard-line stance toward the majority-Shiite Muslim power, and some of his most senior officials have suggested that a second regime change may be in order.

"Until the Iranian people can get rid of this theocracy, these guys who think they can tell the people even which candidates they get a choice of, it's going to be very, very difficult," Mattis said Monday in an interview he granted to a high school journalism student, according to the Middle East Institute. Mattis went on to target the Iranian government, linking it to groups considered by the U.S. to be terrorist organizations, such as Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Ansar Allah, commonly referred to as the Houthi movement.

Comments by Mattis, who has long advocated for tougher U.S. action against Iran, followed Tillerson's response to the House Foreign Affairs Committee last month in which Tillerson explained U.S. policy toward Iran as being "to push back on [its regional] hegemony, contain their ability to develop, obviously, nuclear weapons and to work toward support of those elements inside of Iran that would lead to a peaceful transition of that government."

GettyImages-160316677
http://s.newsweek.com/sites/www.newsweek.com/files/styles/full/public/2017/07/14/gettyimages-160316677-1.jpg
(1) Persian soldiers chase rioters during civil unrest in Tehran, Iran, August 1953. Nearly 300 were killed in the upheaval that followed the CIA-sponsored coup against Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. AFP/Getty Images

Jazayeri is not the first Iranian official to respond to the Trump administration's comments. Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan told reporters Wednesday that, before the U.S. goes after Iran's internal political affairs, it should address its own scandals and potential shortcomings.

"Whenever the Americans have intended to make any type action against us or hire proxies to this end, our nation has proved that it makes them regret their deeds," Dehghan said, according to Iran's semiofficial Fars News Agency.

"The U.S. secretary of defense and the ruling system had better think of resolving their internal issues and study the root causes that will most possibly cause the current U.S. administration to collapse in a not so far future and will make the country's political system face a lot of serious challenges," he added.
-

Russia Outs Israel, Says Two Israeli Fighter Jets Struck Iranian Base in Syria
https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/russia-outs-israel-two-israeli-fighter-jets-struck-iranian-base-in-syria-1.5979943
Russia: Syria intercepted 5 of 8 missiles * Two Iranians among 14 reported killed * Israel bombed the site twice in the past * U.S. officials says Israel notified in advance * Kremlin: Israel didn't notify Putin
Jack Khoury, Reuters and The Associated Press Apr 10, 2018 9:26 AM

https://images.haarets.co.il/image/upload/w_1381,h_802,x_44,y_9,c_crop,g_north_west/w_609,h_343,q_auto,c_fill,f_auto/fl_any_format.preserve_transparency.progressive:none/v1523262511/1.5980357.497003640.JPG
Syria's T-4 air base near Homs.Google Earth

Israel on high alert, prepares for possible Iranian retaliation after strike on Syrian air force base
Syria strike target identified: Air force compound under exclusive Iranian control

The Russian military said on Monday that two Israeli F-15 war planes carried out airstrikes on a Syrian air base near Homs on Sunday, the Interfax news agency reported. 14 people were reportedly killed in the strike, at least four of them Iranians.

Interfax cited the Russian Defense Ministry as saying the Israeli war planes had carried out the strikes from Lebanese air space. The Russian ministry said that Syrian air defense systems had shot down five of eight missiles fired, while the other three landed in the western part of the base. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that the strike was "a dangerous development."

To really understand the Middle East - subscribe to Haaretz

Asked about the Russian statement, an Israeli military spokesman said he had no immediate comment.

The Lebanese TV channel Al Mayadeen, which is also associated with the Assad regime, said that Moscow has demanded clarification from Israel regarding the night attack.

>> REVEALED: The Iranian compound targeted by the 'Israeli strike' in Syria * Israel on high alert, prepares for possible Iranian retaliation after strike on Syrian base * Syria airstrike attributed to Israel was attempt to curtail Iranian air power | Analysis * Russia's tough rhetoric a warning sign for Israel | Analysis
Iranian presence in Syria
Photos of Iranian drones and control center, released by Israel after it struck T-4 air base in Feb.
Photos of Iranian drones and control center, released by Israel after it struck T-4 air base in Feb.IDF Spokesperson's Unit

The station quoted "Russian experts" in Syria as saying that the strike was an Israeli reaction to the understandings reached between Russia, Iran and Turkey in a summit in Ankara last week. They added that Israel was acting as the long arm of the U.S., which has not wanted to attack Syria directly in order not to provoke Russia. The sources said that the attack was coordinated between Israel and the U.S.

IRGC-affiliated media have thus far confirmed that 4 Iranians were killed in Israeli strikes on T-4 airbase in Syria's Homs: Col. Mehdi Dehghan, Seyyed Ammar Mousavi, Akbar Javar-Jannati and Mehdi Lotfi-Niasar. pic.twitter.com/k7vo33D7sA
-- FDD's Iran Project (@FDD_Iran) April 9, 2018

Twitter post by FDD's Iran Project naming four Iranian killed in strikes on T-4 air base in Syria

Iran's Fars news agency reported that four Iranians were killed in the air strike, which it attributed to Israel. Media outlets associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps named the four dead, which included a senior officer in Iran's unmanned aerial vehicle program.

>> Top Israeli defense officials push for offensive approach in Syria against Iran

Israel had attacked the T-4 base near Homs twice in the past, destroying an Iranian drone control center and communications systems, where defense analysts say there are large deployments of Russian forces, and where jets fly regular sorties to strike rebel-held areas.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Putin, told reporters on Monday that Israel had not spoken to the president ahead of the air strike even though there may have been Russian military advisers at the base, which he described as "a cause for concern for us."

U.S. officials however told NBC news that Israel informed Washington of its plans to attack in Syria. The officials confirmed that it was the Israeli military that carried out the strike on an air base in Syria - something Israel has not officially acknowledged, as part of its policy of not directly taking responsibility for actions in the Syrian arena.

https://www.haaretz.com/polopoly_fs/1.5980128.1523259114!/image/332334125.jpg_gen/derivatives/size_1496xAuto/332334125.jpg
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad at the Kremlin in Moscow, October 21, 2015AFP

Earlier, Syrian state TV reported casualties in what it called a suspected U.S. missile attack on the major air base in central Syria, close to the ancient city of Palmyra. The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights, a monitoring group, said that 14 people were killed, including Iranian nationals.

Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, says most of the 14 killed were either Iranians or members of Iran-backed groups.

The Lebanese army said in a statement Monday that four Israeli planes violated Lebanon's airspace, flying from the Mediterranean Sea over the coastal town of Jounieh and then heading east, toward the city of Baalbek near the Syrian border. The statement said the warplanes stayed in Lebanese airspace for about 10 minutes, starting at 3:25 A.M. before leaving it.
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The army did not say whether the warplanes carried out the airstrikes on Syria's T-4 air base.

"An aggression was perpetrated on T-4 air base in several strikes that is most likely to be an American attack," state television said in a news flash.

The U.S. Pentagon said it was not conducting airstrikes in Syria "at this time," formally denying the Syrian state television report.

Al-Manar TV station of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group, which is fighting in Syria alongside the government forces, described the attack as an "Israeli aggression."

Israel has struck Syrian army locations many times in the course of the conflict, hitting convoys and bases of Iranian-backed militias that fight alongside Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces.

In February, Israel struck the T4 air base afte the infilitration of an Iranian drone into Israeli airspace. The strikes by Israel took out the batteries that fired missiles at its fighter jets and also hit Iranian targets, including the drone control center and communications systems. In March 2017, following another strike, Israel's Arrow system intercepted Syrian air defenses missiles that were shot at Israeli jets.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a "tense" phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump last week, according to two White House officials. The conversation revolved around Netanyahu's concerns that the U.S. will withdraw from Syria and allow Israel's enemies, Iran and its affiliate militias, to gain a further foothold in the neighboring country, said the officials.
https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/trump-u-s-leaving-syria-very-soon-let-others-take-care-of-it-1.5961986

A White House statement released following the call said Netanyahu and Trump spoke about "recent developments in the Middle East," and that the president "reiterated the commitment of the United States to Israel's security and the two leaders agreed to continue their close coordination on countering Iran's malign influence and destabilizing activities."

Trump said earlier on Sunday there would be a "big price to pay" after medical aid groups reported dozens of civilians, including many children and women, were killed by poison gas in a besieged rebel-held town.

The United States launched a cruise missile strike on a Syrian air base a year ago in response to the killing of dozens of civilians in a sarin gas attack in an opposition-held town in northwest Syria. The gas attack was blamed on Assad. The U.S. missile strike was against a Syrian air base which Washington said was used to launch the strike.

The French army said France did not stage the attack on the Syrian base, AFP reported. The denial comes following a conversation between Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron in which the two leaders agreed to "coordinate a strong, joint response" to the chemical attack in Syria.

The Syrian state denied government forces had launched any chemical attack. Russia, Assad's most powerful ally, called the reports fake.

The UN Security Council planned to hold an emergency meeting Monday to discuss the chemical attack.
-

Trump: U.S. Leaving Syria 'Very Soon, Let Other People Take Care of It'
https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/trump-u-s-leaving-syria-very-soon-let-others-take-care-of-it-1.5961986
Trump boasts U.S. is 'knocking the hell out of ISIS' and that once that's done 'we'll be coming out' * Contradicting Trump, State Dept. says unaware of any plans to withdraw troops...

What is Happening in Iran? Government Acknowledges Protests, But Slams Trump for Tweeting U.S. Support
http://www.newsweek.com/what-happening-iran-government-acknowledges-protests-slams-trump-tweet-support-766393

Is the War in Syria Over? One Year After Aleppo Battle, U.S. and Russia Still Fighting on Different Sides
http://www.newsweek.com/war-syria-over-one-year-aleppo-battle-us-russia-still-fighting-different-sides-749874

Black America More Pro-War Than Ever
https://blackagendareport.com/content/black-america-more-pro-war-ever

Aleppo MP on Why Western Proxies Staged 'Chemical Attack' in Douma and Israel's Recent Threat Against Damascus
http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/27/aleppo-mp-on-why-western-proxies-staged-chemical-attack-in-douma-and-israels-recent-threat-against-damascus/
As evidence continues to mount against the western axis powers and their proxies -- that the alleged 'chemical attack' in Douma, Syria was in fact staged, Syrians remain defiant in the face of further threats and attacks by US-led Axis powers...

Whether it's Russiagate, Skripal or Syria, the Media Have Lost Their Grip on Reality
http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/26/whether-its-russiagate-skripal-or-syria-the-media-have-lost-their-grip-on-reality/

'No Attack, No Victims, No Chemical Weapons': Douma Witnesses Testify to OPCW in The Hague
http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/27/no-attack-no-victims-no-chemical-weapons-douma-witnesses-testify-to-opcw-in-the-hague/
Yesterday, both Syria and Russia presented witnesses to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, Netherlands.
Multiple witness and participants in the White Helmets video testified of a 'staged' gas attack in the Syrian town of Douma, as well as how the online video productions supplied to western governments and media were part of the same "provocation" that Moscow had warned about in advance.
AP reports that Russia's Permanent Representative to the OPCW, Alexander Shulgin, described the social media 'evidence' used by Washington, London and Paris for the alleged 'chemical attack' as "a sloppily staged video" shot by a pseudo-humanitarian organization in a bid to "touch hearts," adding that the same strategy had been used in previous false flag attacks in Syria.
Witnesses of the alleged chemical attack in Douma, including 11-year-old Hassan Diab and multiple hospital staff who were present at the staged event, all described to reporters and officials at The Hague that the White Helmets video used as a pretext for a US-led strike on Syria was, in fact, staged.
In this segment, RT International speaks with former UK Ambassador to Syria Peter Ford and others about the scale of this apparent deception. Watch:
READ MORE SYRIA NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Syria Files
http://21stcenturywire.com/tag/syria

SYRIA: Corporate Media in West Doubles Down on the Douma 'Chemical Attack' Narrative
http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/28/syria-corporate-media-in-west-doubles-down-on-the-douma-chemical-attack-narrative/

On Syria, Media & Propaganda: Academic Freedom and Setting An Example
http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/26/academic-freedom-and-setting-an-example/
A key point that both those senior military figures made was that while Assad had a strong reason not to throw away his advantageous military position by bringing the wrath of NATO down upon him, the armed militant groups in control of Douma had a very strong motive to accomplish exactly that.
Scepticism has been heard in public from others too. They include former weapons inspectors, former ambassadors, established journalists, filmmakers, US senators, and even Fox News's Carlson Tucker.[6]...
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Vanessa Beeley Presents Exposé on White Helmets at Swiss Press Club in Geneva
November 28, 2017 By 21wire
http://21stcenturywire.com/2017/11/28/vanessa-beeley-presents-new-white-helmets-expose-to-swiss-press-club-geneva/

The western-driven myth of the White Helmets continue to disintegrate. Despite the efforts of alleged 'free speech' advocate NGO Reporters Without Borders to shut this event down, Swiss Press Club head Guy Mettan went ahead as scheduled. Reports Without Borders even went as far as to draft a formal complaint demanding the event be cancelled, alongside protestations by UK-based 'Syrian opposition' group Syria Campaign.

Today at the Swiss Press Club in Geneva, 21st Century Wire Associate Editor Vanessa Beeley (pictured above) presented a dossier on the dubious UK-backed NGO known as the 'White Helmets' which included up-to-date information on their links to al Qaeda affiliates in Syria, as well as exposing the western propaganda organisation's many bogus claims, including having 'saved 99,220 lives' since the western-funded construct based in Turkey was created in late 2013.

The press event featured presenters Beeley, along with Richard Labeviere and Prof. Ferrada De Noli from Swedish Doctors for Human Rights. A factual film (in contrast to the Netflix fiction) exposing the White Helmets was shown to attendees and media, followed by presentations by the three aforementioned speakers with a Q&A session.

Watch Beeley's presentation here:

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WHITE HELMETS BY READING THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES:

Evidence: UK Foreign Office Funding Terrorists in Syria:
White Helmets & 'Local Councils' -- Is UK FCO Financing Terrorism in Syria?

Vanessa Beeley:
WHITE HELMETS: State Sanctioned Terrorism and Hollywood Poster Boys for War

21st Century Wire:
New Report Destroys Fabricated Myth of Syria's 'White Helmets'

Initial Investigation into White Helmets:
Who are Syria's White Helmets?

21st Century Wire article on the White Helmets:
Syria's White Helmets: War by Way of Deception -- the "Moderate" Executioners

Who Funds the White Helmets?
Secret £1bn UK War Chest Used to Fund the White Helmets and Other 'Initiatives'

Original investigative report:
The REAL Syria Civil Defence Exposes Fake White Helmets as Terrorist-Linked Imposters

Irish Peace Prize Farce
Tipperary's White Helmets Peace Prize: A Judas Kiss to the Antiwar Movement and Syria

White Helmets Executions
WHITE HELMETS: Severed Heads of Syrian Arab Army Soldiers Paraded as Trophies

CNN Fabricate News About the White Helmets
A NOBEL LIE: CNN's Claim That 'White Helmets Center in Damascus' Was Hit by a Barrel Bomb

White Helmets Links to Al Nusra
WHITE HELMETS: Hand in Hand with Al Qaeda and Extremist Child Beheaders in Aleppo

Report by Patrick Henningsen
AN INTRODUCTION: Smart Power & The Human Rights Industrial Complex

Open Letter by Vanessa Beeley
White Helmets Campaign for War NOT Peace -- Retract RLA & Nobel Peace Prize Nominations

Staged Rescue Videos
(VIDEO) White Helmets: Miraculous 'Rag Doll Rescue'

White Helmets Oscar Award Farce:
Forget Oscar: Give The White Helmets the Leni Riefenstahl Award for Best War Propaganda Film

Cory Morningstar report:
Investigation into the funding sources of the White Helmets, including Avaaz, Purpose, The Syria Campaign

Open letter to Canadian MPs from Stop the War Hamilton (Canada):
Letter from the Hamilton Coalition to Stop War to the New Democratic Party in Canada ref the White Helmet nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize:

Open letter to Canada's NDP Leader on Nobel Prize:
Letter to NDP from Prof. John Ryan protesting White Helmet nomination for RLA and Nobel Peace Prize

READ MORE WHITE HELMETS NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire White Helmets Files

READ MORE SYRIA NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Syria Files
---

Examining the Evidence for Chemical Attack in Syria
April 23, 2018
By Derrick Broze
https://www.activistpost.com/2018/04/examining-the-evidence-for-chemical-attack-in-syria.html

With conflicting reports coming from all angles is there any way to make sense of what is taking place in Syria?

The American public (and the world at large) is swimming in a sea of misinformation, disinformation, conjecture, assumptions, and outright lies. This is not only an accurate description of the situation in regards to the conflict in Syria, but also essentially describes the daily reality of living in a world full of corporate shill media, lying politicians, and a distracted and/or propagandized public. This essay is an attempt to cut through the partisan voices, the emotion on all sides of the discussion, and the deceptive corporate broadcasts in hopes of finding some sliver of truth. I advise all readers to follow every link and read all source material.

A brief recap: The so-called Syrian Civil War has been raging since the 2011 "Arab Spring," when various groups began revolting against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. The conflict is wide-ranging and includes several different factions vying for power or independence. From the Rojava revolution to the Islamic State, aka ISIS, the conflict has been full of resistance, chaos, and confusion. Generally, there are "rebels" fighting under several different names. The United States government has opted to fund these rebels, some of whom have been proven to be ISIS and al-Nusra front. The U.S. and these groups are supported by Israel, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the Russian and Iranian governments have backed Syrian President Assad. The U.S. and Russia have used these groups to wage an indirect conflict, or proxy war, against each other. In the last six years Assad has been accused of using chemical weapons against his own people more than a handful of times. These alleged attacks include Aleppo in March 2013, Ghouta in 2013, Khan Sheikhoun in April 2017, Douma in April 2018, and several other alleged attacks.

This essay is not going to explore the full history of the conflicts in Syria preceding the Arab Spring. Rather, we will be examining the conflict with a focus on this alleged use of chemical weapons in 2013, 2017, and 2018.

Conflicting Evidence

In February 2018, the Associated Press reported (http://bd533182b7f244a4b771c73a0b601ec5/) that Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis stated there was "no evidence" that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons in the 2017 incident in Khan Sheikhoun. "We have other reports from the battlefield from people who claim it's been used," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon. "We do not have evidence of it." This means, nearly a year after the U.S. launched several dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian air base which they claimed was the source of the alleged chemical weapons, there is still no evidence linking Assad to the weapons. Ian Wilkie, a veteran and former intelligence contractor, noticed the admission by Mattis and described the situation in an article for Newsweek:
http://www.newsweek.com/now-mattis-admits-there-was-no-evidence-assad-using-poison-gas-his-people-801542

This assertion flies in the face of the White House (NSC) Memorandum which was rapidly produced and declassified to justify an American Tomahawk missile strike against the Shayrat airbase in Syria.

Mattis offered no temporal qualifications, which means that both the 2017 event in Khan Sheikhoun and the 2013 tragedy in Ghouta are unsolved cases in the eyes of the Defense Department and Defense Intelligence Agency.

Wilkie goes on to note that, "Serious, experienced chemical weapons experts and investigators such as Hans Blix, Scott Ritter, Gareth Porter and Theodore Postol have all cast doubt on 'official' American narratives regarding President Assad employing Sarin."

In April 2017, Activist Post published an article discussing Theodore Postol's findings. (https://www.activistpost.com/2017/04/former-department-of-defense-science-adviser-debunks-claims-of-syrian-chemical-attacks.html) Postol, a professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and former scientist with the U.S Department of Defense, released a 14-page report debunking the White House's report that concluded Assad was behind the attacks. Postol's report found that the U.S. and supporting governments have not provided any "concrete" evidence to black up their claims. Postol also says that it increasingly likely that the attack was carried out by rebel forces.

These inspectors have also found the 2013 attack in Ghouta involved "home-made rockets of the type favored by insurgents." In addition, the White House Memorandum on Khan Sheikhoun relied heavily on testimony from the Syrian White Helmets, the internationally renowned, award-winning group purported to be made up of regular Syrians who volunteer to rescue and support the rebels. There is reason to believe that this version of the White Helmets is false. I recommend checking out these two reports from James Corbett, (https://www.corbettreport.com/?s=white+helmets) including an interview with journalist Vanessa Beeley (https://www.mintpressnews.com/journey-to-aleppo-exposing-the-truth-buried-under-nato-propaganda/220563/) who made the trip to Syria to see what she could find. The White Helmets have been filmed at the apparent scenes of chemical attacks wearing little to no protection. As Wilkie notes,

these same actors were filmed wearing chemical weapons training suits around the supposed "point of impact" in Khan Sheikhoun, something which makes their testimony (and samples) highly suspect. A training suit offers no protection at all, and these people would all be dead if they had come into contact with real military-grade Sarin.

In 2013, Carla Del Ponte, a war crimes prosecutor and formerly part of the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria, told a Swiss-Italian television show that she had gathered testimony from casualties and medical staff which indicated that sarin gas was used by rebels. (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/uns-carla-del-ponte-says-there-is-evidence-rebels-may-have-used-sarin-in-syria-8604920.html) "Our investigators have been in neighbouring countries interviewing victims, doctors and field hospitals and, according to their report of last week which I have seen, there are strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof of the use of sarin gas, from the way the victims were treated," Ms. Del Ponte said. "This was used on the part of the opposition, the rebels, not by the government authorities." Predictably, the White House responded by downplaying her comments.

However, by September 2017, Del Ponte had changed her tune. (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-investigator/syria-investigator-del-ponte-signs-off-with-a-sting-idUSKCN1BT29Q) She quit the council after alleging that she received little support for holding the Assad regime accountable for using chemical weapons Khan Sheikhoun in April 2017. "Leaving the council, del Ponte told Syria's ambassador that she had been right to quickly reach the conclusion that Assad's government had used chemical weapons during an attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun in April," Reuters reported.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-investigator/syria-investigator-del-ponte-signs-off-with-a-sting-idUSKCN1BT29Q

Finally, in November 2017, Edmond Mulet, Head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (OPCW-UN JIM), reported the organization had found that both ISIS and the Syrian government were responsible for using chemical weapons at different points. (https://news.un.org/en/story/2017/11/570192-both-isil-and-syrian-government-responsible-use-chemical-weapons-un-security) In one case, Mulet and the panel found ISIS guilty. "As for the 15-16 September 2016 incident, two women were found to have been exposed to sulfur mustard at Umm Hawsh, he said. Based on the positioning of ISIL and the forensic assessment that the mortar shell came from the direction of areas held by that group, the panel is confident that ISIL was responsible for the use of the mortar shells containing sulfur mustard."

Syrian forces and ISIL used chemicals as weapons -- UN report
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H0B90BGsX4
A UN report has named ISIL extremists and the Syrian Arab Republic for using chemicals as weapons in the country's protracted conflict. This follows investigations conducted by a UN-mandated Joint Investigative Mechanism, led by Edmond Mulet.

Regarding, the April 2017 incident in Khan Sheikhoun, the team examined eight possible scenarios, including the possibility that the event was staged to place responsibility on the Government of Syria. The team acknowledged that the Syrian military was nearby during the event, but could not say "with certainty" that the aircraft which delivered the chemical bomb had taken off from Al Shayrat air base. However, based on the size of the crater and taken with other evidence, the mechanism concluded "Syria was responsible for the use of sarin at Khan Shaykun."

At this point we have heard from the Secretary of Defense, a former science adviser for the DOD, and chemical weapons investigators working for the U.N. and other international agencies. We have seen that some of the individuals place the blame on the U.S. funded rebels, some of the investigators blame the Assad regime, and some point the finger at all parties. This illustrates the need for a calm, rational, discussion regarding the situation in Syria. The truth is rarely simple and likely not to be found in the 24-hour news corporate news cycle.

Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist and liberty activist. He is the Lead Investigative Reporter for ActivistPost.com and the founder of the TheConsciousResistance.com. Follow him on Twitter. Derrick is the author of three books: The Conscious Resistance: Reflections on Anarchy and Spirituality and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 1, Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 2 and Manifesto of the Free Humans.

Derrick is available for interviews. Please contact Derrick@activistpost.com

Support us at Patreon. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Steemit, and BitChute. Ready for solutions? Subscribe to our premium newsletter Counter Markets.
https://steemit.com/@activistpost
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This article may be freely reposted in part or in full with author attribution and source link.
---

SYRIA: New Details Emerge White Helmets Staging Alleged 'Chemical Attack'
https://21wire.tv/2018/04/12/syria-new-details-emerge-white-helmets-alleged-chemical-attack/
Ground-breaking new details from Damascus about the 'chemical attack' deception being perpetrated by US and UK-backed psuedo NGOs operating in terrorist-occupied Syria...
By Editor's Pick -
April 12, 2018

As the US and UK drive towards another Middle East war based on a fabricated pretext, it seems that their whole case rests on the credibility of a US and UK-funded pseudo NGO, who call themselves the White Helmets.

Watch as UK Column hosts Brian Gerrish and Mike Robinson are joined on the ground in Damascus by 21WIRE associate editor Vanessa Beeley, along with Alex Thomson -- uncovering more explosive information which begins to dismantle the West's shaky narrative for war against Syria and Russia. Watch:
UK Column News - 12th April 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87SNuJU2cl4
---

'No Attack, No Victims, No Chemical Weapons': Douma Witnesses Testify to OPCW in The Hague
https://21wire.tv/2018/04/27/no-attack-no-victims-no-chemical-weapons-douma-witnesses-testify-to-opcw-in-the-hague/
Multiple witnesses testify in the Hague how the White Helmets video was staged and used as a pretext for a US-led strike on Syria.
By 21WIRE.TV -
April 27, 2018

This week, both Syria and Russia presented witnesses to Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in in The Hague, Netherlands.

@VanessaBeeley @EvaKBartlett @Ian56789 The #WhiteHelmets have been caught red-handed now. US-UK-French fairy tale is unraveling very quickly now, expect the western media to go completely silent now until their next staged provocation...https://t.co/aayXsGuD0b
-- Patrick Henningsen (@21WIRE) April 27, 2018

Multiple witness and participants in the White Helmets (http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/03/06/white-helmets-exploit-children-manufacture-consent-humanitarian-war-syria/) video testified of a 'staged' gas attack in the Syrian town of Douma, as well as how the online video productions supplied to western governments and media (http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/20/syrian-boy-featured-in-douma-chemical-attack-video-tells-his-story/) were part of the same "provocation" that Moscow had warned about in advance.

AP reports that Russia's Permanent Representative to the OPCW, Alexander Shulgin, described the social media 'evidence' used by Washington, London and Paris for the alleged 'chemical attack' as a "a sloppily staged video" shot by a pseudo-humanitarian organization in a bid to "touch hearts," adding that the same strategy had been used in previous false flag attacks in Syria.

Witnesses of the alleged chemical attack in Douma, including 11-year-old Hassan Diab and multiple hospital staff who were present at the staged event, all of whom described to reporters and officials at The Hague that the White Helmets video used as a pretext for a US-led strike on Syria was, in fact, staged.

In this segment, RT International speaks with former UK Ambassador to Syria Peter Ford and others about the scale of this apparent deception.

WATCH MORE SYRIA NEWS HERE
https://21wire.tv/category/syria/
---

Syrian Boy Featured in Douma 'Chemical Attack' Video Tells His Story
April 20, 2018 By 21wire
http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/04/20/syrian-boy-featured-in-douma-chemical-attack-video-tells-his-story/

A young Syrian boy, Hassan Diab, 11, who was featured in the recent video of the alleged chemical attack in Douma, has been found and he's speaking to journalists.

RT Arabic (https://www.rt.com/news/424694-douma-boy-video-attack/) caught up with Hassan and his father to ask them what happened on April 7th. The boy can be seen prominently featured in video footage (https://www.facebook.com/Douma.Revolution.2011/videos/1739271562820418/) that was posted to social media by the White Helmets and a group called "Douma Revolution" -- a video that was instantly taken by the mainstream media and promoted as fact across all of their networks. Watch:

In the above report, Hassan told the journalist that he was with his mother in a basement in Douma when they were told to go to the hospital. When they arrived at the hospital, someone grabbed the boy and poured water on him as the video cameras began to film him and others in the room. Hassan's father rushed to the hospital to check on his son, adding:

"I was very surprised, and asked what had happened, why my son's eyes were red. I found out that it was water, but it was cold, he could have got sick, he was undressed."

SouthFront (https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-april-19-2018-journalists-find-boy-filmed-in-staged-video-of-chemical-attack-in-douma/) is also reporting that the boy participated in the video in exchange for the promise of various sweets and rice. It's clear from the interviews that Hassan is doing quite well physically, and did not appear to suffer any injuries from a chemical attack. Hassan's father said there was no chemical attack in the town.

Moscow is planning to show the Hassan video at the next UN Security Council meeting. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said Thursday:
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201804191063733196-boy-douma-attack-unsc/

"If anyone should become the main speaker of these days, the main figure in the UN Security Council, then I think this very boy, Hasan Diab, and his parents should tell the Security Council about the White Helmets and how it prepares its fake [footage]."

21WIRE has covered extensively in the past how groups like the White Helmets (http://21stcenturywire.com/tag/White-Helmets/) and their terrorist-linked 'moderate rebel' affiliates use children in their propaganda videos -- designed to evoke 'global outrage' and push for more military intervention as their grip on the country of Syria declines.

Two such examples that remind us of this latest stunt in Douma are the "Dusty Boy" Omran Daqneesh (http://21stcenturywire.com/tag/omran/) and little Bana Alabed (http://21stcenturywire.com/tag/bana-alabed/) of Aleppo.

READ MORE WHITE HELMET NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire White Helmet Files
http://21stcenturywire.com/tag/white-helmets
---

UK COLUMN: US-UK War Crimes Yemen, Guardian's Anti-Syria Propaganda, Novichok Lies, Trump's DPRK Play and More
https://21wire.tv/2018/04/25/uk-column-us-uk-war-crimes-yemen-guardians-anti-syria-propaganda-novichok-lies-trumps-dprk-play-and-more/
https://youtu.be/4R8pUTDMKxk
---

U.S. State Dept Spox 'Plays Dumb' on White Helmets Funding Question
https://21wire.tv/2018/04/20/u-s-state-dept-spox-plays-dumb-on-white-helmets-funding-question/
More Nauert Nonsense...
By 21WIRE.TV -
April 20, 2018

On Thursday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert was asked by CBS News reporter Kylie Atwood to comment on reports that U.S. 'stabilization funding' of the White Helmets is now on pause -- an odd move for one of the group's state-sponsored backers, and given they were just hosted and praised by the state department last month.

Atwood has been covering this aspect of U.S. foreign policy in Syria, specifically about how the U.S. is potentially looking to other coalition members for Syria stabilization funds.

QUESTION: But if the funding for them stops, does it mean that their work has gotten less good?

MS NAUERT: Their work stands for itself, and that is excellent work. Leave it at that.

Watch the exchange below as Nauert avoids answering the question, as she typically does:

A journalist yesterday asked about an internal state dept document that says US funding for the #WhiteHelmets was to b stopped on April 15. Heather plays dumb about it & proceeds to praise the Al-Qaeda tied propaganda group saying she exchanged emails w/ them the other day #Syria pic.twitter.com/Jxc59ZpiR8
-- Walid (@walid970721) April 20, 2018

Read the full transcript of the briefing here.

As we previously reported, the White Helmets started receiving funding from USAID (through the U.S. State Department) as early as 2014-2015.

Clearly, this state department continues to struggle providing a coherent and consistent message on Syria and the White Helmets. This is yet another example.
---

Syrian Boy Featured in Douma 'Chemical Attack' Video Tells His Story - 21WIRE.TV
https://21wire.tv/2018/04/20/syrian-boy-featured-in-douma-chemical-attack-video-tells-his-story/
Visiting Douma 'chemical attack' site: Witnesses recall how White Helmets shot the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaZRZo9FGQI
RT
Published on Apr 20, 2018
As more doubts are raised over videos purporting to show the aftermath of an alleged chemical attack in Syria's Douma... an RT crew visits places seen in the footage and speaks to eyewitnesses.
Check out http://rt.com

'Error of judgment': White Helmets apologize for bizarre mannequin challenge video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytpt4sgoxYI
RT
Published on Nov 25, 2016
The Syrian rescue group known as 'The White Helmets' has apologized for an 'error of judgment'. That's after members of the group staged a rescue scene for the 'mannequin challenge', in which people freeze for the camera. The action sparked anger on social media.

Ambassador Peter Ford speaks to Tucker Carlson: 'The President Has Been Mislead on Douma'
https://21wire.tv/2018/04/20/ambassador-peter-ford-speaks-to-tucker-carlson-the-president-has-been-mislead-on-douma/
"WHY Would He Do That??" Tucker is NOT Buying the Syria Narrative
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijyjIsF4yJA

Tucker Carlson challenges Washington's phony war on Syria - 21WIRE.TV
https://21wire.tv/2018/04/12/tucker-carlson-challenges-americas-phony-case-war-syria/
Tucker: Would war against Assad make US safer?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSGf2ZpDENU
Syria is a complicated situation. With Assad gone, who would run it?

Cooler Heads? Why US, UK should rethink this fabricated case against Syria
By Editor's Pick -
April 12, 2018
https://21wire.tv/2018/04/12/cooler-heads-will-us-uk-go-another-fabricated-case-war/
Congressman Ron Paul, along with co-host Daniel McAdams, bring viewers up-to-date on the US-UK fabricated case for a war against Syria and Russia...
While we did not wake up this morning to news that the US had started attacking Syria -- or started WWIII -- there is unfortunately no guarantee that by the end of today's program the bombs will not be flying. That is the problem with an out-of-control Executive Branch and when Washington runs with war as its lifeblood. But who are the opinion makers that are helping to pull us back from the precipice? Watch:
Cooler Heads Prevailing On Syria? Let's Hope!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW4bOC5q_6k
RonPaulLibertyReport
Streamed live on Apr 12, 2018
While we did not wake up this morning to news that the US had started attacking Syria -- or started WWIII -- there is unfortunately no guarantee that by the end of today's program the bombs will not be flying. That is the problem with an out-of-control Executive Branch and when Washington runs with war as its lifeblood. But who are the opinion makers that are helping to pull us back from the precipice? We'll look at a few today...
---

Syrian Army Captures British Militants in Eastern Ghouta -- Reports
00:06 12.04.2018
https://sputniknews.com/amp/military/201804121063460158-british-forces-syria-ghouta/?__twitter_impression=true

A number of British forces have been captured by the Syrian army during military operations in Eastern Ghouta, according to reports by local media.

According to a report by Al-Mayadeen news channel cited by Fars News, a number of British troops have been captured during the Syrian Arab Army's operations in Eastern Ghouta.

© AP Photo/ Neil Munns
UK Submarines Sent Within Missile Range of Syria for Strikes - Report
They are believed to be a part of international military forces deployed in the region to launch a ground assault in Damascus in cooperation with the US. According to the report, the US and other NATO countries, Jordan and Israel planned to launch attacks from several fronts, but the plot failed as Syrian armed forces made a series of rapid advances in Eastern Ghouta in March. The plot allegedly involved massive airstrikes by US and Israeli planes that were supposed to pave the way for ground forces.

"After the plot was disclosed, the Syrian-Russian military commanders started operations in Eastern Ghouta to repel it," the sources cited by Al-Mayadeen and Fars said.

Since the plot failed due to rapid advances by the Syrian army, the US cancelled all operations planned for these foreign forces and ordered an immediate withdrawal from Eastern Ghouta through the eastern suburbs of Damascus, including Douma.

The US and Turkey sought to rescue foreign "militants and agents operating for Israel, Jordan and NATO," now trapped in Ghouta, and move them to Idlib, the source says.

The Turkish initiative to help with the evacuation of Nusra Front terrorists from Ghouta has reportedly been a coverup for "special foreign forces that were among the ranks of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated" Nusra front terror organization.

"Therefore, the US has ordered Jaysh al-Islam, Faylaq al-Rahman and other terrorist groups to allow the evacuation of civilians from Eastern Ghouta to army-held regions in a bid to provide the ground for these foreign agents to also leave Ghouta in disguise and enable the Turkish intelligence service to send them to specified regions in At-Tanf and northern Syria which are under the control of US troops," the source said.
---

Staged suffering? Interview with boy in Douma video raises more doubts over 'chem attack'
Published time: 19 Apr, 2018 10:47
Edited time: 23 Apr, 2018 13:58
https://www.rt.com/news/424563-douma-boy-chemical-video/
short URL: https://on.rt.com/93lf
Setup Timeout Error: Setup took longer than 30 seconds to complete.
Hassan Diab (left) featured in the video of the alleged chemical attack in Douma / RT

2420514

The boy portrayed as a 'victim' in a video of the alleged chemical attack in Douma has told a Russian TV crew that he was asked to go to hospital, where people "grabbed" him and started "pouring water" over his head.

Panic, fear, screaming adults and frightened children featured in the purported footage of the aftermath following the alleged chemical attack in the Eastern Ghouta city. The video has been circulated by mainstream media since April 7 after being posted by the so-called Douma Revolution group.

???????? ???????? ??????? ??? ????? ?????????. ???????? ???? ??? ??????? ?? ?????. #????????? #?????????? #????? #???? #HassanDiab #WhiteHelmets #Douma #Syria

A post shared by ??????? ????????? (@evgeny.poddubny) on Apr 18, 2018 at 1:09pm PDT

The group is one of the organizations, along with the notorious rebel-linked White Helmets, that has claimed government troops were the culprits behind the reported chemical attack.

One of the main 'characters' in the footage is a soaked boy, who is seen being sprayed with water by people who claim to be 'rescue workers.' It's not clear whether they are doctors from the hospital, human rights activists, or White Helmets members. The latter usually make such videos and send them to news agencies, including Reuters.

Russian broadcaster VGTRK said it found the boy in the video, who appeared to be 11-year-old Hassan Diab. His story differed from the one presented by the activists and later propagated by the mainstream media. He was in the basement with his mother, who said they ran out of food, when they heard some noise outside.

READ MORE: Douma 'gas attack' aftermath footage shows opposition groups moving victims' bodies (GRAPHIC VIDEOS)

"Somebody was shouting that we had to go to the hospital, so we went there. When I came in, some people grabbed me and started pouring water over my head," he told Evgeny Poddubny, a war correspondent from Russian broadcaster VGTRK. Hassan confirmed that he was the boy in the video, and was very scared when the whole situation unfolded. He is now fine and shows no symptoms of having experienced a chemical attack two weeks ago.

A post shared by ??????? ????????? (@evgeny.poddubny) on Apr 18, 2018 at 8:16am PDT

He was eventually found by his father, who said he didn't hear about any chemical attack that day. "I went to the hospital, walked upstairs, and found my wife and children. I asked them what had happened, and they said people outside were shouting about some smell, and told them to go to the hospital. At the hospital, they gave dates and cookies to the kids," he said.

One of the medical workers, who was reportedly on shift at the time, said he was surprised by the sudden influx. "Some people came here and washed people. They said: 'Chemical attack. Chemical attack.' We didn't see any chemical attack symptoms," he added. He did, however, say that there were many people with respiratory problems as a result of dust from recent bombings in the city.

Social media posts and the White Helmets' report were enough for the US, UK and France to launch a series of strikes on Syria on April 14. The announcement of the strikes came hours before the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) team was scheduled to arrive in Douma to determine whether chemical weapons had been used there.

READ MORE: Moscow has 'irrefutable' evidence chem attack in Syria's Douma was staged -- Russia's envoy to OPCW

"The boy agreed to play this role for food. Then the video was circulated across the globe and became the 'evidence' which served as an excuse for the US, the UK and French airstrikes [against Syria]," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Facebook.

Moscow is planning to show the video about Hassan at the next meeting of the UN Security Council, Russia's UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia told Rossiya 1 on Thursday.

Editorial note: The headline and introduction to this story have been changed to better reflect the statements of the boy interviewed by the Russian TV crew.

If you like this story, share it with a friend!
---

Chemtrails

89/5000
Za kulisami "siriyskogo gollivuda": naydeny svideteli postanovki s"yemok "khimataki" v Dume
Behind the Scenes of the "Syrian Hollywood": witnesses of the production of "chemutaki" filming in the Duma (article is in Russian; this English translation was made from https://translate.google.com/)
https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=3008643&3008643#/video/https%3A%2F%2Fplayer.vgtrk.com%2Fiframe%2Fvideo%2Fid%2F1779975%2Fstart_zoom%2Ftrue%2FshowZoomBtn%2Ffalse%2Fsid%2Fvesti%2FisPlay%2Ftrue%2F%3Facc_video_id%3D751695

The film crew of the military correspondent of the Russia channel in Syria Yevgeny Poddubny managed to find direct participants in the production of a supposedly chemical attack in the city of the Duma. Starving children, militants lured them with food. And then, they used them for provocative cadres, which were subsequently distributed through the White Helmets organization. Unique evidence has been obtained, which can not be ignored in the investigation.
https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=3008622

The 11-year-old resident of the city of the Duma does not yet know what will most likely become famous. The child is a living proof that Western countries attacked a sovereign country using falsified data of radical Islamists as a pretext.

Hasan Diab on April 7, video: unknown people are giving the boy first aid in the Duma hospital after the "chemical attack". They pretend to help - they pour water, shake. Wet and frightened, Hasan does not understand what is happening around him. In the evening of the same day he was at home. Now it is clear - one should not worry about the child's health. That's what the boy told in an exclusive interview to the channel "Russia".
https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=3007982

"We were in the basement." My mother told me that today there is nothing to eat, we will eat only tomorrow. "We heard a shout in the street, shouting:" Go to the hospital. "We ran to the hospital, and as soon as I entered, I was seized and watered After that they put us on the bed next to other people, "says Hasan Diab.

On the video, Hassan quickly recognized himself. The boy's father - Omar - said the militants did not explain anything to the child. They just shouted in the street, they called everyone to come to the "point" - so they called the hospital in the Duma.

"When I found out that the child was in the hospital, I asked to quit my job and ran there." There was no chemical weapon, I smoked in the street and felt nothing, went to the hospital and saw my family. "The militants gave dates for the participation in this survey dates, cookies and rice, and they let everyone go home.My child was feeling great, "the father of the boy Omar Diab states.

Hasan feels fine and, of course, does not yet understand why so much attention has been focused on him. In fact, the child was lucky to have survived. As is known, often during such events foreign special services do not leave witnesses. Militants in the Duma in general threw a lot of evidence, apparently, there something went wrong.

Activists of the White Helmets removed the consequences of the "chemical attack" in the hall of the Duma's hospital, it is now clear that the shots are staged, hospital workers say.

Today the same shift works in the hospital that she was on duty on the day of the dramatization. The medical officer tells how the events of April 7 developed.

"None of the victims of any poisonous substances were admitted to our hospital on April 7. Yes, there were people who began to water themselves from this hose, but there were no corresponding symptoms.This day several buildings were destroyed, fires started Because of the building dust and smoke, many had problems with breathing, they were brought here, we helped when suddenly someone ran up and shouted: "Chemical attack! A chemical attack! "And people began to water themselves with water, in fact, there were no signs for this," says the employee of the Syrian city hospital, Dama Baraa Badran.
https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=3007889

Another piece of the puzzle, which allows you to look at the whole picture as a whole - an underground laboratory of radicals. Apparently, the militants used this clandestine laboratory in order to prepare a provocation using chemical weapons in the Duma. Here, chlorine was produced, technical documentation and reagents were found.
https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=3008251

The militants could produce poisonous substances for their own military purposes. In Syria over the past few years, independent experts have documented dozens of cases of using chemical weapons by radicals. But in the West these cases are not noticed. However, it is clear why.
https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=3008216
https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=3007906
---

Search Results for 'white helmets'
https://www.corbettreport.com/?s=white+helmets

The White Helmets Are A Propaganda Construct
Corbett * 02/11/2018
Contrary to what its multi-million dollar international PR campaign would have you believe, the "White Helmets" are not a group of volunteer search-and-rescue workers that sprang spontaneously out of the Syrian soil. When you peel back the layers of foreign financing and reveal the foreign intelligence operatives and murky lobbying groups at the heart of the organization, what you find is that the White Helmets are, in fact, a propaganda construct...
CLICK HERE for hyperlinked transcript and mp3 audio for this podcast
https://www.corbettreport.com/whitehelmets/
Read More »
https://www.corbettreport.com/the-white-helmets-are-a-propaganda-construct/

Episode 330 -- The White Helmets Are A Propaganda Construct
Corbett * 02/09/2018 * 49 Comments
Contrary to what its multi-million dollar international PR campaign would have you believe, the White Helmets are not a group of volunteer search-and-rescue workers that sprang spontaneously out of the Syrian soil. When you peel back the layers of foreign financing and reveal the foreign intelligence operatives and murky lobbying groups at the heart of the organization, what you find is that the White Helmets are, in fact, a propaganda construct.
Read More »
https://www.corbettreport.com/whitehelmets/

Vanessa Beeley Exposes the White Helmets
Corbett * 02/08/2018
For the past two years, Vanessa Beeley has been doing on-the-ground reporting in Syria exposing the lies of the NATO powers and their terrorist proxies. Her work on the White Helmets in particular has drawn the ire of the warmongers and their media mouthpieces. Today we talk to Beeley about the true nature of the White Helmets and the well-funded PR campaign that seeks to defend them.
Read More »
https://www.corbettreport.com/vanessa-beeley-exposes-the-white-helmets/

Interview 1342 -- Vanessa Beeley Exposes the White Helmets
Corbett * 02/08/2018 * 13 Comments
For the past two years, Vanessa Beeley has been doing on-the-ground reporting in Syria exposing the lies of the NATO powers and their terrorist proxies. Her work on the White Helmets in particular has drawn the ire of the warmongers and their media mouthpieces. Today we talk to Beeley about the true nature of the White Helmets and the well-funded PR campaign that seeks to defend them.
Read More »
https://www.corbettreport.com/interview-1342-vanessa-beeley-exposes-the-white-helmets/

Interview 1345 -- Fake News Breakdown on Financial Survival
Corbett * 02/16/2018 * 7 Comments
James joins Dave Allen (taking over for the retired Alfred Adask) for his bi-monthly appearance on Financial Survival. This time they discuss the latest drama on the Korean peninsula, James' fake news awards, and the Japanese government's attempts to alter its pacifist constitution.
Read More »
https://www.corbettreport.com/interview-1345-fake-news-breakdown-on-financial-survival/

An Open Letter to Olivia Solon
Corbett * 02/11/2018 * 50 Comments
Read More »
https://www.corbettreport.com/an-open-letter-to-olivia-solon/

Episode 329 -- The First Annual REAL Fake News Awards
Corbett * 02/02/2018 * 30 Comments
You've seen the GOP's version, but now it's time for the REAL fake news awards. Join James for this special edition of The Corbett Report where he hands out dinos to some of the biggest propoganda poisoners and fake news stinkers of 2017!
Read More »
https://www.corbettreport.com/episode-329-the-first-annual-real-fake-news-awards/

The Syria Strikes: A Conspiracy Theory
Corbett * 04/14/2017 * 71 Comments
The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about the Syria Strikes from the truth-telling truth-tellers in the truthful government and true mainstream news!...in under 5 minutes!!
Read More »
https://www.corbettreport.com/syriastrikes/

The #SyriaStrikes: An Open Source Investigation
Corbett * 04/08/2017
Read More »
https://www.corbettreport.com/the-syriastrikes-an-open-source-investigation/

MSM Syria Lies Need to Be Exposed
Corbett * 10/09/2016 * 50 Comments
In the sick world of the would-be warmongers, child beheading terrorist scum are now the heroes. The blood of the innocents that spill from here on in covers the hands of the mainstream media propagandists.
Read More »
https://www.corbettreport.com/msm-syria-lies-need-to-be-exposed/
---

*******
America, Israel's Whore
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueI5clCKFTY
ScrewSocialism
Published on May 29, 2015

Description:
Zionist headquartered in Israel have hijacked the U.S. and treat the country much as a pimp treats his thickest whore. The whore that a pimp uses to keep his other whores in line when she is not doing tricks. Zionist Israel uses its whore often called "America" to foment wars and destroy any country or person that gets in the way of their achievement of a Satanic one world government. Zionist Israel needs a one world government to usher in the anti-Christ who will rule from the world from Jerusalem.
The Zionist control congress and the President through their lobbies such as AIPAC, Anti-Defamation League, and the Southern Poverty Law Center. They use their control of the six largest media companies to brainwash U.S. citizens with silly entertainments and lies. They are responsible for the massive immigration into the country. They are the leading force behind gun control and the current police state. Because they own the Federal Reserve, the Bank of International Settlements, and most of the world's other central banks, they are able to control the money supply in much of the world. They decide if a country is going to have a healthy economy or if the people will be destitute.
Satanic usury is one of their favorite means to enslave people. They use inflation and the IRS together with the unconstitutional income tax to steal much of the profits from American labor and business. Americans are slaves in their own country but due to the Zionist propaganda matrix most of them don't realize it. They promote the destruction of the family by pushing their cultural Marxist agenda on unwitting Americans through pornography, drinking, feminism, homosexuality and the destruction of Christianity. They started and funded both sides of the world wars which saw deaths of over a hundred million people, mostly Christian. They funded the Bolshevik revolution in Russia which oversaw the genocide of 60 million people mostly Christian and want to do the same in the U.S. Clearly they hate all races but their own yet they have no qualms with sacrificing their own when it helps their goal of world domination. Zionist often state that the goal is to destroy all Western European peoples who they consider nothing more than insects. They did 9/11 and if you don't believe me watch the video "Missing Links' and try to refute it! They are literally trying to get the Christians of the West to fight the Muslims of the East to the death while they sit back and laugh at how gullible we are. They call us the "Goyim" which is another word for cattle! We are less than human in their eyes and they plan to eventually kill us when the time is right. Do some research and you will come to the same conclusion. Jesus warned us of these fake Jews whom he called the "Synagogue of Satan" in Revelation 2:9 and 3:9. Please wake up.

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The following quote from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should help describe exactly what Israel thinks about America. Veterans Today has corroborated from multiple sources the conversation recorded by the US Defense Intelligence Agency in which Netanyahu called for the destruction of the United States.

"If we get caught they will just replace us with persons of the same cloth. So it does not matter what you do, America is a golden calf and we will suck it dry, chop it up, and sell it off piece by piece until there is nothing left but the world's biggest welfare state that we will create and control. Why? Because it is the will of God, and America is big enough to take the hit so we can do it again and again and again. This is what we do to countries that we hate. We destroy them very slowly and make them suffer for refusing to be our slaves."

The context for the plan to destroy the United States piece by piece was a meeting at Fink's where a group of Israeli espionage agents, Netanyahu among them, were celebrating the capture of 5 KG 84 cryptographic devices which they stole from the United States military with the help of Canadians working for the UN in the Golan Heights, thus giving the Israelis and any of their clients direct real time access to all US State Department, Naval, and NATO communications.
Isn't it good to know what the people who control the U.S. plan to do with it? Please wake up.

I will add some more to this later when my blood starts to boil again.
Many thanks to Brother Nathanael for his terrific insights.
God Bless.

I'd Dump the Israelis Tomorrow --Ex-CIA Michael Scheuer Tells Congress
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHl1JnQoIWQ
House Homeland Security Committee on October 9, 2013

The white helmets completely exposed by Treka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV75b-j2vIQ
Treka Zn
Published on Dec 1, 2017
Treka the syrian comedian exposes the white helmets and mainstream media

LORD WEST: WHITE HELMETS ARE ON THE SIDE OF THE TERRORISTS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUuV5_Jk7AI
SCOT TV
Published on Apr 16, 2018
Oops! This guy is f**king up the war hawks narrative.

Plan to stage chemical attack revealed by Syrian resident
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WazIRMy2eHQ
RT America
Published on Feb 13, 2018
Russia's Center for Reconciliation in Syria reports that the White Helmets are preparing to stage a chemical weapons attack aimed at creating a provocation for US intervention. RT America's Dan Cohen has the details.

Assad Didn't Do It - Faked Syrian Gas Attack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2E4PhwCESU

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Former Department of Defense Science Adviser Debunks Claims of Syrian Chemical Attacks
April 19, 2017
https://www.activistpost.com/2017/04/former-department-of-defense-science-adviser-debunks-claims-of-syrian-chemical-attacks.html
By Derrick Broze

As the United States and Western allies march closer to full-scale conflict with Syria, many of their claims are now being scrutinized and dissected by a skeptical public.

On April 4, residents of the town of Khan Shaykhun suffered a chemical gas attack that reportedly killed 74 and injured 557. Despite a lack of evidence or investigation, the United States government, allied governments, and compliant media were quick to point the finger at Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. The dead stream media ignored the fact that Khan Shaykhun was under the control of Al-Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda linked group which the United States has been funding throughout the Syrian civil war. Instead, the West claimed that Assad launched an air strike which released sarin gas, leading to the deaths and injuries.

Those claims are now being disputed by Theodore Postol, a professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and former scientist with the U.S Department of Defense. In a 14-page report, Postol debunks the White House's report that concluded Assad was behind the attacks. Postol's report found that the U.S. and supporting governments have not provided any "concrete" evidence to black up their claims. Postol also says that it increasingly likely that the attack was carried out by rebel forces.

"The implication of Postol's analysis is that it was carried out by anti-government insurgents as Khan Sheikhoun is in militant-controlled territory of Syria," reports the International Business Times. Postol writes that he has reviewed the White House document and came to the conclusion "that the document does not provide any evidence whatsoever that the US government has concrete knowledge that the government of Syria was the source of the chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun, Syria at roughly 6am to 7am on 4 April, 2017."

Postol's claims are based on several arguments. For one, he says the repeated use of chemical attacks by rebel forces over the last few years makes it likely they are the culprits. Also, he examines the main piece of evidence put forth by the White House, namely, photographs which purport to show a crater with an artillery shell that the U.S. says contained the sarin gas.

This conclusion is based on an assumption made by the White House when it cited the source of the sarin release and the photographs of that source. My own assessment is that the source was very likely tampered with or staged, so no serious conclusion could be made from the photographs cited by the White House.

Postol notes that the damage to the shell is not consistent with being dropped from an airplane. However, he believes the damage indicates that an explosive charge was placed on the shell containing the sarin gas and then detonated. "Since the pipe was filled with sarin, which is an incompressible fluid, as the pipe was flattened, the sarin acted on the walls and ends of the pipe causing a crack along the length of the pipe and also the failure of the cap on the back end," Postol wrote.

This is not the first time Postol has spoken against claims of the U.S. government. After the 2013 chemical weapons attack in eastern Ghouta, Postol also stated that the evidence did not point to Syrian President Assad. Postol worked with former UN weapons inspector Richard Lloyd on a report that called into question claims made by the U.S. As Global Research notes,

Just like Ghouta, Idlib (Khan Shaykhun) is dominated by al-Nusra. Earlier this year, even the Washington Post admitted that Idlib's "moderate" rebels had all but been replaced by al-Nusra and other terrorist factions in Syria.

If Western governments and media outlets repeat the mistakes of 2013 by not verifying the claims made by the White Helmets... they may very well end up offering these extremist groups support if they prematurely choose to retaliate against Assad before the dust can settle.

This Book Could Save Your Life (Ad)

Postol and Lloyd are right to be skeptical of the claims made by the U.S. government. As Brandon Turbeville has noted, a declassified CIA document from 1983 shows that the U.S. has long held removal of Assad as their goal. The U.S. and Turkey would love to overthrow Assad and build an oil pipeline straight through the nation of Syria. To do this they will use every trick up their sleeve to deceive the public and push for more wars in the name of "liberty" and "democracy." In fact, the U.S. is already trying to blame a recent bus attack on President Assad -- once again without much credible evidence.

It's up to the free hearts and minds to push past the propaganda and do everything in our power to push back against World War 3. Please join us in our efforts to spread this message far and wide. It's time for the world to unite and send a message to the White House: #StandDownMrTrump

For more details on why all critical thinkers should be skeptical of the U.S. government regarding Syrian attacks, please see this and this.

Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist and liberty activist. He is the Lead Investigative Reporter for ActivistPost.com and the founder of the TheConsciousResistance.com. Follow him on Twitter. Derrick is the author of three books: The Conscious Resistance: Reflections on Anarchy and Spirituality and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 1 and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 2

Derrick is available for interviews. Please contact Derrick@activistpost.com

This article may be freely reposted in part or in full with author attribution and source link.
---

The Truth About The Syria Chemical Attacks -- No Evidence of Assad Chem Weapons, Western False Flag Seems Likely
April 23, 2018
By Brandon Turbeville
https://www.activistpost.com/2018/04/the-truth-about-the-syria-chemical-attacks-no-evidence-of-assad-chem-weapons-western-false-flag-seems-likely.html

As the world awaits the OPCW inspectors scheduled to enter Douma and present their findings regarding the alleged chemical weapons attacks there, most researchers and discerning onlookers already have a pretty good idea of what took place. Despite the crowing of Western countries regarding their yet to be disclosed "proof" that the Syrian government launched chemical weapons against civilians in Douma, there has been not one shred of evidence to back them up. Indeed, what evidence does exist seems to prove only that the attack was staged.

Below are a number of reasons that the claims made by the United States, Britain, and Frances are completely false:

The Lack Of Western Evidence

Despite both the United States and France claiming to have clear evidence that the Syrian government used chemical weapons on the Syrian people, with French President Macron stating that he had undeniable "proof," not one shred of evidence has been presented to their respective populations or even the United Nations, whose own standard for "proof" is a bar set rather low to say the least. Theresa May of Britain stated that her cabinet agreed it was "highly likely" Assad used chemical weapons.

At the end of the day, the undeniable "proof" was nothing more than social media posts, grainy videos, and staged photographs released by terrorist fighters in Douma and the notorious Nusra Front propaganda organization known as the White Helmets. Even the U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis admitted there was no evidence that the Syrian government used chemical weapons. In testimony to Congress, Mattis stated "I believe there was a chemical attack and we're looking for the actual evidence." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWlXTBaN1Sc) He added, "There have been a number of these attacks. In many cases as you know, we don't have troops, we're not engaged on the ground there so I cannot tell you we had evidence even though we certainly had a lot of media and social media indicators that either chlorine or sarin were used.

In other words, the United States, Britain, and France launched an attack on a sovereign nation in service of jihadists terrorists which may very well have caused world war three all on the basis of facebook posts and twitter feeds. However, there is much more to the story as the entire premise of the official narrative coming out of Washington rests on the premise that the West was acting in defense of civilians killed with chemical weapons. In order for the narrative to be true, the Syrian government would have had to use chemical weapons against civilians, the terrorists would have had to present accurate facts, and the West would have to care for the fate of civilians. Of course, none of these premises are true.

Still, despite the fact that none of the three countries with such concrete "proof" have yet to provide it, there is quite a lot of evidence to contrary, which should be examined at least in part.

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Evidence Was Blown Up Before It Could Be Confirmed

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Ever since the moment that Russia was able to secure an OPCW inspection team to enter Douma, the Western bloc of imperialists began moving to strike on an even faster scale. Quite clearly, the Western nations seemed to want to destroy any evidence that would have contradicted their stories before the OPCW team could reach Douma and come to the logical conclusion (assuming that the OPCW team is not bought and paid for by the United States as previous teams have been in the past). America and its "allies" were able to destroy a number of facilities and sites they claimed were chemical weapons facilities before the team could arrive. In reality, those facilities had already been visited and certified by the OPCW as not having been associated with chemical weapons, one of which was a pharmaceutical plant that manufactured cancer drugs, a necessity to produce in Syria since Western sanctions have made it impossible to import them.

After the Western missile strikes, OPCW inspectors, although having been delayed by the Western war machine, were able to make it to Syria regardless. However, on their way to Douma, the inspection team came under fire from what was almost certainly terrorist factions attempting to prevent the team from reaching the alleged chemical weapons site.

Now, after having experienced the setback of the Western missile attacks and gunfire from terrorists, the West is claiming that whatever evidence existed to prove the Western case for war has been destroyed, evaporated, or removed by the Syrian government. In other words, the West is claiming the OPCW inspectors have taken too long to reach the scene and thus, if they find there is no evidence to back up Western claims, it is only because the evidence was somehow removed while the team was in transit.

The Western attitude toward the presentation and investigation of its alleged "proof" is perhaps the most transparent attempt at covering up the fact that it has zero evidence with which to present to the world. Reasons why it is unable to produce proof regarding chemical weapons in Douma are thus changing by the day.

Russia And Syria Deny Attacks, Russia Claims It Was Staged

Maintaining a sizeable presence in Syria, Russia was in a perfect position to investigate the claims of chemical weapons usage immediately after the alleged incident took place. Immediately after the liberation of Douma, Russian radiological, chemical, and biological-warfare units carefully investigated and examined the scene of the alleged attack. The Russian specialists found no evidence whatsoever that a chemical attack had taken place. When Russian specialists interviewed Syrian doctors working at the hospital that was supposed to have treated the victims, the doctors stated clearly that no one showed signs of having been exposed to chemical weapons and were not treated for such exposure. Indeed, the specialists found many local witnesses who stated the video allegedly showing the aftermath of the attack were in fact staged.

This investigation led Russia's Ambassador to the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Aleksandr Shulgin, to state at a special meeting of the OPCW Executive Council that the attack was a "pre-planned false flag attack by the British security services, which could have also been aided by their allies in Washington."
https://www.rt.com/news/424280-russia-evidence-chemical-attack-staged/

"Things unfolded according to the pre-written scenario prepared by Washington. There's no doubt, the Americans play 'first fiddle' in all of this," he added, pointing out that the attack was staged by "pseudo-humanitarian NGOs" who are operating under the control of Syria's enemies.

Shulgin was most likely referring to the Syrian American Medical Society, an organization which only functions in terrorist held areas and is itself funded by the U.S. government via the State Department and USAID, very much like the Nusra propaganda team known as the White Helmets.

The Timing Of The Attacks

As in the case of every other alleged chemical weapons attack blamed on the Syrian government, the question of timing is paramount. One must keep in mind that the Syrian military was not only winning the battle of Douma but had just negotiated a transfer of terrorists from the city to Idlib, a transit that was already in process. If Assad launched chemical weapons at this juncture, it would have been the most strategically stupid decision he could have made since he would have essentially gassed civilians in an area he had recently conquered. To quote a meme circulating throughout social media: "I don't always use chemical weapons against civilians, but, when I do, I do it in areas I have already conquered while everyone is watching so it can be used to justify international military action against me." The idea that Assad would have ordered chemical weapons against non-military targets in a city he had just liberated beggars belief. This claim thus ranks up with the previous claims against Assad in 2013 that suggest he chose to launch chemical weapons attacks against civilians on the same day that OPCW chemical weapons inspectors were present only a few miles away.

Launching chemical weapons attacks -- the same weapons that have repeatedly drawn international condemnation and Western strikes against Syria (all on false pretenses) -- would be a horrible strategic mistake. Chemical weapons, in this context, would be a desperate move on the part of the Syrian government. However, we are asked to believe that Assad would use them in areas he is not only winning but was hours away from liberating entirely. This claim is simply not believable, especially when one considers the fact that Assad has stood up to the worlds greatest military power and its allies for the last seven years clearly showing that, if anything, strategy is not his weakness.

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Lastly, it is important to point out that Syria has already given up its chemical weapons after the 2013 chemical weapons attack committed by terrorists was pinned on Assad by the US. After threats of invasion by the United States to invade, Russia helped negotiate a turnover of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile for destruction which was certified by the United Nations as having been completed.

Russia Warned Of Staged Attacks Coming Down The Pike

The potential for a false flag chemical attack was not unforeseen. However, this time it was not only independent media researchers who warned of an impending staged attack, but the Russian government itself. Nearly one year ago, shortly after the Khan Sheykhoun terrorist attack blamed on the Syrian government and used to justify war with Syria, Vladmir Putin actually announced (http://www.brandonturbeville.com/2017/04/putin-reveals-evidence-of-impending.html) that he had evidence that a false flag was being planned in areas surrounding Damascus. Douma is a Damascus suburb.

"We have reports from multiple sources that false flags like this one -- and I cannot call it otherwise -- are being prepared in other parts of Syria, including the southern suburbs of Damascus. They plan to plant some chemical there and accuse the Syrian government of an attack," he said (https://www.rt.com/news/384333-putin-idlib-attack-provocation/) at a joint press conference in Moscow with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

"President Mattarella and I discussed it, and I told him that this reminds me strongly of the events in 2003, when the US representatives demonstrated at the UN Security Council session the presumed chemical weapons found in Iraq. The military campaign was subsequently launched in Iraq and it ended with the devastation of the country, the growth of the terrorist threat and the appearance of Islamic State [IS, formerly ISIS] on the world stage," he added.

A separate statement was released from the Russian General Staff which stated that terrorists were transporting "toxic agents" into several locations in Syria.

Attacks Didn't Expose Civilians To Chemical Weapons

US General Joseph Dunford, (https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/1493658/briefing-by-secretary-mattis-on-us-strikes-in-syria/) at the Pentagon briefing regarding the American strikes on Syria, stated that the targets of US missiles were "specifically associated with the Syrian regime's chemical weapons program," one of which being the Barzeh scientific research facility which he labeled as a facility that is involved in the "development, production and testing of chemical and biological warfare technology."

The Barzeh facility is in the heart of a heavily populated area of Damascus. Civilians are all around and in close proximity. The facility is located next to a teaching institute as well as a number of homes, which are situated close by.

Dunford claimed that the strikes "inflicted maximum damage, without unnecessary risk to innocent civilians." Indeed, the strikes, despite having killed around 75 civilians, did not result in the dispersement of chemical weapons. But how can this be the case? If the facility was indeed full of hazardous material and chemical weapons components, why would the United States believe it could bomb the building with no "unnecessary risk to innocent civilians?" To the contrary, any bombing of that facility, if it was indeed used to test and manufacture of chemical weapons, would have had an extraordinary impact on the civilians around it. Toxic chemicals would have indeed been released and the population nearby would have suffered under a cloud of chemicals that would have indeed achieved the same result as an actual chemical weapons attack. But there were no such injuries. This leads many researchers, including this one, to believe that there were no chemical weapons-related material in this facility. At best, if the US truly believed this facility contained chemical weapons material, it wantonly endangered countless civilians in addition to the ones it killed outright from ordnance.

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Some of the buildings bombed did contain chemicals, however. For instance, the Pharmaceutical and Chemical Industries Research Institute (https://sana.sy/en/?p=134366) was focused on the development and manufacture of cancer drugs, a much-needed industry since the cruel Western sanctions have prevented cancer medicine from being sold to Syria.

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Even pro-war Reuters was forced to quote Said. (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-scene/syria-strike-reduces-research-center-to-smoking-rubble-idUSKBN1HL107) Said, one of the employees of the center, writing, "Standing near the rubble, Saeid Saeid, head of the center's polymers department, said that the buildings had been used to research and make medicine components that could not be imported, including ones for cancer treatment and anti-venom."

Rim Haddad's article for the AFP, "At Destroyed Syria Lab, Workers Deny Producing Toxic Weapons," quotes Said further. It reads,
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/destroyed-syria-lab-workers-deny-producing-toxic-weapons-153427645.html

The site, according to Western powers, was part of the Syrian government's "chemical weapons infrastructure."

But Said told AFP only non-lethal research and development was under way at the centre.

"As we work in civilian pharmaceutical and chemical research, we did not expect that we would be hit," he said.

Instead, the centre had been producing antidotes to scorpion and snake venom while running tests on chemical products used in making food, medicine and children's toys, according to Said.

"If there were chemical weapons, we would not be able to stand here. I've been here since 5:30 am in full health -- I'm not coughing," he added.

. . . . .

Said said the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons had visited the site in Barzeh in recent years and had declared it free of any toxic weapons.

"The OPCW used to stay in the two upper rooms, and use the labs, and we would cooperate with them completely," he said.

"The OPCW has proven in two reports that this building and the centre as a whole are empty and do not produce any chemical weapons."

Syria's Ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar al-Ja'afari pointed out on April 14, to the UNSC, that the OPCW "handed to Syria an official documents which confirmed that the Barzeh centre was not used for any type of chemical activity."
https://www.c-span.org/video/?444024-1/un-security-council-holds-emergency-meeting-syria

The "Evidence"

Turning to the evidence actually presented by Wesstern powers -- social media postings, tweets, etc -- one need not look any further to see evidence pointing toward the fact that the attack was entirely staged. From documented photographic and video evidence of chemical weapons having been in the possession of the terrorists in East Ghouta to the undoubtedly staged photographs used by terrorists to claim that an attack had taken place, the West's own "evidence" proves to stand in direct opposition to its own claims.

-- @PearsonSharp said he was told the #attack was staged by #terrorists who were in control of the area. #Douma #Syria #ChemicalWeapons #SyrianWar #Assad #Trump #tcot https://t.co/jNx9FB9Xty
-- Ben Swann (@BenSwann_) April 19, 2018

I promised the interviews were coming: here are SOME of them. There is too much to do, I film three hours a day and it takes ten hours to go through it.. be patient! A LOT more is coming. My only objective is to show you what I see from here, that's all https://t.co/V4o2YVAowo
-- Pearson Sharp (@PearsonSharp) April 19, 2018

Terrorists Had Access To Chemical Weapons

For instance, Vanessa Beeley, on her most recent (and current) trip to Syria, traveled to liberated areas of Eastern Ghouta where she discovered "a most extraordinary array" of chemical weapons that had been in the possession of terrorists who had, until only very recently, occupied this area. Beeley conducted an interview (https://21wire.tv/2018/04/12/syria-new-details-emerge-white-helmets-alleged-chemical-attack/) with UK Column (linked here https://21wire.tv/2018/04/12/syria-new-details-emerge-white-helmets-alleged-chemical-attack/) where one can hear her report and see the photographs of said chemical weapons and chemical weapons facilities.

The rooms Beeley visited were labeled "munitions rooms" but also served as torture rooms, complete with isolation cells set up to house unfortunate civilians and other prisoners.

In addition, the Russian military allegedly found a chemical weapons facility in Douma, containing chemicals such as chlorine, thiodiglycol, and diethylamide.

Reports Claim Syria, Russia Capture British Troops In Douma -- UK Gov't Denies

As the battle for East Ghouta began heating up in 2018, a reader wrote to me and suggested that there must be something incredibly important in East Ghouta for the United States and the rest of the "Western" world to react in such a volatile way. If recent reports coming from al-Mayadeen are true, that reader may be proven correct.

According to a report by al-Mayadeen and FARS News, (http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13970122001526) a number of British troops were captured in Douma. The source cited by al-Mayadeen says the troops are believed to be part of the "international coalition" and a plan to launch a ground assault in Damascus in coordination with the U.S. The report suggests that the US and NATO as well as Jordan and Israel had planned to launch attacks on Syria from several different fronts. However, as the Syrian military began operations to liberate Ghouta, the plan was disrupted.

The news agency claims that, after the Syrian and Russian militaries discovered the plot, the operation to liberate Ghouta was launched.

Sputnik International writes:
https://sputniknews.com/amp/military/201804121063460158-british-forces-syria-ghouta/?__twitter_impression=true

The US and Turkey sought to rescue foreign "militants and agents operating for Israel, Jordan and NATO," now trapped in Ghouta, and move them to Idlib, the source says.

The Turkish initiative to help with the evacuation of Nusra Front terrorists from Ghouta has reportedly been a coverup for "special foreign forces that were among the ranks of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated" Nusra front terror organization.

"Therefore, the US has ordered Jaysh al-Islam, Faylaq al-Rahman and other terrorist groups to allow the evacuation of civilians from Eastern Ghouta to army-held regions in a bid to provide the ground for these foreign agents to also leave Ghouta in disguise and enable the Turkish intelligence service to send them to specified regions in At-Tanf and northern Syria which are under the control of US troops," the source said.

Western mainstream media outlets, however, are claiming that the reports are false.

For instance, a report in the Sun states,

FALSE reports which circulated in Iran claimed a group of British soldiers were captured in Syria.

The Sun Online contacted the Ministry of Defence, who denied the claims made by Iran's semi-official news agency.

The unverified report was attributed to a journalist -- based in Moscow -- working for Lebanon's news channel al-Mayadeen.

Fars agency claimed the "British military men" who were taken in Eastern Ghouta, near the capital of Damascus were seized by Syrian-Russian military forces.

*******
The report claimed the Brit soldiers were part of a plot involving "terrorists and NATO forces" to attack Damascus.

It is also possible, if the reports are accurate, that the troops could have been involved in facilitating a false flag chemical weapons attack to be blamed on the Syrian government.

Video, Social Media Evidence Obviously Staged

One video, shared by the White Helmets, which was repeatedly shown to Western audiences was that of Hassan Diab, a small boy who was videotaped being hosed down by alleged rescue workers who were allegedly tending to him as a result of his exposure to chemical weapons. However, after the US bombing of Syria, RT was able to find the boy and interview him and his father who claim that the boy was never exposed to chemical weapons and that the entire event was staged. The RT report, entitled "Staged Suffering? Interview with boy in Douma video raises more doubts over 'chem attack,'" states,
https://www.rt.com/news/424563-douma-boy-chemical-video/

The boy portrayed as a 'victim' in a video of the alleged chemical attack in Douma has told a Russian TV crew that he was asked to go to hospital, where people "grabbed" him and started "pouring water" over his head.

Panic, fear, screaming adults and frightened children featured in the purported footage of the aftermath following the alleged chemical attack in the Eastern Ghouta city. The video has been circulated by mainstream media since April 7 after being posted by the so-called Douma Revolution group.

. . . . .

The group is one of the organizations, along with the notorious rebel-linked White Helmets, that has claimed government troops were the culprits behind the reported chemical attack.

One of the main 'characters' in the footage is a soaked boy, who is seen being sprayed with water by people who claim to be 'rescue workers.' It's not clear whether they are doctors from the hospital, human rights activists, or White Helmets members. The latter usually make such videos and send them to news agencies, including Reuters.

Russian broadcaster VGTRK said (https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=3008643&3008643#/video/https%3A%2F%2Fplayer.vgtrk.com%2Fiframe%2Fvideo%2Fid%2F1779975%2Fstart_zoom%2Ftrue%2FshowZoomBtn%2Ffalse%2Fsid%2Fvesti%2FisPlay%2Ftrue%2F%3Facc_video_id%3D751695) it found the boy in the video, who appeared to be 11-year-old Hassan Diab. His story differed from the one presented by the activists and later propagated by the mainstream media. He was in the basement with his mother, who said they ran out of food, when they heard some noise outside.

"Somebody was shouting that we had to go to the hospital, so we went there. When I came in, some people grabbed me and started pouring water over my head," he told Evgeny Poddubny, a war correspondent from Russian broadcaster VGTRK. Hassan confirmed that he was the boy in the video, and was very scared when the whole situation unfolded. He is now fine and shows no symptoms of having experienced a chemical attack two weeks ago.

He was eventually found by his father, who said he didn't hear about any chemical attack that day. "I went to the hospital, walked upstairs, and found my wife and children. I asked them what had happened, and they said people outside were shouting about some smell, and told them to go to the hospital. At the hospital, they gave dates and cookies to the kids," he said.

One of the medical workers, who was reportedly on shift at the time, said he was surprised by the sudden influx. "Some people came here and washed people. They said: 'Chemical attack. Chemical attack.' We didn't see any chemical attack symptoms," he added. He did, however, say that there were many people with respiratory problems as a result of dust from recent bombings in the city.

The interview can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaZRZo9FGQI

https://t.co/gQAbx3Wk2u
-- Brandon Turbeville (@BrandonTurb) April 22, 2018

Another faked photograph appears at first glance to depict a room full of dead victims of the alleged chemical attack. In one photo, there is a room full of dead bodies. In the second photo, one can clearly see that a dead child was moved into the room and places on top of the dead adults, presumably so that the photo would have a more dramatic effect. https://www.facebook.com/Syrian.Truth/posts/1882975241722526

Moon of Alabama has also deconstructed a number of photos coming out of Douma. MOA, in its article, "Syria -- Manipulated Videos Fail To Launch World War Three -- Update," it writes,
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/04/syria-manipulated-videos-fail-to-launch-world-war-iii.html

Here are videos of that hospital scenes from the 'rebel' propaganda outlets. The 'treatment' by the 'rebels', dousing with water and administering some asthma spray, is unprofessional and many of the 'patients' seem to have no real problem. It is theater. The real medical personal is seen in the background working on a real patient.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpwcV0sup_o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWF-z0tkmmQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNcag20DnZw

The people in the video scenes were "rent-a-mob" actors which the Russians say they have found. They also found the medics and videotaped their statements. (https://twitter.com/iadtawil/status/984882589088538624) They Russian government claims to know the main culprit:

"Today, the Russian defense ministry has other evidence proving the United Kingdom's direct involvement in the organization of this provocation in Eastern Ghouta," [Igor Konashenkov, the defense ministry's spokesman] said.

. . . . .

Cause of the recent panic were a few videos by several propaganda outlets associated with Takfiri 'rebels' in Ghouta. These videos immediately looked staged to me. Yes, they showed dead people -- mainly children -- in a basement or apartment. But the bodies were not in the place where they had died and were probably not, as was claimed, killed by chemical weapons.

In the videos some 20 dead children and a few women lie on the floor as if they were thrown in there. The scene was obviously manipulated several times. The various videos show the bodies in different positions. They have been moved around for presentation. Later videos show, for example, a baby in diapers on top of two older kids. In an earlier video that baby is not there.

The 'rebel' claim that the people were killed by chlorine and a nerve agent: "Look, the dead have foam at their mouth." (Foam at the mouth is wrongly assumed to be a sure symptom of exposure to a nerve agent.)

Yes, they have foam at their mouth. But it seems to be shaving foam and/or some white gel, not a human secretion. We have seen this trick before.
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2013/04/syria-is-shaving-cream-proof-of-chemical-weapon-usage.html

Compare for example this video from the scene (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfQiFEyin_4) uploaded by ???? ??? ???? on Apr 7, 2018 at 20:49:26 UTC with this video from the same scene (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajpjrYSOoYM) by Yaser AlDoumani2 uploaded on Apr 7, 2018 at 22:43:16 UTC.

A screenshot from the first video (graphic):

bigger
http://www.moonofalabama.org/images6/vid1women.jpg
The corridor where the cameraman stands at that moment is filled with dead bodies. The body with the white bonnet on its head lies in a backroom. The detail picture below is turned 180 degree:

bigger
http://www.moonofalabama.org/images6/vid1womenturned.jpg
A screenshot from the second video. The body with the white bonnet has been moved from the backroom to the corridor and added to a pile of other bodies.

bigger
http://www.moonofalabama.org/images6/vid2women.jpg
Detail of the body with the white bonnet turned 180 degree:

bigger
http://www.moonofalabama.org/images6/vid2womenturned.jpg
It is the same body with the same cloth in a different position. It seems obvious that shaving cream or something similar has been added to the body after it was moved. The shaving cream simulates "foaming at the mouth".

Stephen McIntyre found and collected several other discrepancies between the various videos from the scene.
https://twitter.com/ClimateAudit/status/983783744656982016

The people shown have died. They probably suffocated after a shelter collapsed as the Syrian Observatory reported on that day. (http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=88859) But the videos were likely not made at the scene of that incident. The bodies had been moved and manipulated. There were likely no chemical weapons involved in their death.

It would have made no sense at all for the Syrian government to launch a 'chemical attack' on a nonmilitary target in the Douma situation. Its imminent victory was already guaranteed. The 'rebels' and their supporters had their reasons to fake such an 'attack'. It was an attempt to drag the U.S. into destroying the Syrian government and its army. It nearly succeeded.

The various 'leaks' and media claims around the staged 'attack' have reached comical grounds.

CNN headlined today: Biological samples from Syria attack site test positive for chlorine and nerve agent, official says:

Biological samples from the area of the alleged chemical attack in Syria have tested positive for chlorine and a sarin-like nerve agent, according to a US official familiar with the US analysis of the test results.
...
Medical sources and activists in Syria said blood, urine and hair follicle samples were smuggled in batches to Turkey after rebel groups and their families were pushed out of the area by the Assad regime, CNN reported earlier on Friday.

The sources did not know what happened to the samples after they reached Turkey.

That chain of evidence is joke and the claim is nonsense. There is simply no way to diagnose chlorine exposure in blood, urine or hair samples.

The Center of Disease Control notes of Chlorine exposure:
https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/chlorine/casedef.asp

Laboratory criteria for diagnosis:

Biologic: No biologic marker for chlorine exposure is readily available.
...

Chlorine is highly reactive. When it enters the bloodstream it turns into chloride and associates with sodium and potassium and other basic elements. The natural chloride level in a body is already quite high and changes often. We all eat and naturally dispose of table salt, aka sodium chloride, each and every day. The chloride level in a body can be measured but it is not a criterion for chlorine exposure. The 'official' who made those claims to CNN is lying.

The evidence for a 'chemical attack' in Douma is simply not there. The videos provided by the 'rebel' propaganda outlets are manipulated. Medical personal in Douma dispute their propaganda claims.

The staff who remained at the hospital even throughout the time that terrorists occupied Ghouta have also disputed claims of chemical weapons attacks. Muwafak Nisreen, Khalil al-Haish, Dr. Mohammad Mumtaz al-Hanash, Dr. Bashar Nasrullah, Dr. Mohammad O'Youn, Mohammad Daood, Dr. Faisal al-Turk, Dr. Abir Hawa, Dr. Anan al-Baali, Dr. Ghassan Takla, Dr. Yousef Haroon, Dr. Mohammad Dia al-Sheikh Bakri, and Asma al-Hosh all worked at the Douma hospital for years during the Jaish al-Islam takeover, staying on at the hospital when the Syrian military liberated the area. All of these staff members have clearly and resoundingly stated that there was no chemical attack. As a result, they have been demonized as "Assad's stooges" by shameless mainstream media propaganda outlets.
Graphic created by Prof. Tim Anderson

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-owhyqHrzIiI/Wt3x9x6GjrI/AAAAAAAAAwI/jA868ca8jOkyNXZaE22mpHeRBrPEU4u0QCLcBGAs/s400/Douma%2Bhospital%2Bstaff%2Btim%2Banderson%2Bgraphic.jpg

See the doctors and staff members recount their stories for yourself in this video

https://t.co/vUZ4Yx2DUD
-- Brandon Turbeville (@BrandonTurb) April 22, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSrRV-zdNic

Conclusion

The "evidence" so loudly proclaimed by the United States, Britain, and France simply does not exist and what does exist only proves the opposite of what the Western imperialists are arguing. In other words, all real evidence points to the fact that the terrorists staged a chemical weapons attack to be blamed on the Syrian government in order to justify a Western military response against the Syrian government. In fact, most evidence points toward the possibility that there never were chemical agents used even in the false flag incident. Instead, it seems the incident was entirely fabricated out of desperation by the terrorists in Douma in order to provide an incident that Western powers would be able to use in order to justify a military strike against the Syrian government.

Brandon Turbeville writes for Activist Post -- article archive here -- He is the author of seven books, Codex Alimentarius -- The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1 and volume 2, The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria, The Difference it Makes: 36 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Should Never Be President, and Resisting The Empire: The Plan To Destroy Syria And How The Future Of The World Depends On The Outcome. Turbeville has published over 1000 articles on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbeville's radio show Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. His website is BrandonTurbeville.com He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com.

This article may be freely shared in part or in full with author attribution and source link.

Support us at Patreon. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Steemit, and BitChute. Ready for solutions? Subscribe to our premium newsletter Counter Markets.
---

*******
'Assad had no reason to launch chem attack, unlike those who want US involvement' -- Ron Paul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-z_eQcdQVI
RT
Published on Apr 9, 2018
Washington and the US media seem to have no doubts about the Syrian government's complicity in the Douma incident despite the fact that those who want America to stay in Syria have far more solid motives, Ron Paul told RT.

Check out http://rt.com

RT LIVE http://rt.com/on-air

Subscribe to RT! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=RussiaToday
---

Russia Kills 19 CIA Agent Commanders In Syria Caught Funding The Terrorists
0 CIA, Russia 3:59 PM
http://www.wuc-news.com/2017/08/russia-kills-19-cia-agent-commanders-in.html

Fulfilling Putin's promise that Russia would destroy U.S.-backed terrorist groups such as ISIS, Russian Aerospace forces successfully obliterated the al-Nusra HQ on February 28.

Image result for Russia Kills 19 CIA Agent Commanders In Syria Caught Funding The Terrorists
http://www.libertyfighters.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/isis-russia-1000x500.jpg

On February 28, the headquarters of the al-Nusra terrorist group near Rasm al-Eis village, 28 kilometers south-west of Aleppo, was destroyed by a KAB-500 guided bomb launched by an Su-24 fighter jet of the Russian Aerospace forces, Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi, the chief of the Russian General Staff Main Operational Directorate, said on Friday.

"As a result, 67 terrorists, including 19 field commanders -- natives of the North Caucasus and Central Asia, were eliminated. 104 militants were injured," Rudskoi said.

Aleppo was a powerful economic center of Syria before the beginning of the civil war in 2011. It had been under militants' control for several years and was significantly damaged during the conflict.

The city was liberated by the government forces in December 2016.
Russian mine disposal units have been clearing the Aleppo from mines since the city was freed from militants 2016.

Russia-insider.com reports:
Despite several "rebrandings", al-Nusra has never been able to hide the fact that it has received direct and indirect support from the CIA.

Source:
http://www.awdnews.com/political/russia-kills-19-cia-agent-commanders-in-syria-caught-funding-the-terrorists
---

April 13, 2018
Syria - Manipulated Videos Fail To Launch World War III - Updated
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/04/syria-manipulated-videos-fail-to-launch-world-war-iii.html

[Update April 14, 5:00 UCT]

Last night the U.S., UK and France launched a symbolic attack on Syria. It was not intended to hurt the Syrian government, its people or its allies. It did not hit any of Syria's allies. So far there is no report of anyone being killed or wounded.

This was a one-off:

Mattis [...] said the assault was a "one-time shot," so long as Assad does not repeat his use of chemical weapons.

The only purpose of the attack was to do 'something' and to somewhat calm down the warmongers within those three 'western' countries. It was probably insufficient for that.

As we wrote yesterday in the piece below. World War III had been called off.

A report from an observer on the ground in Syria:

Elijah J. Magnier @ejmalrai - 4:22 UTC - 14 Apr 2018

Wow:
#USA #France #UK: 3 countries to bomb 3 #Syria/n objectives in #Homs #Damascus? A centre of research, a Control & command and an ammunition warehouse? And before the OPCW investigation expected today?

A say In ME: Huge mountains moving to give a birth to a small mouse!
-
No "Political hits: (Presidential Palace or gov or security HQ)
No #Iranian objectives hits
No #Hezbollah objectives hit
No Syrian Army key capabilities hit.#
And of course no #Russian deployment w/ #SAA hit
#USA looks weaker than ever with this "strike".
-
The giants trio hit (#USA #UK #France) fired from US base in #Qatar is celebrated in #Damascus government controlled area with #Russian #Iranian #Syrian and #Hezbollah flags, dancing and mocking @realRonaldTrump's strike
-
This is the 1st time in history where a capital, #Damascus, is hit by foreign power and people celebrate it in the street few hours later, challenging the attackers and expressing their solidarity with the government by dancing in the street: #USA #UK #France boosted #Assad today
-
#USA #UK #France targeted empty objectives in #Syria since the entire #SAA was dislocated. @realDonaldTrump wanted to save his image: the Syria people's reaction (1000s in the street expressing solidarity with Assad) to the hit is seriously damaging him.

To limit the attack to the absolute minimum was a wise decision by U.S. President Donald Trump. The people who had faked the 'chemical attack' in Douma on April 7 wanted to pull the U.S. into a wider war with Syria and Russia. They failed. Russia's threat of retaliation for any attack was strong enough to deter the U.S. military. Secretary of Defense Mattis saved the situation when he publicly doubted the evidence and held Trump back from a spontaneous 'revenge' response. Netanyahoo will be furious and the neocons will now try to kick Mattis out.

[End-Update - the original post, written before the attack, follows below]

It seems to me that World War III has been called off - for now. Sanity prevailed over a stampede of warmongering which erupted after dubious but well timed claims of a 'chemical attack' in Syria.

Secretary of Defense Mattis let know of his doubts about the alleged 'chemical attack' in Douma which the 'rebels' attributed to the Syrian government. This changed the tone of Donald Trump's tweets and the international conversations on the issue. Several NATO countries, including Germany and Canada, said they would not take part in any threatened 'revenge' operation.

Today the Russian Defense Ministry accused Britain of having directed the staged attack:

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, released statements by medics from Douma's hospital who said a group of people toting video cameras entered the hospital, shouting that its patients were struck with chemical weapons and causing panic. The medics said none of the patients were hurt by chemicals.

Here are videos of that hospital scenes from the 'rebel' propaganda outlets. The 'treatment' by the 'rebels', dousing with water and administering some asthma spray, is unprofessional and many of the 'patients' seem to have no real problem. It is theater. The real medical personal is seen in the background working on a real patient.

The people in the video scenes were "rent-a-mob" actors which the Russians say they have found. They also found the medics and videotaped their statements. They Russian government claims to know the main culprit:

"Today, the Russian defense ministry has other evidence proving the United Kingdom's direct involvement in the organization of this provocation in Eastern Ghouta," [Igor Konashenkov, the defense ministry's spokesman] said.

An OPCW technical team has arrived in Damascus. It will investigate the scene and talk to the witnesses.

Cause of the recent panic were a few videos by several propaganda outlets associated with Takfiri 'rebels' in Ghouta. These videos immediately looked staged to me. Yes, they showed dead people - mainly children - in a basement or apartment. But the bodies were not in the place where they had died and were probably not, as was claimed, killed by chemical weapons.

In the videos some 20 dead children and a few women lie on the floor as if they were thrown in there. The scene was obviously manipulated several times. The various videos show the bodies in different positions. They have been moved around for presentation. Later videos show, for example, a baby in diapers on top of two older kids. In an earlier video that baby is not there.

The 'rebel' claim that the people were killed by chlorine and a nerve agent: "Look, the dead have foam at their mouth." (Foam at the mouth is wrongly assumed to be a sure symptom of exposure to a nerve agent.)

Yes, they have foam at their mouth. But it seems to be shaving foam and/or some white gel, not a human secretion. We have seen this trick before.

Compare for example this video from the scene uploaded by ???? ??? ???? on Apr 7, 2018 at 20:49:26 UTC with this video from the same scene by Yaser AlDoumani2 uploaded on Apr 7, 2018 at 22:43:16 UTC.

A screenshot from the first video (graphic):

bigger

The corridor where the cameraman stands at that moment is filled with dead bodies. The body with the white bonnet on its head lies in a backroom. The detail picture below is turned 180 degree:

bigger

A screenshot from the second video. The body with the white bonnet has been moved from the backroom to the corridor and added to a pile of other bodies.

bigger

Detail of the body with the white bonnet turned 180 degree:

bigger

It is the same body with the same cloth in a different position. It seems obvious that shaving cream or something similar has been added to the body after it was moved. The shaving cream simulates "foaming at the mouth".

Stephen McIntyre found and collected several other discrepancies between the various videos from the scene.

The people shown have died. They probably suffocated after a shelter collapsed as the Syrian Observatory reported on that day. But the videos were likely not made at the scene of that incident. The bodies had been moved and manipulated. There were likely no chemical weapons involved in their death.

It would have made no sense at all for the Syrian government to launch a 'chemical attack' on a nonmilitary target in the Douma situation. Its imminent victory was already guaranteed. The 'rebels' and their supporters had their reasons to fake such an 'attack'. It was an attempt to drag the U.S. into destroying the Syrian government and its army. It nearly succeeded.

The various 'leaks' and media claims around the staged 'attack' have reached comical grounds.

CNN headlined today: Biological samples from Syria attack site test positive for chlorine and nerve agent, official says:

Biological samples from the area of the alleged chemical attack in Syria have tested positive for chlorine and a sarin-like nerve agent, according to a US official familiar with the US analysis of the test results.
...
Medical sources and activists in Syria said blood, urine and hair follicle samples were smuggled in batches to Turkey after rebel groups and their families were pushed out of the area by the Assad regime, CNN reported earlier on Friday.

The sources did not know what happened to the samples after they reached Turkey.

That chain of evidence is joke and the claim is nonsense. There is simply no way to diagnose chlorine exposure in blood, urine or hair samples.

The Center of Disease Control notes of Chlorine exposure:

Laboratory criteria for diagnosis:

Biologic: No biologic marker for chlorine exposure is readily available.
...

Chlorine is highly reactive. When it enters the bloodstream it turns into chloride and associates with sodium and potassium and other basic elements. The natural chloride level in a body is already quite high and changes often. We all eat and naturally dispose of table salt, aka sodium chloride, each and every day. The chloride level in a body can be measured but it is not a criterion for chlorine exposure. The 'official' who made those claims to CNN is lying.

The evidence for a 'chemical attack' in Douma is simply not there. The videos provided by the 'rebel' propaganda outlets are manipulated. Medical personal in Douma dispute their propaganda claims.

Secretary of Defense Mattis spoke out and U.S. allies refused to swallow the faked evidence. Donald Trump pulled back from his earlier aggressive threats. There will likely be no bombing of Syria and in consequence no violent conflict with Russia.

Trump already began to change the headlines. He just pardoned Dick Cheney's former errant boy Scooter Libby. He is preparing the grounds for pardoning his own staff should they be caught up in the Mueller investigation.

This will give the media enough material to cover throughout the weekend and to forget about attacking Syria.

The staged 'chemical attack' was designed to draw Trump back into the conflict over Syria after he announced that he wants the U.S. military to pull out. Has it changed his mind? Will those who initiated this stunt, probably the Brits, try again?

Will Russia be able to prove its claim of British involvement? If so could it free Yulia Scripal?

Posted by b on April 13, 2018 at 04:12 PM | Permalink
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/04/syria-manipulated-videos-fail-to-launch-world-war-iii.html

new video from russian defense...interviewed doctors at the only hospital in douma
https://southfront.org/russian-defense-ministry-releases-testimonies-of-doctors-from-syrias-duma/
regards
OY
Posted by: oldenyoung | Apr 13, 2018 4:22:23 PM | 1
---

Russian Defense Ministry Releases Testimonies Of Doctors From Syria's Duma (Video)
https://southfront.org/russian-defense-ministry-releases-testimonies-of-doctors-from-syrias-duma/

On April 13, the Ministry of Defense of Russia released a video showing testimonies of two doctors who were on duty at a Duma hospital when the alleged chemical attack took place in the Syrian town on April 7.
https://southfront.org/russian-defense-ministry-uk-is-involved-in-staging-chemical-attack-in-syrias-douma/

In the video, one of the two doctors "Kahlil al-Jaysh" said that the hospital received several civilians who had been injured in an airstrike of the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) on Duma in the morning of April 8. Dr. al-Jaysh said that the airstrike had hit the last floor of a building causing fire. This led to the suffocation of some civilians who were trapped in the lower floors of the building.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNV1_ZGfQrc

While the doctors were treating the injured civilians, a man shouted in the hospital's emergency room that the injures were caused by "a chemical attack," which led to chaos, according to Dr. al-Jaysh.

English subtitles. pic.twitter.com/lXafFybl1I
-- iad tawil (@iadtawil) 13 April 2018

"While treating the people who were suffocated by smoke and dust, one of the people who was present said that the strike was a chemical attack, which led the people in the area [hospital] to deal with the cases as injuries caused by chemical weapons." Dr. al-Jaysh said in the video released by the Ministry of Defense of Russia.

Moreover, the two doctors stressed in the video that there had been no symptoms proving a chemical weapons use. Both doctors were also able to prove their presence in the emergency room of Duma hospital during the incident via a video published a Syrian opposition news outlet.

Several experts suggested before that a carbon monoxide poisoning might be behind the deaths of the Duma attack victims. The Syrian Observatory from Human Rights (SOHR) even reported from day one that carbon monoxide poisoning had been behind the deaths of the civilians who were trapped in a basement from a long time after the airstrike.

Syrian pro-government sources noted that both doctors could have left Duma district under the evacuation agreement between the Damascus government and Jaysh al-Islam but they opted to stay. This makes the testimonies of these two doctors more credible.
---

April 08, 2018
Syria - Timelines Of 'Gas Attacks' Follow A Similar Scheme (Update II)
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/04/timelines-of-gas-attacks-in-syria-follow-a-similar-scheme.html

Updated below

An alleged new 'chemical incident' in Syria reminds of a similar series of events we saw last year. We are told to believe that each time the U.S. pulls back from the war on Syria the Syrian government is responding with a 'chemical attack' that pulls the U.S. back in.

March 30 2017
U.S. priority on Syria no longer focused on 'getting Assad out': Haley

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States' diplomatic policy on Syria for now is no longer focused on making the war-torn country's president, Bashar al-Assad, leave power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said on Thursday, in a departure from the Obama administration's initial and public stance on Assad's fate.

April 4 2017
Suspected gas attack in Syria reportedly kills dozens

World leaders expressed shock and outrage Tuesday at reports of a suspected chemical attack in northwestern Syria that killed scores of civilians, with one UK official suggesting the incident amounted to a war crime.

April 7 2017
Trump launches attack on Syria with 59 Tomahawk missiles

The U.S. military attacked a Syria-government airfield with 59 Tomahawk missiles on Thursday evening.

April 10 2017
US envoy Nikki Haley says Syria regime change is inevitable

The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has told CNN that removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power is a priority, cementing an extraordinary U-turn in the Trump administration's stance on the embattled leader.

The Khan Sheikhun incident had been faked. An international investigation found that half of the alleged casualties arrived in hospitals before the incident was said to have happened. Nothing followed after Haley's last announcement. The administration was apparently not willing to go beyond the one-off strike. The flip-flop was attributed to confusion or infighting within the Trump administration.

A year later the exactly same development can be observed.

March 29 2018
Trump says US will withdraw from Syria 'very soon'

Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump said Thursday that the US would "be coming out of Syria like very soon," just hours after the Pentagon highlighted the need for US troops to remain in the country for the immediate future. "We're knocking the hell out of ISIS. We'll be coming out of Syria like very soon. Let the other people take care of it now," Trump told supporters at an Ohio event on infrastructure.

April 7 2018
Syria poison gas attack kills at least 40, activists and medics say

A poison gas attack late Saturday on a rebel-held town near Syria's capital has killed at least 40 people, activists, rescuers and medics said.

April 7 2018
U.S. State Department On the Chemical Attack in Douma

We continue to closely follow disturbing reports on April 7 regarding another alleged chemical weapons attack, this time targeting a hospital in Douma, Syria. Reports from a number of contacts and medical personnel on the ground indicate a potentially high number of casualties, including among families hiding in shelters. These reports, if confirmed, are horrifying and demand an immediate response by the international community.

April 8 2018
Donald J. Trump

Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria. Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inaccessible to outside world. President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price...
....to pay. Open area immediately for medical help and verification. Another humanitarian disaster for no reason whatsoever. SICK!

...

bigger
http://www.moonofalabama.org/images6/doumamap20180407.jpg

Over the last months the Syrian army secured 90% of 'rebel' enclave in east-Ghouta right next to the Syrian capital Damascus. Only the town of Douma, held by the Saudi financed Salafist Takfiris of Jaish al-Isalm, was left in enemy hands. Negotiations about an evacuation of the terrorist were ongoing. At one point last week the hard core leaders of Jaish al-Islam pulled their negotiators back from the talks and reportedly executed them. Jaish al-Islam wanted to essentially stay in place and keep all its weapons. The Russian negotiators did not agree with this. On Friday the negotiations failed.

Barrages of missiles and grenades from Douma hit Damascus. The 'rebel' supporting Syrian Observatory reported of several killed in Damascus and dozens of wounded. The Syrian army hit back with intensive air strikes and artillery fire on Douma.

The terrorist in Douma hold several thousand of hostages who were abducted in 2013 from the town of Adra. The prisoners were paraded around in cages. The abducted men were forced to dig the extensive tunnel network Jaish al-Isalm uses to hide its weapons and fighters.

Two years ago Jaish al-Islam admitted that it used chemical weapons against a Kurdish suburb of Aleppo. Just two days ago the Russian military command said that it detected 'rebel' preparations for new false flag gas attacks.

Now the terrorists and their supporters claim that a new "chemical weapon attack" happened and blame the Syrian government. A video of the alleged gas attack aftermath shows a basement with some 30 dead children between two and 10 years old. They seem to have suffocated, probably from carbon monoxyd. Astonishingly there are no dead women or men - only children under 10.

Russia, which has observers on the ground, rejects any claims of Syrian government involvement in the incident.

It is quite obvious that the "chemical weapon attack" is a false flag event. The terrorist commit the crime and blame the Syrian government. They want the U.S. to attack the Syrian government.

Will Trump fall for this stunt and attack Syria? Or had he and his minions planned this series of events all along?

Added:

Trump and the U.S. military claim to "fight ISIS" but have completely stopped doing so. There are some 3,000 ISIS fighter in east Syria near the border with Iraq. Most of these are north of the Euphrates where U.S. troops are stationed. If Syrian government troops cross the Euphrates northwards the U.S. attacks them. But ISIS can cross the Euphrates southward and launches large attacks on Syrian government positions in east Syria:

[I]n a surprise attack, the militants stormed Boukamal on Monday, triggering heavy fighting before Iranian-backed Shiite militias beat them out, according to a war monitoring group and Syrian opposition activists with connections to the region. Approximately 400 Islamic State fighters crossed the Euphrates River and ambushed the town, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, killed 11 pro-government fighters in clashes, and losing five of their own.

From their desert territory, the ISIS militants have harassed forces at oil stations, as well, according to Mohammad al-Ayed, director of the Palmyra News Network.

Another group of ISIS fighters is in the south-eastern corner of Syria and under protection of U.S. forces stationed in al-Tanf, near Jordan.

Despite large concentrations of ISIS troops, air attacks of the U.S. coalition against ISIS have practically stopped.

US led Coalition strikes update
http://www.moonofalabama.org/images6/coalairstrikes-s.jpg
via Simla - bigger

Trump is playing theater to the crowd that wants the U.S. out of Syria. He claims that U.S. troops will leave soon. At the same time he is asking the Saudis to come up with $5 billion to pay for the U.S. 'service' of occupying a third country. Trump claims that he wants to eliminate ISIS, but the U.S. military is doing absolutely nothing to achieve such. On the contrary - it protects ISIS from Syrian government attacks.

Russia has troops embedded with every Syrian unit. Russia had warned that it will attack U.S. launching platforms, ships and air planes, should the U.S. strike at Syrian forces and thereby endanger its own soldiers.

Is Trump really willing to escalate towards that?

Update II

Elijah J. Magnier, currently in Syria, relates information about the attack on the T4 airbase in Syria a few hours ago:

8 missiles launched against the T4 could be #Israeli attack. Jet heard over the Lebanese city of Baalbek. #Damascus said the missiles came from the south. Syrian air defence managed to intercept 3 missiles. #ISIS advanced towards Sabaa-Byar simultaneously with the missile attack.
The information coming from #Syria T4 military base report at least 6 killed and 12 wounded by the 8 #Tomahawk missiles launched in the last hours.
The T4 military airport is situated in the heart of al-Badiya and serves to deal mainly with #ISIS pocket
In my [April 1] article I said Israel won't accept the ROE despite #Israel Chief of State - I would say tactical - denial: Israel won't leave the Syrian sky alone and Damascus is ready for confrontation
https://ejmagnier.com/2018/04/01/not-one-but-two-israeli-jets-were-downed-in-february-israel-wont-leave-the-syrian-sky-alone-and-damascus-is-ready-for-confrontation/
The number/type of missiles launched against the military airport called T4 situated in rural #Homs and the count of casualties need to be confirmed. In few hours, #Damascus will issue a communiqué offering its version in details.
Many #Syrians celebrate #Israel attack against their own country. This is what #Assad #Iran and #Hezbollah are mainly fighting along with takfiree.
T4 military airport supports Deir-Ezzour & al-Badiyah battle against #ISIS. It is unrelated to "#Hezbollah supply of weapons". The attack is directly related to #Israel unwilling to see the end of the war in #Syria. Israel supports Jihadists in the south.
Because #USA #UK #France can't look weak and not bomb the #Syrian army in response to the "chemical attack" claim/staged in #Ghouta... Because #Russia can't look weak and not respond... Maybe the T4 #Isrtaeli attack is a compromise to halt a wider war?

Posted by b on April 8, 2018 at 06:31 AM | Permalink
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/04/timelines-of-gas-attacks-in-syria-follow-a-similar-scheme.html
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Syria - Threat Of Large War Recedes But May Come Back
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/04/syria-threat-of-large-war-recedes-but-may-come-back.html

The expected U.S. attack on Syria last night did not happen.

Today U.S President Trump seemed to pull back from his earlier attempt to pressure Russia over a faked chemical incident in Ghouta, Syria:

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump - 10:15 AM UTC - 12 Apr 2018
Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. Could be very soon or not so soon at all! In any event, the United States, under my Administration, has done a great job of ridding the region of ISIS. Where is our "Thank you America?"

Over night high level military and political negotiations between Russia and the U.S. continued with at least some success:

Elijah J. Magnier @ejmalrai - 12:49 PM UTC - 12 Apr 2018
#BreakingNews
#Russian sources told me: possibility of war on #Syria has gone down from 9 to 5/10. Diplomatic contacts with #USA never stopped. It was acknowledged that the possible war on #Syria serves no purposes but to create a war situation where worse case scenario can happen

A war on Syria has been ongoing for over seven years. It will continue for another two or three years. But Trump's recent threat of a large U.S. air or missile campaign against the country has probably been defused.

Trump is certainly under pressure to attack Syria. U.S. media, the neoconservatives and Zionists are pushing for it. The CBS News graphic department revealed their real aim:

bigger

What made Trump blink? Was it the lack of evidence his Secretary of Defense Mattis acknowledged? Or was it the earlier reluctance of Britain to become a partner in crime? Was it the threat of Russian retribution?

Just now Britain seems to reengage. Prime Minister May called a cabinet meeting to discuss a possible strike on Syria. Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn demands a parliament vote on the issue. The British public opposes any missile or airstrikes.

The French poodle Macron claims that he has proof that the Syrian government attacked Douma with chemical weapons. He did not provide any.

Britain, the U.S. and France have recently been visited by the Saudi clown prince Mohammad bin Salman. He offered billions of dollars in form of new contracts. Where promises to attack Syria part of those deals?

The only 'proof' for a 'chemical attack' in Douma are dubious videos of stacked bodies, staged pictures with babies added for extra effect. Claims from the White Helmets, a mainly British financed propaganda organization, and by SAMS, the Syrian American Medical Society which is a Muslim Brotherhood outlet financed by the CIA offshoot USAID.

UN personal in Damascus, the Syrian Red Cross, journalists on the ground and Russian military police have checked the place where the incident allegedly happened as well as local hospitals. They found neither casualties nor witnesses confirming such an attack.

The often quoted Syrian Observatory For Human Rights in Britain did not report any casualties of a chemical attack. Its report of the day in question notes of Douma:

21 civilians including 9 children and 3 women were killed as a result of suffocation caused by the shelling which destroyed basements of houses as a result of the violence bombardment

It is possible that the terrorist propaganda made videos of the casualties of this incident to make its 'chemical attack' claims.

The terrorist group Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), which held Douma when the incident happened, received Saudi and British money and in 2016 used chemical weapons and commit war crimes against a Kurdish suburb of Aleppo. Of the 3,000 men, women and children it abducted from Adra in 2013 only 200 survived. It is not beyond them to kill dozens for propaganda purposes.

Why would anyone believe such sources like the terrorists supporting SAMS and White Helmets? Why should the Syrian government uses an illegal weapon in the very moment it is winning the battle and shortly after Trump said that he wants to retreat from Syria? It makes no sense at all. Despite that two U.S. professors, Joshua Landis and J.R. Cole, swallow the propaganda nonsense hook, line and sinker. They sold out. Their job and reputation requires that they stick to the official narrative. Keep that in mind the next time they lecture and lament about the 'corrupt' Middle East.

The Syrian army and Russian forces in Syria had prepared for U.S. missile attacks. Essential equipment was secured and soldiers had left their barracks. They will stay dispersed until the imminent danger is over.

Today the last Jaish al-Islam takfiris left Douma and were transported to the terrorist haven of Idleb governorate. All other 'rebel' groups now sheltered in Idleb hate Jaish and will try to eliminate it. Russian military police deployed in Douma. The Syrian government flag was raised above the suburb. The last important opposition holdout near to Damascus has been eliminated. (While the Islamic State still holds an enclave in the southern Yarmouk quarter of Damascus it is, unlike Jaish, only a small threat and not under foreign control.)

With the end of the resistance in Douma the U.S. and Saudi Arabia lost their capability to directly attack the capitol Damascus with (proxy) boots on the ground. All the 'rebel' terrorists are now in Idleb and fight each other. Neither the U.S. nor Saudi Arabia has enough (proxy) forces left on the ground to defeat the Syrian government. The hullabaloo of the 'chemical attack' expresses their anger about this defeat.

Trump is under pressure to do 'something'. He has only himself to blame. A year ago he said that he wants the U.S. to leave Syria. Soon thereafter a fake chemical incident happened and he was pulled back in. The same thing happened this time after he declared that he wants the U.S. troops to leave. Why wasn't he prepare for the follow up?

Now his earlier blustering and tweets brought him into this unpleasant position. He will have to find an 'action' or deal that is big enough to claim that he did 'something', but small enough to not incite a deadly Russian or Syrian response. He will also have to act within the next 48 hours.

Posted by b on April 12, 2018 at 11:41 AM | Permalink
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/04/syria-threat-of-large-war-recedes-but-may-come-back.html
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April 24, 2013
Syria: Shaving Cream As Chemical Weapon
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2013/04/syria-is-shaving-cream-proof-of-chemical-weapon-usage.html

Due to considerable progress by the Syrian government against the foreign sponsored, jihadist insurgency new allegations have to be found to justify additional foreign intervention.

These now come in the form of alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government:

"Shrunken pupils, foaming at the mouth and other signs indicate, in our view, that lethal chemical weapons were used."

The U.S. government does not support these unsubstantiated allegations. While "foaming at the mouth" can be a sign of chemical weapon exposure other possible causes for apparent "foaming at the mouth" do exist.

A man "foaming at the mouth"

One therefore should be cautious about the "proof" under the Telegraph's headline Syria doctor's Facebook video proof that Assad used chemicals in Aleppo:

Syria's regime dropped chemical weapons from a plane on a district of Aleppo earlier this month, killing two infants and a woman, experts said after a doctor in Aleppo posted a video of apparent victims to his Facebook page.
...
Niazi Habash, a British-trained doctor who treated the Aleppo victims, said they showed symptoms of exposure to chemicals, including breathing difficulties, foaming at the mouth and pinprick pupils.

The short video posted at the Telegraph site shows three persons laying on hospital stretchers. All three persons have some white foam around their mouths. None of them shows any acute breathing problem. All three seem rather relaxed. Here are three screenshots from the doctor's video showing each of the three "victims". You may judge yourself what kind of "chemical weapon" might have produced their "foaming at the mouth" symptom.

A man "foaming at the mouth"

Another man "foaming at the mouth"

Another person chewing on a tube and with heavy "foaming at the mouth"
This "foaming at the mouth" video proof of chemical weapons usage is fake. That is not to say that the above people are not under chemical attack:

[M]any of these shaving creams feature more harmful ingredients than beneficial ones. Here's what to keep an eye out for.

Propolene glycol is a humectant like glycerin, but unlike glycerin, it's more frequently found in antifreeze and brake fluid. Triethanolamine, better known as TEA, is an emulsifying agent, meaning it helps keep the oil and water from separating. It's also a very controversial ingredient in the cosmetic industry because not only is it a skin irritant, but many formulas containing TEA are found to be contaminated with nitrosamines, which are linked to cancer. Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulphate (SLES) are two more controversial skincare ingredients. These make a great lather, but they also have a number of health implications. Lauryl mimics estrogen, which is especially problematic for women, and laureth often hosts a known carcinogen called dioxane.

Should we bomb Assad for this massive chemical shaving cream attack? Maybe not.

Faking videos of alleged bombing and allegedly wounded victims has been a standard practice of the Syrian insurgents. This "foaming at the mouth" shaving cream video posted by a doctor who is on the side of the insurgency is just another example of such fakery.

But the Telegraph has an additional "expert" judging about the "chemical weapon" usage:

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former British Army specialist and director of a biological consultancy, said the most likely explanation was the chemical sarin had been used.

"From what we've seen, and the descriptions of containers being dropped from the air, it certainly seems that the regime is using sarin in an unprepared state in these attacks," he said.

That a is somewhat funny "expert opinion" by a former tank regiment commander from a "biological consultancy" about "chemical weapons" as "foaming at the mouth" is NOT a standard symptom of sarin exposure. Yet, looking at fake videos with shaving foam, he claims to see sarin usage.

These fake videos and fake experts are not proof of anything but of warmongering by certain "western" media.

Posted by b on April 24, 2013 at 04:45 AM | Permalink
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2013/04/syria-is-shaving-cream-proof-of-chemical-weapon-usage.html
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April 14, 2018
F.U.K.U.S. Strikes Syria - Who Won?
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/04/fukus-strikes-syria-who-won.html

Last night France, the UK and the U.S. launched an illegal attack on Syria and bombed several military and civilian sites within the country. They justify their attack as revenge or punishment for an alleged 'chemical attack' that had taken place a week earlier.

The 'chemical incident' on April 7 in Douma was designed to reverse Trump's publicly announced decision to order the U.S. military out of Syria. The Saudi financed Salafi 'rebels' in Douma collected bodies, probably from another incident, and stacked them up in one apartment to stage a scene and to create fake videos of a 'chemcial attack' which they falsely attributed to the Syrian government.

Trump pretended to fall for the videos and tweeted threats against Syria and Russia. Russia threatened to respond with strong force should any U.S. attack hurt its soldiers or interests in Syria.

The UK and France, who like the U.S. were only recently visited by the Saudi clown prince and showered with fresh Saudi billions, jumped onto the case. France now admits that its 'intelligence' of the Douma incident is solely based on the obviously staged youtube videos and claims made by 'western' financed propaganda operations who cooperate with the Jihadis.

Yesterday the Russian Defense Ministry accused Britain of having organized the 'chemical incident':

Today, there are other evidences at the disposal of the Russian military department, which testify to the direct participation of Great Britain in organizing this provocation in the Eastern Ghouta.

The Russian party knows for certain that from April 3 to 6, representatives of the so-called White Helmets were influenced by London for the speedy implementation of the provocation prepared in advance.

The White Helmets received information that Jaysh al-Islam militants were to conduct a series of powerful artillery shelling of Damascus on April 3 to 6.

This will promote a response from the government troops, which the White Helmets' representatives will have to use to carry out provocations with alleged chemical weapons.

The 'White Helmets' are financed by the British government and are led by a 'former' British military intelligence officer. The direct accusations against Britain may have been a factor in the hasty launch of last night's strike. Another was surely the arrival of technicians of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Damascus. These will today investigate the alleged incident in Douma and will likely find that it did not take place. That the three countries did not even wait for preliminary results from the investigation must be seen as an admission of guilt. They know that the 'chemical attack' did not take place.

The U.S. military was wary of any potential conflict with Russia. Intense negotiations took place over the last week between the Pentagon and the Russian defense ministry. Secretary of Defense Mattis is said to have talked Trump out of a more serious strike. World War III was avoided.

Last night some 107 missiles and cruise missiles were fired against two research sites and eight military airports in Syria by U.S., French and British forces. The Russian and Syrian forces were warned. People and equipment had been moved. The Russian forces did not directly respond as their areas in Syria were not targeted. The Syrian air defense managed to shoot down or divert 71 of the incoming missiles before they reached their target. The Pentagon claims that none of its missiles were destroyed or diverted from its aim. A well known Syrian opposition outlet disagrees with the Pentagon's claim:

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights managed to monitored interception by the regime forces to tens of missiles which targeted their positions and military bases in the Syrian territory, where several intersected sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory, that the number missiles that were downed, exceeded 65 missiles ...

A 60 to 70% air defense success rate against incoming missiles is stunning. Most of these will have been killed by the Pantsir-S1 systems Russia supplied to Syria. Every Syrian military airport is now protected by such short range systems and while eight were targeted only one was hit.

One of the targets that were hit was the undefended Barzah Scientific Research Center near Damascus. The Pentagon claims that chemical weapons are made or stored there. That claim is obviously a lie:

In 2013 Syrian joined the Chemical Warfare Convention and gave up all its chemical weapons.
The OPCW has checked all accessible former chemical weapon sites in Syria and observed the destruction of the production equipment.
It has since visited and inspected (pdf) the Barzeh facility at least twice. That last time in November 2017.
One does not attack a site with normal bombs if one knows that chemical weapons are stored their. The bombs would distribute the dangerous chemicals and everyone downwind would be seriously affected.
After the U.S. strikes people can be seen walking through the fresh ruins. None wear any protection. There surely was nothing 'chemical' there.

The same holds for the Jaramana facility hit by the strikes. The Pentagon's claim that the strikes hit Syrian 'chemical production and storage facilities' is a lie.

No one has been reported killed by the strikes. The Russian Defense Ministry assessment says that three people were injured. Further assessments of the strikes can be found here: 1, 2 and 3.

What will be the consequences of these strikes?

Last weeks push by the media, by interventionists and by neoconservatives for a wider war on Syria (and Russia) has now been calmed down. Even John McCain, who always wants more wars, seems somewhat satisfied.

The President of Russia Vladimir Putin issued a strong statement:

An act of aggression against a sovereign state that is on the frontline in the fight against terrorism was committed without a mandate from the UN Security Council and in violation of the UN Charter and norms and principles of international law.

The Chinese government likewise laments the violation of international law and the UN charter.

In ordering the strike President Trump also broke U.S. law specifically the War Powers Resolution.

A Security Council meeting will take place today but, as the U.S., Britain and France have vetos, will have no consequences.

One issue the U.S. is certainly not happy about is the successful demonstration of the Russian supplied air defenses which was used last night against the U.S. strikes. This announcement from the Russian Defense Ministry statement will create additional headaches:

It is to be stressed that several years ago given the strong request by our western partners, Russia opted out of supplying the S-300 AD systems to Syria. Taking into account the recent incident, Russia believes it possible to reconsider this issue not only regarding Syria but other countries as well.

More countries will now be able to buy and receive state-of-the-art Russian air defense equipment. Future interferences by the U.S. as well as Israeli strikes against Syria will become significantly more risky. When Syrian receives the S-300 systems it will have the reach to detect and attack any Israeli plane flying over Lebanon. Israel has often used Lebanese airspace to attack targets in Syria. It will soon lose that luxury.

Syria, Iran and Hizbullah all issued statement promising retaliation for the attack. Their responses will likely come on the ground against U.S. targets and assets in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Israel. The Syrian people in Damascus could observe the success of the air defenses and were quite happy with it. They will respond with more support for their government and its plans to liberate all of Syria.

Trump evaded the public pressure created by the fake 'chemical attack' with a more or less symbolic airstrike. He tweeted "Mission Accomplished!" I expect that he will continue to press for an end of U.S. operations in Syria. Whoever instigated the faked attack has won nothing.

Trumps reaction to the incident is also an invitation to Jihadis and those who influence them to repeat such stunts whenever it suits them.

The Pentagon keeps the option open for such further 'chemical attack' stunts and U.S. strikes. It today claimed that Syria still has additional chemical weapon facilities. If this were really the case why isn't the U.S. demanding an inspection and dismantling of these facilities by the OPCW? Syria has signed the Chemical Warfare Convention and would have to accept that.

The obvious U.S. disregard for any international law and for the international organizations like the UN, the OPCW and IAEA will have serious consequences. The U.S. can now surely forget about its desire for an disarmament agreement with North Korea. Russia, China and others will use the example of last night's strikes to disregard international law when it will suit them. There will be no more favors like holding back S-300 systems or adhering to U.S. sanctions against other countries.

In the end the instigators of the incident, the U.S., and its partners in crime will have hurt themselves more with these strikes than they hurt Syria.

Previous Moon of Alabama posts on the 'chemical attack' in Douma and its consequences.
April 8 - Syria - Timelines Of 'Gas Attacks' Follow A Similar Scheme (Update II)
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/04/timelines-of-gas-attacks-in-syria-follow-a-similar-scheme.html
April 9 - Syria - Any U.S. Strike Will Lead to Escalation
April 11 - Syria - A U.S. Attack Would Be Futile - But Serve A Purpose - by M. K. Bhadrakumar
April 11 - Trump Asks Russia To Roll Over - It Won't
April 12 - Syria - Threat Of Large War Recedes But May Come Back
April 13 - Syria - Manipulated Videos Fail To Launch World War III - Updated
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/04/syria-manipulated-videos-fail-to-launch-world-war-iii.html

Posted by b on April 14, 2018 at 01:09 PM | Permalink
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/04/fukus-strikes-syria-who-won.html

F/UK/US. Love it!
Now to find a way to work Israel into the formula.
Posted by: Nuff Sed | Apr 14, 2018 1:15:15 PM | 1

Posted by: michael weddle | Apr 14, 2018 1:25:40 PM | 2
I don't want to give Putin any ideas, but a very simple and elegant solution would be for Russia to supply Syria and Iran with some turn key nukes. Game, set, match.
Posted by: Qualtrough | Apr 14, 2018 1:26:47 PM | 3
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Syrian Army Attacks US-backed Forces, Enters Four Villages In Deir Ezzor
https://southfront.org/syrian-army-attacks-us-backed-forces-enters-four-villages-in-deir-ezzor/
Source: sdf-press.com

On April 29, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and local tribal fighters launched a military operation against the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River in Deir Ezzor capturing the villages of Junaynah, Jiyah, Shaqrah and Hoyqat ma'esha, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

The SDF acknowledged the attack in an official statement and said that its units backed by the US-led collation are now working to repel it. The US-backed forces also accused the SAA of hindering its war on ISIS.

Meanwhile, Syrian opposition sources claimed that the SDF was able to recapture the village of Jiyah following a series of US-led coalition airstrikes on the SAA troops in the village. According to the sources, 22 fighters of the SDF and the SAA have been killed in the clashes so far.

Syrian Army Attacks US-backed Forces, Enters Four Villages In Deir Ezzor

Kurdish and Syrian oppositions activists claim that the attack was led by the Iranian-backed Baqir Brigade, that had vowed to fight the US-led coalition on April 6. On the other side, Syrian pro-government activists said that the offensive had been planned by local Arab fighters who want to recapture their villages from the Kurdish-dominated SDF.

The SAA launched a similar attack on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River on February 7 in order to capture a key gas facility from the SDF. However, the attack failed when the US-led coalition responded with heavy bombardment killing dozens of pro-government fighters, including some Russian private military contractors.

Local observers believe that the new attack will end soon, especially that both the US and Russia are determined to avoid any direct military conformation in Syria.
---

Mainstream 'Journalist' Reveals Agenda; Calls For Rape, Destruction of Syria
TOPICS:Brandon TurbevilleMediaSyria
October 21, 2014
Anthony Freda Art
Brandon Turbeville
https://www.activistpost.com/2014/10/mainstream-journalist-reveals-agenda.html

It is well-known among informed observers and virtually anyone that has even the smallest shred of discernment that mainstream media outlets are nothing more than the mouthpieces for their respective governments, banks, and corporations. These outlets act as a clear propaganda machine drumming up the beat for war by the presentation of clever narratives, subtle falsehoods, and outright lies.

Such deceit relies on the trust of a beguiled public who simply cannot fathom the idea that they are being lied to on such a mass scale. Indeed, the secrecy of the true agenda is what gives propaganda its power. So it is very rare that mainstream outlets, their "journalists," or other major figures openly state the agenda that is behind their reporting and gives purpose to their every word.

But this is exactly what Robert Caruso of the Boston Globe, Huffington Post, The Guardian, Daily Beast, The Jerusalem Post, and other mainstream outlets did in a fit of rage yesterday evening.

Caruso is well known (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-caruso/dont-reinvent-the-wheel-i_b_5871092.html) for his hardcore adherence (http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/defense/219258-there-is-a-military-solution-for-everything) to the absurd notion that Bashar al-Assad is committing atrocities against the Syrian people, that there is such a thing as "moderate rebels," and that the U.S. and its NATO allies should arm terrorists and engage in military operations (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/24/why-drones-don-t-cut-it-in-syria.html) inside Syria.

The statements come after a Twitter fight erupted between himself and Mimi al-Laham, (aka SyrianGirl), a Syrian activist and geopolitical analyst who has been critical of the role the West has played in funding, directing, arming, and controlling terrorists for the purposes of destroying the secular government of Bashar al-Assad.

The two traded barbs for some time. (https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/524479818193043456) During their back and forth, however, Caruso made the statement, "@Partisangirl I'm enjoying this conversation. I will enjoy your beloved Syria being torn apart with violence and Assad in exile even more.

Caruso's response, of course, was in no way out of character. Caruso has Tweeted similar ideas in the past:

Responding to a Twitter user in 2011, Caruso Tweeted:

Normally, the social media ravings of a hack journalist that writes for discredited media outlets would not draw attention. But Caruso's statements, befitting of a bloodthirsty warmonger, should be seen as illuminating of the general mode of thought that pervades mainstream outlets in regards to foreign wars and imperialism.

While generally hiding under the guise of a desire to "protect civilians" and "spread democracy," the true aims are the destruction of a secular government, displacement of a people, and the expansion of empire across the globe. While low-level worker bees like Caruso undoubtedly shill with pleasure for money, considering the wages paid by a number of these outlets, a soul can be bought for a relatively small amount of money these days.

Caruso himself is no stranger to murder and pillage. According to the Huffington Post,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-caruso/

He served with a Joint Task Force, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security at the Department of State, and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). Robert is a veteran of the United States Navy and deployed to support Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM.

Still, it is rare for mainstream propagandists to actually state their intentions so openly in a public forum. Such was the case when Anne Marie Slaughter (appropriately named) wrote an article (http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/anne-marie-slaughter-on-how-us-intervention-in-the-syrian-civil-war-would-alter-vladimir-putin-s-calculus-in-ukraine) in which she revealed how the spreading of Democracy and humanitarian concerns in Syria were only a cover for an attempt to confront Russia. The difference between Caruso and Slaughter, however, is that Slaughter's op-ed (https://www.activistpost.com/2014/06/isis-in-iraq-to-be-used-to-justify.html) was at least well thought and carefully crafted, not an emotional outburst.

Caruso soon after began Tweeting excuses regarding the reason his offensive Tweets were sent out. He appeared to claim that he was hacked but he also claimed that he was not hacked. (https://www.activistpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/caruso3.jpg) Much like his articles, however, there is no reason to take his claims of hacking seriously.

If Caruso and his employers wanted the Syrian people to suffer, then they have succeeded in their mission. Over 170,000 people have now been killed. Infrastructure has been devastated. Buffer Zones and No-Fly Zones are being considered and savage terrorists are now running rampant throughout most of the country. Robert Caruso, his colleagues, and the organizations that employ them can now sit back with satisfaction at their handiwork.

If the American people continue to remain confused and befuddled by the rather poorly constructed propaganda narratives portrayed by Western media outlets and their writers who cannot even contain their emotions on social media, then Syria will undoubtedly be destroyed for good and the United States will be dragged into yet another war for empire in the Middle East.

Caruso and his colleagues, of course, will have the blood of innocent Syrians and American servicemen and women on their hands.

If State Department agents like Anne Marie Slaughter, aided by people like Caruso, have their way, then the United States will eventually be granted its confrontation with Russia. If this ever happens, then those left to pick up the pieces of the developed world will be forced to suffer the humiliation of remembering that utter destruction was brought to them not by brave warriors but instead by international bankers, pencil pushers, and pathetic hipsters.

Recently from Brandon Turbeville:

New York Times FAIL: 'McCain No Connections To ISIS?!?'
https://www.activistpost.com/2014/10/new-york-times-fail-mccain-no.html

ISIS Conveniently Develops Air Force as NATO Seeks "No-Fly Zone" Over Syria
https://www.activistpost.com/2014/10/isis-conveniently-develops-air-force-as.html

FEMA Conducting Pandemic Drills Amidst Ebola Crisis
https://www.activistpost.com/2014/10/fema-conducting-pandemic-drills-amidst.html
---

Visiting Douma 'chemical attack' site: Witnesses recall how White Helmets shot the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaZRZo9FGQI
RT
Published on Apr 20, 2018
As more doubts are raised over videos purporting to show the aftermath of an alleged chemical attack in Syria's Douma... an RT crew visits places seen in the footage and speaks to eyewitnesses.
Check out http://rt.com
RT LIVE http://rt.com/on-air

'Media used my son for their purposes': CNN's Amanpour challenged to go talk to 'Aleppo boy'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAMLF-EI2ls
RT
Published on Jun 8, 2017
CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour, who challenged the Russian foreign minister with a photo of 'Aleppo boy', should go and ask the child and his family for the real story behind the iconic picture, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
RT LIVE http://rt.com/on-air

'They gave dates & cookies to kids at Douma hospital' -- father of 'chem attack' victim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPFaEG9vJT4
RT
Published on Apr 19, 2018
A correspondent from the Russia 24 TV channel claims to have found a Syrian boy seen in the White Helmets' footage, said to show the aftermath of an alleged chemical attack. READ MORE: on.rt.com/93lf
Check out http://rt.com
RT LIVE http://rt.com/on-air

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters: US escalation around the world 'desperately dangerous'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7jcvfbLoIA
RT
Published on Aug 11, 2017
Rock legend Roger Waters speaks to RT America in a wide-ranging interview. In addition to discussing President Donald Trump, ongoing tensions between the US and Russia, and the Israel lobby, Waters called out Radiohead's Thom Yorke for refusing to participate in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights

After visiting Douma, western media begin to question 'gas attack' narrative
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igJz8FAxppc
RT
Published on Apr 18, 2018
More doubts have been raised over this footage filmed by the White Helmets group in a local hospital. The video claims to show the aftermath of the chemical attack. But RT Arabic visited that very hospital in Douma and talked with doctors and locals as well. They described what happened on the 7th of April, claiming they saw no toxic agents used there.
READ MORE: https://on.rt.com/93hh
After visiting Douma, western media begin to question 'gas attack' narrative
https://www.rt.com/news/424421-western-media-douma-attack-narrative/

'Bombing proves there's no solid case' -- analyst on alleged Douma chemical attack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rgYLg5lBVA
RT
Published on Apr 27, 2018
Russia's envoy to the OPCW said it was crucial to avoid new false-flag attacks in Syria and that Moscow "won't allow" US military action there, as he described details of Russian findings on the site of the alleged Douma incident.

'Muddying the waters': BBC slams expert for questioning evidence of Douma attack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSQ0IKjeLJw
RT
Published on Apr 18, 2018
The lack of concrete proof that the attack took place has been raised by some officials & academics. But such questions are often dismissed, for example, in the BBC interview.
READ MORE: https://on.rt.com/93h3
Western media cover tracks of Trump, May and Macron's war crime in Syria
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/424407-fisk-syria-media-strike-war/

Syrian voices muted by Western media for 7 years -- independent journo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXcKn9lKb1c
RT
Published on Apr 27, 2018
Local Syrian doctors have testified that they saw no patients with signs of chemical poisoning in the aftermath of the alleged attack in the city of Douma. RT asked independent researcher Vanessa Beeley, who returned from Douma just days ago, about what she saw.

Hague OPCW Briefing Exposes US Lies, Nikki Haley Lies For Israel & Reopening The 9/11 Investigation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbigljiGkMA
Published on Apr 26, 2018
Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours.

Israel's Massacres of Gaza Protesters Force Liberal Zionists to Face Oppressive Reality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBDAwrFwegU
TheRealNews
Published on Apr 26, 2018
As Natalie Portman refuses to attend an award ceremony in Israel, journalist Ali Abunimah says liberal Zionists are increasingly unable to ignore the brutal oppression of Palestinians.

Netherlands: 'Caught them red-handed' - Russian OPCW Rep. on US, UK and France [Saudi Arabia, Turkey are behind it, too] *EXCLUSIVE*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4VjL2KdCjo
Published on Apr 26, 2018
Russia's Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Alexander Shulgin said that provocations by US, UK and France is like playing with fire, speaking from The Hague on Thursday.
According to Shulgin "those who are staging this kind of provocation, they are playing with fire, it's very dangerous," and "we need to avoid this kind of confrontation."
Shulgin said that the alleged staging of the chemical attack is similar to the Nazis staging an attack in Gleiwitz radio station before starting WW II.
"Our president Vladimir Putin warned about some kind of provocation during his press conference after the meeting in Ankara and three days just three days after there was this attack," Shulgin said.
He went on to say that Russia has proven that the Syrian government hasn't committed any of the alleged crimes, and that Russia is doing its best to help settle the Syrian conflict and bring peace in Syria.
"We caught them red-handed, our western colleagues, because it's absolutely proven now they have been lying to themselves, to the world community," he said, adding that "there is absolutely no reason to be jubilant to rub our hands with satisfaction, no, the situation is very serious."
Subscribe to our channel! rupt.ly/subscribe
Video ID: 20180426-045
Video on Demand: http://www.ruptly.tv
Contact: cd@ruptly.tv

Reporter in Damascus Exposes US, UK, French Government Lies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy0p_GL-Mkg
Sott Media
Published on Apr 16, 2018
OAN News reporter, Pearson Sharp, is currently in Syria and was there during the cruise missile attack by FUKUS. His report exposes the lies told by Western media that it is not possible to gain access to Syria, and that the Syrian people are being oppressed by a "brutal dictator". The vast majority of Syrians fully support their government and army and want nothing more than for the Western-backed terrorist "rebels" to leave the country and leave Syria in peace.

OAN Investigation Finds No Evidence of Chemical Weapon Attack in Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSXwG-901yU

ONE AMERICA NEWS GETS EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO UNDERGROUND MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL IN SYRIA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9w8j-avq_0
One America News Network
Published on Apr 19, 2018
ONE AMERICA'S "PEARSON SHARP" HAS BEEN ON THE GROUND IN SYRIA FOR THE PAST WEEK.... WHERE HE HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING THE ALLEGED CHEMICAL ATTACK IN DOUMA.
HE GOT A CHANCE TO VISIT AN UNDERGROUND MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL IN DOUMA... WHERE HE INTERVIEWED PATIENTS AND DOCTORS ABOUT THE ALLEGED ATTACK.
HERE'S HIS EXCLUSIVE REPORT.

OANN Pearson Sharp interviews Treka in Syria after US strike
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cruaAIZBCwg
Treka Zn
Published on Apr 19, 2018
Pearson Sharp from One American News Network interviews Syrian Comedian Treka in Damascus
Explaining everything you need to know about the Syrian war
and the US, UK, France Strike on Syria after the chemical attack allegation

The Two Sides Of The Syrian Crisis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kllKbRPuhnw
One America News Network
Published on Apr 19, 2018
Conflicting reports continue to pour out of Syria, as the international community demands answers.

Syrian Boy in White Helmets Video Reveals TRUTH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkvDv7_B74Q
Published on Apr 19, 2018
Lift the Veil LIVE
Syrian Boy in White Helmets Video Reveals TRUTH
OANN video: https://youtu.be/iD9C9koRmro

Report from Damascus: The Aftermath of American Aggression on Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-iV1G4OT3g
Syriana Analysis
Published on Apr 14, 2018
American investigative journalist, Pearson Sharp reports from Damascus and confirms the ideas that Kevork Almassian mentioned during the live reporting on the American aggression on Syria.
US Attack on Syria (live report): https://youtu.be/Qy5O8_2M-EI

OAN'S PEARSON SHARP REFUTES MSM REPORTS OF ALLEGED SYRIAN CHEMICAL ATTACK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD9C9koRmro
One America News Network
Published on Apr 18, 2018
THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA ARE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST MEDIA REPORTS THAT SUGGEST ASSAD HAS PLANTED INFORMANTS TO DENY THE ALLEGED CHEMICAL ATTACK IN DOUMA.
ONE AMERICA'S PEARSON SHARP IS IN SYRIA AND HAS THIS EXCLUSIVE REPORT

Why does Russia support Syria's al-Assad?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW0HP7Xd2rs
CaspianReport
Published on Sep 15, 2013
Why does Russia support Al Assad?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW0HP7Xd2rs
For months now Russia has been the main defender of Al-Assad. The country has put its international reputation at stake, and all this for Syria. So what drives Russia to confront the US. Why does Moscow care about Syria or Al-Assad? Well the truth is they really dont. Russia has no particular interests for Syria, and they dont care much for Al Assad either. The Russian naval facility in Syria and the weapons exports are only symbolic interests. In this report we explain how Putin's interests in Syria are indirectly related to Russia's backyard project - the Eurasian Union.

Syria: Boy in White Helmets FAKE Chemical Attack Video Reveals Truth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPGG3P14WWk
Sputnik
Published on Apr 19, 2018
An exclusive interview was released on April 18 with a boy, who participated in filming a fake video, as evidence of the false-flag chemical attack in Douma by the White Helmets.
READ MORE: https://sptnkne.ws/hrM3
WATCH Syrian Boy in White Helmets FAKE Chemical Attack Video Reveals Truth
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201804181063698154-syrian-boy-reveals-truth-helmets/

Solid evidence Douma 'chemical attack' was staged -- Lavrov
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKE6YKw5Y40
RT
Published on Apr 13, 2018
Russia says it has solid evidence that foreign intelligence agencies were involved in staging the alleged chemical attack in Syrian city of Douma.

Admiral Lord West Casts Doubt on Syria Attack Intelligence - BBC NEWS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foj29LIXpy4

SYRIAN COMEDIAN TREKA EXPOSES WHITE HELMETS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQUoGSzVbVU
vanessa beeley
Published on Nov 30, 2017
https://www.facebook.com/treka.officialpage/videos/vb.1565639397038545/1950585755210572/?type=2&theater

Video Proves medical group White Helmets Work for ISIS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZmY9YDqsgU

The White Helmets Are A Propaganda Construct
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vNwe7yKbwo
corbettreport
Published on Feb 9, 2018
TRANSCRIPT AND SOURCES: corbettreport.com/whitehelmets
Contrary to what its multi-million dollar international PR campaign would have you believe, the "White Helmets" are not a group of volunteer search-and-rescue workers that sprang spontaneously out of the Syrian soil. When you peel back the layers of foreign financing and reveal the foreign intelligence operatives and murky lobbying groups at the heart of the organization, what you find is that the White Helmets are, in fact, a propaganda construct.

The white helmets completely exposed by Treka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV75b-j2vIQ&list=RDwV75b-j2vIQ&start_radio=1
Treka Zn
Published on Dec 1, 2017
Treka the syrian comedian exposes the white helmets and mainstream media

The White Helmets - Syria - The Truth Will Shock You!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq2aGDXG350
Shaking My Head Productions
Published on Feb 27, 2018
YouTube: This video is not bullying, threatening, or harming anyone in any way. We are just showing what has been shown to us through the mainstream media, tv, movies and other outlets. This is only our opinion on what we see, nothing more.
White Helmets:
The White Helmets, officially known as Syria Civil Defense, is a volunteer organization that operates in parts of rebel-controlled Syria and in Turkey.
(Please do your own research on this very important topic to form your own opinion. Don't take my word, the news media, or the governments word for it. Find people on the ground that know the truth.) I feel that they are trying to get us to go to war with Syria, just like they did with Iraq after 9/11.
The U.S. Plan To Topple All 7 Countries On Trump's Refugee Ban List
According to four-star General Wesley Clark, shortly after the attacks of 9/11, the Pentagon adopted a plan to topple the governments of seven countries; Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, and Iran.
Gen. Wesley Clark * 7 countries in 5 years - https://youtu.be/Kd6vR1J0_6A
Department Press Briefing - February 22, 2018
Heather Nauert: I want to thank Elise. Last night, she had included me in seeing a documentary. I'm not supposed to encourage people to go see things or do some things, but I don't care. I'm going to break that rule, because I think it's just that important. A documentary last night called the "Last Men in Aleppo," and it was about the situation in Aleppo, Syria. And in there you saw the humanitarian disaster. You saw the selfless men who were leaving their families every day to go try to save those who were buried in the rubble or who had been victims of attacks. That situation is being replicated today in eastern Ghouta. We don't have to see this happen this way. Shine a spotlight on it. Let the world know exactly what is happening. We will back you in this. I will assist you in any way I can in helping you to shine a spotlight on this important issue.
Full: https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2018/02/278763.htm
Why the Documentary White Helmets Is Pure Propaganda -
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2017/03/01/who-are-the-white-helmets-do-we-really-know-what-they-are-doing-in-syria/
Content in video thanks to: vanessa beeley - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqySDfPcmKYq6oUeC03y57A
TyrannyUnmasked - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbuFupQei4PrQ2qPh8pB9gA
Israeli News Live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3q-ByZ2eoOikcEiajMYXXA
As an external media source, I really on you the viewers to help set the facts straight. What do you believe is really going on in Syria. Are they trying to get the U.S. citizens to support another war with another country? God bless everyone. Know Jesus. There will be wars and rumors of wars before the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. New videos are posted daily.
Subscribe to our channel: http://www.youtube.com/c/ShakingMyHeadProductions
///////
Cell Towers - 5G - The Truth Will Shock You! - https://youtu.be/Ua1QzJi6Cwc
Saturnalia Nimrod Tammuz Saturn Worship - https://youtu.be/AlynY3KC-hQ
RFID, Blockchain, AI, Bitcoin - The Truth Will Shock You! - https://youtu.be/W7nt5FynDw8
The First Church of Artificial Intelligence - https://youtu.be/Ll1ww996_I0
5G Technology - What You Need To Know! - https://youtu.be/7xd1_gCJNwA

Related:

*******
The U.S. Plan To Topple All 7 Countries On Trump's Refugee Ban List
According to four-star General Wesley Clark, shortly after the attacks of 9/11, the Pentagon adopted a plan to topple the governments of seven countries; Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, and Iran.
Gen. Wesley Clark * 7 countries in 5 years - https://youtu.be/Kd6vR1J0_6A

General Wesley Clark: "We're going to take out 7 countries in 5 years" Wesley Clark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu98HPgkK5Q

Wesley Clark to Fox News Bimbo We use radical Islamists for [overthrowing countries]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB-YGMWI7vY

Putin on the destruction of the Middle East -- Must watch!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy5F5nDuXYY

Wesley Clark - This Country was Taken Over by a Group of People
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzmW8c66UaI
LibertyUnderground
Published on Mar 25, 2011
More info:
http://www.thelibertyunderground.net/2011/03/wesley-clark-this-country-was-taken.html
*******
Wesley Clark 'The US is going to take out seven countries in five years'
http://www.wuc-news.com/2016/04/wesley-clark-us-is-going-to-take-out.html
Wesley Clark 10:57 AM
This was originally published in March 2007:
"We're going to take out seven countries in 5 years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran" -- General Wesley Clark. Retired 4-star U.S. Army general, Supreme Allied Commander of NATO during the 1999 War on Yugoslavia.

wesley-clark
https://www.globalresearch.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/wesley-clark.jpg

Complete Transcript of Program, Democracy Now.
Today we spend the hour with General Wesley Clark, the retired four-star general. He was the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO during the Kosovo War. In 2004 he unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic presidential nomination. He recently edited a series of books about famous U.S. generals including Dwight Eisenhower and Ulysses Grant -- both of whom became president after their military careers ended.

https://youtu.be/CEV2xDZnIbk

AMY GOODMAN: Today, an exclusive hour with General Wesley Clark, the retired four-star general. He was Supreme Allied Commander of NATO during the Kosovo War. He has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2004, he unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic presidential nomination. He recently edited a series of books about famous US generals, including Dwight Eisenhower and Ulysses Grant, both of whom became president after their military careers ended.
On Tuesday, I interviewed Wesley Clark at the 92nd Street Y Cultural Center here in New York City before a live audience and asked him about his presidential ambitions.
AMY GOODMAN: What do you think of these generals who run for president?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I like them. It's happened before.
AMY GOODMAN: Will it happen again?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: It might.
AMY GOODMAN: Later in the interview, I followed up on that question.
AMY GOODMAN: Will you announce for president?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I haven't said I won't.
AMY GOODMAN: What are you waiting for?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I'm waiting for several different preconditions, which I'm not at liberty to discuss. But I will tell you this: I think about it every single day.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, for the rest of the hour, we'll hear General Wesley Clark in his own words on the possibility of a US attack on Iran; the impeachment of President Bush; the use of cluster bombs; the bombing of Radio Television Serbia during the Kosovo War under his command; and much more. I interviewed General Clark on Tuesday at the 92nd Street Y in New York.
AMY GOODMAN: Now, let's talk about Iran. You have a whole website devoted to stopping war.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Www.stopiranwar.com.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see a replay in what happened in the lead-up to the war with Iraq -- the allegations of the weapons of mass destruction, the media leaping onto the bandwagon?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, in a way. But, you know, history doesn't repeat itself exactly twice. What I did warn about when I testified in front of Congress in 2002, I said if you want to worry about a state, it shouldn't be Iraq, it should be Iran. But this government, our administration, wanted to worry about Iraq, not Iran.
I knew why, because I had been through the Pentagon right after 9/11. About ten days after 9/11, I went through the Pentagon and I saw Secretary Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz. I went downstairs just to say hello to some of the people on the Joint Staff who used to work for me, and one of the generals called me in. He said, "Sir, you've got to come in and talk to me a second." I said, "Well, you're too busy." He said, "No, no." He says, "We've made the decision we're going to war with Iraq." This was on or about the 20th of September. I said, "We're going to war with Iraq? Why?" He said, "I don't know." He said, "I guess they don't know what else to do." So I said, "Well, did they find some information connecting Saddam to al-Qaeda?" He said, "No, no." He says, "There's nothing new that way. They just made the decision to go to war with Iraq." He said, "I guess it's like we don't know what to do about terrorists, but we've got a good military and we can take down governments." And he said, "I guess if the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem has to look like a nail."
So I came back to see him a few weeks later, and by that time we were bombing in Afghanistan. I said, "Are we still going to war with Iraq?" And he said, "Oh, it's worse than that." He reached over on his desk. He picked up a piece of paper. And he said, "I just got this down from upstairs" -- meaning the Secretary of Defense's office -- "today." And he said, "This is a memo that describes how we're going to take out seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran." I said, "Is it classified?" He said, "Yes, sir." I said, "Well, don't show it to me." And I saw him a year or so ago, and I said, "You remember that?" He said, "Sir, I didn't show you that memo! I didn't show it to you!"
AMY GOODMAN: I'm sorry. What did you say his name was?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I'm not going to give you his name.
AMY GOODMAN: So, go through the countries again.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, starting with Iraq, then Syria and Lebanon, then Libya, then Somalia and Sudan, and back to Iran. So when you look at Iran, you say, "Is it a replay?" It's not exactly a replay. But here's the truth: that Iran, from the beginning, has seen that the presence of the United States in Iraq was a threat -- a blessing, because we took out Saddam Hussein and the Baathists. They couldn't handle them. We took care of it for them. But also a threat, because they knew that they were next on the hit list. And so, of course, they got engaged. They lost a million people during the war with Iraq, and they've got a long and unprotectable, unsecurable border. So it was in their vital interest to be deeply involved inside Iraq. They tolerated our attacks on the Baathists. They were happy we captured Saddam Hussein.
But they're building up their own network of influence, and to cement it, they occasionally give some military assistance and training and advice, either directly or indirectly, to both the insurgents and to the militias. And in that sense, it's not exactly parallel, because there has been, I believe, continuous Iranian engagement, some of it legitimate, some of it illegitimate. I mean, you can hardly fault Iran because they're offering to do eye operations for Iraqis who need medical attention. That's not an offense that you can go to war over, perhaps. But it is an effort to gain influence.
And the administration has stubbornly refused to talk with Iran about their perception, in part because they don't want to pay the price with their domestic -- our US domestic political base, the rightwing base, but also because they don't want to legitimate a government that they've been trying to overthrow. If you were Iran, you'd probably believe that you were mostly already at war with the United States anyway, since we've asserted that their government needs regime change, and we've asked congress to appropriate $75 million to do it, and we are supporting terrorist groups, apparently, who are infiltrating and blowing up things inside Iraq -- Iran. And if we're not doing it, let's put it this way: we're probably cognizant of it and encouraging it. So it's not surprising that we're moving to a point of confrontation and crisis with Iran.
My point on this is not that the Iranians are good guys -- they're not -- but that you shouldn't use force, except as a last, last, last resort. There is a military option, but it's a bad one.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to get your response to Seymour Hersh's piece in The New Yorker to two key points this week, reporting the Pentagon's established a special planning group within the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to plan a bombing attack on Iran, that this is coming as the Bush administration and Saudi Arabia are pumping money for covert operations into many areas of the Middle East, including Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, in an effort to strengthen Saudi-supported Sunni Islam groups and weaken Iranian-backed Shias -- some of the covert money has been given to jihadist groups in Lebanon with ties to al-Qaeda -- fighting the Shias by funding with Prince Bandar and then with US money not approved by Congress, funding the Sunnis connected to al-Qaeda.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I don't have any direct information to confirm it or deny it. It's certainly plausible. The Saudis have taken a more active role. You know, the Saudis have --
AMY GOODMAN: You were just in Saudi Arabia.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Hmm?
AMY GOODMAN: You just came back from Saudi Arabia.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Yeah. Well, the Saudis have basically recognized that they have an enormous stake in the outcome in Iraq, and they don't particularly trust the judgment of the United States in this area. We haven't exactly proved our competence in Iraq. So they're trying to take matters into their own hands.
The real danger is, and one of the reasons this is so complicated is because -- let's say we did follow the desires of some people who say, "Just pull out, and pull out now." Well, yeah. We could mechanically do that. It would be ugly, and it might take three or four months, but you could line up the battalions on the road one by one, and you could put the gunners in the Humvees and load and cock their weapons and shoot their way out of Iraq. You'd have a few roadside bombs. But if you line everybody up there won't be any roadside bombs. Maybe some sniping. You can fly helicopters over, do your air cover. You'd probably get safely out of there. But when you leave, the Saudis have got to find someone to fight the Shias. Who are they going to find? Al-Qaeda, because the groups of Sunnis who would be extremists and willing to fight would probably be the groups connected to al-Qaeda. So one of the weird inconsistencies in this is that were we to get out early, we'd be intensifying the threat against us of a super powerful Sunni extremist group, which was now legitimated by overt Saudi funding in an effort to hang onto a toehold inside Iraq and block Iranian expansionism.
AMY GOODMAN: And interestingly, today, John Negroponte has just become the number two man, resigning his post as National Intelligence Director to go to the State Department, Seymour Hersh says, because of his discomfort that the administration's covert actions in the Middle East so closely echo the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s, and Negroponte was involved with that.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I'm sure there are a lot of reasons why John would go back to the State Department. John's a good -- he's a good man. But, you know, the question is, in government is, can you -- are you bigger than your job? Because if you're not bigger than your job, you get trapped by the pressures of events and processes into going along with actions that you know you shouldn't. And I don't know. I don't know why he left the National Intelligence Director's position. He started in the State Department. Maybe he's got a fondness to return and finish off his career in State.
AMY GOODMAN: Can you talk about -- do you know who the generals are, who are threatening to resign if the United States attacks Iran?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: No, I don't. No, I don't. And I don't want to know.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you agree with them?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I'll put it this way. On Labor Day weekend of 1994, when I was the J5 -- I was a three-star general. I was in the Pentagon. And it was a Saturday morning, and so I was in the office. Walt Kross was the director of the Joint Staff, and he was in the office. And I think it was either Howell Estes or Jack Sheehan who was the J3 at the time. The three of us -- I think it was Jack still on the job for the last couple of days. And the three of us were in Shalikashvili's office about 11:00 in the morning on a Saturday morning, and he had just come back from a White House meeting. And he was all fired up in the way that Shali could be. And he said, "So," he said, "we will see who will be the real soldiers this weekend! There's much work to be done! This operation on Haiti has to be completed! The planning must be done correctly, and it must be done this weekend! So we will see who are the real soldiers!"
Then the phone buzzed, and he got up from this little round table the four of us were sitting at to take the call from the White House. We started looking at each other. We said, "Gosh, I wonder where this came from." I mean, we were all getting ready to check out of the building in an hour or so. We had finished off the messages and paperwork. And we just usually got together because there was normally a crisis every Saturday anyway, and so we normally would come in for the Saturday morning crisis. And so, Shali came back, and so I said to him, I said, "Well, sir, we've been talking amongst ourselves, and we're happy to work all weekend to get all this done, but this is just a drill, right, on Haiti?"
He looked at me, and he said, "Wes," he said, "this is no drill." He said, "I'm not authorized to tell you this. But," he said "the decision has been made, and the United States will invade Haiti. The date is the 20th" -- I think it was this date -- "of the 20th of September. And the planning must be done, and it must be done now. And if any of you have reservations about this, this is the time to leave." So I looked at Jack, and I looked at Walt. They looked at me. I mean, we kind of shrugged our shoulders and said, "OK, if you want to invade Haiti, I mean, it's not illegal. It's not the country we'd most like to invade. The opposition there consists of five armored vehicles. But sure, I mean, if the President says to do it, yeah, we're not going resign over it." And so, we didn't resign. Nobody resigned.
But Shali was a very smart man. He knew. He knew he was bigger than his job, and he knew that you had to ask yourself the moral, legal and ethical questions first. And so, I'm encouraged by the fact that some of these generals have said this about Iran. They should be asking these questions first.
AMY GOODMAN: General Wesley Clark. He says he thinks about running for president again every day. We'll come back to my interview with him in a minute.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We go back to my interview with General Wesley Clark.
AMY GOODMAN: What about the soldiers who are saying no to going to Iraq right now?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Iraq?
AMY GOODMAN: To going to Iraq. People like First Lieutenant Ehren Watada, first commissioned officer to say no to deploy. And they just declared a mistrial in his court-martial. He will face another court-martial in a few weeks. What do you think of these young men and women -- there are now thousands -- who are refusing? But, for example, Ehren Watada, who says he feels it's wrong. He feels it's illegal and immoral, and he doesn't want to lead men and women there.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think, you know, he's certainly made a personally courageous statement. And he'll pay with the consequences of it.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you think he should have to go to jail for that?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think that you have to have an effective armed forces. And I think that it's not up to the men and women in the Armed Forces to choose where they'll go to war, because at the very time you need the Armed Forces the most is -- there will be a certain number of people who will see it the other way. And so, I support his right to refuse to go, and I support the government's effort to bring charges against him. This is the way the system works.
Now, the difference is, the case that I described with Shalikashvili is, we would have been given the chance to retire. We would have left our jobs. We might not have retired as three-star generals, because we hadn't done our duty. But we weren't in the same circumstance that he is, so there wasn't necessarily going to be charges brought against us.
But an armed forces has to have discipline. It's a voluntary organization to join. But it's not voluntary unless it's illegal. And you can bring -- the trouble with Iraq is it's not illegal. It was authorized by the United States Congress. It was authorized by the United Nations Security Council resolution. It's an illegitimate war, but not an illegal war.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you think it's wrong?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: It's wrong to fight in Iraq? Well, I think it's a mistake. I think it's a bad strategy. I think it's brought us a lot of grief, and it will bring us a lot more grief. I think it's been a tremendous distraction from the war on terror, a diversion of resources, and it's reinforced our enemies. But on the other hand, his case is a moral case, not a legal case. And if you're going to be a conscientious objector morally like this, then what makes it commendable is that you'll take your stand on principle and pay the price. If there's no price to be paid for it, then the courage of your act isn't self-evident. So he's taken a very personally courageous stand. But on the other hand, you have to also appreciate the fact that the Armed Forces has to be able to function.
So, you know, in World War I in France, there were a series of terribly misplaced offensives, and they brought -- they failed again and again and again. The French took incredible losses. And these were conscript armies. And after one of these failures, a group of thousands of soldiers simply said, "We're not doing this again. It's wrong." You know what the French did? They did what they call decimation. They lined up the troops. They took every tenth soldier, and they shot them. Now, the general who ordered that, he suffered some severe repercussions, personally, morally, but after that the soldiers in France didn't disobey. Had the army disintegrated at that point, Germany would have occupied France. So when you're dealing with the use of force, there is an element of compulsion in the Armed Forces.
AMY GOODMAN: But if the politicians will not stop it -- as you pointed out, the Democrats joined with the Republicans in authorizing the war -- then it's quite significant, I think, that you, as a general, are saying that this man has taken a courageous act. Then it's up to the people who are being sent to go to say no.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Yeah. But the courage that we need is not his courage. We need the courage of the leaders in the United States government: the generals who could affect the policy, the people in Congress who could force the President to change his strategy. That's the current -- that's the courage that's needed.
AMY GOODMAN: And how could they do that?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, you start with a non-binding resolution in the United States Congress, and you build your momentum from there. And you keep hammering it. The Congress has three principal powers. It has the power to appoint, power to investigate, power to fund. And you go after all three. On all three fronts, you find out what the President needs, until he takes it seriously. I think it's a difficult maneuver to use a scalpel and say, "Well, we're going to support funding, but we're not going to support funding for the surge," because that's requiring a degree of micro-management that Congress can't do.
But you can certainly put enough squeeze on the President that he finally calls in the leaders of the Congress and says, "OK, OK, what's it going to take? I've got to get my White House budget passed. I've got to get thirty judges, federal judges, confirmed. I've got to get these federal prosecutors -- you know, the ones that I caused to resign so I could handle it -- they've got to get replacements in place. What do I have to do to get some support here?" I mean, it could be done. It's hard bare-knuckle government.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you think Congress should stop funding the war?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I think Congress should take a strong stand to get the strategy changed. I don't think that if you cut off funding for the war, it's in the -- right now that's not in the United States' interest. What is in the United States' interest is to change the strategy in the war. You cannot succeed by simply stopping the funding and saying, "You've got six months to get the Americans out." That's not going to end the misery in Iraq. It's not going to restore the lives that have been lost. And it's not going to give us the power in the region to prevent later threats.
What we do have to do is have a strategy that uses all the elements of America's power: diplomatic, economic, legal and military. I would send a high-level diplomatic team into the region right now. I'd have no-holds-barred and no-preconditioned discussion with Iran and Syria. And I would let it be known that I've got in my bag all the tricks, including putting another 50,000 troops in Iraq and pulling all 150,000 troops out. And we're going to reach an agreement on a statement of principles that brings stability and peace and order to the region. So let's just sit down and start doing it. Now, that could be done with the right administrative leadership. It just hasn't been done.
You know, think of it this way. You're on a ship crossing the Atlantic. It's a new ship. And it's at night. And you're looking out ahead of the ship, and you notice that there's a part of the horizon. It's a beautiful, starry night, except that there's a part of the horizon, a sort of a regular hump out there where there are no stars visible. And you notice, as the ship plows through the water at thirty knots, that this area where there are no stars is getting larger. And finally, it hits you that there must be something out there that's blocking the starlight, like an iceberg. So you run to the captain. And you say, "Captain, captain, there's an iceberg, and we're driving right toward it." And he says, "Look, I can't be bothered with the iceberg right now. We're having an argument about the number of deck chairs on the fore deck versus the aft deck." And you say, "But you're going to hit an iceberg." He says, "I'm sorry. Get out of here." So you go to the first officer, and he says, "I'm fighting with the captain on the number of deck chairs."
You know, we're approaching an iceberg in the Middle East in our policy, and we've got Congress and the United States -- and the President of the United States fighting over troop strength in Iraq. It's the wrong issue. The issue is the strategy, not the troop strength.
AMY GOODMAN: General Clark, do you think Guantanamo Bay should be closed?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Absolutely.
AMY GOODMAN: If Congress cut off funds for the prison there, it would be closed. Should they?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think the first thing Congress should do is repeal the Military Commissions Act. I'm very disturbed that a number of people who are looking at the highest office in the land have supported an act which advertently or inadvertently authorizes the admission into evidence of information gained through torture. That's not the America that I believe in. And the America that I believe in doesn't detain people indefinitely without charges. So I'd start with the Military Commissions Act.
Then I'd get our NATO allies into the act. They've said they don't like Guantanamo either. So I'd like to create an international tribunal, not a kangaroo court of military commissions. And let's go back through the evidence. And let's lay it out. Who are these people that have been held down there? And what have they been held for? And which ones can be released? And which ones should be tried in court and convicted?
You see, essentially, you cannot win the war on terror by military force. It is first and foremost a battle of ideas. It is secondly a law enforcement effort and a cooperative effort among nations. And only as a last resort do you use military force. This president has distorted the capabilities of the United States Armed Forces. He's used our men and women in uniform improperly in Guantanamo and engaged in actions that I think are totally against the Uniform Code of Military Justice and against what we stand for as the American people.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you think that President Bush should be impeached?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think we ought to do first thing's first, which is, we really need to understand and finish the job that Congress started with respect to the Iraq war investigation. Do you remember that there was going to be a study released by the Senate, that the senator from Iowa or from Kansas who was the Republican head of the Senate Intelligence Committee was going to do this study to determine whether the administration had, in fact, misused the intelligence information to mislead us into the war with Iraq? Well, I've never seen that study. I'd like to know where that study is. I'd like to know why we've spent three years investigating Scooter Libby, when we should have been investigating why this country went to war in Iraq.
AMY GOODMAN: The Center for Constitutional Rights has filed a complaint against Donald Rumsfeld, General Miller and others in a German court, because they have universal jurisdiction. Do you think that Donald Rumsfeld should be tried for war crimes?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I'd like to see what the evidence is against Rumsfeld. I do know this, that there was a lot of pressure put on the men and women in uniform to come up with intelligence. I remember -- I think it was either General Sanchez or General Abizaid, who stated that we don't need more troops -- this is the fall of 2003 -- we just need better information. Well, to me, that was immediate code words that we were really trying to soak these people for information.
And it's only a short step from there to all the kinds of mistreatment that occur at places like Abu Ghraib. So we know that Al Gonzales wrote a couple of really -- or authored, or his people authored and he approved, a couple of outrageous memos that attempted to define torture as deliberately inflicted pain, the equivalent of the loss of a major bodily organ or limb, which is -- it's not an adequate definition of torture. And we know that he authorized, to some degree, some coercive methods, which we have -- and we know President Bush himself accepted implicitly in a signing statement to a 2005 act on military detainees that he would use whatever methods were appropriate or necessary. So there's been some official condoning of these actions.
I think it's a violation of international law and a violation of American law and a violation of the principles of good government in America. There have always been evidences of mistreatment of prisoners. Every army has probably done it in history. But our country hasn't ever done it as a matter of deliberate policy. George Washington told his soldiers, when they captured the Hessians and the men wanted to run them through, because the Hessians were brutal and ruthless, he said, "No, treat them well." He said, "They'll join our side." And many of them did. It was a smart policy, not only the right thing to do, but a smart policy to treat the enemy well. We've made countless enemies in that part of the world by the way we've treated people and disregarded them. It's bad, bad policy.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to ask -- you're a FOX News contributor now?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Oh, at least.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to ask you what you think of the dean of West Point, Brigadier General Patrick Finnegan, together with a military interrogator named Tony Lagouranis and the group Human Rights First, going to the heads of the program 24, very popular hit show on FOX, to tell them that what they're doing on this program, glorifying torture, is inspiring young men and women to go to Iraq and torture soldiers there, and to stop it?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: And not only that, but it doesn't work. Yeah, Pat Finnegan is one of my heroes.
AMY GOODMAN: So what do you think about that?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I think it's great.
AMY GOODMAN: And have you been involved in the conversation internally at FOX, which runs 24, to stop it?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, as far as I know, they actually put out a call to all the writers in Hollywood. My son's a writer, and he was one of them who got a call. They were all told: stop talking about torture. It doesn't work. So I think it was an effective move by Pat Finnegan.
AMY GOODMAN: So you support it?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Absolutely.
AMY GOODMAN: General Wesley Clark. I'm interviewing him at the 92nd Street Y. We're going to come back to the conclusion of that interview in a minute.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: General Wesley Clark recently edited a series of books about famous US generals: Grant, LeMay, Patton and Eisenhower. When I interviewed him at the 92nd Street Y, I asked him a question about the presidency of General Dwight Eisenhower
AMY GOODMAN: 1953 was also a seminal date for today, and that was when Kermit Roosevelt, the grandson of Teddy Roosevelt, went to Iran and led a coup against Mohammed Mossadegh under Eisenhower.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: People make mistakes. And one of the mistakes that the United States consistently made was that it could intervene and somehow adjust people's governments, especially in the Middle East. I don't know why we felt that -- you can understand Latin America, because Latin America was always an area in which people would come to the United States, say, "You've got to help us down there. These are banditos, and they don't know anything. And, you know, they don't have a government. Just intervene and save our property." And the United States did it a lot in the '20s. Of course, Eisenhower was part of that culture. He had seen it.
But in the Middle East, we had never been there. We established a relationship during World War II, of course, to keep the Germans out of Iran. And so, the Soviets and the Brits put an Allied mission together. At the end of World War II, the Soviets didn't want to withdraw, and Truman called their bluff in the United Nations. And Eisenhower knew all of this. And Iran somehow became incorporated into the American defense perimeter. And so, his view would have been, we couldn't allow a communist to take over.
AMY GOODMAN: But wasn't it more about British Petroleum?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Oh, it's always -- there are always interests. The truth is, about the Middle East is, had there been no oil there, it would be like Africa. Nobody is threatening to intervene in Africa. The problem is the opposite. We keep asking for people to intervene and stop it. There's no question that the presence of petroleum throughout the region has sparked great power involvement. Whether that was the specific motivation for the coup or not, I can't tell you. But there was definitely -- there's always been this attitude that somehow we could intervene and use force in the region. I mean, that was true with -- I mean, imagine us arming and creating the Mujahideen to keep the Soviets out of Afghanistan. Why would we think we could do that? But we did. And, you know, my lesson on it is, whenever you use force, there are unintended consequences, so you should use force as a last resort. Whether it's overt or covert, you pay enormous consequences for using force.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to ask you about what you think of the response to Jimmy Carter's book, Peace, Not Apartheid.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I'm sorry to say I haven't read the book. And it's one of the things I've been meaning to read, and I just haven't. I will tell you this, that we're in a very, very difficult position in Israel. I say "we," because every American president has committed to the protection and survival of the state of Israel. And I think that's right. And I certainly feel that way, and I'm a very strong supporter of Israel.
But somehow we've got to move off top dead center in terms of these discussions with the Palestinians. And this administration has failed to lead. They came into office basically determined not to do anything that Bill Clinton did. I think that was the basic guideline. And so, they have allowed unremitting violence between Israel and the Palestinians with hardly an effort to stop that through US leadership. And now, it's almost too late. So Condi was over there the other day, and she didn't achieve what she wanted to achieve, and people want to blame the Saudis. But at least the Saudis tried to do something at Mecca by putting together a unity government. So I fault the administration.
Jimmy Carter has taken a lot of heat from people. I don't know exactly what he said in the book. But people are very sensitive about Israel in this country. And I understand that. A lot of my friends have explained it to me and have explained to me the psychology of people who were in this country and saw what was happening in World War II, and maybe they didn't feel like they spoke out strongly enough, soon enough, to stop it. And it's not going to happen again.
AMY GOODMAN: General Clark, I wanted to ask you a tough question about journalists.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, now, that would be the first tough question you've asked me tonight.
AMY GOODMAN: There are more than a hundred journalists and media workers in Iraq who have died. And particularly hard hit are Arab journalists. I mean, you had Tariq Ayoub, the Al Jazeera reporter, who died on the roof of Al Jazeera when the US military shelled Al Jazeera, then went on to shell the Palestine Hotel and killed two reporters, a Reuters cameraman and one from Telecinco in Spain named Jose Couso. Many Arab journalists feel like they have been targeted, the idea of shooting the messenger. But this tough question goes back to your being Supreme Allied Commander in Yugoslavia and the bombing of Radio Television Serbia. Do you regret that that happened, that you did that?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: No, I don't regret that at all. That was part of the Serb command and control network. And not only that, I was asked to take out that television by a lot of important political leaders. And before I took it out, I twice warned the Serbs we were going to take it out. We stopped, at one news conference in the Pentagon, we planted the question to get the attention of the Serbs, that we were going to target Serb Radio and Television.
AMY GOODMAN: RTS.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Yeah. And that night, in fact, Milosevic got the warning, because he summoned all the foreign journalists to come to a special mandatory party at RTS that night. But we weren't bombing that night. We put the word out twice before we actually I did it.
AMY GOODMAN: You told CNN, which was also there, to leave?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I told -- I used -- I think I used CNN to plant the story and to leak it at the Pentagon press conference. But we didn't tell anyone specifically to leave. What we told them was it's now a target. And it was Milosevic who determined that he would keep people there in the middle of the night just so there would be someone killed if we struck it. So we struck it during the hours where there were not supposed to be anybody there.
AMY GOODMAN: But you killed civilians.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Six people died.
AMY GOODMAN: I think sixteen. But I think it's the media -- it's the beauticians, the technicians. It was a civilian target.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Yeah, they were ordered to stay there by Milosevic. Yeah.
AMY GOODMAN: But it was a civilian target.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: It was not a civilian target. It was a military target. It was part of the Serb command and control network
AMY GOODMAN: What do you think of Amnesty International calling it a war crime?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think it was investigated by the International Criminal Tribunal in Yugoslavia and found to be a legitimate target. So I think it's perfectly alright for Amnesty International to have their say, but everything we did was approved by lawyers, and every target was blessed. We would not have committed a war crime.
AMY GOODMAN: Upon reflection now and knowing who died there, the young people, the people who worked for RTS, who -- as you said, if Milosevic wanted people to stay there, they were just following orders.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, it was a tragedy. But I'll tell you something. If you want to talk about tragedies, how about this one? We bombed what we thought was a Serb police station in Kosovo. We saw the Serb vehicles. We flew unmanned aerial vehicles over it. And we did everything we could to identify it. And we found that there were Serb police vehicles parked there at night, so we sent an F-16 in, dropped two 500-pound laser-guided bombs and took it out. We killed eighty Albanians who had been imprisoned by the Serbs there. They were trying to escape, and the Serbs locked them up in this farmhouse and surrounded them with vehicles. So, I regret every single innocent person who died, and I prayed every night that there wouldn't be any innocent people who died. But this is why I say you must use force only as a last resort.
I told this story to the high school kids earlier, but it bears repeating, I guess. We had a malfunction with a cluster bomb unit, and a couple of grenades fell on a schoolyard, and some, I think three, schoolchildren were killed in Nish. And two weeks later, I got a letter from a Serb grandfather. He said, "You've killed my granddaughter." He said, "I hate you for this, and I'll kill you." And I got this in the middle of the war. And it made me very, very sad. We certainly never wanted to do anything like that. But in war, accidents happen. And that's why you shouldn't undertake military operations unless every other alternative has been exhausted, because innocent people do die. And I think the United States military was as humane and careful as it possibly could have been in the Kosovo campaign. But still, civilians died. And I'll always regret that. [The US bombed Christians and Christian churches in support of muslims there.]
AMY GOODMAN: Do you think cluster bombs should be banned?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: You know, we used, I think 1,400-plus cluster bombs. And there's a time when you have to use cluster bombs: when they're the most appropriate and humane weapon. But I think you have to control the use very carefully. And I think we did in Yugoslavia.
AMY GOODMAN: Right now, the US has rejected an international call to ban the use of cluster bombs. On Friday, forty-six countries were in Oslo to develop a new international treaty to ban the use of cluster munitions by -- I think it's 2008. Would you support that?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, you know, people who are against war often make the case by trying to attack the weapons of war and stripping away the legitimacy of those weapons. I've participated in some of that. I'd like to get rid of landmines. I did participate in getting rid of laser blinding weapons. And I was part of the team that put together the agreement that got rid of laser blinding weapons. I'd like to get rid of nuclear weapons. But I can't agree with those who say that force has no place in international affairs. It simply does for this country. And I would like to work to make it so that it doesn't. But the truth is, for now it does. And so, I can't go against giving our men and women in uniform the appropriate weapons they need to fight, to fight effectively to succeed on the battlefield, and to minimize their own casualties.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we'll have to leave it there. I thank you very much, General Wesley Clark.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.

AMY GOODMAN: General Wesley Clark. I interviewed him at the 92nd Street Y, the cultural center here in New York, on the publication of the Great General Series, on Grant, LeMay, Patton and Eisenhower.

Source:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/we-re-going-to-take-out-7-countries-in-5-years-iraq-syria-lebanon-libya-somalia-sudan-iran/5166
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Vanessa Beeley Exposes the White Helmets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQL3rX6xWRg
Corbett Report Extras
Published on Feb 7, 2018
For the past two years, Vanessa Beeley has been doing on-the-ground reporting in Syria exposing the lies of the NATO powers and their terrorist proxies. Her work on the White Helmets in particular has drawn the ire of the warmongers and their media mouthpieces. Today we talk to Beeley about the true nature of the White Helmets and the well-funded PR campaign that seeks to defend them.

MEDIA ON TRIAL - VANESSA BEELEY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaQFUA5Zf7U
Frome Stop War
Published on Jul 20, 2017
PRESENTED BY https://www.facebook.com/groups/fstwc/
One former UK Ambassador, three international investigative journalists and two leading professors discuss misreporting, misinformation and deliberate propaganda disseminated by the mainstream media at times of international conflict, and military intervention. The demonisation of one non-aligned leader after another, setting the stage for public consent for regime change has been part and parcel of establishment and corporate media's agenda this century. While sidelining independent research and refusing to independently verify its own reporting the mainstream has become obsessed with 'fake news' - So who is spreading 'fake news'? What effect has fake news and propaganda had? Should we make the media accountable for its actions? These questions and more are discussed by our expert panel in an event organised by Frome Stop War and supported by Bristol Against Imperialism, entitled 'Media on Trial'.

The Truth About Yemen - With Vanessa Beeley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBN-61G_U8Y
RonPaulLibertyReport
Streamed live on Aug 17, 2017
More than two years after a Saudi-led coalition began attacking Yemen, the country is a wasteland. Thousands of airstrikes, scores of children killed, epidemics, misery. Who's really responsible and what can be done?
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CNN heavily redacts RT host's interview
RT America
Published on Nov 24, 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhOfwGN11oY
A discussion between CNN's Christiane Amanpour and RT's Anissa Naouai degraded into a tense back and forth on Friday, resulting in Naouai's criticisms of CNN and its coverage of international affairs being cut from the finalized interview that was broadcast. After repeated questions which, according to Naouai, implied her impartiality was lacking, the RT host responded by questioning Amanpour's own impartiality and potential conflicts of interest when it comes to US military interventions. These comments never made it on air. RT's Ben Swann speaks to Naouai herself for a reaction.

What the Media Won't Tell You about Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alATb7oLRbo

The Truth About Pipeline Politics in the Syrian Proxy War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpMCs2XlDRE

Ex-IDF head: Israelis & Palestinians need to give up dreams of getting rid of each other (SophieCo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lUNaES_4xg
RT
Published on Apr 27, 2018
Israeli Air Force strikes in Syria are getting bolder -- targeting Iranian military installations in the country. Will Israeli actions provoke an all-out conflict in the Middle East? We talk to Lieutenant-General Benjamin Gantz, the 20th Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces.
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Syrian War -- How America Shot Itself in the Foot
TOPICS:Chris KanthanForeign PolicyMiddle EastMilitarySyria
October 12, 2017
By Chris Kanthan
https://www.activistpost.com/2017/10/syrian-war-how-america-shot-itself-in-the-foot.html

Total fiasco. That's a quick way to characterize the US adventure in Syria in the last six years. The proxy war not only failed to accomplish its goal -- removal of Assad -- it tremendously weakened the US in the Middle East, strengthened its adversaries, and soured its relations with many allies. If it were a movie, America's recent Mideast policy would be called, How to Lose a Region in 6 Years; and if it were a book, it would be titled, How to Win Enemies and Lose Influence. To make things worse, globalists have refused to acknowledge their mistakes and are now doubling down on their failed policies.

Let's start with the claims of all the great pundits, military experts and politicians who have been consistently wrong since 2011.

Assad must go; Assad will be gone soon
Syrians will rise up against Assad
Soldiers from the Syrian Army will desert in masses and overthrow Assad
Ok, Syrians couldn't do it, but surely Al Qaeda will bring down Assad
Al Qaeda couldn't do it, but ISIS will definitely finish the job
The (good) terrorists will win if they just got more guns and anti-tank missiles
Let's spend a few more billions of dollars on training and arming the rebels. Victory is near!
Russia will never intervene!
Russia will lose Crimea and access to the Black Sea!
Russia's economy is about to collapse because of our sanctions and low oil prices (which we might have rigged)!
Syria will become Russia's Afghanistan!

Humiliating Defeat in Syria

Every one of their predictions and tactics failed. How about their eventual goals behind the Syrian war? Break up Syria into ethnic regions -- including an extremist Sunni region controlled by Saudi Arabia, build a Qatar oil/gas pipeline thru Syria to Europe, let Israel drill oil in Golan Heights, and kick Russia's naval base out of Syria. All those geopolitical goals were blown to smithereens.

Not only did they fail in everything, they made things worse. Syria used to be quite pro-West. Before the war, Assad would visit France and the UK, and U.S. leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Jimmy Carter have visited Syria. But, from now on, Syria will treat the U.S. as public enemy #1 for the foreseeable future.

Russia had only mild influence in Syria before. However, now, Russia's missile defense systems and military/naval bases have been firmly established in Syria. Basically, the war gave Russians what they could only dream of before.

Iran & Hezbollah

Similarly, their strategy to contain Iran worked precisely the other way. In their paranoia, Saudi Arabia and Israel thought they could preemptively stop the so-called Shiite Crescent -- contiguous areas of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Instead, Iran's para-military forces and Hezbollah's fierce fighters saved Syria from ISIS and Al Qaeda. Thus, Iran and Hezbollah are now adored as heroes in Syria.

Regarding Iran, the US policy has also been schizophrenic. Obama's lifting of sanctions and the nuclear deal have been followed by intense animosity and saber rattling. Even though Iran has been sticking to its promises, Neocons and the pro-Israeli crowd in Washington are still itching for a war with Iran.

Iraq

If you thought, "Okay, at least they didn't screw up Iraq," you'd be too optimistic. After the Al Qaeda-ISIS plan failed, Israel is now supporting the formation of Kurdistan -- essentially the breakup of Iraq. In fact, the Kurds' eventual goal is to form a large Kurdistan that would encompass lands from Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria. Thus, thanks to Israel, Iraq is aligning itself with Iran and Turkey, and moving away from the US. Iraqi leaders are also flying to Moscow and forging deals with Putin.
https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-iraq-putin-maliki-meeting-petersburg/28637497.html

Turkey

One of the most important Islamic countries in that region is Turkey. It's also a NATO member that hosts a strategic NATO military base. For five years it colluded with America and other allies in the proxy war against Syria. Then, in 2016, the CIA pulled a fast one and attempted a military coup to overthrow Erdogan. Embarrassingly, the coup failed. Hence it's no surprise that Erdogan flipped 180 degrees and has been warming up to Russia.

Erdogan has quickly signed many deals with Putin, including Russian pipelines through Black Sea, a Russian nuclear power plant in Turkey, and Russia's famous S-400 missile defense systems. (Unlike the American systems, the S-400 will shoot down US missiles and planes). Erdogan has visited Tehran (Iran's capital) and received Putin in Turkey in the last year, and has made it quite clear that he's not firmly in the US sphere of influence anymore.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/04/erdogan-tehran-economy-150407082205187.html

To make things worse, the Tur