Russia Begins Operations in Syria: End Game for the US Empire?

The H.S. Truman aircraft carrier battle group has just started to move from Norfolk, VA to the eastern Mediterranean.
It is expected to arrive in the area on April 22, I understand. I would not expect the US Military to start any major shootout with the Russians before then.

Considered at face value the situation resembles the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. The "Empire" will have to prove that it is still an irresistable force while the Russians must make sure that they are actually an immovable object.

To make sure that the Deep State psychopaths retain enough respect for their adversaries, Russia will either have to prove her technological superiority by disabling the U.S. Navy's capacities or be able to shoot down at least 80% of incoming missiles. If not, Russia will strongly have to consider to hit back at the U.S. Navy directly and from then on things might become extremely messy...

My favorite theory is that "The Donald" has probably given his Armed Forces a green light for attacking Syria and get themselves a bloody nose only to pick up the phone and call Vladimir Putin to talk common sense.

As far as World War III is considered - are the Deep State's 4-D STS overlords prepared to lose a major part of their food source yet and go on a reduction diet?
 
A sensible assessment of the situation from The Duran's Alexander Mercouris. At the moment, it seems to me the best explanation of what we saw today and the most likely scenario to unfold:

https://theduran.com/trump-draws-back-on-criticism-of-russia/

Trump draws back on criticism of Russia
Succession of tweets from Donald Trump appear to dilute criticisms made earlier

It has been an utterly fascinating day for followers of Donald Trump’s tweets.

The day began with Trump responding in his usual overblown way to a needlessly provocative comment from the Russian ambassador to Lebanon, who is reported to have said that the Russians would shoot down all and every missile the US launched against Syria.

This statement – by a relatively junior ambassador in Russia’s diplomatic hierarchy – goes far beyond what other far more senior Russian officials – notably Russia’s UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia – have been saying, and is almost certainly untrue.

I have discussed how Russia would respond to a US strike on Syria on numerous occasions.

Briefly, so long as any US strike does not endanger Russian personnel in Syria, or threaten the existence of the Syrian government, or interfere in Syrian army operations against the major concentrations of Jihadi fighters, the Russians will not act to prevent it, though as they showed following the US strike on Syria’s Al-Shayrat air base last year, that does not mean that they will not respond to it at all.

Only if a US strike crosses these red lines have the Russians said that they will take counter-action.

The Russians have spelled out their red lines in Syria on numerous occasions, and I have no doubt the US understands them.

The comments of the Russian ambassador to Lebanon went far beyond these red lines, and should not therefore be taken seriously.

However unsurprisingly these nuances were lost on Donald Trump, who typically tends to overreact to what he perceives as challenges – he has done repeatedly in response to comments by Kim Jong-un – as every Russian diplomat should by now know.

I suspect that the Russian ambassador in Lebanon is now on the receiving end of some pretty tough reprimands from Moscow.

The result of his foolish comments has been an incendiary tweet from Donald Trump purporting to respond to Russia’s apparent challenge, which has rocked the whole world, causing markets to crash and leading to talk on the BBC about the coming of World War III.


Vladimir Putin for his part however moved quickly to calm the situation, using a meeting with foreign ambassadors at the Kremlin to utter some carefully chosen emollient words

Today, the role of diplomacy and the diplomat has taken on special significance. Indeed, the state of affairs in the world is a cause for concern. The situation in the world is becoming more chaotic, nevertheless we still hope that common sense will eventually prevail, and that international relations will take a constructive course, and the entire world system will become more stable and predictable.​

In the meantime, roughly 30 minutes after his first tweet, Donald Trump followed it with a far more conciliatory one


Shortly after there followed an even more conciliatory tweet, one which not only lamented the bad state of relations between the US and Russia, but which – with great justice – put most of the blame for this on the Democrats and the phoney Russiagate scandal


What explains this strange behaviour?

Some people see these contradictory tweets as further evidence of Donald Trump’s insanity.

In my opinion they are the product of a mixture of injured pride inflamed by the Russian ambassador to Lebanon’s foolish comments, and extreme stress caused by the truly disgraceful Cohen affair.

The barrage of tweets in fact comes shortly after media reports were suggesting that the US might be intending a more limited response to the Douma incident than some earlier reports had suggested.

What looks like a well-sourced article in The New York Times suggests that there is actually little enthusiasm within the Trump administration for the sort of all-encompassing and highly dangerous air and missile campaign against Syria that some are worrying about

Administration officials said they expected any new strike to be more expansive than last year’s, but the question was how much more. Possible options included hitting more than a single target and extending strikes beyond a single day.​
But even so, Mr. Trump remained reluctant to deepen American involvement over a longer term…..​
Heavily backed by Russian air support and Iranian ground forces, Syria is in a different league than adversaries in other places where the United States is at war. Unlike the Islamic State in various parts of the Middle East, the Taliban in Afghanistan or the Shabab in Somalia, the Syrian government has extensive air defense and missile systems capable of shooting down foreign planes.​
Sending bombers and fighter jets, with American or French pilots, to strike Syrian airfields or other facilities is considered risky because it could deepen the conflict if a pilot was shot down. That is why the Pentagon is looking at the same sort of retaliation used last year when two Navy destroyers unleashed a fusillade of 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Al Shayrat airfield that was believed to have been used to launch chemical attacks.​

This came alongside an interesting and also apparently well-informed article in The Times of London (since taken down), which suggested that the British government – wary of provoking a British public deeply skeptical of further interventions in the Middle East – was advising the US administration to hold back until the OPCW inspectors had confirmed that a chemical weapons attack in Douma had actually taken place

Perhaps the most authoritative comment of all suggesting that only a limited strike – essentially a larger version of last year’s strike on Al-Sharyat air base – is planned came from President Macron of France

Our decision will not target allies of the regime or attack anyone but rather attack the regime’s chemical capabilities​

That goes out of the way to make clear that no attack on Russian or Iranian troops in Syria is planned, and that no all-out air offensive against Syria is planned either.

I would add that one particular source of international alarm – the reports about the US aircraft carrier Truman and its escorts steaming towards the Syrian coast – looks to me misjudged.

This appears to be a routine US naval redeployment planned many months ago. The Russian Defence Ministry says the Truman and its escorting warships cannot reach the Syrian coast until the first week of May. That makes it extremely unlikely that the Truman will take part in any operations against Syria. If or rather when the US missile strike on Syria takes place, it will be launched by US and allied military assets already present in the area.

The result of Donald Trump’s cluster of tweets is that it is now politically impossible for the US not to launch a strike against Syria. Moreover the political imperative means that this must be done within the next hours or days.

This is in every respect deplorable. Not only does it interfere in the most gross way imaginable in the investigation the OPCW is planning to carry out in Douma, but it is a straightforward act of armed aggression against Syria, which is a sovereign state which is not threatening the US.

However it is important to remain calm and to retain a sense of proportion – as Russian President Putin is doing – and not to overreact to what is unquestionably a very bad situation.

Though something very bad and very wrong is about to happen, it is not the start of World War III.
 
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A dark and terrible thought has struck me.

It's nothing more than that but assuming there is a hidden war party within the deep state apparatus hell bent on a serious blood letting because they are so invested in the idea of winning at all cost even if it risks an end game scenario for the rest of us, then all these clearly engineered steps - the building up of a stake again in Syria despite Trumps protestations of a preferred exit; the London poisoning (which still smacks of being run at a deeper level than the Tory government); the oh so inevitable follow up chemical attack in Syria; the rampant day in day out demonisation of Russia that has been accelerating for months now - suggest that yet another huff-and-puff symbolic bombing of Syrian military positions changes nothing for them and could most likely dissipate the build up in the pressure cooker they have achieved thus far. Despite the barrage of condemnation of Russia and the MSM's labeling of its and Assad's guilt, I don't see the 'deaths' of a few more Syrian children bringing US public opinion on board in the way required once they let of a few cruise missiles worth of steam and CNN has got its pictures of out glorious weapons of God in action.

So the only answer is a major, self-inflicted red-flag that produces the same sense of nationalistic rage as 9/11.

And what better form could that take than say a US destroyer sunk with no warning, all hands lost, off the shores of Syria by a 'Russian' submarine in response to the first wave of cruise missiles being launched? After all haven't the Russian's publicly warned - even if by inappropriate sources - that the launching vessels would be targeted? With so many warships converging and so much hidden depths to operate in, such an eventuality is not remotely beyond the bounds of possibility. Its not as if they don't have a history of such game changers at sea and of course 9/11 itself shows there are no limits to which they wont sink or go. Such an eventuality would instantly change the entire reality and the Russians would have no chance of regaining control of the narrative; Operation Northwoods on speed. And for the public the trail to such such a heinous deed would be clear as day because of all that has come before.

Its just a nasty hunch, one I trust and pray is nothing more than that. But I sense something far worse than just more of the same is in the offing. At some point soon, the criminally insane will have to fulfill that need they have to scratch the itch that drives them so; we simply can't go on this way and in this incessant ratcheting up and down then up again of the temperature gauge. They wont be able to stand it. The pressure - the narcissistic, nihilistic rage that is building up in 'them' has no logical and sane outcome in its make up. The desire for entropy leads inevitably to an unconscious desire for self-immolation and a sleep eternal. Ending it all in nuclear Armageddon is to such minded a devotion devoutly to be wished.

I think Putin has made next to no mistakes along the way but I still wish he had resisted that visit and that 'mission accomplished' speech in Syria. What did it achieve but give cause to the beast to come again? And this time perhaps for keeps.

Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: a waste of desert sand;
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Wind shadows of the indignant desert birds.

The darkness drops again but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Syria (sic) to be born?
 
I just listened to the latest press briefing of Trumps press secretary. Notice anything strange?


How come that pretty much all the questions from the fake news peeps toward Trumps secratary sound so unanimously and surprisingly reasonable and non war enthusiastic for US standards? Just coincidence?

Striktes me as strange. The most they did, is to point out how stupid Trumps announcement is.

Why is that?

Just looked through the Mainstream fake news outlets both in america and germany and the same trend described above seems to be emploid their. They are all surprisingly "non supportive" and "reasonable" about Trumps statements on twitter and his missiles strike plans. On top of that, we have people like Madeleine Albright (of all people!), as brought up earlier in the thread, who are also rather "critical" about "Trumps plans". Albright statements are also recounted in one of the fake news items I looked through today and gathered below.

First we have the well known and infamous german fake news outlet called "Focus", with the headline:

Trump commits a big Mistake: He thinks Putin would fold

_Trump begeht einen großen Fehler: Er glaubt, Putin würde einknicken

Next we have the not less famous german Fake News outlet called "Der Stern" with the headline:

No Plan, no Strategy: The Stupid-Cheeky Furor of the Donald Trump

_Kein Plan, keine Strategie - der dummdreiste Furor des Donald Trump

Then we have the following CNN headline:

Why would the West respond to the latest Syria chemical attack?

_Why would the West respond to the latest Syria chemical attack? - CNN

And another headline from CNN reads:

Real-world consequences at stake in Trump's Russian roulette

_Real-world consequences at stake in Trump's Russian roulette - CNNPolitics

On MSNBC the headline reads:

Trump shoots self in the foot with Twitter missile taunt at Russia

_Trump shoots self in foot with Twitter missile taunt at Russia

I smell a rat here...
 
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Interesting, Pashalis. Could it be that the media realized that tempting nuclear holocaust was a bit too much even for dishonest people like themselves? Preservation instinct finally kicked in? The funny thing is that when the consensus is finally reached that only a symbolic attack is a realistic option, Trump true-believers and Q'anon types will claim that Trump planned it like this from the start, because he's playing 3D chess. In reality, he tweeted something very stupid out of pride, sent the world into panic, and immediately tried to back-pedal when he realized what he just had done.

Added: On the other hand, not all corporate media is being cautious - quite the contrary:

Showing They 'Learned Nothing' From Iraq, Corporate Media Help Beat War Drums for Trump Attack on Syria
 
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Atleast, rhetoric calmed down for now, with a pretext that we will do it later time of our choosing. Before that, it looked everybody needs some excuse to attack - Deep states need to reverse Trump's statement of pulling out of Syria ( maybe Mueller failures too), Bibi needs a diversion for his corruption allegations,/Palestinians shooting/Iranian scare in Syria and UK wants his people to forget the skripal incident, macron wants to show his muscle some where while France's people agitating internally. As this article says they had a big plan to attack Damascus before SAA rapidly advanced in East Ghouta that foiled the plan. So it looks, this entire noise is about salvaging the situation ( excuse to attack later) before entire Eastern Ghouta is liberated. If so, we can expect more chemical attacks soon when they are ready. They just prepared people for this.

Syrian army arrests British militants in Eastern Ghouta -- Sott.net
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.

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.
 
12/04/2018 - Putin issues calm response to Trump’s threats on Syria (video - embed 3:24 min.)
Putin issues calm response to Trump's threats on Syria (video)

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his hope that “common sense” would eventually prevail in the modern world, which is becoming “more chaotic” while speaking at a ceremony welcoming new foreign ambassadors to Russia in Moscow on Wednesday.

“The state of affairs in the world does nothing but cause concern. The situation is becoming more chaotic in the world,” Putin stated, calling for calm in international relations and praising the role of diplomacy in “strengthening of global and regional security and stability.”

In total 17 new ambassadors were handed credentials by the Russian President, including the envoys from the Republic of Korea [Woo Yoon-Keun], Arab Republic of Egypt [Ihab Nasr], Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [Raed Bin Khaled Qrimli], United Arab Emirates [Maadhad Hareb Al Khayeli] and thirteen other representatives of foreign states.

Full transcript:

SOT, Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: “For its part, [Russia] is ready to support your constructive initiatives. You can count on our help and the assistance of the Russian leadership, government bodies, business circles and the public of our country. Today the role of diplomacy and diplomats acquires special significance. The state of affairs in the world does nothing but cause concern. The situation is becoming more chaotic in the world. We, nevertheless, hope that common sense and international relations will enter into a calm channel. [We hope] that the entire world system will become more stable and predictable. Diplomacy has a wide field of activity – a benchmark is the development of optimal solutions based on a balance of different interests. Diplomats are called to facilitate the collegial search for answers to large-scale challenges and threats, such as terrorism, drug trafficking, organised crime, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and climate change. As for Russia, it will continue to consistently advocate the strengthening of global and regional security and stability. [Russia] will further and strictly adhere to its international obligations to build relations with partners constructively and respectfully, guided by international legal norms and the Charter of the United Nations.” *MULTIPLE SHOTS AT SOURCE*

SOT, Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: “We will strengthen the positive, forward-looking agenda, work for the sustainable development for the well-being and prosperity of mankind.”
 
This video clip makes one a bit curious! Well, perhaps it's just more of the theatrics, or what...?

 
This video clip makes one a bit curious! Well, perhaps it's just more of the theatrics, or what...?

That certainly seems strange, but I guess only because of the insanity of Haley's rhetoric. At the end of the day, people do connect at a basic human level I guess - I think it's worth considering that these UN ambassadors are basically a community, they know each other, spend time with each other etc., so you begin chit-chatting and becoming friendly with each other.

Reminds me of what Jordan Peterson said about his interview with Cathy Newman - that she was really nice before and after the cameras went on. He said she completely changed during the interview, putting on a persona - he called in "animus possession" in Jungian terms. Maybe that's what's happening to people like Haley and Newman - they built their careers on some sort of ideological possession, putting on a persona that completely removes them from reality. And yet, they can be totally nice, normal human beings in other situations. They might even have learned that this serves them well - that way, they can catch others off-guard by completely changing the tune. Interesting.
 
Instead of the French president Macron who would all go for war, chancellor Merkel seems to be a bit more settled - for the moment.

Germany will not join any military strikes against the Syrian government in response to a poison gas attack on an opposition enclave, but supports Western efforts to show that the use of chemical weapons is unacceptable, Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

“Germany will not take part in possible - there have not been any decisions yet, I want to stress that - military action,” she said after meeting Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen in Berlin.

“But we support everything that is being done to show that the use of chemical weapons is not acceptable,” she added.

- Reuters
 
We passed an important marker today. Remember what you wish to see in the news!

If you manage to keep your integrity, resisting your vices - it makes you remain aligned with the life-preserving currents of the universe. As result, you make it through the forks of your personal timeline. Its your life.

You just have to decide: if you wish to breath in radioactive air and wish to cough from nuclear ash raining everywhere
or
you would rather enjoy a nice warm spring weather and read about the surprising upturn in international relations, going toward a stabilizing Middle-East with the rest of this happy group, whose members are breathing a sigh of relief.

The key personal choices, that are made deep at the soul level during days such as these, everybody makes totally alone. This network is there to help us all make informed decisions.

"Bring on the comets!" and "Ice Age is coming onto our heads!" are excellent if you wish your timeline to turn to ash & flash-frozen ice with you ending up in 5thD.

On the other hand:
There might be people here, who still have life plans and are wishing for mitigated comet strikes [as much as possible], mitigated Ice Age [as much as possible] and a stabilizing Middle-East as much as possible. For we have no deathwish. But rather plans for the future, where it "Will be mitigated". As much as possible. If there are timelines in the multiverse, where hopeful events happen and things turn out for the better for Earth, I am for making the conscious choices to fork over toward those timelines and start walking there! Uh-oh.., I need to graduate on the soul level? Need matching FRV? I need to improve myself to gain entry there? To be able to fork toward those increasingly hopeful timelines and make it? Then I am pushing harder and working to graduate and achieve an FRV that matches those realms/timelines. Dangerous hiking ahead! If I slip and fall back, I am crawling back!

You know if you made it, when you read the papers and see suddenly hopeful news and breathe a sigh of relief - again - that the worst has been averted and that we are again "on course" on the deck of the Krakatoa.
 
April, 12, 2018 - Assad blasts Western threats against Damascus
Assad blasts Western threats against Damascus

The Syrian president and the top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader held a meeting in Damascus.

Western countries "are trying to change the course of events in Syria after witnessing its army’s achievements in the fight against terrorists," Syrian President Bashar Assad said Thursday. The president’s office stated that the Syrian leader and Ali Akbar Velayati, top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, held a meeting in Damascus.

During the meeting, Assad warned that "Western threats aimed at Damascus will destabilize the situation in the region and throughout the world."

He noted that "some Western politicians’ statements about a possible military attack on Syria are based on facts fabricated by their accomplices."

The Iranian envoy talked about "Tehran’s support of Syria and its people during the war on terror."

Earlier, during an interview by the Suria TV channel, Velayati stressed that Syria and Iran "will jointly counteract any provocations and threats coming from the US, Israel and their allies.".


April, 12, 2018 - Syrian MP Rules Out Possibility of US Attack
Syrian MP Rules Out Possibility of US Attack - Tasnim News Agency

A Syrian lawmaker dismissed the possibility of an American military strike on his country, stressing, though, that the Syrian nation will maintain its solidarity even if US President Donald Trump carries out the threat of military action.

In an interview with Tasnim on Thursday, Nashaat al-Atrash slammed the allegations of Syria’s involvement in a recent gas attack on civilians as a “US-fabricated lie.”

The recent military victories that the Syrian army gained in Douma and elsewhere in Eastern Ghouta are the main reason behind Trump’s move to escalate tensions and mount pressure on the Syrian government and nation, he added.

Former US president, Barack Obama, had also threatened to take military action against Syria, but did not carry out his threat, keeping in mind the Syrian nation’s solidarity against American plans, Atrash added.

“I don’t think that Trump would attack Syria,” the MP said, underlining that even if he does, it could not undermine the Syrian nation’s resolve or disrupt the rapport among the people, the army and the government.

The lawmaker finally predicted a “firm response” from Syria’s allies to any military offensive under the pretext of gas attacks in the Arab country.

His comments came amid reports of a looming US military attack on Syria in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by Damascus, which the Syrian government vehemently denies.

The Syrian army has put its forces on high alert after the US threat.

A number of Washington’s Western allies and even Saudi Arabia have also said they would join a military action against Syria.

The Russian military, which has troops in Syria, said on Monday that its officers had visited the site of the alleged attack and found no evidence to back up reports of poison gas being used.


April, 12, 2018 - Putin, Erdogan note importance of ensuring conditions for OPCW inspectors’ work in Syria
Putin, Erdogan note importance of ensuring conditions for OPCW inspectors’ work in Syria

Russian and Turkish Presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan have discussed the situation in Syria over the phone and pointed to the importance of ensuring the necessary conditions for the work of inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in that country.

"[The two presidents] expressed concern over the current aggravation of the situation in and around Syria amid allegations about the use of chemical weapons in the city of Douma," the Kremlin press service reported. "[They] stressed the importance of ensuring the necessary conditions for the work of the OPCW inspectors travelling to Syria."

The two leaders spoke out in favor of intensifying the Syrian political settlement process based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and the decision made by the Syrian National Dialogue Congress "[They] agreed to continue bilateral contacts at different levels,"
the Kremlin press service added.


12/04/2018 - Breaking: US Defense Secretary says US doesn’t have proof chlorine, sarin used in Syria
Breaking: US Defense Secretary says US doesn't have proof chlorine, sarin used in Syria

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Congress on Thursday that the US military does not have evidence that either chlorine or sarin were used in an alleged chemical attack in the Syrian town of Douma, adding that the Pentagon’s only proof that such an incident occurred has come from social media and media reports.

“There have been a number of these attacks. In many cases, you know we don’t have troops, we’re not engaged on the ground there, so I cannot tell you that we had evidence, even though we had a lot of media and social media indicators that either chlorine or sarin were used,” Mattis said, speaking to members of the House Armed Services Committee.

The defense secretary said that he believed that a chemical attack took place, “and we are looking for the actual evidence.”

Warning that he was concerned that a US military strike might lead to an “out of control” escalation in the Syrian war, Mattis said that Washington was “committed to ending that war through the Geneva process through the UN orchestrated effort.”

Mattis promised that the Pentagon would report to Congress if it decided to take action on Syria.

The defense secretary also accused Moscow of complicity in Syria’s alleged retention of a chemical weapons stockpile.


12/04/2018 - US, Russia maintain channels of communication in Syria despite increased tensions
US, Russia maintain channels of communication in Syria despite increased tensions

The U.S. and Russia are still communicating in Syria, despite the recent threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to launch an attack against the Syrian government.

According to Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the U.S. and Russia have maintained channels of communication in Syria, adding that Moscow is committed to decreasing the tensions between the two nations.

On Wednesday, Trump tweeted that the U.S. was going to fire ‘smart’ missiles into Syria, while also warning Russia to “get ready” for their attack.

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a calmer message, calling on all parties to avoid escalating the conflict in Syria.


Thu Apr 12, 2018 - German Chancellor: Berlin Will Not Join Bombing Campaign in Syria
Farsnews

Chancellor Angela Merkel said a range of measures must be considered to tackle the crisis in Syria, but German forces will not attack the Syrian Army or other government forces.

She also stated that "it is important to show unity on Syria" and warned that it's "obvious" the Syrian government has not destroyed its entire stockpile of chemical weapons, as it agreed to do in 2013, Sputnik reported.

"Germany will not take part in possible military action — I want to make clear again that there are no decisions — but we see, and support this, that everything is being done to send a signal that this use of chemical weapons is not acceptable," Merkel stated on Thursday.


Thu Apr 12, 2018 - PM Rules out Canadian Participation in Military Strikes against Syria
Farsnews

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada's military will not participate in expected strikes against the Syrian government.

Canadian military personnel are already involved in missions in Northern Iraq and Latvia and will be deploying to Mali, the Prime Minister told Radio-Canada.

“We are not looking to be present in Syria,” Trudeau stated, adding that Canada has been involved in delivering humanitarian assistance and working through diplomatic and political channels to resolve the conflict in Syria that has laid waste to cities, left thousands dead and forced citizens to flee to safety in neighbouring countries.


April 10, 2018 - Attacking Syria “Impeachable”
Attacking Syria “Impeachable” | Accuracy.Org

FRANCIS BOYLE, fboyle at illinois.edu
Boyle is professor of international law at the University of Illinois College of Law. He said today: “Any U.S. attack targeting the Syrian government or its forces would clearly violate both U.S. and international law. When Obama was in a similar position in 2013, his advisor Ben Rhodes [see below] has since commented that they turned back largely because they were afraid of impeachment. That fear is well founded.

While the prospect of impeaching Trump is thrown around frequently for partisan purposes, on this issue, the constitution is clear: Initiating a war or any such attack without authorization is clearly impeachable.
“Last year, at the National Press Club, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., claimed the authority to target the Syrian government stemmed from the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force. Gen. Dunford was totally incorrect. The AUMF passed after 9/11 has indeed been used to justify the bombing campaign purporting to target ISIS, but it cannot possibly be used to justify targeting the Syrian government.

“Excuses of ‘humanitarian intervention’ have no basis in international law and in these circumstances are transparently hollow. Israel apparently just attacked Syria (illegal) from Lebanese airspace (also illegal). Israel itself just openly admitted that it is killing Palestinian civilian protesters — part of a decades-long brazenly illegal policy. The U.S. representative to the UN, Nikki Haley, prevented even an inquiry by the UN into the matter. There’s no evidence of any humanitarian concern here, simply a search for pretexts to pursue geopolitical goals which may well include carving up Syria.”

Boyle’s books include Foundations of World Order (Duke University Press).

In 2017, Ben Rhodes, Obama’s Deputy National Security Advisor, and foreign policy speechwriter, told Politico that President Obama feared impeachment if he targeted the Syrian government: Rhodes: “The only country in the world that was prepared to join us [in attacking the Assad government] was France. And we had no domestic legal basis. We actually had Congress warning us against taking action without congressional authorization, which we interpreted as the president could face impeachment.”

Politico: “Really? Was the prospect of impeachment actually a factor in your conversations?”

Rhodes: “That was a factor. Go back and read the letters from Boehner, letters from the Republican members of Congress. They laid down markers that this would not be constitutional.”

House Speaker John Boehner wrote to Obama in 2013: “It is essential you address on what basis any use of force would be legally justified and how the justification comports with the exclusive authority of Congressional authorization under Article I of the Constitution.”


April, 11, 2018 - Three Russian journalists wounded in Syria — Russian Defense Ministry
Three Russian journalists wounded in Syria — Russian Defense Ministry

Three Russian journalists have been wounded in Syria when their bus came under fire, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

. A bus carrying Russian journalists has been shelled by unidentified individuals in Syria, three people have sustained wounds, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.

"At about 18:20 Moscow time on April 11, a bus carrying Russian journalists who were returning after filming a report on the situation in Eastern Ghouta was shelled by unidentified individuals with small arms," the ministry said.

The ministry noted that NTV channel's correspondent Alexei Ivlev, cameraman of the Rossiya 1 TV channel Mikhail Vitkin and cameraman of the Zvezda TV channel Vladislav Dodonov had sustained light wounds in their legs.

"All the journalists were promptly provided with the necessary medical assistance by medical specialists from the Russian Reconciliation Center. There is no immediate threat to their lives," the Defense Ministry stressed.

The wounded journalists are being transported to a hospital for the necessary treatment.


April, 10, 2018 - Infographic: How Much US Military Aid Does Israel Receive?
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/...-how-much-us-military-aid-does-israel-receive

The US's unwavering support for Israel in its military ventures comes with a cost.

Billions of dollars have been spent over the years to help provide Israel with a strong defense program and other strategic needs. The US provides more military aid to Israel than to any other ally, according to the Qatari media network Al Jazeera.

Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between the US and Israel began in 1999.

The last 10-year MoU was signed in 2016 under then-US President Barack Obama. It included a record $38bn deal to provide Israel with military assistance over a 10-year period - the largest such agreement ever by the US with an ally.

Israel has ordered more than 30 F-35 fighter jets since 2010, totaling $5bn. The cost of the 17 jets purchased in 2016 is undetermined.


April, 10, 2018 - How much of your life the U.S. has been at war (Infographic)
_http://fromthetrenchesworldreport.c...fe-the-u-s-has-been-at-war/223563#more-223563
_https://i2.wp.com/fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/thumbnail.png

As you look at this harrowing image, keep in mind that in 1913, two very important changes occurred in America.

First, was the adoption of the income tax. From 1913 onward, all of a person’s earnings **belong to the government first.** The government then decides how much they permit everyone to keep.

Second, the Federal Reserve was created in 1913. If the government wants wars and welfare, it now had a monopolistic central bank that could create money out-of-thin-air to pay for them.

Governments *always* want wars and welfare. We’re now witnessing the extremes of both.
 
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