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

[angelburst29]

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has assured his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of Damascus’ readiness to facilitate the establishment of a recently brokered ceasefire in the war-torn Arab country.

Assad assures Putin of ‘readiness’ to respect ceasefire
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/02/24/452062/Syria-Russia-Assad-Putin-ceasefire

The Kremlin said that Putin discussed the issue with his Syrian counterpart in a telephone conversation on Wednesday.

Assad hailed the recent Russia-US statement on cessation of hostilities in Syria as an “important step toward political settlement” of the crisis in the Arab country, the Kremlin added.

Saudi King hails US-Russia proposal

The Kremlin said that Putin also held a telephone conversation with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to present in detail the proposals contained in a joint US-Russian agreement on ceasefire in Syria.

The Kremlin said that King Salman welcomed the proposal, expressing the kingdom’s readiness to help make it work.

“The King of Saudi Arabia welcomed the agreements reached and expressed his readiness to work jointly with Russia to make them work,” the Kremlin said.

Putin and King Salman agreed to continue contacts on this matter, it added.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has hailed the ceasefire deal as a “long-awaited signal of hope” in resolving the five-year-long crisis in Syria, urging all warring sides to abide by it.


Center for reconciliation between parties starts operating at Hmeimim
http://rbth.com/news/2016/02/23/center-for-reconciliation-between-parties-starts-operating-at-hmeimim_570153

The Coordination Center for reconciliation between the conflicting parties in Syria started operating at the Hmeimim airbase, spokesman of the Russian Defense Ministry Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Feb. 23.

"Under the February 22 Russian-U.S. agreements on the cessation of hostilities in Syria the Coordination Center for reconciliation between the warring parties in Syria started operating at the Russian airbase Hmeimim in order to implement the control mechanism over the observation of the ceasefire," Konashenkov said.

The main task of the Coordination Center is to promote the negotiating process on reconciliation between representatives of the Syrian authorities and the opposition, excluding ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist organizations, which were recognized terrorist by the UN Security Council, he said.

Additionally, the Coordination Center is tasked to conclude agreements on ceasefire and to organize the delivery of humanitarian aid, the Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman said.

"Representatives of the opposition groups in Syria, who decided to stop the hostilities and start peace talks, will be able to call the Coordination Center round-the-clock on the common phone number," Konashenkov said.

"All those who turned to the Coordination Center will be provided with the maximal aid in arranging contacts with representatives of the Syrian authorities," he also said


Putin, Rouhani discuss initiatives made in Russia-U.S. statement on Syria
http://rbth.com/news/2016/02/24/putin-rouhani-discuss-initiatives-made-in-russia-us-statement-on-syria_570347

Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the phone, the Kremlin press service said on Feb. 24.

"A focal point was the Syria issue, in particular, the discussion of initiatives and proposals made in the joint statement of Russia and the United States on the cessation of hostilities in Syria," the report said.

"They noted the importance of further joint work of Russia and Iran on Syrian settlement issues, including the continuation of the resolute fight against ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist organizations from the sanctions list of the UN Security Council," the Kremlin press service said.


US to use Syria ceasefire to re-arm terrorists: Analyst
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/02/24/452060/US-Syria-ceasefire-Kerry

The United States views the Syria ceasefire as an opportunity to re-arm and re-group its proxy forces in the Arab country, says an American author and political analyst.

“The only reason that the United States would have gone along with this idea of the ceasefire to begin with, was obviously not to bring about a lull in the fighting,” Mark Glenn said in an interview on Wednesday.

“All of this has been done so that under the cover of a ceasefire, the United States would begin re-arming and reinforcing the terrorist forces that are on the ground in Syria, that are acting as America’s hired guns and acting as agents of destabilization in that country,” Glenn noted.

Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday defended US efforts to forge the ceasefire, but warned that Washington would resort to a “Plan B,” that could involve a partition of Syria, if the ongoing peace process fails to yield results.

Glenn argued that the US has always sought to break up Syria along sectarian and tribal lines.

“This Plan B in actuality has been Plan A from the beginning. Kerry is basically saying, in so many words, that the United States has not in any way walked away from its original goal of removing Bashar al-Assad as the legitimate president of that country,” he said.

“The idea of chopping Syria up into smaller pieces has been around now for a long, long time. It has been part of not just America’s long-range geopolitical goals in the region, but as well those of Israel,” he stressed.

President Assad has said that he is ready for a ceasefire as long as the terrorists do not use it to advance their ambitions and that countries backing them stop their support.


DPRK Promises Preemptive Strike If South Korea, US Hold Massive War Games
http://sputniknews.com/asia/20160223/1035233253/dprk-preemptive-strike.html

As the US and South Korea prepare to hold joint military exercises next month, North Korea has warned of harsh retaliation. Is this usual bluster, or an understandable reaction to signals of aggression?

In recent months, Pyongyang has faced fierce criticism from both Washington and Seoul over its nuclear test. This was followed by a North Korean satellite launch, which the West claimed was a veiled attempt to show off its ballistic missile technology.

While Washington and Seoul’s joint military exercises are an annual event, it’s hard to view next month’s drills outside of this larger context. The exercises are meant to remind North Korea that the Korean War never officially ended.

Ahead of the event, Pyongyang issued a warning that it would retaliate if it felt threatened.


In "Dramatic Escalation," China Sends Fighter Jets To Disputed Islands (Photos)
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-23/dramatic-escalation-china-sends-fighter-jets-disputed-islands

On Tuesday, multiple media outlets jumped at the opportunity to report that China has built radar facilities at Cuarteron Reef, Beijing’s southern-most South Pacific sandcastle.

“New radar facilities being developed in the Spratlys, on the other hand, could significantly change the operational landscape,” Gregory Poling of CSIS’s Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said, explaining why the radar installations are actually a bigger deal than the deployment of HQ-9 surface-to-air missiles on Woody Island.

Just moments ago, GOP mouthpiece Fox News said China has now deployed fighter jets to Woody Island, where imagery from ImageSat International (ISI) showed two batteries of eight surface-to-air missile launchers in place earlier this month.

"Chinese Shenyang J-11s (“Flanker”) and Xian JH-7s (“Flounder”) have been seen by U.S. intelligence on Woody Island in the past few days, the same island where Fox News reported exclusively last week that China had sent two batteries of HQ-9 surface-to-air missiles while President Obama was hosting 10 Southeast Asian leaders in Palm Springs," Fox reports, gleefully. "The dramatic escalation cames minutes before Secretary of State John Kerry was to host his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, at the State Department."

"There is no difference between China’s deployment of necessary national defense facilities on its own territory and the defense installation by the U.S. in Hawaii,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Monday, in an effort to play down the buildup on Woody.


Obama Is the Unsung Hero in Averting War with Russia (Photo)
Because McCain would have already incinerated us all
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/how-obama-singlehandedly-averted-cataclysmic-conflict-between-us-and-russia/ri13021

Barack Obama did a lot to block US-Russia relations from descending into a dangerous downward spiral.

He did it years back. But it just burst upon my own awareness two weeks ago. That's when a crew from a Russian TV network came to my city to interview me on Obama's policies toward Russia.

While the camera was rolling, the conversation inevitably turned to the subject of Obama's performance in office. For the sake of transparency I admitted that I had voted for him twice. But, the interviewer asked, "What do you believe his accomplishments have been?"

That's when it finally occurred to me what Obama's most significant feat had been. I told the interviewer, "Obama kept John McCain from becoming president, and he kept Mitt Romney from becoming president."

She asked me, "Is that all?" I explained that Obama originally ran on a platform of getting the US out of wars, and with a promise to change Washington for the better. I went on to point out that he did neither. Indeed, Washington may have changed him, for the worse, I said.

Given the dangerous state of the world now in 2016, it may seem hard to appreciate anything about Obama's role in US-Russia relations. During Obama's tenure we've seen tensions between the two countries rise dangerously to levels not seen for more than two generations.

What's worse is that Obama has kept Americans in the dark over the level of danger that is present when nuclear superpowers butt heads. At least when Kennedy and Khrushchev locked horns over Soviet fortification of Cuba with menacing missiles, Americans were aware of the danger. Some had even built fallout shelters amid the long-rising tensions that boiled over into the Cuban missile crisis.

Today we see the US taking menacing actions, introducing fortifications along Russia's border. In turn, Russia seems to be bolstering its defenses. Tensions are rising. But as I write this, the big story from Obama is about his intention to close the Guantanamo Bay prison. No matter how distasteful anyone may consider that prison, it's hard to understand Obama's priorities.

That's the kind of thing that makes it hard to give Obama credit for any accomplishment regarding US-Russia relations. But don't let it slip your mind that if it weren't for Obama we might have had a John McCain or Mitt Romney to contend with. Come to think of it, Obama should also get credit for thwarting Hillary Clinton's presidential aspirations eight years ago.

If you don't understand why presidencies of those three individuals would have been more problematic than Obama's, just google each person's name together with "Russia" or "Putin." Take note of their rhetoric and imagine the directions in which those failed candidates might have taken things if they were given a chance.

So, for now, let's hear it for Barack Obama. His unsung accomplishment in keeping more dangerous people out of the White House certainly deserves recognition. Too bad he can't stand for a third term!

 

[angelburst29]

To Wipe Out Terror, The US Is Now Bombing Seven Different Countries
http://www.vocativ.com/news/288457/to-wipe-out-terror-the-us-is-now-bombing-seven-different-countries/

An American bombing raid in Libya on Friday signaled a potentially deepening involvement in the latest front of the U.S. military campaign against the Islamic State—and underscored the expansion of U.S. airstrikes as a tool to combat Islamist terror groups around the globe.

U.S. aircraft are now targeting jihadists in seven countries from North Africa to Afghanistan. And ISIS militants aren’t the only extremists in the crosshairs of American warplanes and drones. The U.S. is also still hunting al-Qaeda operatives and Taliban fighters where these jihadists pose security threats to U.S. allies and interests.

American aircraft fired at least 23,144 bombs and missiles in 2015 alone, according to data compiled by Micah Zenko, an expert on U.S. military planning and operations who is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. The Pentagon shows no signs of slowing down the strikes this year: U.S.-led warplanes and drones dropped more than 2,800 bombs in January, recent military statistics show.

[...] But the civilian toll in these attacks can be high, analysts and monitoring groups say. A United Nations report last year alleged that U.S. drone strikes in Yemen had killed more civilians than al-Qaeda operatives. In September, an American warplane fired on a charity hospital in northern Afghanistan, killing 30 patients and staff and wounding dozens more.


The Age of Authoritarianism: Government of the Politicians, by the Military, for the Corporations
http://rutherford.org/publications_resources/john_whiteheads_commentary/the_age_of_authoritarianism_government_of_the_politicians_by_the_milit2

America is at a crossroads.

History may show that from this point forward, we will have left behind any semblance of constitutional government and entered into a militaristic state where all citizens are suspects and security trumps freedom.

Certainly, this is a time when government officials operate off their own inscrutable, self-serving playbook with little in the way of checks and balances, while American citizens are subjected to all manner of indignities and violations with little hope of defending themselves.

As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, we have moved beyond the era of representative government and entered a new age—the age of authoritarianism. Even with its constantly shifting terrain, this topsy-turvy travesty of law and government has become America’s new normal.

Don’t believe me?

Let me take you on a brief guided tour, but prepare yourself. The landscape is particularly disheartening to anyone who remembers what America used to be.

The Executive Branch: Whether it’s the Obama administration’s war on whistleblowers, the systematic surveillance of journalists and regular citizens, the continued operation of Guantanamo Bay, or the occupation of Afghanistan, Barack Obama has surpassed his predecessors in terms of his abuse of the Constitution and the rule of law. President Obama, like many of his predecessors, has routinely disregarded the Constitution when it has suited his purposes, operating largely above the law and behind a veil of secrecy, executive orders and specious legal justifications. Rest assured that no matter who wins this next presidential election, very little will change. The policies of the American police state will continue.

The Legislative Branch: It is not overstating matters to say that Congress may well be the most self-serving, semi-corrupt institution in America. Abuses of office run the gamut from elected representatives neglecting their constituencies to engaging in self-serving practices, including the misuse of eminent domain, earmarking hundreds of millions of dollars in federal contracting in return for personal gain and campaign contributions, having inappropriate ties to lobbyist groups and incorrectly or incompletely disclosing financial information. Pork barrel spending, hastily passed legislation, partisan bickering, a skewed work ethic, graft and moral turpitude have all contributed to the public’s increasing dissatisfaction with congressional leadership. No wonder 86 percent of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing.

The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court was intended to be an institution established to intervene and protect the people against the government and its agents when they overstep their bounds. Yet through their deference to police power, preference for security over freedom, and evisceration of our most basic rights for the sake of order and expediency, the justices of the United States Supreme Court have become the guardians of the American police state in which we now live. As a result, sound judgment and justice have largely taken a back seat to legalism, statism and elitism, while preserving the rights of the people has been deprioritized and made to play second fiddle to both governmental and corporate interests.

Shadow Government: America’s next president will inherit more than a bitterly divided nation teetering on the brink of financial catastrophe when he or she assumes office. He or she will also inherit a shadow government, one that is fully operational and staffed by unelected officials who are, in essence, running the country. Referred to as the Deep State, this shadow government is comprised of unelected government bureaucrats, corporations, contractors, paper-pushers, and button-pushers who are actually calling the shots behind the scenes right now.

Law Enforcement: By and large the term “law enforcement” encompasses all agents within a militarized police state, including the military, local police, and the various agencies such as the Secret Service, FBI, CIA, NSA, etc. Having been given the green light to probe, poke, pinch, taser, search, seize, strip and generally manhandle anyone they see fit in almost any circumstance, all with the general blessing of the courts, America’s law enforcement officials, no longer mere servants of the people entrusted with keeping the peace but now extensions of the military, are part of an elite ruling class dependent on keeping the masses corralled, under control, and treated like suspects and enemies rather than citizens. In the latest move to insulate police from charges of misconduct, Virginia lawmakers are considering legislation to keep police officers’ names secret, ostensibly creating secret police forces.

A Suspect Surveillance Society: Every dystopian sci-fi film we’ve ever seen is suddenly converging into this present moment in a dangerous trifecta between science, technology and a government that wants to be all-seeing, all-knowing and all-powerful. By tapping into your phone lines and cell phone communications, the government knows what you say. By uploading all of your emails, opening your mail, and reading your Facebook posts and text messages, the government knows what you write. By monitoring your movements with the use of license plate readers, surveillance cameras and other tracking devices, the government knows where you go. By churning through all of the detritus of your life—what you read, where you go, what you say—the government can predict what you will do. By mapping the synapses in your brain, scientists—and in turn, the government—will soon know what you remember. And by accessing your DNA, the government will soon know everything else about you that they don’t already know: your family chart, your ancestry, what you look like, your health history, your inclination to follow orders or chart your own course, etc. Consequently, in the face of DNA evidence that places us at the scene of a crime, behavior sensing technology that interprets our body temperature and facial tics as suspicious, and government surveillance devices that cross-check our biometrics, license plates and DNA against a growing database of unsolved crimes and potential criminals, we are no longer “innocent until proven guilty.”

Military Empire: America’s endless global wars and burgeoning military empire—funded by taxpayer dollars—have depleted our resources, over-extended our military and increased our similarities to the Roman Empire and its eventual demise. The U.S. now operates approximately 800 military bases in foreign countries around the globe at an annual cost of at least $156 billion. The consequences of financing a global military presence are dire. In fact, David Walker, former comptroller general of the U.S., believes there are “striking similarities” between America’s current situation and the factors that contributed to the fall of Rome, including “declining moral values and political civility at home, an over-confident and over-extended military in foreign lands and fiscal irresponsibility by the central government.”

I haven’t even touched on the corporate state, the military industrial complex, SWAT team raids, invasive surveillance technology, zero tolerance policies in the schools, over criminalization, or privatized prisons, to name just a few, but what I have touched on should be enough to show that the landscape of our freedoms has already changed dramatically from what it once was and will no doubt continue to deteriorate unless Americans can find a way to wrest back control of their government and reclaim their freedoms.

That brings me to the final and most important factor in bringing about America’s shift into authoritarianism: “we the people.” We are the government. Thus, if the government has become a tyrannical agency, it is because we have allowed it to happen, either through our inaction or our blind trust.

Essentially, there are four camps of thought among the citizenry when it comes to holding the government accountable. Which camp you fall into says a lot about your view of government—or, at least, your view of whichever administration happens to be in power at the time.

In the first camp are those who trust the government to do the right thing, despite the government’s repeated failures in this department. In the second camp are those who not only don’t trust the government but think the government is out to get them. In the third camp are those who see government neither as an angel nor a devil, but merely as an entity that needs to be controlled, or as Thomas Jefferson phrased it, bound “down from mischief with the chains of the Constitution.”

Then there’s the fourth camp, comprised of individuals who pay little to no attention to the workings of government, so much so that they barely vote, let alone know who’s in office. Easily entertained, easily distracted, easily led, these are the ones who make the government’s job far easier than it should be.

It is easy to be diverted, distracted and amused by the antics of the presidential candidates, the pomp and circumstance of awards shows, athletic events, and entertainment news, and the feel-good evangelism that passes for religion today. What is far more difficult to face up to is the reality of life in America, where unemployment, poverty, inequality, injustice and violence by government agents are increasingly norms.

The powers-that-be want us to remain divided, alienated from each other based on our politics, our bank accounts, our religion, our race and our value systems. Yet as George Orwell observed, “The real division is not between conservatives and revolutionaries but between authoritarians and libertarians.”

The only distinction that matters anymore is where you stand in the American police state. In other words, you’re either part of the problem or part of the solution.

 

[goyacobol]

Well, I really appreciate all the updates. Thanks, angelburst29, sToRmR1dR and everyone who contributes. I just got this image of a boxing match where there are two opponents exchanging punches and one is about to be getting a TKO (technical knockout) or just knocked out and the weaker one starts clinging and wrapping their arms around the winning boxer. The referee usually breaks them apart to go sit in their corners.

While sitting in their corners the managers attempt to mend any wounds and give their best advice. This latest "cease fire" agreement looks like an attempt by the US to regroup after seeing they are about to get knocked out. I get the feeling that the humanitarian aid is just an excuse to bring in new supplies to "mend" their wounds. They have not changed their goals/strategy only their tactics. I don't think for a minute that Putin and Russia don't realize the ramifications of this latest tactic.

I am on the edge of my seat to see how this match will turn out. I think that the 4D STS component of this cannot give up their "wishful thinking" which is maybe a good thing in a way. They only seem to respect intelligence/knowledge and strength. Empathy for others, a desire for real peace, respect for a nation's sovereignty and providing humanitarian aid have nothing to do with this latest February 27th cease fire agreement OSIT.

PS:Couldn't really find an appropriate smiley.

 

[Laura]

The failure of the Western MSM to give the ceasefire the front page status it deserves is just stunning. I checked on google. What coverage is there is dismal.

Just shocking.

 

[goyacobol]

The failure of the Western MSM to give the ceasefire the front page status it deserves is just stunning. I checked on google. What coverage is there is dismal.

Just shocking.

I am not so much shocked as frustrated with the "blackout" that seems to go on and on. I often wonder how it will be if all this information finally comes to light for those who are not paying attention or don't want to "see" what is happening around them. Our MSM is really in a "blackout" and it hurts to see it day after day.

I think of the final phase (when 4D fully arrives?) and the Cs say:

The Wave Chapter 25: A Walk In Nature Among The Names of God Where We Have An Interview With the Vampire And Discover a Cosmic Egg

Q: (A) You say knowledge protects. It protects against WHAT?
A: Many things. One example: post transformational trauma and
confusion.
Q: (L) So, knowledge is going to protect us against post
transformational trauma and confusion. You are saying that this
transition to 4th density is going to be traumatic and confusing. Do
you mean transformation from 3rd to 4th density, or 3rd to 5th
density, i.e. death?
A: Both.
Q: (L) So, if one does not have the shock and trauma and the
confusion and so forth, one is then able to function better?
A: Yes.

I guess "shocked" will be putting it mildly for those who don't have a clue or want a clue.

I hope there might be a period before the final "shock" that allows for people to wake up more gradually but I will just have to "wait and see" I guess.

 

[luc]

Kerry says there is a "plan B" if the ceasefire fails: partitioning Syria! Meanwhile, the MoD and CIA director believe the ceasefire will fail and call for new measures to "inflict real pain" on the Russians. Their plan B: arming Syrian rebels and providing them with extensive intelligence. This is of course an open invitation to the "rebels" to violate the ceasefire. Is it psychopaths loosing it? Different factions at work here?

http://<iframe width="560" height="...3M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Aeneas]

Kerry says there is a "plan B" if the ceasefire fails: partitioning Syria! Meanwhile, the MoD and CIA director believe the ceasefire will fail and call for new measures to "inflict real pain" on the Russians. Their plan B: arming Syrian rebels and providing them with extensive intelligence. This is of course an open invitation to the "rebels" to violate the ceasefire. Is it psychopaths loosing it? Different factions at work here?

Yes, Kerry's comments are like sweet music to all those who wish for the the ceasefire to fail and for more US mlitary aid to the terrorists. At the same time, a ceasefire a la the Minsk agreement, where a conflict is drawn out and where only one side abides by the agreement is not desirable. The Russians have probably learned from Minsk and made provisions to avoid that stale-mate.

The US leadership have shown again and again that they are totally unreliable and that agreements with them rarely are worth much. Something the native Indians learned a long time ago too :(

Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

 

[angelburst29]

Russia in ceasefire talks with Syria armed groups
http://217.218.67.231/Detail/2016/02/24/452143/Syria-Russia-UN-WFP-Daesh-Deir-Ezzor

Russia has begun negotiations with militant groups operating in Syria on implementing a planned ceasefire in five Syrian provinces, the defense ministry says.

The ministry said in a Wednesday statement that it has opened a coordination center in Syria that is "already carrying out work with representatives of the groups in various settlements in the provinces of Hama, Homs, Latakia, Damascus and Dara’a."

According to the statement, agreement has been reached on some local ceasefires and some "practical results" have already been secured in the north of Latakia Province as military action has been halted in several settlements there.

The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said establishing ceasefire is not simple as it needs “not only phone talks but also trips to sites to implement the ceasefire agreements and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people.”



YPG announces agreement to Syria ceasefire
http://217.218.67.231/Detail/2016/02/24/452170/ypg-kurds-ceasefire-plan-syria

The Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) have announced that they will observe a Russia-US ceasefire plan in Syria, but will retaliate if attacked.

“We, in the People's Protection Units, give great importance (to the plan), and we will abide by it completely, while reserving the right to respond to any aggressor in the framework of legitimate self-defense,” YPG official Redur Xelil was quoted by Reuters as saying on Wednesday.

On Monday, the US and Russia announced agreement on a “cessation of hostilities" in Syria which is set to kick off on February 27. The Syrian government has accepted the terms on condition that military efforts against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group and al-Nusra front group continue.

Earlier, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Syrian Kurdish forces should be excluded from the peace plan. The YPG is nearly in control of Syria’s entire northern border with Turkey.

Turkey regards the YPG and its political wing Democratic Union Party (PYD) as allies of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been fighting for an autonomous Kurdish region inside Turkey since the 1980s.



Syrian coordination center received over 10 requests from different places
http://rbth.com/news/2016/02/24/syrian-coordination-center-received-over-10-requests-from-different-places_570457

The Coordination Center for reconciliation between the conflicting parties in Syria received more than ten requests in the 48 hours that passed since it started operating, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said on Feb. 24.

"Now I will tell about tangible results over the past 48 hours. The Center has got more than ten requests from several areas now and Russian servicemen are actively working," Konashenkov said when speaking on Rossiya-24 (VGTRK) television.

This is a very complicated job, as apart from negotiations by phone, it also involves visiting different areas in order to implement ceasefire agreements and deliver humanitarian aid to the population, he said.



Damascus Condemns US Kerry's "Plan B" Remarks
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941205001314

"Kerry's remarks are aimed at diverting the public opinion from the US responsibility for the crimes committed by the terrorists against the Syrian nation," a Syrian foreign ministry official said on Wednesday.

"The US and its allies and puppets are accountable for the crisis in Syria and its continued trend since they are still supporting terrorism," the official added.

According to the official, the Syrian nation and government want the end of crisis as soon as possible and are trying more than anyone else to eradicate terrorism and strengthen unity in Syria.



Military Analysis: Saudi Arabia Deploys Combat Aircraft to Turkey
http://southfront.org/military-analysis-saudi-arabia-deploys-combat-aircraft-to-turkey/

It’s clear that the recently adopted ceasefire threatens the Turkish and Saudi interests in Syria significantly. Both countries support a wide range of Islamic militant groups including Al Nusra Front, which was designated as a terrorist organization by the UNSC. Turkey has clearly been violating Syria’s sovereignty with its systematic artillery shelling of the northern part of the country and by allowing the flow of reinforcements to militants while Saudi Arabia spent significant amounts of petro-dollars in order to support groups attempting to overthrow the Syrian government. In this case, the Turkish statements claiming the possibility of a military invasion of Syria and Saudi Arabia’s intention to deploy an air force to support the Turkish operations can’t be ignored.



Terrorists Receive New Arms Cargos from Turkey
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941205000571

The terrorists stationed in the Northern outskirts of Lattakia city have been equipped with new cargoes of weapons reportedly coming from Turkey.

The new batch of arms includes BM-21 122-mm Grad multiple rocket launchers, sources said on Wednesday.

Lattakia is a province bordering Turkey. The Syrian army and popular forces have recently pushed the militant groups back from more territories in the Northern part of Lattakia province and took back several villages and heights.



Back to Iraq: US Military Contractors Return In Droves
http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2016/02/back-iraq-us-military-contractors-return-droves/126095/

Behind the president’s directive to ‘accelerate’ the counter-ISIS campaign came a surge in the number of contractors assisting in the campaign against ISIS.

The number of private contractors working for the U.S. Defense Department in Iraq grew eight-fold over the past year, a rate that far outpaces the growing number of American troops training and advising Iraqi soldiers battling Islamic State militants.

The sharp increase, disclosed in a recent Pentagon report to Congress, underscores the military’s reliance on civilians even for missions with relatively small troop presence.

“If you look at the size and the composition of the forces that have been deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, that’s changed markedly in the past year,” said Rick Brennan, a senior political scientist at the RAND Corp. and a retired Army officer.

As of January, 2,028 contractors were in Iraq, up from just 250 one year earlier, according to the Pentagon’s data. There are roughly 3,700 American troops there now, compared to 2,300 in January 2015.

That number of military contractors represents just a fraction of the contractors employed by the U.S. in Iraq. In addition to the 2,028 Pentagon contractors, another 5,800 are employed by other agencies, including the State Department.



US plans new military bases in Iraq’s Anbar province
http://southfront.org/us-plans-new-military-bases-in-iraqs-anbar-province/

The two bases would be set up in the Hamarah region of Fallujah city and in areas close to the Iraqi-Syria border.

On Wednesday, an Iraqi military source said that the United States had decided to build new military bases in Iraq’s Anbar Province allegedly to counter ISIS.

The military source also said that the two bases would be set up in the Hamarah region of Fallujah city and in areas close to the Iraqi-Syria border.

“The US military claims the increased presence of its troops in the province is in line with countering the rising influence of ISIS,” a source from the Anbar Operation Command said.

However, the US military is running two bases in Anbar’s Habbaniyah and Ayan al-Assad regions by leading a so-called international coalition against ISIS with warplanes.



Iraqi Commanders: Volunteer Forces to Continue Mosul Battle Despite US Pressures
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941205001355

The Iraqi volunteer forces (Hashd al-Shaabi) commanders reiterated that they are determined to continue their tough battle against the ISIL in a bid to take full control of the city of Mosul in Northern Iraq, and said that they will pay no heed to the US pressures aimed at preventing them from doing so.

"We are committed to the Iraqi government's decision that the Iraqi volunteer forces should play an active role in the battles against the Takfiri terrorists in Mosul," Spokesman of Iraq's Ansarullah al-Nujaba Movement Hashem al-Moussavi told FNA on Wednesday.

He reiterated that the volunteer forces are waiting for the Iraqi government's decision before moving towards Mosul.

"The US and the regional spy agencies are seeking to trouble the Iraqi volunteer forces' partnership in the war against the ISIL in Mosul, but to no avail," al-Moussavi added.

In a relevant development on February 16, A senior Iraqi volunteer forces commander underlined that his forces are determined to continue their war against the ISIL in the city of Fallujah.

"The US and some pro-US Iraqi politicians intend to exert pressure on the Iraqi government to prevent the volunteer forces from entering the Fallujah city, but the volunteer forces will not bow to such pressures," Hassan al-Sari told FNA.

He underlined that some Iraqi political figures are dissuading the volunteer forces at the order of the US.



Pentagon Seeks to Deploy Mobile Artillery Near South China Sea
http://sputniknews.com/asia/20160224/1035238201/mobile-artillery-south-china-sea.html

With tensions escalating in the South China Sea, the US Army is discussing the possibility of sending mobile artillery units to the region.

Over the weekend, US President Barack Obama stated that his administration would continue to challenge Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China Sea.

"We think China is resorting to the old style of might makes right, as opposed to working through international law and international norms to establish claims and to resolve disputes," Obama said in an interview with Channel News Asia.



China sends fighter jets to contested island in South China Sea
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/02/23/exclusive-china-sends-fighter-jets-to-contested-island-in-south-china-sea.html

In a move likely to further increase already volatile tensions in the region, China has deployed fighter jets to a contested island in the South China Sea, the same island where China deployed surface-to-air missiles last week, two U.S. officials tell Fox News.

The dramatic escalation came as Secretary of State John Kerry hosted his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, at the State Department.

Wang said Tuesday he hoped that “close up” military flights and patrols by U.S. Navy ships over the contested islands would end.

Kerry said he wanted China to end its militarization of the contested islands in the South China Sea.

“We want to halt the expansion and the militarization of occupied features,” he said.

His Chinese counterpart added that he didn’t want to see any more U.S. military over flights or patrols.



Russian TV: Serbian authorities issued by the nation (English translate)
http://srbin.info/2016/02/24/ruska-tv-srpska-vlast-izdaje-narod/

St. Petersburg's Fifth Channel broadcast a report by journalist Catherine Lane with the Belgrade streets during Saturday's rally against ratification of the law on cooperation with NATO.

- Citizens took to the streets, they are not needed any additional explanations, they know very well what the NATO bombing, it experienced 17 years ago in my own skin

- The agreement which is actively lobbied Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, who was in the assembly almost unanimously adopted, surrender the land to the use of NATO. Members of the Alliance will be able to move freely within the borders of Serbia, will have diplomatic immunity, will be exempted from taxes and access to municipal and even private facilities. And that's not all, Serbia is committed to svesvrdnu support of the Alliance, it will be the headquarters of NATO and the exchange of intelligence information, but will not be able to seek compensation nor initiate court proceedings even if its citizens are damaged in conflict with aliens

"The practical recognition of
Kosovo" Catherine Lane, reporter media center Russian Express has concluded that greater humiliation of Serbia could not cope and that all this is happening 17 years after the NATO aggression against this country, that NATO is coming back as a winner, and even as a slave owner.

- Due to the opening of the gateway to the Adriatic Sea basin and the Middle East to carry out their operations. As regards Kosovo, the Serbs no one has the intention of helping, the sooner it will be that this is a practical recognition of independence .

Russian journalist concluded that the gathered citizens rapprochement with NATO after all its depravity in this area are considered extremely embarrassing.



Military action against North Korea possible: Top US cmdr.
http://217.218.67.231/Detail/2016/02/24/452134/Harris-NorthKorea-Missile-Nuclear

The United States does not rule out a possible military action against North Korea, if Pyongyang continues to develop its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, says a top US military commander.

[...] Speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Admiral Harry Harris, commander of US Pacific Command, said North Korea’s nuclear test was a global threat and a US military action is possible if such moves continue.

“I think they have posed a very distinct and real threat, not only to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula but globally,” Harris said.


France deploys forces to Libya to allegedly fight against Daesh
http://217.218.67.231/Detail/2016/02/24/452148/Libya-France-Daesh/

A report says French special forces have been deployed in Libya under the pretext of fighting Daesh terrorists operating in the North African country.

On Wednesday, France’s Le Monde reported that French special forces and members of the DGSE external security service were in Libya for "clandestine operations" against Daesh militants.

Following the release of the report, French officials said they had launched a probe into a possible leak of classified documents.

"The investigation should establish if details covered by defense secrecy rules were revealed in this article," a source close to Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.

This is while a violation of defense secrecy carries a penalty of up to three years in prison as well as a 45,000-euro ($50,000) fine.

France and other Western countries have explicitly supported the idea of military action against Daesh in Libya. However, France has said it is waiting for the formation of a national unity government before formally intervening.

Daesh gained control of Libya’s northern port city of Sirte in June 2015, almost four months after it announced its presence in the city, and made it the first city to be ruled by the militant group outside of Iraq and Syria.

 

[Nević Nenad]

The failure of the Western MSM to give the ceasefire the front page status it deserves is just stunning. I checked on google. What coverage is there is dismal.

Just shocking.

I am not so much shocked as frustrated with the "blackout" that seems to go on and on. I often wonder how it will be if all this information finally comes to light for those who are not paying attention or don't want to "see" what is happening around them. Our MSM is really in a "blackout" and it hurts to see it day after day.

I think of the final phase (when 4D fully arrives?) and the Cs say:

The Wave Chapter 25: A Walk In Nature Among The Names of God Where We Have An Interview With the Vampire And Discover a Cosmic Egg

Q: (A) You say knowledge protects. It protects against WHAT?
A: Many things. One example: post transformational trauma and
confusion.
Q: (L) So, knowledge is going to protect us against post
transformational trauma and confusion. You are saying that this
transition to 4th density is going to be traumatic and confusing. Do
you mean transformation from 3rd to 4th density, or 3rd to 5th
density, i.e. death?
A: Both.
Q: (L) So, if one does not have the shock and trauma and the
confusion and so forth, one is then able to function better?
A: Yes.

I guess "shocked" will be putting it mildly for those who don't have a clue or want a clue.

I hope there might be a period before the final "shock" that allows for people to wake up more gradually but I will just have to "wait and see" I guess.

But don't hold your breath? :) In present state of humanity any awakening in any amount is highly unlikely.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Lavrov: Using Terrorists as Pawns Impedes Resolution of Middle East Crises

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160225/1035313721/terrorists-pawns-middle-east-lavrov.html

The resolution of crises in the Middle East is impossible as long as terrorists are used as pawns in geopolitical games, the Russian foreign minister said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A solution to the Middle East crises cannot bring success if terrorists are used as pawns in geopolitical games, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.

“The further degradation of the situation presents a serious threat for the entire international architecture…Obviously a strong stability of the situation is impossible without the destruction of the center of the terrorist threat, first and foremost Daesh, which has taken control of large expanses of territory in the Middle East.”

“Obviously this work cannot be successful if attempts are not stopped at using terrorists as pawns in doubtful geopolitical games,” Lavrov said at a meeting with the international Valdai Club in Moscow.

 

[goyacobol]

The failure of the Western MSM to give the ceasefire the front page status it deserves is just stunning. I checked on google. What coverage is there is dismal.

Just shocking.

I am not so much shocked as frustrated with the "blackout" that seems to go on and on. I often wonder how it will be if all this information finally comes to light for those who are not paying attention or don't want to "see" what is happening around them. Our MSM is really in a "blackout" and it hurts to see it day after day.

I think of the final phase (when 4D fully arrives?) and the Cs say:

The Wave Chapter 25: A Walk In Nature Among The Names of God Where We Have An Interview With the Vampire And Discover a Cosmic Egg

Q: (A) You say knowledge protects. It protects against WHAT?
A: Many things. One example: post transformational trauma and
confusion.
Q: (L) So, knowledge is going to protect us against post
transformational trauma and confusion. You are saying that this
transition to 4th density is going to be traumatic and confusing. Do
you mean transformation from 3rd to 4th density, or 3rd to 5th
density, i.e. death?
A: Both.
Q: (L) So, if one does not have the shock and trauma and the
confusion and so forth, one is then able to function better?
A: Yes.

I guess "shocked" will be putting it mildly for those who don't have a clue or want a clue.

I hope there might be a period before the final "shock" that allows for people to wake up more gradually but I will just have to "wait and see" I guess.

But don't hold your breath? :) In present state of humanity any awakening in any amount is highly unlikely.

I think you might also turn blue just by:

Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

But we have start somewhere I guess. :(

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Kerry: US in Talks With Arab States on Ground Forces Against Daesh

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160225/1035352798/kerry-ground-troops-daesh.html

The US government is engaged in preliminary discussions with several Arab states concerning their offers to provide ground troops against Daesh, US Secretary of State John Kerry told the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earlier it was reported that Saudi Arabia could send thousands of ground forces to Syria, most likely in coordination with Turkey, to take part in the fight against Daesh terrorist group.

Shortly after that, Turkey reportedly sent troops to its border, and also intensified the shelling of Kurdish-held areas in northern border regions of Syria.

Asked whether the US government has discussed with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman or Jordan concerning whether they would lend their ground troops to help fight Daesh, Kerry said, "We are engaged in discussions with them regarding their offers to do so. These are preliminary discussions."

On Monday, a spokesman for Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Omer Celik, said Turkey had no plans to conduct a ground operation in Syria.

Riyadh has been a nominal member of a US-led international coalition that has been carrying out airstrikes against Daesh in Syria and Iraq since 2014. However, the operations in Syria have been conducted without the approval of the Syrian government or the UN Security Council.

 

[angelburst29]

Another Minuteman Missile Launch Scheduled for Thursday 2-25-2016
http://scvnews.com/2016/02/24/unarmed-missile-test-launch-scheduled-for-thursday/

An operational test launch of an Air Force Global Strike Command unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile is scheduled late Thursday evening and Friday morning.

The launched is scheduled between 11:00 p.m. PST Thursday, Feb. 25 and 5:00 a.m. PST Friday, Feb. 26, 2016, from north Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The purpose of the ICBM test launch program is to validate and verify the effectiveness, readiness and accuracy of the weapon system, according to Air Force Global Strike Command.

Col. J. Christopher Moss, 30th Space Wing commander, is the launch decision authority.

“The launch process requires tremendous teamwork and involves months of preparation,” said Moss. “The data gained from these launches allows us to maintain a high readiness capability and ensures operational effectiveness of the most powerful weapons in the nation’s arsenal.”

The launch team, under the direction of the 576th Flight Test Squadron, includes crew members and maintainers from the 91st Missile Wing, Minot AFB, North Dakota.

The 576th FLTS is responsible for installed tracking, telemetry and command destruct systems on the missile, which collect data and ensure safety requirements are met.



‘No Plan B for Syrian settlement’ – Russian Foreign Ministry
https://www.rt.com/news/333581-plan-b-syria-bogdanov/

Moscow is not discussing alternative plans for a political settlement in Syria, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has said. The Russian-American peace initiative is going to be formalized through a UN Security Council resolution.

“We’re perplexed by our Western partners, the US included, mentioning the existence of some kind of ‘Plan B,’ Nothing is known on that one, we are considering no alternative plans,” Bognanov told the ‘Middle East: From violence to security’ conference in Moscow.



John Kerry: Up to 30,000 Ground Troops Needed For Syria Safe Zone
http://investmentwatchblog.com/john-kerry-up-to-30000-ground-troops-needed-for-syria-safe-zone/

John Kerry said it would take between 15,000 to 30,000 ground troops to maintain a ‘safe zone’ inside northern Syria.

Citing previously unheard of Pentagon estimates, the Secretary of State asked a Senate panel today: “Now are we ready to authorize that?”

ABC7 News reports:

Although a ceasefire is planned for this coming Saturday, there are growing calls within Washington for a so-called “Plan-B”: options for military action if the truce fails. Many Republicans, including Donald Trump, are calling for a “safe zone” in northern Syria to protect the increasing number of displaced people.

Kerry said today that creating a safe zone isn’t as simple as it sounds. In addition to controlling the airspace, Kerry said, a large troop presence would be required to shield the population from ISIS attacks on the ground.

“All this talk about safe zones does not go through the process of what it really means,” Kerry said.

“Our Pentagon estimates that to have a true safe zone in the north of the country you may have upwards of fifteen to thirty thousand troops. Now are we ready to authorize that? Are we ready to put them on the ground?”



American Foreign Policy: CIA-backed rebels are fighting Pentagon-backed rebels
http://www.hangthebankers.com/american-foreign-policy-cia-fighting-pentagon-rebels-syria/

CIA-backed Islamic rebels are fighting against Pentagon-backed Kurdish rebels in Syria.

Buzzfeed notes:

Officials with Syrian rebel battalions that receive covert backing from one arm of the U.S. government told BuzzFeed News that they recently began fighting rival rebels supported by another arm of the U.S. government.

The infighting between American proxies is the latest setback for the Obama administration’s Syria policy and lays bare its contradictions as violence in the country gets worse.

The confusion is playing out on the battlefield — with the U.S. effectively engaged in a proxy war with itself.

***
Furqa al-Sultan Murad receives weapons from the U.S. and its allies as part of a covert program, overseen by the CIA, that aids rebel groups struggling to overthrow the government of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, according to rebel officials and analysts tracking the conflict.

The Kurdish militants, on the other hand, receive weapons and support from the Pentagon as part of U.S. efforts to fight ISIS. Known as the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, they are the centerpiece of the Obama administration’s strategy against the extremists in Syria and coordinate regularly with U.S. airstrikes.

(And see this story from the Telegraph.)
US-backed militia groups now fighting each other in Syria
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/12166474/US-backed-rebel-groups-now-fighting-each-other-in-Syria.html

The Daily Beast also reports that U.S. allies are fighting CIA-backed rebels.
Exclusive: U.S. Allies Now Fighting CIA-Backed Rebels
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/12/exclusive-u-s-allies-now-fighting-cia-backed-rebels.html

The U.S. is supporting the Kurds, who are the best on-the-ground fighters against ISIS … yet America’s close ally Turkey is trying to wipe out the Kurds.

Moreover, the U.S., Turkey and Saudi Arabia are all using the Incerlik air base in Adana, Turkey, on the border with Syria to launch military operations in Syria.

The U.S. is using Incerlik to support the Kurds, but Turkey is using the exact same air base to bomb the Kurds.

In addition, the U.S. is supporting Shia Muslims in Iraq … but supporting their arch-enemy – Sunnis Muslims – in neighboring Syria.

And the U.S. claims to be fighting the war on terror against the exact same groups – ISIS and Al Qaeda – that our closest allies are supporting.

Absolutely insane …

Unless the U.S. is really pursuing an agenda in which chaos is the goal.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Obama warns Damascus, Moscow 'world will be watching' ceasefire

http://217.218.67.231/Detail/2016/02/26/452377/Obama-Assad

US President Barack Obama has once again renewed his call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, saying there is no alternative to his removal.

He also called on Russia and the Syrian government to honor a negotiated ceasefire in the war-torn country, warning Moscow and Damascus that the "world will be watching."

Obama made the remarks after holding a rare meeting with his national security team at the State Department on Thursday, a day before the cessation of hostilities was due to come into force.The ceasefire for Syria is set to take effect at midnight Friday local time.

He was flanked by Secretary of State John Kerry, Defense Secretary Ash Carter, Attorney General Loretta Lynch and other top advisers, who updated him on the years-old Syrian crisis.

Obama said militants in Syria will never stop fighting until Assad is ousted from power.

"It's the only way to end the civil war and unite the Syrian people against terrorists," he claimed.

The cessation of hostilities was announced earlier this week after negotiations between Russia and the US, both of which have been engaged in airstrikes in the Arab country.

Obama said Assad should step down if a lasting peace is to be found in Syria.

"This is going to be a test of whether the parties are truly committed to negotiations," he said.

"It's clear that after years of his barbaric war against his own people -- including torture, and barrel bombs, and sieges, and starvation -- many Syrians will never stop fighting until Assad is out of power. There's no alternative to a managed transition away from Assad," he argued.

Obama said "the coming days will be critical" in finding whether there is a way to end the five-year-long deadly conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of Syrians and displaced millions more.

“None of us are under any illusions,” Obama said. “We’re all aware of the many potential pitfalls, and there are plenty of reasons for skepticism.”

"But history would judge us harshly if we did not do our part in at least trying to end this terrible conflict with diplomacy,” he added.

In an interview with Press TV on Thursday, American political analyst Daniel Patrick Welch said regime change has always remained America’s only objective in Syria.

Welch said Washington has never had such a thing as Plan B and the alternatives they are speaking of now have always been the primary objectives they have been following in Syria.

“This idea of Plan B is kind of a scam; it has always been Plan A to topple the legitimate government and replace it with something weaker and something more compliant be it a failed state, a puppet regime or this division into sectarian mini states, instead of the legitimate elected government,” he explained.

US Secretary of State John Kerry had warned that if the Syrian ceasefire deal that the US and Russia agreed to on Monday falters, Washington will resort to its Plan B options.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Russian Envoy to EU Rules Out Any 'Plan B' on Syria

http://sputniknews.com/world/20160226/1035377632/russia-eu-syria-plan.html

The Russian authorities do not consider any alternative plan to resolve the situation in Syria, furthermore, talks about it are useless in the diplomatic process, Russia's EU envoy Vladimir Chizhov said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Earlier in the week, US Secretary of State John Kerry announced steps that would be made toward a backup plan that could include the division of Syria if the ceasefire planned for Saturday does not work or if an actual swing to a transient government does not happen within the next few months.

"Russia does not have any Plan B and we have heard nothing from others, including the United States of the existence of any plan B, and I think the very talk about it is very unhelpful, because if you launch a major initiative and immediately start talking about what happens if it fails, then your own commitment to that can be questioned," Chizhov told CNN on Thursday.

On Monday, Russia and the United States announced an agreement on the cessation of hostilities between the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad and armed opposition factions in the country. The agreement is set to come into force on February 27 at midnight Damascus time.

Syrian army fully ready for ceasefire — ambassador

http://tass.ru/en/world/859083

The Syrian army is fully ready for ceasefire

MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. The Syrian army is fully ready for ceasefire and Damascus is ready to start talks with the opposition on March 7, Syria’s Ambassador to Russia Riyad Haddad said Friday.

The intra-Syrian negotiations that began in Geneva in early February were suspended over differences of the sides. The talks were expected to resume on February 25, but UN Special Envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura warned that this was not realistic.

Russia and the United States have submitted to the UN Security Council a draft resolution in support of the Syrian ceasefire regime that is to take effect at 00:00 on February 27. The resolution commits to paper the statements of the Syrian government army and the opposition groups on their commitment to this agreement.

The draft resolution that is expected to be approved on Friday afternoon also calls on all parties in the conflict to grant access to aid workers to ease the country's worsening humanitarian crisis and reiterates the council's support for the UN-brokered peace talks between the government and opposition.