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

[angelburst29]

Interesting "timing" that Israel would shoot down a Syrian Military plane, killing it's pilot - on the heels of - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chief of Russia's General Staff Valery Gerasimov holding a meeting Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem? From Jerusalem, Lavrov and Gerasimov landed in Berlin. Tuesday morning, they arrived in France for a meeting with President Macron. Some really serious "flyer-miles" and meetings - there?

24.07.2018 - Lavrov Discussed in Jerusalem Iran's Withdrawal From Israeli Border - Kremlin
Lavrov Discussed in Jerusalem Iran's Withdrawal From Israeli Border - Kremlin

24.07.2018 - Russian FM, Chief of General Staff Discuss Syria, Ukraine Conflicts with Macron
Russian FM, Chief of General Staff Discuss Syria, Ukraine Conflicts with Macron

I sense - we will be seeing more media attention on "Ukraine" in general and also, the stalled Peace Process (Normandy Four) soon?

Wed, Jul 25, 2018 - What Was Russia's Chief of General Staff Doing in Berlin in Talks With Merkel?
What Was Russia's Chief of General Staff Doing in Berlin in Talks With Merkel?

He then accompanied Lavrov to Paris -- was he there to convey the need for Germany and France to restrain Kiev in the new flashpoint of Sea of Azov, or else?

It is rather a peculiar development. No, not the fact of Lavrov meeting Frau Kanzlerin in Berlin as was agreed prior with Vladimir Putin. Nothing special about that. What is special and peculiar is that Frau Merkel also met with:

The meeting, agreed last week by Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin, was also attended by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and the head of Russia’s military general staff Valery Gerasimov, said the spokeswoman in a statement. No further details were given.

Valery Gerasimov is not the kind of guy who attends diplomatic meetings, him being present in Berlin together with Russia's foreign minister signals something very important in the making. Discussing Syria? Sure, seems natural but as Russia's news agencies report and I quote: "The issue of Ukraine was also discussed". I think, that this is it.

Syria, no matter how important it is for the world today, would not have necessitated the Chief of General Staff to be in Berlin and meet the head of German State. After all, Berlin plays secondary role in Syria and, in fact, failed to participate in any meaningful military way there in supporting all kinds of terrorist groups, aka "rebels", "Free Syrians", unicorns etc.

Ukraine, however, is a totally different issue. It was Frau Merkel and her cabal of sycophants both internal and external, who made Germany one of the main driving forces behind Ukrainian catastrophe which followed a violent coup inspired and financed by the combined West. So, Germany is one of the major culprits in creating a black hole in the midst of Europe and, accidentally, one of the main drivers behind hysterical Russophobia in Europe. We all know very well how "free" and "independent" German media are.

So, is anything drastic expected to happen in Ukraine which is in a tail spin economically and mentally? Consider this:

1. Triumphant World Cup in Russia is over.

2. Russia is surprisingly nonchalant about all those economic sanctions (hey, Deutschland, rings a bell?) by EU and here are two among a vast stream of facts which tell that Russia is getting ready to react "dramatically" to something (Ukrainian violence against Donbass).

Fact A: Russia is to completely localize (in Russian) manufacturing of high power gas turbines by 2019, moreover huge tax breaks will be given to companies using Russian-made equipment. Recall who played huge role in this business in Russia prior to Ukrainian events? Right, Siemens. Recall who is also a major player in this field in Russia? Right, General Electric. Hm. This is not manufacturing of lingerie, Ladies and Gentlemen, we are talking here about.

Fact B: Russia raised, entirely legitimately, the pain threshold for Ukraine in and around Azov Sea. Now Ukraine will pay dearly for taking hostage the crew of Russian fishing vessel Nord. All, in violation of the mutually-agreed status of Azov Sea. This is not to mention, of course, some threats to blow up Kerch bridge which periodically heard from Ukraine.

3. Ah, yes. Helsinki. Recall Putin's offer to hold referendum in Donbass, recall his very own warning to Ukraine not to do stupid things since it will be...well, the end of current Ukrainian statehood.

Now, once one considers that Ukraine is an anti-Russia asset for globalist cabal in Washington and is, in fact, under the external control of Obama's operatives, against the facts that this whole Russiagate thing goes nowhere and fast, it is not only possible, but highly probable that people such as former VP Biden or HRC's State Department operatives (never discount McCain here), DNC and others will not be, in their desperation, against some conflagration in Ukraine. In fact, it becomes a very probable scenario--anything to sabotage Russian-American relations in general and Presidency of Donald Trump in particular.

It is a general scenario but this is precisely a scenario which would necessitate highly professional explanations from Chief of General Staff to some German state bureaucrat, however highest of them all, what she and her vassals in Europe must expect if their very own German Sons of Bitches in Ukraine will unleash a provocation which will provide enough Casus Belli for Russia's Southern Military District to start the final countdown for criminal Kiev regime and its pure Nazi accomplices.

But these are just my thoughts. Boy, would I love to hear at least 5 minutes of Trump-Putin conversation tete-a-tete in Helsinki. In the same time, I can only imagine what kind of revulsion both Lavrov and Gerasimov felt towards this German leader who managed, after almost 70 years of Germany being denazified to help spawn a truly Nazi regime in Kiev.


July 24, 2018 - Merkel meets Russia's Head of Staff, Lavrov
Merkel meets Russia's head of military staff, Lavrov

German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Berlin on Tuesday to discuss Syria, the situation in the Middle East and the conflict in Ukraine, Germany’s deputy government spokeswoman said.

The meeting, agreed last week by Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin, was also attended by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and the head of Russia’s military general staff Valery Gerasimov, said the spokeswoman in a statement.

No further details were given.


Jul 27, 2018 - MINSK II: What happened at Normandy Four?
MINSK II: What happened at Normandy Four? - Fort Russ

The meeting of political directors representing the Normandy Four states took place yesterday in Berlin, coming on the heels of a contrived controversy in western press on the heels of the meeting between Trump and Putin in Moscow.

The Normandy Four are the four countries – Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France – that established the framework of the Minsk II agreement.

[...] [...] [...]

What’s interesting is that just before the Berlin meeting yesterday, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, made an unannounced (to media) visit to Germany earlier in the week. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Ukrainian conflict was discussed at their meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel ........

The problem in explaining what happened yesterday at Normandy Four is that the parties are obligated to meet, so they meet ..........

In short, nothing happened.

 

[angelburst29]

2018-07-28 - Russian Air Force in Syria destroys UAV launched toward Hmeymim Base
Russian Air Force in Syria destroys UAV launched toward Hmeymim Base

The Russian Center for Syrian Reconciliation has called on the commanders of illegal armed formations to give up provocations and agree to a peaceful settlement of the conflict in areas under their control.

“On the 27th of July, the Russian Air Force detected and destroyed a UAV, launched from the territory under the control of illegal armed formations in the north of the province of Latakia heading towards the Russian air base Hmeymim,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a report, adding that the incident has not resulted in damages or casualties.

The ministry added that “the air target was destroyed by an anti-aircraft missile system [far from] the air base.”

Earlier in July, the Russian Center for Syrian Reconciliation reported about several drones launched from a militant-controlled area heading toward the Hmeymim base.

A representative of the Hmeymim air base reported that in June, as well as in May and April, UAVs of unknown origin were detected by Russian airspace control units northeast of the air base. All the UAVs were destroyed.


2018-07-28 - Syrian military begins amassing troops in northwest Syria for next major offensive
Syrian military begins amassing troops in northwest Syria for next major offensive

The Syrian military has begun amassing troops in northern Latakia for their upcoming offensives in the Al-Ghaab Plain and Kurdish Mountains, a military source told Al-Masdar News tonight.

According to the military source, the Syrian military has begun moving their forces from southern Syria to the Latakia Governorate, following their subsequent victory in the Daraa and Al-Quneitra provinces.

The source added that several units from the pro-government National Defense Forces (NDF) have already begun moving north, with another large batch of soldiers from the 4th Armored Division and Republican Guard to follow.

The 4th Division and Republican Guard will be concentrated along the Jabal Turkmen and Jabal Al-Akrad axes in northern Latakia; this front is heavily guarded by jihadist rebels from Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham and other foreign combatants.

Meanwhile, the Syrian military’s elite Tiger Forces branch is expected to make their way north to the Al-Ghaab Plain axis once their battle against the Islamic State (ISIS) is completed in southern Syria.

ISIS has only a few more towns under their control in the Daraa Governorate and they should be defeated in the coming days.

Once the Tiger Forces and the 42nd Brigade (Ghiath Forces) of the 4th Division move north, the long-awaited battle for northwest Syria is expected to commence.

This battle will focus on sealing the Latakia-Turkey border and retaking the strategic Jisr Al-Shughour District, which is primarily controlled by jihadist rebels.


2018-07-28 - Resolving Idlib situation depends on Russian-US dialogue – expert
Resolving Idlib situation depends on Russian-US dialogue - expert

Resolving the situation in Syria’s Idlib province will depend on dialogue between Moscow and Washington, Senior Researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oriental Studies Boris Dolgov told TASS. According to him, political talks on the Idlib de-escalation zone will precede a possible military operation by the Syrian government forces.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad earlier told reporters that government troops were going to focus on the Idlib province and other areas where terrorists were still active.

“It is too early to speak about resolving military and political aspects as it depends on Turkey’s position, as well as on global politics, on the way dialogue between Russia and the US goes,” the expert said.

Tangled interests - According to Dolgov, taking into account the tangled interests of several global and regional players, political dialogue should precede any military operation of the Syrian army.

“A number of questions arise here as some of the groups based in Idlib are supported by Ankara and the province borders Turkey,” the expert went on to say. “Some groups have the support of the Gulf monarchies, while others maintain contacts with the US-led coalition. This is why it will be difficult for the Syrian Army to achieve the goal of eradicating this enclave of armed opposition units,” Dolgov pointed out.

In his opinion, time will tell if Damascus is capable of carrying out a military operation in the region but “this issue should be resolved along with political aspects.” “Iran’s role is also important because this hotspot of tension is not in Tehran’s interest,” Dolgov said, adding that “these armed units have also been fighting with each other.”


Sat Jul 28, 2018 - Diplomat: Expulsion of All Military Aggressors from Syria Imminent
Farsnews

Syria's acting chargé d'affaires to the United Nations said all military aggressors will leave the Arab country soon as the army and its allies gain more ground against foreign-backed terrorists on the battlefield.

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Syria on Friday, Abdullah Hallaq stated that the army's counter-terrorism operations have successfully reduced the suffering of civilians, including those holed up in militant-besieged areas, and facilitated humanitarian access to those regions, presstv reported.

A major anti-terror campaign underway in Southern Syria has also demonstrated that certain governments only care about protecting terrorist groups, particularly the so-called “White Helmets”, rather than the fate of the displaced in Jordan, he added.

The White Helmets, Hallaq stressed, is an arm of the al-Nusra Front terror outfit, which has fabricated evidence to mislead the international public opinion about chemical weapons attacks in Syria.

In the face of advancing government forces in Southern Syria earlier this month, Israel evacuated hundreds of White Helmets volunteers and their family members to Jordan for resettlement in the UK, Canada and Germany. The evacuation further proved the much-reported collaboration between Tel Aviv and anti-Damascus militants.

"The day when all aggressor military forces leave Syria is not far away," the Syrian diplomat pointed out.

He also condemned unilateral economic measures taken by the EU and the US against Syria, saying the sanctions have hindered the process of providing basic services to the Syrian people and improving their humanitarian situation.

Hallaq further accused the UN of deliberately ignoring the information provided by the Syrian government regarding the suffering of kids at the hands of terrorists and relying on "questionable information" from militant-affiliated sources in its latest report on the situation of children in the country.

The UN, he noted, should adopt a "objective, transparent, and neutral" stance on the humanitarian situation in Syria amid "constant efforts to distort facts about the Syrian state’s work to provide the needs of its citizens and in light of certain states’ support for terrorists and exploitation of the humanitarian situation in Syria to serve their own political agendas."

The full liberation of both Dara'a and Quneitra by Syrian government forces would cut the much-reported collaboration between Israel and anti-Damascus militants operating in the region.


Sat Jul 28, 2018 - Hasaka: US Conducts Another Heliborne Operations to Rescue ISIL Terrorists
Farsnews

The US military forces continue illegal heliborne operations and rescued three ISIL terrorists from the Eastern province of Hasaka near the border with Iraq on Saturday.

The sources said that an American military helicopter, accompanied by several military vehicles of the Washington-backed Kurdish militias, conducted a heliborne operation between the villages of Tal Mashhan and Tal Dowayem in al-Ya'arabiyeh region in Eastern Hasaka near the border with Iraq.

The sources further said that three ISIL members, including an Iraqi terrorist, were rescued in the US heliborne operation and were transferred to an unknown destination.

Similar operations have been underway on a regular basis in the region in spite of the US' claims of war on ISIL in Syria.

In May, the US forces conducted four more airborne operations in Southeastern Hasaka to rescue a number of entrapped ISIL terrorists, a move done repeatedly by the American forces to provide back up for the terrorist group in Eastern Syria.

Four American military helicopters conducted four sorties of heliborne operations in the villages of al-Qeirawan, Haresat Sinjar, al-Ta'ef and aAbu Kabra, evacuating a group of ISIL terrorists to an unknown location.

The US military forces are carrying out airborne operation in ISIL-held regions once in a while.

In the same month, Russia's airbase in Lattakia province, known as Humeimim, complained that Washington supported the ISIL terrorists through the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, as the SDF continues pressures against civilians in Deir Ezzur.

Humeimim announced that it gained field reports disclosing that Washington is indirectly supporting and equipping the ISIL terrorists.

It added that Washington supports the ISIL through its illegally created allies, the SDF forces, who pursued disintegration of Syria.

Meantime, local sources in Deir Ezzur reported that the SDF forces detained tens of civilians in the province, including women, children and the elderly, en route from Damascus to the region and prevented their move to the province.


Sat Jul 28, 2018 - Turkish Army Resettles Eastern Ghouta Terrorists in Northern Syria
Farsnews

Tens of terrorists evacuated from Eastern Ghouta have been resettled in the Northwestern outskirt of the occupied-town of Afrin in Aleppo province by the Turkish troops and their allied militants, local sources reported on Saturday.

The sources said that terrorists of Ahrar al-Sharqiyah affiliated to the Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army resettled over 20 terrorists of Faylaq al-Rahman in civilians' residential units in the town of Rajou Northwest of Afrin.

Faylaq terrorists had left Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province under a reconciliation deal with the Syrian Army.

The sources went on to say that the FSA-affiliated Firqah al-Hamzah broke into residential units of the people in the village of Qojman Northeast of the town of Jandaris and captured 20 villagers, transferring them to an unknown destination.

They further said that fresh infighting has started between Ahrar al-Sham and Firqah al-Hamzah over the share of the assets looted from the local people in Jandaris.

The Kurdish-language Hawar news reported last week that Ankara-backed militants engaged in a fresh round of clashes over distribution of people's assets in Afrin region in Northwestern Aleppo.

It went on to say that Ahrar al-Sharqiyeh and Katibeh al-Farouq affiliated to the Turkish troops exchanged heavy fire in Jandaris region over their share of properties and assets looted from residential areas in the village of Kouran.

A number of gunmen from both sides were killed or wounded in the clashes, Hawar news reported.

In the meantime, tens of residents of al-Harah al-Tahtaniyeh in Jandaris were arrested and moved to an unknown destination by the Ankara-backed militants, Hawar news said, adding that the militants have called on the families of those captured to pay a hefty amount of money for their freedom.

 

[Ca.]

Battles for Syria | July 27th 2018

More rebel fighters assassinated in Idlib amid escalated tensions
2018-07-29
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (4:05 P.M.) – Assassinations continue to rip through the jihadi-held Idlib as more reports came in confirming that the province is the next destination for the Syrian Army.

Yesterday, three militants including a field commander were killed by unidentified gunfire.

First Lieutenant Hussein Jamal and two of his companions were assassinated when unknown assailants opened fire at their vehicle inside Maarrat al-Nu’man city located nearly 33km south of Idlib.

The slain fighters belong to the Syrian Liberation Front; a merger of Ahrar al-Sham and the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement.

The group’s leadership accused Syrian government spies of carrying out the attack prior to an expected full-scale offensive by the Syrian forces.

Recently, Hand-written leaflets declaring allegiance to the Syrian Army from inside jihadi-held towns in northern Syria have been posted online to further escalate tensions in the northwestern province.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1021868176920010752

The Israeli occupation army shot down a Syrian Army SU 22 bombing ISIS in Sayda, near the occupied Golan Heights.
While Israel claims the Syrian fighter jet penetrated the airspace of Golan Heights, the Syrian Army said the fighter was flying over ISIS-held area of Sayda.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1023226573569187840

https://twitter.com/x/status/1023540351108345856

 

[angelburst29]

Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) started arresting representatives of the militant groups in peace talks with the Syrian Army in Idlib on Sunday as more groups joined the peace process.

Sun Jul 29, 2018 - Tahrir Al-Sham Concerned over Reconciliation Talks in Northwestern Syria
Farsnews

Tahrir al-Sham has launched a fresh round of arrests in Southern Idlib and captured a number of reginal figures.

In the meantime, local sources said Tahrir al-Sham is much concerned about the spread of peace talks between militants and Damascus forces in Idlib province.

The arrests by Tahrir al-Sham came after a meeting between militants' representatives in peace talks with the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria to hand over militant-held regions in Idlib to the Damascus forces.

Several meetings have been held between elites and tribal leaders in Western Hama and Southern Idlib and senior military staff in the Russian-run Humeimim airbase in line with implementation of the peace plan.


Sun Jul 29, 2018 - US Forces Dispatch More Military Aid to Allied Militias in Northeastern Syria
Farsnews

The US Army has forwarded more military equipment to Raqqa in Northeastern Syria to reinvigorate the Washington-backed militias' combat capabilities for countering popular uprising in the region, a media outlet reported on Sunday.

The Arabic-language al-Watan daily reported that the American forces have sent a convoy of military aid, including several military vehicles and cement-made barriers to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Ein Issa region in Northern Raqqa.

The US forces' move came after tensions between the SDF and Raqqa residents rose and the SDF embarked on arresting a number of civilians.

In the meantime, four SDF gunmen were killed after a bomb went off near al-Andaras Farm in Western Raqqa.

The convoy included 300 trucks carrying logistic and military equipment, arms and ammunition for the US troops' base in Kharab Ashak region that is one of the most important bases of the US in Syria.

Popular uprising against the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces has recently intensified in Raqqa province.


Sun Jul 29, 2018 - Syrian Army Discovers US-Made Weapons in Terrorists' Positions in Dara'a
Farsnews

The Syrian Army men managed to advance against ISIL in Hawz Yarmouk in Southwestern Dara'a, discovering a large volume of American arms and ammunition on Sunday.

The army men continued their advances towards the small but key town of al-Shajarah in Hawz Yarmouk that is the most important base of the ISIL in region.

The army men discovered a large volume of landmines, bombs and the US-made TOW anti-tank missiles in al-Shajarah.

Local sources, meantime, reported that the ISIL has been trapped in the towns of al-Shajarah, Ma'aryah, Beit Ara and Abedeen as the army soldiers are advancing from different directions towards the terrorists' bases.

Earlier reports said that the army men, backed up by artillery and missile units, continued to storm ISIL's strongholds in Hawz Yarmouk and captured the villages of Feisoun, al-Awam and Ein Samamah.

The army soldiers further drove ISIL out of the villages of Abu Raqqa, Abu Kharaj and al-Nafe'ah Dam.

ISIL suffered heavy casualties and its military hardware sustained major damage in the attacks.


30.07.2018 - Egypt Attempting to Facilitate Moderate Syrian Opposition, Damascus Talks
Egypt Attempting to Facilitate Moderate Syrian Opposition, Damascus Talks

Cairo is working to set up conditions for the moderate Syrian opposition to ensure that it has successful talks with the Syrian government, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi said at a youth forum in the Egyptian capital.

"In Syria, we are trying, through helping the moderate opposition, to set up conditions for it to find some form of mutual understanding with the Syrian government. This is not simple, but it is an honorable and positive role," the president said Sunday in response to questions of the forum participants.

Sisi added that Cairo was opposed to the existence of armed groups as "it is one of the factors that destabilize states." "This concerns Syria, Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, any state," Sisi added.

Sisi expressed hope that the elections would take place in Libya this year as previewed.

Previously, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that Cairo supports the Syrian crisis' settlement by peaceful means and supports the Geneva peace process as a viable solution, saying that bringing back stability to the region can only happen through dialogue, negotiations and political process.


(Note - I'm having a slight problem in understanding Egyptian President Sisi's position, as admiral as it appears, as an intermediary in helping to set up conditions for dialog between the Syrian Government and the "moderate opposition" ... when an Egyptian court just sentenced 75 people to death for participating in a 2013 (peaceful sit-in) protest against the ousting of the country's democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi? A double standard - here? )

Sat Jul 28, 2018 - Egypt: Cairo Court Sentences 75 Protesters to Death
Farsnews

An Egyptian court sentenced 75 people to death for participating in a 2013 protest against the ousting of the country's democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi.

Senior members of the Muslim Brotherhood organization were among those ordered executed by the Cairo Criminal Court on Saturday for their involvement with the sit-in demonstration at Rabaa Square in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, Al-Jazeera reported.

The rulings will be referred to Egypt's chief Islamic legal authority, the Grand Mufti, for a non-binding opinion. Egyptian law requires any capital sentence to be referred to the Grand Mufti before any execution can take place.

A final verdict is expected by September 8.

The case is part of a mass trial being conducted by the court involving 739 defendants alleged to have been involved in the 2013 sit-in, which was violently broken up.

Nearly 1,000 people were killed when security forces attacked demonstrators and others protesting in Giza.

International human rights groups condemned the use of force and criticized the ongoing trial, alleging it violates Egypt's constitution.

 

[bjorb]

A bit off topic but wanted to share this pic I found which consists of 4 timeframes of Putin, the last one has yet to happen. I thought it was kind of emotional. I hope Putin will make it to old age and can look back knowing he did all he could. Guess he is around 80 in that picture, but considering the way how he ages, (He is currently 65) it could just as well be 90. Compare that to the way how Rockefeller, Soros and the rest of team psychopath ages.

I don't see the subject matter "off topic", Bjorn. Putin looks like he has achieved some type of balance between "the mind-body connection" that has slowed down the aging process? There's enough information collected in this Forum to suggest - Putin is very disciplined, a practice started in his younger years, with the help of Judo, diet and exercise. I would imagine, he has practiced forms of mediation, through out the years and there's a noticeable Spiritual side of him, as well? Considering the pressure and stress that comes with his position, he looks amazingly - healthy?

Few days late with my response, but yeah, he looks amazingly healthy! I think another good comparison would be of former US presidents since unlike Putin they usually seem to age fast during their presidential years.

And to add, the C’s once said that psychopaths or other deviant personalties can’t experience true Joy.

Putin on the other hand once said, and I qoute:

I am the wealthiest man, not just in Europe, but in the whole world. I collect emotions. I am wealthy in that the people of Russia have twice entrusted me with the leadership of a great nation such as Russia - I believe that is my greatest wealth.

The Psychopath Elite never experienced any of that. How empty their existence must be. I think that Putin has acquired plenty of meaning in his live working alongside reality instead of fighting against it. And it’s showing, I’m sure he is under a lot of pressure and stress, but all for the right reasons. Maybe the Aging process can work differently if you 'dance with the universe'?

 

[bjorb]

The last couple of days I've been searching and going through info at how Putin won the second Second Chechen war which was backed by the West.

So far and to summorize the most interesting parts (I think) of what I've found is that Putin besides talking to his allies also approached his enemies and was able to turn former Foe’s into Allies. Kadyrov for example, fought against Russian troops. Now he is president of Chechnya and one of Putin’s most loyal supporters.

Putin approuched them sincirely with the intent to talk to each other and figure out what the differences were, and what they all have in common. (Common identity) And from those talks both and many more came to the understanding that they have more in common, most importantly, of wanting to live and exist side by side in peace. While banishing extremish together.

And now, 2 decades later later. You can see in the following video that legions of Muslim (10.000 in that stadium alone) soldiers pledge their lives to a president who is of Christian fate ( Or at least does practise it in some or many regards, Putin regularly attends and visits the ''Cathedral of Christ the Savior'' in Moscow)

I think it’s Epic, Putin actually had a lot of Nelson Mendela and Martin Luther King moments in this regards and many people I believe don't know about this. I hope to find more info about it. Just wanted to share this bit.

 

[angelburst29]

I'm noticing "this article being replicated" on several (real) news sites I visit (not variations of) and taking in consideration - the recent activity of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chief of Russia's General Staff Valery Gerasimov ... statements made by Lavrov at a recent Youth Forum might be of importance? I sense, a direct confrontation with NATO - might be in the near future?

30.07.2018 - Russia is aware of US & Western military plans – Russian FM
Russia is aware of US & Western military plans – Russian FM

Moscow knows what military actions Washington and its Western allies might be plotting against it, but the country is well protected, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

“Our awareness of what plans the US and other Western countries’ militaries are nursing in relation to the Russian Federation is guaranteed,” Lavrov told the participants of the Russian youth educational forum “Territory of Meanings”, held some 200km from Moscow in Vladimir Region.

The US has been actively deploying its air-defense systems around the globe, including on Russia’s doorstep, in the Baltic states, and Japan. But the top diplomat said the country shouldn’t worry “no matter what happens in the world,” as its security is ensured. He was citing Russian President Vladimir Putin and new developments in the Russian Army.

Tokyo is planning to spend some $4.2 billion over the next 30 years to install and operate US radar systems on the new ground-based Aegis Ashore missile defense system.

Despite Japanese claims the systems are aimed at protection against North Korean missile threats, Russia has repeatedly protested their deployment, calling it “disproportionate” and possibly undermining“strategic stability in the northern part of the Pacific.” In 2017, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that the systems’ appearance on Russia’s eastern borders is “something we certainly cannot fail to take into account in our military planning.”

Lavrov also addressed Washington’s seeming unwillingness to cooperate with the rest of the world in space exploration. They are apparently benefiting from the absence of laws there, while also unwilling to set them. While Europe and developing countries are ready to discuss the draft treaty to ban space weapons which was initiated by Russia and China, the US is the only country rejecting the proposal.

The US has already started looking at space militarization. In June, US President Donald Trump ordered the establishment of a Space Force as the sixth branch of the US military, saying that “American dominance in space” should begin. Last week, the US House of Representatives approved the $716 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for next year which, among other provisions, requires the Pentagon to develop a “space warfighting policy” by the end of March 2019.


30.07.2018 - Lavrov warns US against pressuring Turkey over S-400s
Lavrov warns US against pressuring Turkey over S-400s

MOSCOW - Citing Turkey’s wish to buy Russian missile defense, Russia’s foreign minister on Monday criticized the U.S. for trying to pressure countries which want to buy Russian weapons.

Growing centers of influence will not bow to "ultimatums and threats" when deciding what and where to buy, Sergey Lavrov Lavrov said in a speech to a youth forum.

Countries “will not agree to subjecting their right to trade with whom they want and what they want to ultimatums and threats, as is now the case with contracts for the supply of Russian weapons to a number of states, for example, Turkey, Indonesia and India, when Washington openly requires refusal of these contracts," he said.

Lavrov also warned that such U.S. demands would create "unpredictability, and an additional potential for conflict."

On June 18, the U.S. Congress passed legislation to ban the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, despite a signed contract between the two countries.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later said U.S. President Trump had assured him that the sale was not in question, despite the congressional effort.


30 Jul, 2018 - Call to break up Russia by Latvian MP proof of NATO’s hostile plans – senior lawmaker
Call to break up Russia by Latvian MP proof of NATO’s hostile plans – senior lawmaker

The head of the Russian Lower House Committee for Eurasian Integration says the recent proposal to split Russia into several parts, voiced by a Latvian MP, is proof of NATO’s hostile plans.

MP Leonid Kalashnikov (Communist Party) told RIA Novosti on Monday that the statement by the Latvian MP Aleksandrs Kirsteins
clearly demonstrated that Russian concern over NATO bases in Baltic countries was justified. The comments came shortly after Kirsteins wrote on his Twitter feed that the end of military conflicts and the guarantee of a peaceful life in Europe was possible only if Russia is divided into several small countries.

“We should not be shy, we should offer tough resistance. Resistance not even to such statements but rather the danger of our country being split up that arises after them,” said Kalashnikov. The Russian lawmaker also noted that the call to split up Russia clearly contradicted earlier assurances from Western nations that they have no intention of capturing Russian territory and breaking it into parts. He went on to say that it’s important for Russia to counter NATO’s aggressive plans and not simply trust assurances from aggressive nations.

According to Russian Defense Ministry reports, the first half of 2018 saw NATO conduct 13 large-scale military exercises – involving more than 40,000 servicemen and 2000 units of combat hardware – near the bloc’s south-western borders. Russia maintained the same military strength on the “contact line” with NATO, but had to increase their combat ability through more intensive training and the introduction of new, more effective weapons.

Last week Russian defense chief Sergey Shoigu told an assembly of senior generals and officers that NATO countries have never stopped carrying out actions aimed at preventing Russia from becoming an independent player in international politics and geopolitical competitors to the nations of the Western military bloc. He also accused NATO of using all spheres of human activity such as politics, economics and even culture and sports to impose its anti-Russian agenda on as many people as possible.


20 Jun, 2018 - Russian Defense Minister calls for ‘symmetrical response’ to NATO activities near Western borders
Russian Defense Minister calls for ‘symmetrical response’ to NATO activities near Western borders

An increase in NATO activities forces Russia to undertake symmetrical measures to negate the emerging threats, Sergey Shoigu said at the outside session of the Defense Ministry’s collegium.

The Russian minister noted that, in the first half of 2018, NATO conducted 13 large-scale military exercises involving over 40,000 servicemen and 2000 units of combat hardware near the bloc’s south-western borders.

Shoigu also told the Russian military command that when preparing a response to NATO’s unfriendly actions they should combine the operations aimed at strategic containment and boosting the combat preparedness of troops of the Southern Military District. However, the minister noted that a recent inspection at the district revealed that forces there were ready for any scenario involving confrontation with foreign opponents.

The minister emphasized that Russia was not increasing the strength of its military forces deployed on the “contact line” with the NATO bloc, but increased their combat ability through more intensive training and the introduction of new, more effective weapons.

At the same time Shoigu noted that, since 2015, the strength of NATO military groups stationed in the Baltic countries, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria increased from 2000 to 15000 people. This increase was conducted “on the background of the Baltic and Polish hysteria caused by imaginary plans of alleged Russian aggression,” he added.

As for the Crimean Republic which hosted Wednesday's session of the Defense Ministry’s collegium, Shoigu emphasized that the Russian military group stationed on the peninsula “would not leave a single chance to any potential adversary who would risk making a claim on the originally Russian lands.” He also revealed that the Defense Ministry has created and is now perfecting a unique group that combines servicemen from various branches of the military.

late May, the chair of the Upper House of Russian Parliament, Valentina Matviyenko, reiterated the position that is currently shared by many Russian officials – that the image of a hostile Russia had been invented by NATO generals and Western spin doctors for internal purposes and has little to do with reality.

NATO is a relic from the bipolar period of history that by definition cannot survive without looking for opponents. Today they found this opponent in the so-called ‘Russian threat’ and I would like to emphasize that the so-called ‘hostile’ and ‘revisionist’ Russia is not an objective reality but purely internal project of the West itself through which the West is trying to solve its own internal problems,” Valentina Matviyenko said was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

In early June, Russian military forces conducted major exercises in the Crimea and in South Russia’s Krasnodar Region with participation of marines, anti-aircraft units, and about 100 helicopters. The war games were held at the time as Ukrainian Navy training which led to some parts of the Azov Sea being temporarily sealed off.


30 Jul, 2018 - PM Medvedev announces Crimea’s full integration into Russian Federation
PM Medvedev announces Crimea’s full integration into Russian Federation

The Crimean Republic has completed integration with Russia’s economy, infrastructure and judiciary, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced while speaking to members of the Sevastopol city government.

“We faced an unprecedented task, both in its difficulty and in its scale – we had to integrate the peninsula in the Russian legal, infrastructure and economic fields. Today we can say that the hardest stage is over and we have started the more stable and planned work regime,” RIA Novosti quoted Medvedev as saying on Monday.

The Russian PM also added that the process of Crimea’s integration had required dozens of out-of-the box solutions in rebuilding the electricity grid, the water supply system as well as fuel supply and transportation networks.

“The communal facilities and roads on the peninsula have not been repaired since the Soviet times, they completely exhausted their resource. Our main goal was to set better standards for life and rest on the peninsula,” Medvedev said.

Earlier in the day the head of the Russian cabinet participated in the launch ceremony of the brand-new Russian passenger hydrofoil Kometa-120M in Sevastopol. The new vessel will start regular voyages between Crimean cities of Sevastopol and Yalta as soon as August 1.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry issued a protest note saying the Prime Minister’s visit to Crimea was not coordinated with Ukrainian authorities.


30.07.2018 - NATO Europe commander to visit Turkey on Wednesday
NATO Europe commander to visit Turkey on Wednesday

Visit by Gen. Curtis Scaparotti, NATO’s supreme allied commander Europe, to reportedly focus on Syria.

NATO’s supreme allied commander Europe will visit Turkey on Wednesday for discussions focusing on Syria, Turkish sources told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday.

U.S. Gen. Curtis Scaparotti will meet with Turkish officials for talks on developments in northern Syria, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media.

On Thursday he will also visit Turkey's Incirlik air base in the southern Adana province and then proceed to the Aegean province of Izmir, the sources added.

Scaparotti last month had a telephone conversation with Gen. Hulusi Akar, then chief of General Staff and now Turkey’s defense minister.

The two generals reportedly discussed Manbij in northern Syria and exchanged views on some NATO issues.

 

[angelburst29]

2018-07-30 - Russia, Iran, Turkey to meet in Sochi to discuss Syrian War
Russia, Iran, Turkey to meet in Sochi to discuss Syrian War

Representatives of the guarantor nations for the Syrian ceasefire (Russia, Iran and Turkey) will meet in Sochi on Monday to discuss issues regarding the formation of the Syrian constitutional committee, the situation in de-escalation zones, as well as humanitarian items on the agenda, including strengthening trust measures and returning Syrian refugees home.

On the first day, expert consultations will take place. On July 31, there will be a plenary session.

“The participants will exchange opinions on the process of facilitating inter-Syrian dialogue based on the Resolution 2254 of the UN Security Council and the decisions of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi. They will continue the discussion of further steps in the interest of launching the constitutional committee as soon as possible, as a key element of promoting political regulation of the Syrian crisis,” the Russian Foreign Ministry informed.

The Russian delegation is headed by Russia’s Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin. The Iranian and Turkish delegations are led by deputy foreign ministers Hossein Ansari and Sedat Onal.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura and delegates from Jordan will act as observers. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi was also invited to the meeting. American diplomats chose not to participate in the upcoming congress.

The Syrian government’s side is represented by Syrian Permanent Representative to the UN Bashar Jaafari. Representatives for the armed Syrian opposition are unknown so far.

The previous nine meetings in the Astana format took place in Kazakhstan’s capital.


2018-07-30 - Syrian opposition delegation arrives in Sochi for talks – source
Syrian opposition delegation arrives in Sochi for talks - source

A delegation of the Syrian opposition has arrived in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi to take part in the Astana-format talks, sources close to the negotiations told TASS.

“Opposition members have arrived in Sochi,” one of the sources said.

Another source confirmed the arrival of the Syrian opposition delegation, adding that it would hold a meeting with Turkey’s representatives later in the day. The delegation is led by Ahmad Toma.


2018-07-30 - Syrian gov’t delegation arrives in Sochi for peace talks
Syrian gov't delegation arrives in Sochi for peace talks

Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN Bashar Jaafari and Russian Special Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev arrived in Sochi on Monday for the two-day Syrian talks.

Delegations from Iran, Turkey and the Syrian government along with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura are expected to attend the talks.


2018-07-31 - Syrian constitutional reform tops agenda on first day of Sochi talks
Syrian constitutional reform tops agenda on first day of Sochi talks

Reform of the Syrian constitution was top of the agenda during the first day of the tenth round of Syrian talks in Sochi on Monday according to Russian Special Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev.

Having received lists of potential candidates for the constitutional committee from the Syrian government and opposition, “we are currently discussing the third main group: representatives from Syria’s civilian society,” Lavrentiev said.

“Then we will then look into procedural and organisational issues surrounding how the constitutional committee will work, but that is not for now. As a guarantor, we are helping Stefan de Mistura get the constitutional reform off the ground,” he said.

The delegations also discussed helping refugees to return to Syria and “the strengthening of trust between the opposition and government.”

“We pay particular attention to this question, mainly during our working group meetings on prisoner exchanges, searches for missing people and body exchanges. This is very important and we hope that to make progress here,” the envoy said.

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1024310550971469829

https://twitter.com/x/status/1024337420677001219

https://twitter.com/x/status/1024269812783087616

https://twitter.com/x/status/1024308568948961280

https://twitter.com/x/status/1024293305226604545

RT on Twitter

 

[angelburst29]

Considering the advancements being achieved to end the Syrian War, I thought - a flashback to when the War began might be of interest?

Flashback September 03, 2013

Found at Last! After searching for 10 years, the Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction have Finally been Found – in Syria!
https://www.globalresearch.ca/found...urce=article_page&utm_medium=related_articles

* Secretary of State John Kerry: “There is no doubt that Saddam al-Assad has crossed the red line. … Sorry, did I just say ‘Saddam’?”

* A US drone has just taken a photo of Mullah Omar riding on a motorcycle through the streets of Damascus.

* So what do we have as the United States refuses to rule out an attack on Syria and keeps five warships loaded with missiles in the eastern Mediterranean?

• Only 9 percent of Americans support a US military intervention in Syria.
• Only 11% of the British supported a UK military intervention; this increased to 25% after the announcement of the alleged chemical attack.
• British Prime Minister David Cameron lost a parliamentary vote August 29 endorsing military action against Syria 285-272
• 64% of the French people oppose an intervention by the French Army. “Before acting we need proof,” said a French government spokesperson.
• Former and current high-ranking US military officers question the use of military force as a punitive measure and suggest that the White House lacks a coherent strategy. “If the administration is ambivalent about the wisdom of defeating or crippling the Syrian leader, possibly setting the stage for Damascus to fall to Islamic fundamentalist rebels, they say, the military objective of strikes on Assad’s military targets is at best ambiguous.”
• President Obama has no United Nations approval for intervention. (In February a massive bombing attack in Damascus left 100 dead and 250 wounded; in all likelihood the work of Islamic terrorists. The United States blocked a Russian resolution condemning the attack from moving through the UN Security Council)
• None of NATO’s 28 members has proposed an alliance with the United States in an attack against Syria. NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that he saw “no NATO role in an international reaction to the [Syrian] regime.”
• The Arab League has not publicly endorsed support of US military action in Syria; nor have key regional players Saudi Arabia and Qatar, concerned about a possible public backlash from open support for US intervention.
• We don’t even know for sure that there was a real chemical attack. Where does that accusation come from? The United States? The al-Qaeda rebels? Or if there was such an attack, where is the evidence that the Syrian government was the perpetrator? The Assad regime has accused the rebels of the act, releasing a video showing a cave with alleged chemical-weapon equipment as well as claiming to have captured rebels possessing sarin gas. Whoever dispensed the poison gas – why, in this age of ubiquitous cameras, are there no photos of anyone wearing a gas mask? The UN inspection team was originally dispatched to Syria to investigate allegations of earlier chemical weapons use: two allegations made by the rebels and one by the government.
• The United States insists that Syria refused to allow the UN investigators access to the site of the attack. However, the UN request was made Saturday, August 24; the Syrian government agreed the next day.
• In rejecting allegations that Syria deployed poison gas, Russian officials have argued that the rebels had a clear motivation: to spur a Western-led attack on Syrian forces; while Assad had every reason to avoid any action that could spur international intervention at a time when his forces were winning the war and the rebels are increasingly losing world support because of their uncivilized and ultra-cruel behavior.
• President George W. Bush misled the world on Iraq’s WMD, but Bush’s bogus case for war at least had details that could be checked, unlike The United States insists that Syria refused to allow the UN investigators access to the site of the attack. However, the UN request was made Saturday, August 24; the Syrian government agreed the next day.
• In rejecting allegations that Syria deployed poison gas, Russian officials have argued that the rebels had a clear motivation: to spur a Western-led attack on Syrian forces; while Assad had every reason to avoid any action that could spur international intervention at a time when his forces were winning the war and the rebels are increasingly losing world support because of their uncivilized and ultra-cruel behavior.
• President George W. Bush misled the world on Iraq’s WMD, but Bush’s bogus case for war at least had details that could be checked, unlike what the Obama administration released August 29 on Syria’s alleged chemical attacks – no direct quotes, no photographic evidence, no named sources, nothing but “trust us,” points out Robert Parry, intrepid Washington journalist.

So, in light of all of the above, the path for Mr. Obama to take – as a rational, humane being – is of course clear. Is it not? N’est-ce pas? Nicht wahr? – Bombs Away!

Pretty discouraging it is. No, I actually find much to be rather encouraging. So many people seem to have really learned something from the Iraqi pile of lies and horror and from decades of other American interventions. Skepticism – good ol’ healthy skepticism – amongst the American, British and French people. It was stirring to watch the British Parliament in a debate of the kind rarely, if ever, seen in the 21st-century US Congress. And American military officers asking some of the right questions. The Arab League not supporting a US attack, surprising for an organization not enamored of the secular Syrian government. And NATO – even NATO! – refusing so far to blindly fall in line with the White House. When did that last happen? I thought it was against international law.

Secretary of State John Kerry said that if the United States did not respond to the use of chemical weapons the country would become an international “laughingstock”. Yes, that’s really what America and its people have to worry about – not that their country is viewed as a lawless, mass-murdering repeat offender. Other American officials have expressed concern that a lack of a US response might incite threats from Iran and North Korea.

Now that is indeed something to laugh at. It’s comforting to think that the world might be finally losing the stars in their eyes about US foreign policy partly because of countless ridiculous remarks such as these.

The glorious bombing list of our glorious country, which our glorious schools don’t teach, our glorious media don’t remember, and our glorious leaders glorify.

• Korea and China 1950-53 (Korean War)
• Guatemala 1954
• Indonesia 1958
• Cuba 1959-1961
• Guatemala 1960
• Congo 1964
• Laos 1964-73
• Vietnam 1961-73
• Cambodia 1969-70
• Guatemala 1967-69
• Grenada 1983
• Lebanon 1983, 1984 (both Lebanese and Syrian targets)
• Libya 1986
• El Salvador 1980s
• Nicaragua 1980s
• Iran 1987
• Panama 1989
• Iraq 1991 (Persian Gulf War)
• Kuwait 1991
• Somalia 1993
• Bosnia 1994, 1995
• Sudan 1998
• Afghanistan 1998
• Yugoslavia 1999
• Yemen 2002
• Iraq 1991-2003 (US/UK on regular no-fly-zone basis)
• Iraq 2003-2011 (Second Gulf War)
• Afghanistan 2001 to present
• Pakistan 2007 to present
• Somalia 2007-8, 2011 to present
• Yemen 2009, 2011 to present
• Libya 2011
• Syria 2013?

The above list doesn’t include the repeated use by the United States of depleted uranium, cluster bombs, white phosphorous, and other charming inventions of the Pentagon mad scientists; also not included: chemical and biological weapons abroad, chemical and biological weapons in the United States (sic), and encouraging the use of chemical and biological weapons by other nations; all these lists can be found in William Blum’s book “Rogue State: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower”.

A story just released by Foreign Policy magazine, based on newly-discovered classified documents, reports how, in 1988, the last year of the 8-year Iraq-Iran War, America’s military and intelligence communities knew about and did nothing to stop a series of nerve gas attacks by Iraq far more devastating than anything Syria has seen. Indeed, during that war the United States was the primary supplier to Iraq of the chemicals and hardware necessary to provide the Saddam Hussein regime with a chemical-warfare capability.

Now, apparently, the United States has discovered how horrible chemical warfare is, even if only of the “alleged” variety.

Humanitarian intervention

Some of those currently advocating bombing Syria turn for justification to their old faithful friend “humanitarian intervention”, one of the earliest examples of which was the 1999 US and NATO bombing campaign to stop ethnic cleansing and drive Serbian forces from Kosovo. However, a collective amnesia appears to have afflicted countless intelligent, well-meaning people, who are convinced that the US/NATO bombing took place after the mass forced deportation of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo was well underway; which is to say that the bombing was launched to stop this “ethnic cleansing”. In actuality, the systematic forced deportations of large numbers of people from Kosovo did not begin until a few days after the bombing began, and was clearly a Serbian reaction to it, born of extreme anger and powerlessness. This is easily verified by looking at a daily newspaper for the few days before the bombing began the night of March 23/24, and the few days after. Or simply look at the New York Times of March 26, page 1, which reads:

… with the NATO bombing already begun, a deepening sense of fear took hold in Pristina [the main city of Kosovo] that the Serbs would NOW vent their rage against ethnic Albanian civilians in retaliation.​

On March 27, we find the first reference to a “forced march” or anything of that sort.

But the propaganda version is already set in marble.

If you see something, say something. Unless it’s US war crimes.

“When you sign a security clearance and swear oaths, you actually have to abide by that. It is not optional.” – Steven Bucci, of the neo-conservative Heritage Foundation, speaking of Chelsea Manning (formerly known as Bradley)

Really? No matter what an individual with security clearance is asked to do? No matter what he sees and knows of, he still has to ignore his conscience and follow orders? But Steven, my lad, you must know that following World War II many Germans of course used “following orders” as an excuse. The victorious Allies of course executed many of them.

Their death sentences were laid down by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, Germany, which declared that “Individuals have international duties which transcend the national obligations of obedience. Therefore individual citizens have the duty to violate domestic laws to prevent crimes against peace and humanity from occurring.”

Nuremberg Principle IV moreover states: “The fact that a person acted pursuant to order of his Government or of a superior does not relieve him from responsibility under international law, provided a moral choice was in fact possible to him.”

Manning, and Edward Snowden as well, did have moral choices, and they chose them.

It should be noted that Barack Obama has refused to prosecute those under the Bush administration involved in torture specifically – he declares – because they were following orders. Has this “educated” man never heard of the Nuremberg Tribunal? Why isn’t he embarrassed to make this argument again and again?

I imagine that in the past three years that Manning has had to live with solitary confinement, torture and humiliation, adding mightily to her already existing personal difficulties, the thought of suicide has crossed her mind on a number of occasions. It certainly would have with me if I had been in her position. In the coming thousands and thousands of days and long nights of incarceration such thoughts may be Manning’s frequent companion. If the thoughts become desire, and the desire becomes unbearable, I hope the brave young woman can find a way to carry it out. Every person has that right, including heroes.

The United States and its European poodles may have gone too far for their own good in their attempts to control all dissenting communication – demanding total information from companies engaged in encrypted messaging, forcing the closure of several such firms, obliging the plane carrying the Bolivian president to land, smashing the computers at a leading newspaper, holding a whistle-blowing journalist’s partner in custody for nine hours at an airport, seizing the phone records of Associated Press journalists, threatening to send a New York Times reporter to jail if he doesn’t disclose the source of a leak, shameless lying at high levels, bugging the European Union and the United Nations, surveillance without known limits … Where will it end? Will it backfire at some point and allow America to return to its normal level of police state? On July 24, a bill that would have curtailed the power of the NSA was only narrowly defeated by 217 to 205 votes in the US House of Representatives.

And how long will Amnesty International continue to tarnish its image by refusing to state the obvious? That Cheleas Manning is a Prisoner of Conscience. If you go to Amnesty’s website and search “prisoner of conscience” you’ll find many names given, including several Cubans prominently featured. Can there be any connection to Manning’s omission with the fact that the executive director of Amnesty International USA, Suzanne Nossel, came to her position from the US Department of State, where she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Organizations?

A phone call to Amnesty’s office in New York was unable to provide me with any explanation for Manning’s omission. I suggest that those of you living in the UK try the AI headquarters in London.

Meanwhile, at the other pre-eminent international human rights organization, Human Rights Watch, Tom Malinowski, the director of HRW’s Washington office, has been nominated by Obama to be Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. Is it really expecting too much that a high official of a human rights organization should not go to work for a government that has been the world’s leading violator of human rights for more than half a century? And if that designation is too much for you to swallow just consider torture, the worst example of mankind’s inhumanity to man. What government has been intimately involved with that horror more than the United States? Teaching it, supplying the manuals, supplying the equipment, creation of torture centers in much of the world, kidnaping people to these places (“rendition”), solitary confinement, forced feeding, Guantánamo, Abu Ghraib, Bagram, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Chicago … Lord forgive us!

Surrounding Russia

One of the reactions of the United States to Russia granting asylum to Edward Snowden was reported thus: “There was a blistering response on Capitol Hill and calls for retaliatory measures certain to infuriate the Kremlin. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), long one of the Senate’s leading critics of Moscow, blasted the asylum decision as ‘a slap in the face of all Americans’ and called on the administration to turn up the pressure on Moscow on a variety of fronts, including a renewed push for NATO expansion and new missile-defense programs in Europe.”

But we’ve long been told that NATO expansion and its missiles in Europe have nothing to do with Russia. And Russia has been told the same, much to Moscow’s continuous skepticism. “Look,” said Russian president Vladimir Putin about NATO in 2001, “this is a military organization. It’s moving towards our border. Why?” He subsequently described NATO as “the stinking corpse of the cold war.”

We’ve been told repeatedly by the US government that the missiles are for protection against an Iranian attack. Is it (choke) possible that the Bush and Obama administrations have been (gasp) lying to us?

America’s love affair with Guns

Adam Kokesh is a veteran of the war in Iraq who lives in the Washington, DC area. He’s one of the countless Americans who’s big on guns, guns that will be needed to protect Americans from their oppressive government, guns that will be needed for “the revolution”.

On July 4 the 31-year-old Kokesh had a video made of himself holding a shotgun and loading shells into it while speaking into the camera as he stood in Freedom Plaza, a federal plot of land in between the Washington Monument and the Capitol. This led to a police raid of his home and his being arrested on the 25th for carrying a firearm outside his home or office. The 23-second video can be seen on YouTube.

I sent Kokesh the following email:

“Adam: All your weapons apparently didn’t help you at all when the police raided your house. But supposedly, people like you advocate an armed populace to protect the public from an oppressive government. I’ve never thought that that made much sense because of the huge imbalance between the military power of the public vs. that of the government. And it seems that I was correct.”​

I received no reply, although him still being in jail may explain that.

Kokesh, incidentally, had a program on RT (Russia Today) for a short while last year.

~~~
Notes

1. The three preceding jokes are courtesy of my friend Viktor Dedaj of Paris
2. Reuters/Ipsos poll, August 26, 2013
3. Sunday Times (UK), YouGov poll, August 25
4. Le Parisien, August 30, 2012
5. Christian Science Monitor, August 29, 2013
6. Washington Post, August 29, 2013
7. The Wall Street Journal, August 30, 2013
8. Washington Post, August 31, 2013
9. UN Web TV, August 27, 2013 (starting at minute 12:00)
10. The Washington Post, August 31, 2013
11. Shane Harris and Matthew M. Aid, “CIA Files Prove America Helped Saddam as He Gassed Iran”, Foreign Policy, August 26, 2013
12. William Blum, “Anthrax for Export”, The Progressive (Madison, Wisconsin), April 1998
13. Washington Post, August 22, 2013
14. Washington Post, July 31, 2013
15. Associated Press, June 16, 2001
16. Time magazine, December 2007
17. Washington Post, August 13, 2013

 

[angelburst29]

31.07.2018 - Russian Foreign Ministry Confirms Three Russian Journalists Killed in CAR (Central African Republic)
Russian Foreign Ministry Confirms Three Russian Journalists Killed in CAR

The Russian Foreign Ministry identified those killed in the Central African Republic earlier in the day, specifying that the documents found at the site show that they were Russian journalist Orkhan Dzhemal, cameraman Kirill Radchenko and producer Alexander Rastorguyev.

"According to information received from the Central African Republic on July 30, three people were killed near the city of Sibut (300 km north of the capital of the CAR, Bangui), carrying only journalistic documents issued under the names Kirill Radchenko, Alexander Rastorguev and Orhan Dzhemal," the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

As the ministry stated, the country's embassy in the republic is in contact with the local authorities to prepare the transportation of bodies to Russia. According to the ministry, the Russian embassy in the Central African Republic was not informed about the presence of the Russian journalists in the country.

The Russian Investigative Committee stated that it had opened a criminal probe into the murder of the Russian journalists in the CAR.

Earlier in the day, AFP news agency reported citing sources close to the investigation, that the bodies of Russian citizens with press cards have been found on a road 23 kilometers (14 miles) from the central town of Sibut.

According to the AFP news agency's source, the Russians "were killed by unidentified armed men." The bodies have been transferred to the UN base in Sibut, as AFP reported, citing its sources.

UN Mission Confirms the Discovery of the Bodies

Later in the day, the UN Mission in the Central African Republic confirmed in a statement that three bodies had been found in a bullet-ridden car. The organization, however, yet to reveal the identity of those found.

The MINUSCA was informed today of the discovery of three male bodies in a car some 23 kilometers north of Sibut, in the Kemo prefecture," mission spokesman Vladimir Monteiro told Sputnik.

Monteiro added that a patrol was sent to the area in search for the bodies.

"The patrol confirmed the presence of three bodies and a bullet-ridden car. The bodies were taken to the MINUSCA hospital in Sibut," the official said.

Reports About the Identity of the Killed Russian Nationals

Some Russian media have reported, citing sources, that those killed were renowned Russian journalists working on a documentary film in the country. According to the media, they were journalist Orhan Dzemal, director Aleksandr Rastorguyev and cinematographer Kirill Radchenko. Russian journalist Maxim Shevchenko told Sputnik that Dzhemal's former wife Irina Gordienko had confirmed the death of Orkhan.

Unfortunately, his former wife Irina Gordienko confirmed to me that she had received photos of killed Orkhan," Shevchenko said.

According to the journalist, Dzhemal was going to the CAR to make a film about private military companies operating there.

What Russian Journalists Were Doing There?

Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky's investigative center confirmed to Sputnik on Tuesday sending a film crew to the Central African Republic (CAR), which included Russian journalist Orkhan Dzhemal, cameraman Kirill Radchenko and producer Alexander Rastorguyev.

There is a joint project, we were jointly making a film. They are not our employees, they were collaborating on the film with us. Orkhan Dzhemal, Kirill Radchenko, Alexander Rastorguyev [were in the crew sent to CAR]. It is true," Anastasia Gorshkova, the deputy head of the investigative unit, said.

According to Gorshkova, the last time the missing Russian journalists got in touch with the investigative center was the day before yesterday.

"We are trying to contact them, but their phones are switched off," Gorshkova added.

Film crew members reportedly killed in the Central African Republic had no journalist accreditation, Andrey Konyahin, the head of Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky's investigative center, told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"As far as I know, they were not accredited as journalists," Konyahin said.

The Central African Republic is one of the poorest and most unstable countries in the world, with militia groups controlling most of its territory.

If confirmed, the incident would be the first murder of Russian citizens in the Central African Republic, where the Russian presence has been increasing over the last several months.

Russian Mission in CAR

Reacting to the reports earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik that the Russian Foreign Ministry was probing to determine if those killed in the CAR were Russian citizens.

"According to preliminary information from local authorities, the bodies of three people, presumably Russians, have been found in the CAR. The Russian Embassy is in contact with the country’s law enforcement agencies to clarify issues of the victims' citizenship," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik.

She went on saying that Russian diplomats have traveled to identify those killed in the Central African Republic.

Russian diplomats have departed to conduct the identification of the victims," Zakharova said.

Earlier in March, five Russian military servicemen, 170 civilian instructors, as well as a batch of small arms and ammunition were sent by Russia to the Central African Republic (CAR) at the request of President Faustin-Archange Touadera. This was done on a no-cost basis, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

For about three years, clashes between Christian and Muslim groups have been ongoing in the CAR.

At the same time, the situation was exacerbated following the overthrow of President François Bozizé and the arrival of the self-proclaimed head of state, Michel Djotodia.


02.08.2018 - Russia FM: CAR Special Mission Sent to Scene of Murder of Russian Journalists
Russian FM: CAR Special Mission Sent to Scene of Murder of Russian Journalists

The identification of the bodies of Russian journalists killed in the Central African Republic has been completed, Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky's investigative media outlet said Wednesday.

"At present, the investigation of the bodies has been completed, and we are preparing to return the bodies to Russia, which is scheduled for August 4. We are in constant contact with the families of the deceased colleagues and provide them with the necessary assistance," the Investigation Management Center (IMC) said in a statement.

According to the statement, the IMC, together with a number of international organizations, is conducting its own investigation to find out all the circumstances of the tragedy and identify the perpetrators of the attack.

Meanwhile, Law enforcers of the Central African Republic (CAR) have been sent to the scene of the murder of the Russian journalists, the mission will work there for three days, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that three people were killed near the CAR's city of Sibut. Journalistic documents issued for Russian nationals Kirill Radchenko, Alexander Rastorguyev and Orkhan Dzhemal were found with the bodies.

"There are two criminal probes underway — in Russia and in the CAR. Today, a CAR law enforcement mission was sent once again to the place where the corpses were found. It will be working for three days… We have received all assurances by the CAR that everything will be done to clarify the circumstances of the death, to find the criminals and to punish them," Zakharova said as broadcast by Rossiya-1 TV channel.

Local Media Issues Photos of Murdered Journalists With Signs of Torture

A number of African media outlets issued two photos that, according to Russian journalist Maxim Shevchenko and head of Russian opposition's MBKh Media Veronika Kutsylo, may show the bodies of Russian journalists Alexander Rastorguyev and Orkhan Dzhemal killed in the Central African Republic. A forensics analyst told Sputnik that there were signs of torture depicted on one of the photos.

Faces of the people from the second photo are not visible. Shevchenko confirmed to Sputnik that his close friend Dzehmal was on one of the photos. Kutsylo said that the two people from the photos looked like Rastorguyev and Dzhemal.

Experts told Sputnik that the website Palmarescentrafrique.com, which publiched one of the photos, was not known to them. The possible owner of the portal did not answer Sputnik's questions about authors of the photos, their authenticity, identity of the people from the photos and the date when the photos were made. The outlet reported, citing unnamed sources, that the journalists had been interrogated before their death.

Forensics expert Sergei Myatyugin told Sputnik the he studied the photos and found signs of torture there. "If we trust these photos, one can really see signs of torture on the bodies found in the Central African Republic. There are several cuts especially visible on the second photo," Myatyugin said.

He also paid attention to several unusual wounds, which may indicate the use of small-caliber arms, and lack of blood shown on the photos.

However, the spokesman for the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the CAR (MINUSCA) told Sputnik on Wednesday that allegations of torture of the Russian journalists were pure speculations until the murder investigation is completed.

“To answer the question whether the Russian journalists were subjected to torture, we must wait and see the results of the forensic analysis. The CAR police and the MINUSCA are jointly working on the probe into this serious incident. The investigation is underway, and all talks about whether the torture took place or not would be speculation,” Vladimir Monteiro said.

'All Guys Had a Huge Experience in Military Journalism' — IMC

Russian journalists, killed in the Central African Republic, discussed with a UN official security issues, as well as safe travel routes, prior to their trip to the country, Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky's investigative media outlet said Wednesday.

"During the preparation for the trip, security issues were discussed with a UN staff member, the safest routes were also discussed with him," the Investigation Management Center (IMC) said in a statement.

According to the statement, the IMC editorial staff as well as Kirill Radchenko, Alexander Rastorguev and Orkhan Dzhemal we involved in preparation for the assignment in the CAR.

"All the guys had a huge experience in military journalism, and, of course, security problems were among the priority during the planning," the statement said.

The sectarian conflict in the African country deteriorated in March 2013, when the Muslim Seleka rebels seized control of the capital and overthrew then-President Francois Bozize, provoking a backlash from Christian anti-Balaka militia. According to the United Nations estimates, over 1,000 people were killed in the conflict.

 

[angelburst29]

Wed Aug 01, 2018 - Syrian President to Armed Forces: Final Victory over Terror Near
Farsnews

President Bashar Assad hailed the achievements of Syrian Armed Forces on the battlefield against foreign-backed militant groups, saying final victory over terrorism is close thanks to their sacrifices.

He made the remarks in a speech published by the Jaish al-Sha’ab (People's Army) magazine on Wednesday in commemoration of the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the national Syrian military, presstv reported.

Assad congratulated Syrian soldiers for “moving from one achievement to another and from one victory to another in the face of the systematic terrorism and its regional and international backers”.

The army, he stated, has managed to foil the “Zionist-American” plot against Syria by liberating most of the country from the grip of terrorists, and thus should be regarded as an example of nationalism and sacrifice.

“Our heroic armed forces, you have proven to the whole world over the past seven years that you are an integrated example to follow in nationalism and sacrifice and that you are the fortresses in the face of terrorism,” Assad said.

The Syrian army’s sacrifices led to the restoration of security and stability to most areas and undermined the Zionist-American plot against the country’s sovereignty, he pointed out.

The Syrian president further noted that locals are now returning to the liberated areas, vowing that “victory will be achieved soon.” “They (the terrorists) were ultimately forced to leave --- humiliated, rolled back, their tails between their legs --- after you gave them a taste of bitter defeat,” he added.

In recent weeks, the Syrian army has been trying to wrest control over the Southern provinces of Dara’a and Quneitra, which border the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Takfiri militants have been handing over their heavy weapons to Syrian government forces and leaving the region in negotiated surrender deals.

The full liberation of both Dara’a and Quneitra by Syrian government forces would cut the much-reported collaboration between Israel and anti-Damascus militants operating in the two regions.

Recently, President Assad told Russian media that Damascus' next priority would be retaking the Northwestern Idlib Province, which is mostly held by terrorists.

“Now Idlib is our goal, but not just Idlib,” he said, adding that “there are of course territories in the eastern part of Syria that are controlled by various groups... So we will be moving into all these regions”.


01.08.2018 - Syrian Servicemen Ambushed in Dumayr, Brigadier General Killed - Source
Syrian Servicemen Ambushed in Dumayr, Brigadier General Killed - Source

Daesh* terrorist organization militants organized an ambush near Dumayr airport in the Syrian province of Damascus. As a result, three officers and 10 Syrian servicemen were killed, a Syrian security service source told Sputnik Wednesday.

"Brigadier General Nadim Asaad, responsible for the security of Dumayr area, and two more officers were killed; ten servicemen were also killed, another five were wounded as a result of an ambush organized by Daesh militants to the east of Dumayr airport in Damascus province," the source said.

The news comes just a day after the Syrian government forces have seized the last villages of Daraa province, captured by the terrorists, finishing the liberation of the region. The military operation started in June after several cities had been shelled by local militants despite an ongoing ceasefire reached with the help of the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria.

Despite the fact that a considerable amount of anti-government militants has been evacuated from the country, various jihadist groups continue their fight against Damascus in the war-torn country.


Wed Aug 01, 2018 - Russian Military Supplies en Route to Syria for Upcoming Offensive
Farsnews

Russian cargo ship Tapir class LST Orsk 148 was spotted crossing the Mediterranean Bosporus en route to Syria’s Tartus, carrying military cargo.

The Russian military is expected to beef up the Syrian army forces to launch the long-awaited offensive against terrorists in Idlib province, the AMN reported.

Meanwhile, the last ISIL-controlled pocket in southwestern Syria has been liberated by the government troop.


Wed Aug 01, 2018 - Commander: Kurds Most Likely to Cooperate with Damascus to Retake Turkey-Occupied Lands
Farsnews

The Kurdish militias are most likely to strike an agreement with Damascus to cooperate in retaking Syria's Northern territories occupied by Turkey, a senior Kurdish commander underlined.

The Arabic-language al-Quds al-Arabi quoted Salih Muslim, the former head of Syria's Democratic Party, as saying that negotiations with the Syrian government will most likely lead to joint military cooperation to take back Northern Syrian regions occupied by Ankara and its allied militants.

He stressed the necessity for the liberation of all Syrian territories, and said if an agreement is made, the Kurdish forces will participate in the army's efforts to free occupied lands, including Afrin and Idlib.

Muslim said that the Kurds have not held talks with Washington for negotiations with the Syrian government, as Kurds believe that they need to make political decisions independently.

He also said that the future of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), their weapons and oil are issued that could go under negotiation with the Syrian government, and added that nearly 70,000 Kurdish forces should be merged in the Syrian defense units.

Reports said last week that the Syrian Kurds had underlined preparedness to cooperate with the army in fighting terrorism as talks between them and Damascus are underway to deliver control of the occupied regions to the government.

Riad Darar, the Arab co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council (the SDF’s political wing), was quoted as saying by the Arabic-language al-Mayadeen news channel on Saturday that the SDF will cooperate with the Syrian army in any military operations against the terrorists.

He added that the ultimatum by the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has persuaded the SDF to go for an agreement with the Damascus government.

Syrian Democratic Council declared in a statement that it has reached an agreement with the Syrian government on the formation of committees to continue negotiations until the end of war.

A preliminary agreement was made between the US-backed SDF and the Syrian government on transferring control of different parts of the country to Damascus and withdrawal of the US forces from Syria, media reports said on Saturday.


Wed Aug 01, 2018 - Senior Turkey-Backed Militant Commander Killed in Kurdish Militia Attack in Northern Syria
Farsnews

One of the commanders of Faylaq al-Sham was gunned down by a Kurdish sniper in occupied Afrin in Northwestern Aleppo, a media outlet reported on Wednesday.

The Kurdish-language Hawar news quoted the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) as reporting that a notorious field commander of Faylaq al-Sham, affiliated to the Turkish army was killed after a YPG sniper opened fire at him along a road to Jandaris region.

Hawar news further said that one of the bases of Ankara-backed Sultan Morad militants in Shera region came under the YPG fighters' attack that left two militants dead and another one injured.

The total number of casualties of the Turkish troops and their allied militants stand now at 2,541 in Afrin battle.

Local sources in Northern Syria reported on Tuesday that Ankara-back militant groups captured almost a thousand civilians in Afrin region in Northwestern Aleppo to force their families to pay a hefty amount of money in return for their freedom.

The sources said that the Ankara-backed militants arrested almost 1,000 civilians in the town of Afrin and in the villages and districts near the town to earn a large amount of money as their ransom.

The sources went on to say that the Turkish troops and their allied militants were arresting civilians accusing them of connections to the Kurdish militias, adding that the captured civilians were tortured.

The sources added that more than half of the captured civilians were released after their families paid a hefty amount of money to the Ankara-backed militants as bribe.

The Ankara-backed militants forced Afrin residents to pay tax and set up checkpoints along al-Bastouleh road to receive toll from vehicles.


Wed Aug 01, 2018 - Syrian Army Launches Surprise Attack on Terrorists at Border with Turkey
Farsnews

The Syrian Army units conducted a heavy surprise attack on the positions of Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) in Northern Lattakia near the border with Turkey, destroying over twenty strongholds of the militants on Tuesday night.

The army's elite forces, backed up by missile and artillery units, carried out a massive surprise attack on Tahrir al-Sham in al-Saraf region near Northern Lattakia's border with Turkey, destroying over 20 positions.

Terrorists were launching their attacks on the army from al-Saraf region.

Most members of the terrorist groups in Northeastern Lattakia are Turkish, Uzbek, Chechen, Turkistani and from the Persian Gulf's Arab states.

Al-Quds al-Arabi daily quoted militant-affiliated sources in Northern Syria as reporting on Sunday that Syria's Liberation Front, Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at, National Liberation Front, Jeish al-Islam and Idlib Free Army formed a new coalition known as Jeish al-Fatah in Idlib province.

The daily further said that the newly-formed Jeish al-Fatah has almost 75,000 gunmen, adding that the terrorist groups' move is aimed at confronting the Syrian Army's large-scale imminent operation in Southern and Western Aleppo, Western Idlib and Northern and Northeastern Lattakia.

The paper went on to say that the Syrian government forces that are on the verge of completing their operation in Dara'a and Quneitra will soon kick off Idlib operation to drive terrorists out of the Northwestern part of the war-hit country.


Wed Aug 01, 2018 - Tensions Rising between Civilians, US-Backed Militias in Northeastern Syria
Farsnews

A fresh round of clashes was reported on Wednesday between the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and civilians in Raqqa city.

A number of civilians engaged in heavy fighting with the SDF in Baq al-Rashid district in Raqqa city, leaving a number of people and gunmen injured.

The SDF has put its militants on alert following the clashes.

In the meantime, the SDF seized people's shops in al-Sina'ah and al-Hadid streets in Raqqa city, claiming that the shops once belonged to the ISIL.

On Tuesday, the SDF occupied residential units of over twenty civilians in Raqqa city amid intensified tensions between the SDF and people in Northeastern Syria.

The SDF seized 24 residential units in the Youth District in Raqqa city, preventing the owners from returning home.

The SDF occupied the units under the pretext of security concerns, claiming that the units were located in a security zone that was home to the SDF's military, media and security centers.

In the meantime, Abu Doham, an SDF commander, and his aide were killed after unknown gunmen opened fire at them near the village of al-Akarishi in Eastern Raqqa.

Attacks on SDF have gone high in recent weeks as tensions between the US-backed militia and people have intensified.


Tue Jul 31, 2018 - Terrorists Continue Looting Historical Artifacts in Northwestern Syria
Farsnews

Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) terrorists are still plundering the historical artifacts in Northern Idlib to sell them in Turkey, local sources said on Tuesday.

The sources said that Tahrir al-Sham members have done excavations at the ancient Girls Palace North of the village of al-Dana, plundering its valuable artifacts.

The sources pointed to the vast destruction of the palace, adding that Tahrir al-Sham has smuggled the stolen artifacts to Turkey to sell them there.

The Kurdish-language Hawar news quoted Salahuddin Sino, a member of Afrin Artifact Department, as saying last month that the Turkish army and Ankara-backed militants were looting historical artifacts of Roza Site in the village of Tarmisha in Shih region in Afrin.

He further told Hawar news that the Ankara forces forced the villagers to leave the region and did not allow anyone to return to the region.

Sino said that the Turkish forces embarked on excavation operation in the entire historical areas in Roza Site and stole valuable artifacts.

Sino further pointed to the destruction of tens of historical sites in Afrin, adding that the army has destroyed fifty percent of Tal Ayndara Temple, which is one of the most important historical sites in Afrin listed in the UNESCO list, in the early days of aggression against the Kurds in Northwestern Aleppo.

In the meantime, local sources reported that Turkey-backed militants captured a sum of ten civilians in the villages of Shirawa region in Afrin and asked their families to pay $1,000 for their release.

 

[Voyageur]

As 21st Century Wire reports,

The western-driven myth of the White Helmets continue to disintegrate. Despite the efforts of alleged ‘free speech’ advocate NGO Reporters Without Borders to shut this event down, Swiss Press Club head Guy Mettan went ahead as scheduled. Reports Without Borders even went as far as to draft a formal complaint demanding the event be cancelled, alongside protestations by UK-based ‘Syrian opposition’ group Syria Campaign.

Today at the Swiss Press Club in Geneva, 21st Century Wire Associate Editor Vanessa Beeley(pictured above) presented a dossier on the dubious UK-backed NGO known as the ‘White Helmets’ which included up-to-date information on their links to al Qaeda affiliates in Syria, as well as exposing the western propaganda organisation’s many bogus claims, including having ‘saved 99,220 lives‘ since the western-funded construct based in Turkey was created in late 2013.

The press event featured presenters Beeley, along with Richard Lebaviere and Prof. Ferrada De Noli from Swedish Doctors for Human Rights. A factual film (in contrast to the Netflix fiction) exposing the White Helmets was shown to attendees and media, followed by presentations by the three aforementioned speakers with a Q&A session.

This is an older post above (not so old), with mention of Guy Mettan. He can be found here, here and here on SOTT as related articles. I bring him up as I've been reading his book 'Creating Russophobia' and if not elsewhere mentioned on the Forum, I would recommend it to readers.

Following up on Alex Krainer's book (see his articles Grand Deception: From USSR to Russia - The Transition That Took Five Million Lives from Part 1 through 4 - Bill Browder subject), I have had this Mettan book in the background and decided to get going on it. Matten, so far, does a very good job highlighting the 'prejudice' that has enveloped western minds (not all) for a very long time and why and how. History factors, as does Syria, Ukraine (especially recently - and he unpacks it), NATO et cetera.

Here is the Amazon write-up:

Why do the USA, UK and Europe so hate Russia? How it is that Western antipathy, once thought due to anti-Communism, could be so easily revived over a crisis in distant Ukraine, against a Russia no longer communist? Why does the West accuse Russia of empire-building, when 15 states once part of the defunct Warsaw Pact are now part of NATO, and NATO troops now flank the Russian border? These are only some of the questions Creating Russophobia investigates. Mettan begins by showing the strength of the prejudice against Russia through the Western response to a series of events: the Uberlingen mid-air collision, the Beslan hostage- taking, the Ossetia War, the Sochi Olympics and the crisis in Ukraine. He then delves into the historical, religious, ideological and geopolitical roots of the detestation of Russia in various European nations over thirteen centuries since Charlemagne competed with Byzantium for the title of heir to the Roman Empire. Mettan examines the geopolitical machinations expressed in those times through the medium of religion, leading to the great Christian schism between Germanic Rome and Byzantium and the European Crusades against Russian Orthodoxy. This history of taboos, prejudices and propaganda directed against the Orthodox Church provides the mythic foundations that shaped Western disdain for contemporary Russia. From the religious and imperial rivalry created by Charlemagne and the papacy to the genesis of French, English, German and then American Russophobia, the West has been engaged in more or less violent hostilities against Russia for a thousand years. Contemporary Russophobia is manufactured through the construction of an anti-Russian discourse in the media and the diplomatic world, and the fabrication and demonization of The Bad Guy, now personified by Vladimir Putin. Both feature in the meta-narrative, the mythical framework of the ferocious Russian bear ruled with a rod of iron by a vicious president. A synthetic reading of all these elements is presented in the light of recent events and in particular of the Ukrainian crisis and the recent American elections, showing how all the resources of the West’s soft power have been mobilized to impose the tale of bad Russia dreaming of global conquest. “By hating Russia, one hurts oneself. Swiss journalist Guy Mettan pieces together the reasons of detestation of the Kremlin and of a rhetoric that goes back to Napoleonic times despite the long list of aggressions perpetrated in the meantime by the West. And he explains why pushing Moscow toward Asia is a very serious error.” —Panorama, Italy “Like Saddam Hussein’s mythical weapons of massive destruction in 2003, Peter the Great’s fake will has been used to justify the aggressions and invasions that the Europeans, and now the Americans, still carry out against Russia.” —Libération, France

I'm not near done with it, yet so far it has been a good read and reminder. He has a website here.

Reading, I sense some caution with him (and he says it) on evidence or lack thereof (maybe some things were just too new at the time of writing). However, he seems to nail-down the western mechanisms of why and how western minds default on most things Russian (Browder was full of these responses, when it suited him). Add in Putin, he is the scapegoat with some people saying, if it were just not for him. Take 'him' out of the equation, they would only find the next guy or other reason to stir up their prejudice. In essence, they have been, of course, so conditioned to see Russia the way it is framed for them, to never really understand its history, its people and its aspirations. There is no doubt, for Russia too, that most all countries have had their dark periods; bad leaders and times, yet with Russia, their basic reported on existence has been the darkest of them all for people who refuse to look in the mirror. For those people, the media works overtime, and the historians revise to suit the narratives of the day. I mean good grief, just look at the news today on Russia, it is simply embarrassing to listen to our western leaders, academics and a great many journalists carry on with their shtick - yet their reason is no secrete...

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1025144966543302658

https://twitter.com/x/status/1025408938676760578

Syriana Analysis Published on Aug 3, 2018
Sputnik News Chinese Ambassador to Syria Qi Qianjin has suggested Beijing could soon deploy forces to assist the Syrian Army in its upcoming Idlib offensive, in addition to anti-terrorist operations in other parts of the country. Kevork Almassian explains the reasons behind this decision at the final quarter of the Syrian wa

https://twitter.com/x/status/1025410979847450624

San Diego to Lose USS Carl Vinson But Gain Another Carrier: USS Abraham Lincoln
August 2, 2018
https://timesofsandiego.com/military/2018/08/02/san-diego-to-lose-uss-carl-vinson-but-gain-another-carrier-uss-abraham-lincoln
San Diego will lose the iconic USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier while gaining another Nimitz-class flattop, the USS Abraham Lincoln, the Navy announced Thursday.

In a major switch of homeports, the Lincoln — currently in Norfolk, Virginia — will rejoin the Pacific Fleet, making Coronado its base and joining the USS Theodore Roosevelt, aka “The Big Stick.”

Commissioned in 1989, the Abraham Lincoln previously served in the Pacific Fleet from 1990 to 2011 before moving to Norfolk for midlife refueling.

Citing operational security, a Navy spokesman said he couldn’t say whether the Vinson will return first to San Diego or head straight to Bremerton, reportedly in early 2019.

“Sailors on Carl Vinson who have a certain amount of time left on their contract will have the … option of bringing their families [to Bremerton] or not,” said the spokesman, Cmdr. Ron Flanders of North Island-based Naval Air Forces.

Considerations might include their children’s school or spouse’s job. [The Navy pays for certain family moves.]

“They may decide to leave their families behind,” Flanders told Times of San Diego. “The average carrier tour length is three to four years. So if a sailor has been onboard for two years already, they may decide .. not to pull their kids out of high school. Others who don’t have much time left on the ship won’t be allowed to bring their families.”

At sea, the Vinson has a crew of about 5,500, he said. But only 3,000 are San Diego-based. Some squadrons are based in Lemoore, Point Mugu and even Whidbey Island, Washington.

Flanders said three squadrons based in Coronado won’t be moved to Washington state.

The other two carrier shifts are tied to carrier maintenance, said North Island Naval Air Station in Coronado.

The USS John C. Stennis, currently home-ported in Bremerton, Washington, will change homeports to Norfolk in advance of its midlife refueling, or reactor complex overhaul, at Newport News Shipbuilding.

The Stennis was commissioned in 1995; Nimitz-class carriers are built to last 50 years.

The Carl Vinson will conduct a homeport change to Bremerton in advance of its docking-planned incremental availability at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, the Navy said.

The Vinson joined the Ronald Reagan and Nimitz at North Island in early 2010.

The Bremerton-based Kitsap Sun newspaper earlier Thursday reported that the Vinson was due to arrive at the Washington port sometime early next year.

“The Vinson is scheduled to receive more than a year of dry-dock maintenance at [Puget Sound] starting in March 2019 and running through until July 2020, according to the Navy’s fiscal year 2019 budget,” the paper said.

On Monday, military.com reported that the 5,500-crew member Vinson sent two MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopters to rescue five people from a 35-foot boat that ran aground Friday in shallow waters on the northern side of Niihau.

The “Black Knights” copters of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 4 took four people to a Coast Guard facility on Kauai, while a fifth person was flown to a medical facility for evaluation, the Navy was quoted as saying.

The Vinson had been taking part in the 25-nation Rim of the Pacific exercises, also known as RIMPAC. The exercises ended Thursday.

The carrier supports 70 aircraft from Carrier Air Wing 2 and also serves as the flagship for commander, Carrier Strike Group 1.

During its servicing, the Vinson will be pulled out of water in dry dock. Puget Sound is the only shipyard on the West Coast with this carrier capability, Flanders said.

It isn’t known whether the Vinson would eventually return to San Diego, since Navy planners base home-porting on world events.

“Once she leaves San Diego and goes to Bremerton, that will be her homeport indefinitely, for the time being,” Flanders said.

The Vinson’s commanding officer, Capt. Matthew Paradise — who took over from Rear Adm. Doug Verissimo on June 11 — will be making a homecoming of sorts.

His roots are in the Northwest — he has an electrical engineering degree from the University of Washington.

“Paradise enlisted in the Navy in 1985 and attended Basic Underwater Demolition School,” said a Navy bio. “While assigned to SEAL Team 2, he was selected for the Enlisted Commissioning Program and earned his commission in 1992.

“After earning his wings as an F/A-18 pilot in July 1995, he flew and served in multiple training and operational commands. Paradise served as the executive officer for USS George H.W. Bush from 2013 to 2015 and commanded USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) from 2016 to 2017.”

https://twitter.com/x/status/1025445802506891270

 

[angelburst29]

This is an older post above (not so old), with mention of Guy Mettan. He can be found here, here and here on SOTT as related articles. I bring him up as I've been reading his book 'Creating Russophobia' and if not elsewhere mentioned on the Forum, I would recommend it to readers.

Following up on Alex Krainer's book (see his articles Grand Deception: From USSR to Russia - The Transition That Took Five Million Lives from Part 1 through 4 - Bill Browder subject), I have had this Mettan book in the background and decided to get going on it. Matten, so far, does a very good job highlighting the 'prejudice' that has enveloped western minds (not all) for a very long time and why and how. History factors, as does Syria, Ukraine (especially recently - and he unpacks it), NATO et cetera.

Here is the Amazon write-up:

Links to previous posts: introduction, part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.

July 26, 2018 - The transition that took five million lives (part 5 in a 6-part series)
The transition that took five million lives (part 5 in a 6-part series)

August 3, 2018 - The 1990s Russian catastrophe could have been avoided (part 6 in a 6-part series)
The 1990s Russian catastrophe could have been avoided (part 6 in a 6-part series)


August 3, 2018 - Russia Speaks out on Why It Dumped Its Entire Stock of US Bonds
Russia Speaks out on Why It Dumped Its Entire Stock of US Bonds

It figured it was risky and didn't make sense to hold assets of a country which keeps passing financial sanctions on Russia.

As we detailed here first, during the months of April and May, as the Yuan-denominated oil futures were launched, trade war threats escalated, and sanctions were unleashed, Russia liquidated almost 90% of its US Treasury holdings.

The question most had was simple - why?

Speculation ran the gamut from this action being a dress-rehearsal - carefully coordinated with Beijing to field test what would happen if/when China also starts to liquidate its own Treasury holdings; to forced sales to cover liquidity needs on sanctioned Russian entities.

But now we have an "insider's" view on why Putin was puking his T-Bonds.

Andrei Kostin, chairman of Russia's second-largest bank VTB, told RIA Novosti that there are three reasons behind Russia's decision to dump its bonds...

"Look, the latest sanctions, which have already been touched upon by our leading enterprises such as Rusal, Renova, undoubtedly shows us that we need to be more cautious. I think that the Central Bank reacts to this too, because the Central Bank the bank is often criticized for keeping money abroad, I think that it's partly correct, everyone does it, but, of course, it's necessary to somehow minimize risks, reduce these risks ... because today the US represents the largest threat... from the point of view of imposing sanctions of any kind is greater than all others."

"I think that this, too, probably the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance take into account in its policy,"

The head of VTB also recalled that the bank had prepared proposals aimed at de-dollarization and de-orphanization of the Russian economy.

"I recently met with the president, I told him the proposals of our bank to reduce the dollar in the calculations, in general, in the economy of our country."
This is a measure that, in my opinion, has two sides: on the one hand, it is good for developing its own market: if we will create our derivatives and we will hedge the risks on the whole instrument within the Russian market, it will be very good, as well as calculations.
"On the other hand, life makes us," Kostin said.​

Additionally, Elvira Nabiullina, head of the Bank of Russia, said in June, responding to a question from Duma deputies about the sale of almost half of the US debt by the regulator in April, explained that the Central Bank is pursuing a policy of diversifying international reserves and taking into account all risks, including financial, economic and geopolitical decisions.

So to sum it all up, Russia liquidated its US Treasury holdings:

The rise of the mulipolar world - to send a geopolitical message to the world over US sanctions bullying;

• Dedollarisation - to enable the redistribution of reserves in favor of gold; and
• Preparation for a global reset - due to "the feeling of impending trouble in the world economy."

Do those sound like the kind of events that you should be acting on too? Is it any wonder that Putin is public enemy no.1 given the possibility that these risks may translate into actions by the worlds' investors?

Remember, it wa just last week that Putin officially warned his "American partners" that:

"...the restrictions they impose involving the dollar... are a major strategic mistake because they’re undermining confidence in the dollar as a reserve currency.”​

"We will continue to use the US dollar unless the United States prevents us from doing so."​

And given the volume of noise coming from Washington's establishment, that could be sooner than many - aside from the Russians themselves - may be thinking.


30.07.2018 - Moscow Plundered its Holdings of US Sovereign Debt Amid Sanctions
Moscow Plundered Its Holdings of US Sovereign Debt Amid Sanctions

Experts and politicians speculating on Russia's US debt dump aren't jumping on the 'revenge' theory.

Russia has sold 84 percent of the US Treasury bonds it possesses — worth $81 billion — between March and May, US Treasury data showed. The timing of the major debt dumping overlaps with US imposing sanctions against Russian major aluminum producer Rusal that curbed its positions.

Still, experts interviewed by the CNN did not rush to the conclusion that it might have been Moscow's revenge. Eugene Chausovsky, senior Eurasia analyst at consulting firm Stratfor, pointed out that the amount of US debt that Russia used to hold was nothing to compare with the $1.2 trillion owned by China. He explained that Moscow couldn't do any significant harm to US economy by the move.

Analyst at consulting firm Eurasia Jason Bush admits that the "revenge" theory exists, but noted that there could also be another scenario. According to him, Moscow might have dumped the US debt to prevent it from being frozen or seized by any new US sanctions.

Kevin Giddis from Raymond James, when interviewed by CNBC, pointed out that the amount of US bonds Moscow held was "insignificant" in comparison to the whole market. He added that the selling was likely called by "part sanctions and part portfolio adjustment."

Russian Central Bank chief Elvira Nabiullina in her official comment said that the move was part of the diversification attempts by the bank. She added that in its actions, the central bank assesses all risks — financial, economic and geopolitical.