Unlike the famous chemical weapons “attack” portrayed by the BBC in Saving Syria’s Children, it does appear that in the latest incident at Idlib there was real horror inflicted by chemical attack of some kind. The question is who did it and why?
I am no fan of the Assad regime, and I have no problem using the word “regime” to describe it. Dictators do hold and win elections. I have lived in severe dictatorships and seen from the inside how they do it. The human rights abuses of the Assad regime have been well documented for decades.
But Bashar al Assad is neither stupid nor unsophisticated. Aided by Putin, he outwitted Obama by quickly giving up his chemical weapons to be destroyed and accepting transparency in verification. There is no justification for the destruction of Iraq, but if Saddam Hussein had been able to swallow pride as completely as Assad, he too could have had a very good chance of averting disaster.
Assad had seen his position go from strength to strength, thanks to Putin’s astute deployment of Russia’s limited military power. Militarily the balance had swung dramatically in Assad’s favour, while Trump had said the unsayable and acknowledged that putting Syria into the hands of Wahabbist crazies was not in the United States interest.
So I cannot conceive that Assad would risk throwing all of this away for the sake of a militarily insignificant small chemical weapons attack. It would be an act of the most extreme folly. It is not impossible – hubris is a great temptation to dictators – but given how Assad has played it so far, it seems out of character and extremely improbable. What is less improbable is a local battlefield decision by pro-Assad forces. In my close observation of dictatorial regimes, a fascinating feature is that they operate an image of the perfection of the state. They are highly adverse to admitting mistakes.
What did happen I do not profess to know. There are at least eleven major identifiable state and non-state forces involved in the fighting around Idlib. In going through them all and considering opportunity and motive for each, I continually find that those whose motive would be false flag stand to benefit a great deal more than those who might have been seeking military advantage.
I am therefore for now unconvinced that this was a deliberate use of chemical weapons by Assad forces. I do not rule it out, but it would take much more concrete evidence than currently offered to prove they did something so strongly and obviously against their own interest. But western governments and media have determined to make that the narrative, so the truth is, as so often in modern geo-politics, entirely incidental to the course of future events.
Ms Nimrata Randhawa says: “Attack on Syria ‘One of the President’s Finest Hours’
http://www.breitbart.com/video/2017/04/09/haley-attack-syria-one-presidents-finest-hours/
I don’t know.
Egypt emergency after Coptic churches hit
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39548645
Egypt President al-Sisi declares three-month state of emergency after IS attacks on Coptic churches kill 45
And just after he meets The Scottish Donald.
Certain countries have coastlines which could give them access to the Eastern Mediterranean GIANT METHANE FIELD
Libya, Egypt, Gaza, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey.
Are any of these countries experiencing difficulties?
Abdul Fattah al-Sisi had earlier ordered the deployment of the military across the country.
So-called Islamic State (IS) said it was behind the blasts in Tanta and Alexandria.
They were the latest in a series of attacks targeting the Christian minority in Egypt.
Maybe Boris, knowing that his own Tory MPs will reject the accusations against Assad as Presidential glue-sniffing after losing control over his cabinet, his Obamacare plans and his travel bans, would rather that Tillerson dealt with the fall-out from his boss’s mistakes than shoulder the responsibility for getting beaten up by Russian reasonable commonsense.
Trump’s failure to understand that the Saudis have long since made themselves in-expendable as financial backers to the West because of the failure of Capitalist doctrine to work, has jerked him into compliance with the Saudi lies about Assad. Nobody can blame him for believing his own Party’s doctrine and for wobbling when he discovers that the US economy is 1 trillion % over-leveraged i.e. fucked.
One would have thought that Boris Johnson would have worked out why his mate Cameron would have written his own political suicide note, before accepting a position as second mate in the rat-less hulk. But there again one might be forgiven for over-estimating the intelligence of the Bullingdon boys or the Republican Party’s billionaires.
Who said the Titanic was sunk by an iceberg? It was sunk by pre-existing internal fires.
After Russia and Iran appear to have made a joint statement saying they will respond firmly to any further aggression in Syria, maybe those who support America’s belligerence will be pleased to know they may soon have the pleasure of dying for it.
It is strange that you found it necessary to start be saying “I am no fan of Assad”! The reason why Assad is being demonized is because he stood up the warmongers who are complying with directives from Israel. It is no secret that Israel wants to impose its hegemony on the entire region and its powerful patrons, the neocons who dictate the agenda of the western world, have ordered the destruction of Syria, period. What I find extremely disturbing too that investigative journalism in the western world is dead and has been replaced by highly paid propagandists masquerading as journalists in key positions peddling in some instances sheer lies.
The above is 100% Israel-hating bollocks.
The Juice world conspiracy has been replaced by the Israel world conspiracy.
Shame on you and your fellow haters.
Trust the ‘Israeli Apologist’, or is that member of Israel First/Labour First organisations to denounce anyone who holds some uncomfortable truths – Nelson Mandela had the goods on Israeli, is he too a ‘anti-semite’ or another one of your PRAT’s I wonder?
Actually, under the latest recommendations adopted by this Government, and accepted by Jeremy Corbyn no less’ the fact remains the ‘new’ stringent’ interpretation of what constitute’s ‘anti-semitism’ actually would, if applied to Mandela, make him an anti-semite, which I’m confident would appall all those Jewish comrades who struggled to rid South Africa of Apartheid.
Shame on you and your fellow Hasbara trolls for finding the truth too hard to swallow. Anyone telling it as it is becomes a hater of one thing or another!
Emmanuel
Since we are talking about this :
“The reason why Assad is being demonized is because he stood up the warmongers who are complying with directives from Israel. It is no secret that Israel wants to impose its hegemony on the entire region..”
may readers take it that you agree with this “truth” from Sami Joseph?
Are you also one of those who believe that Israel is the global strings-puller?
“What I find extremely disturbing too that investigative journalism in the western world is dead and has been replaced by highly paid propagandists masquerading as journalists in key positions peddling in some instances sheer lies.”
There is a wonderful no-doubt well-scripted piece of propagandist fiction coming up on Easter Monday 9.00 pm on the BBC. It is about the search for the KGB killers of mafia family-man to the Berezovsky clan, Alexander Litvinenko. Should be a laugh a minute. One thing I did not know was that when Berezovsky checked into the hospital and was asked his name he said: “My name is Michael Caine.” No he did not. Sorry. He signed in as Carter. This is the obvious thing to do in a country where you have fled to because of your own corruption in your native Russia. It’s going to be lovely. Meanwhile here is some reality which, for obvious reasons, I believe to be mcuh closer to the truth.
http://www.greanvillepost.com/2016/01/23/the-litvinenko-murder-death-of-justice-in-the-united-kingdom-triumph-of-propaganda/
or even “much closer to the truth”.
“One thing I did not know was that when Berezovsky checked into the hospital . . .” should read: “One thing I did not know was that when Litvinenko checked into the hospital . . .”
“Investigative journalism in the western world is dead” because you are unable to find reputable newspapers or other media reproducing the sort of shit you’ve just put into your shameful (and shameless) post.
But don’t worry – you find your point of view richly represented in quite a few Arab and Iranian publications (and also in most neo-nazi outlets).
Habbabkuk,
Here’s one for you to dwell upon, and we all know you detest CounterPunch: http://www.counterpunch.org/2010/02/04/the-invention-of-the-jewish-people/
As for the appalling standard of UK journalism and the PROPAGANDA our MSM spits out daily, her’s a post from Peter Hitchens in todays Sunday Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-4394216/PETER-HITCHENS-noble-cause-Bombs-Al-Qaeda.html
Is Hitchen’s one of your neo-Nazis/neo-fascist purveyors of filth, which actually under normal considerations I’d apply to The Daily Mail, or as many like to call it: The Daily Hate or Daily Heil!
There two great western investigative journalists — Seymour Hirsch and Robert Parry both winners of the US Pulitzer prize — who no longer publish in the MSM. They have been both black balled by the establishment press because they continued to question official positions. Hirsch has found an outlet at the London Review of Books while Parry started his own blog (Consortiumnews). They are not Arab, Iranian nor neo-nazi. Do a simple web search and you can see what they are saying.
Also you might note that that former British diplomat Craig Murray does not have much space in the British MSM establishment and he too resorts to his own blog. If he is so irrelevant why do you continue to pester him so on this blog.
Are you a spoiler for the guy who writes all the interesting stuff in Sic Tempor Tyrannis?
it looks like someone stepped on your tail! Keep barking.
And As We see.. It was Planned years ago.. The Mid East Carnage –
From the Clinton Email Archive –
RELEASE IN FULL
The best way to help Israel deal with Iran’s growing nuclear capability is to help the people of
Syria overthrow the regime of Bashar Assad…
https://wikileaks.org/clinton-emails/emailid/18328#efmADMAFf
Hi Sharp Ears.. yes Agree on Tom Duggan… I Almost Never look at MSM.. only when Real news sites..Point out their Criminal war Propaganda, and Political Bias Lies.
Thank you for that, Habba. I always enjoy Buddy Holly.
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgCkeYGlNXc
Are the Mail stable of newspapers transmorphing into The Guardian by any chance as really surprised we have had two significant articles in the space of less than 24 hours highly critical of this nations and the MSMs head rush for war – having posted a link to Hitchen’s article earlier, here’s one by Peter Oborne: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-4392200/Peter-Oborne-missile-attacks-Syria.html
Chris,
Well its a welcome change to the unadulterated bullsh1t being fed to the likes of Jonathan, how do you figure it comes close to ”transmorphing into The Guardian”. The gurdnai being a complete pro war rag, facts be damned.
Hi Ball,
Well, my commenting about The Mail morphing into The Guardian was actually pointing to The Guardian of old, rather than the Rag we now have today, and reinforcing this view I’ve just come across another critique of the ‘march to war’ again on the Mail website, which means, at least as UK MSM papers go, The Mail seems to be hedging its bets here, which I’m not opposed too as we need as much common sense as we can find, regardless where it comes from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4396138/Generals-taking-White-House-says-JOHN-R-BRADLEY.html
Hi Chris,
As my only exposure to the Guardian has been online, I’ll have to rely on others to give an idea of ‘The Guardian of old’.
But (from wiki) an outlet that –
laid the blame for Bloody Sunday (Northern Ireland) at the feet of the Civil Rights marchers,
supported interment without trial in ’70s N.Ireland,
supported the creation of the state of Israel (locals be damned),
supported the gulf war,
opposed the creation of the NHS,
despises the idea of workers unions,
and is currently pushing for WW3 to start, it seems to me they’re pretty consistent in being only fit for purpose to wrap around fish and chips.
I wonder what George Orwell would be righting today about The Guardian – (wiki)
———-
Traditionally affiliated with the centrist to centre-left Liberal Party, and with a northern, non-conformist circulation base, the paper earned a national reputation and the respect of the left during the Spanish Civil War. George Orwell writes in Homage to Catalonia: “Of our larger papers, the Manchester Guardian is the only one that leaves me with an increased respect for its honesty.
———
I laughed out loud when I read the ‘honesty’ bit considering the past few days of ‘Sarin gas’ fiction they have been peddling.
Ball
The idea that the Guardian, or any other MSM, is anything other than the protector of privilege is a misunderstanding. My personal understanding of this began when I saw it, along with all other media, reverse the events during the miners srtike, claiming the miners attacked so the cops were forced to respond.
It is true that the Guardian has had periods where it included more leftist content. However, that was a result of the times it operated in periods where workers rights were not so derided. It move with the times. But as your list shows ultimately it always supports the narrative of power to the extent it can without alienating the left it is marketed at.
Sorry, my 2nd par was poorly written. To be clear:
It is true that the Guardian has had periods where it included more leftist content. However, that was a result of the times it operated in. During periods where workers rights are not so derided it will adapt, move leftwards, to not alienate the majority of the left who it is marketed at.
Your list shows that ultimately it always supports the narrative of power.
The guardian is a liberal rag – it represents the Libral (i.e. Wives of power men and male intellectuals, now included are gay and mixed raced, but still money born, members of the power broking class ) wing of the establishment. It’s for people who have money but feel guilty. Liberals do not have much power within the state – however the power they do have is considered golden by the state, and that is to placate whilst dividing the greater left movement, by voicing some concerns over battles they care for whilst burying those that might effect their own power or esteem.
You can expect them to verbally support the people but don’t expect them to do much more than rearrange the deck chairs.
Their was a set of liberals who, after the war, felt such shame and guilt for all that had happened that they did try to make changes, mainly though the Marshall plan, which was sold to the right as a way to pacify communism in the west. The right discontinued with that after the fall of the ussr. Almost all of those types of liberal are now dead. Baby boomer and younger liberals were seduced by Milton Friedmanns hogwash, they know it’s hogwash but they turn a blind eye, because above all else, more than any single other thing – the liberal is fundamentally a coward and a coward will always become a hypocrite when push comes to shove. Believe me right now when I say the establishment are shoving hard.
I agree with Shatnersrug’s comment. I don’t think it contradicts mine (and I don’t think it was intended to). But for clarity: the guardian is liberal but it is marketed as of the left and has included some leftist content. Many readers seem to think it is a lefty rag.
I must say, I concur very much with the view that The Guardian, from its inception in Manchester, was never a Leftwing newspaper, rather, it has always been liberal, that is adhered to Liberal traditions established in the 1820s not too long after the shock of Peterloo, of which it was appalled and fearful – bloody usurping workers shall we say.
However, its core readership in the 80s and 90s were very much centre-left types and it had to market itself and supply material for that segment of the population that enjoyed reading its pages, although certainly not agreeing with all that was offered. Again, it was critical of Thatcher, but at the same time ensured the Labour Party was very much to the Right, which was fine by me if those Labour Rightists were of a John Smith mold. Alas, with the advent of Blairism, the Third Way nonsense, Clinton in the Whitehouse and the end of the USSR, it kinda lost its way, and like New Labour abandoned its core readership, resulting in declining sales – the advent of the Internet and its decision to go full-on neoliberal and neoconservative concurrently after the demise of Blair sealed its fate, epitomised by the fact that to shore up dwindling finances it began believing it was a global paper, the rest being the monster its become.
Chris
“fine by me if those Labour Rightists were of a John Smith mold. Alas, with the advent of Blairism”
I think it far from clear that Smith would have been much different from Blair/Brown. Smith was committed to continuing internal LP reform and confronting the trade unions.
Phil,
Re: John Smith, I’m totally aware that JS was on the Right of the Traditional Labour Party, as indeed I was and most of those Trades Unionists, Labour Party members and Labour voters I knew and interacted with in South Wales. Indeed, I’ve always supported One Member One Vote and actually will congratulate Ed Miliband for the limited democratic reforms he implemented after the furore about Falkirk – however, unlike a lot of the Labour Right I was not an Atlanticist, I looked to Europe. Which is why I find it crass that what was the Old Right of the Party is now the actual Left, or in Blair’s berserk opinion, the ‘ultra Left’ – as far as Trade Unions Reform goes, well I’m with Barbara Castle on that.
Chris,
I think the Mail still regards it’s sizable readership which includes many in the armed forces as an asset and doesn’t want to fall foul of them by being seen to cheerlead another Iraq.
Unlike the guardian who regard their readership as an unwanted child.
Also from the Mail’s point of view what better that they are seen as the voice of reason whilst the BBC and guardian take the blame for egging us on to support of another Iraq.
Liberals are so idiotic it seems that they can’t see when their being fed to the lions
Habbabk,
Do you condone Israeli war crimes?
(Logic you used recently was silence = agreement)
I don’t have the time/energy to give lots of links at the moment, but in the USA both on Friday and over this weekend there’s been a lot of demonstrations against the cruise missile strikes on Syria…
http://presstv.com/Detail/2017/04/08/517161/US-Syria-protest-missile-strike
This is just a precursor to the utter betrayal by Donald Trump that many Americans now feel.
You can see it everywhere.
Major civil unrest is coming to North America.
But I will direct folk’s attention to what’s happening in France later this month, because I believe that the 2017 French presidential election is going to be a piivitol moment in history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAMTOyp__nw
It is not investigative journalism that is dead but journalism itself. Journalists no longer ask questions of their own governments, unless specifically instructed, by their bosses to do so. Without such instructions they maintain an attitude of total credulity towards authority. Not to do so is to risk their livelihoods in an industry which is shrinking rapidly.
After months of regularly fact checking everything that Trump said, the media in North America suddenly takes on faith the most extravagant claims he makes about Syria.
When ordinary readers can wonder aloud how the White Helmets have achieved such immunity to sarin gas that they can handle corpses full of it with their bare hands, it is anomalous that none of the media have asked why this is? And how it is that the Foreign Office and US Aid fund this organisation which is the Al Qaeda Medical Corps?
It is becoming clearer and clearer that the “sarin attack’ is just another fake incident another crude attempt to manufacture a casus belli. All decent people all honest people will be concerned not just at the escalation of hostilities in Syria but at the drift towards a very dangerous international crisis.
If there is war, the United Kingdom and London and Clydeside in particular will be among the first and most vulnerable targets: the British are far more endangered by US nuclear adventurism than any US city is. These are facts that the people should understand.
bevin, we’re now completely fucked.
It’s either going to be a world war (final war in history), or it’s going to be revolution.
Ain’t it great to live in ‘interesting times’.
The psychos and the loons have completely taken control.
I would agree you and Bevin are totally fucked.
To be more precise : their minds are totally fucked up.
It is quite unclear, if the Tom weapons deployed to Syria by Trump, were because of of his trying to outsmart the Neos or becuse he is pig shit dum, not sure, the next few months should tell, untill then, batten down your hatches, it is going to rain nukes.
At least those Tom weapons were made in Scotland Tom weapons.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/donald-trumps-syria-air-blitz-10187268
lol ehh 🙂 🙂
I did not know that Fred, well that should boost the Economy of Scotland.
The Tomahawk cruise missiles US president Donald Trump used to devastate a Syrian air base were made by an arms firm located in Scotland.
The 59 guided missiles were fired in response to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad launching a nerve gas attack on his own people on Tuesday.
And we can reveal that the £1million weapons used in Friday’s retaliation are made by Raytheon, the fifth-largest arms firm in the world.
Last year, the Sunday Mail exposed links between Raytheon – who make components for smart bombs in Glenrothes, Fife – and alleged war crimes in Yemen.
bevin
Well said
” and Clydeside in particular will be among the first and most vulnerable targets ”
According to the MOD, Plymouth would not meet the Criteria for What is an Acceptable risk to life.
There are 166,000 people Local to the proposed base…..
The Lives of 815,000 Scots in the Clyde are somehow acceptable .
Where I… And the Nkes are Based
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeRdf4S6oUA
According to the Angry Arab: “Five major US newspapers—the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and New York Daily News—offered no opinion space to anyone opposed to Donald Trump’s Thursday night airstrikes.” “Cable news coverage was equally fawning.”
He also points out that Bernie Sanders has called for a coalition to get rid of Assad. He specifically calls for Saudi Arabia and Israel to be involved. In other words this aged transatlantic Blairite is throwing his weight behind ISIS and Al Qaeda.
You are right Rob to sound alarms these are not just interesting times but very dangerous. The masses are reduced to impotence in the face of a political class, Capitalism’s domestic servants, which is becoming completely isolated from reality in an era in which nothing is left of the fundamental social solidarity which was the distinguishing quality of our species- the religions were simply attempts to localise and codify the realisation that in everything we do we depend upon others. Now it is all a racket and there could be no more appropriate symbol of this racket than the cleaned up Bike Gang leader in the White House.
I hope that you are right about France.
Trust me about France.
You might be surprised.
The first round of the French presidential election is on 23rd April. The final run-off between the two candidates with the highest vote is on 7th May.
This vote is crucial as to whether the EU survives; ie, whether this American project collapses.
Oh, and I don’t want to keep banging on about my dog in the race but Mélenchon is now at 19% in the opinion polls…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_French_presidential_election,_2017
If the neo-con puppet Macron becomes the next French president I can guarantee that the election was fixed.
World war or revolution, that’s all these complete criminal lunatics have now left us with.
Last night’s BBC News reported on a Macron rally held in Corsica, and for some reason refuses to even mention J-LM’s name, despite his recent gains in the polls. The Bookies though, ever the realists, see it somewhat differently. The odds on Melanchon were as high as 125/1, the best you will get today is 14/1, and the majority are only offering 10 or 12.
Why is the banker, ex minister in the Hollande government, being talked up, so much, as the winner of the French Presidential competition.
He stands for everything the people don’t want?
Is is because the people don’t like what they’ve got but are frightened of massive change?
Massive change is coming to Europe and especially France, if/no the French want it.
France is essentially broke.
There is already massive unemployment.
The Nuclear Industry, is essentially owned/controlled by The State,
it is a broken monolith, that must fail, it is just when, not if.
This fall will shake France to dust.
For, like America, it is the Nuclear, military, weapons, facade that is the image of France, as a fading Great Power.
France wants its own Force de dissuasion
So there is the four factors
The State
The Nuclear Deterrence
Arms manufacture – Arms Export
Nuclear Power – Nuclear Construction – Export
All interlinked, like a fungus, one falls it all falls
but fall it must.
Bernie is, alas, a fraud. The left is cursed with such men and women. They make nice speeches, push the right buttons, appeal to the emotions of the masses – then, once power happily attained, carry on the work of their globalist patrons. He backed Clinton, played along with Russia gate, and is now joining in the with the various chickenhawks over Syria. One wonders exactly what the ‘leverage’ is that Clinton’s team allegedly has over him. I note in passing, he bought a nice house after his defeat. I’ve long consigned him to the ‘irrelevant’ camp, sadly.
I’m used to the hawks in the media, and find them vaguely disgusting. But Brian Williams calling cruise missiles ‘beautiful’ was quite possibly the creepiest thing I’ve heard in a while. He too will be held to account, presumably.
H: “Bernie is, alas, a fraud […] and is now joining in the with the various chickenhawks over Syria.”
Oh he is, is he? Then it must be an entirely different Bernie Sanders referred to here:
http://www.ibtimes.com/bernie-sanders-slams-trumps-airstrike-syria-2522629
That took a good 10 seconds to find. Guess you just don’t have that sort of time to pause, before you go sliming a decent person, eh Hieroglyph?
It took me less than 10 seconds to find the whole quote; pity you didn’t post it.
“Syria’s Bashar Assad’s use of chemical weapons against the men, women and children of his country makes him a war criminal.”
This strikes me as pertinent, odd that it doesn’t strike you that way. Firstly, it wasn’t Assad. Secondly, it highly suggests that Bernie wants to get rid of Assad, like the neocons. I accept he doesn’t say it outright, but he’s a politician isn’t he?
I don’t ‘slime’ Bernie, I merely point out his actual positions, behind the rhetoric. It’s a useful tactic, I find.
In fact there is an interview with him on Meet The Press in which according to The Angry Arab he calls for regime change in Syria in alliance with Saudi Arabia and Israel, the two leading sponsors of terrorism.
The sad truth is that Sanders supported Obama’s foreign policies only differing over what he calls practicality. He consistently calls for co-operation with the Riyadh and Tel Aviv on the grounds that they are allies.
As to Saudi Arabia this is the chief wahhabi cleric-spiritual leader of Al Qaeda- justifying the attacks on Copts in Egypt today. It is a matter of little importance in the ‘west’ but the Assad ‘regime’ is the only guarantee of survival that minorities, including Christians and Shi’ites, have in the face of the massacring militias supported by Israel, Saudi Arabia, NATO and Sanders.
The next time people are tempted to play the ‘Assad is just as bad’ card they might want to compare the Ba’ath record with that of ISIS and other salafis we support. It might help to pretend that you cared for Syria Christians and other minorities, including non-wahhabi Sunnis who constitute the great majority of the population.
“Saudi Arabia’s top Muslim cleric called on Tuesday for the destruction of all churches in the Arabian Peninsula after legislators in the Gulf state of Kuwait moved to pass laws banning the construction of religious sites associated with Christianity
“Speaking to a delegation in Kuwait, Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah, who serves as the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, said the destruction of churches was absolutely necessary and is required by Islamic law, Arabic media reported.
“Abdullah, who is considered to be the highest official of religious law in the Sunni Muslim kingdom, also serves as the head of the Supreme Council of Ulema (Islamic scholars) and of the Standing Committee for Scientific Research and Issuing of Fatwas.”
bevin April 10, 2017 at 02:05
“Saudi Arabia’s top Muslim cleric called on Tuesday for the destruction of all churches in the Arabian Peninsula”
Interesting. I wonder whether it will have any effect on the support for Saudia Arabia from American Christians? (Trouble is, they will never hear about it from the MSM anyway).
Why do the Mods allow this sort of comment whilst my own comments are deleted?
Anyone would think that this is an ‘intelligence service’ controlled board.
(which of course it is)
Major states like California are now breaking from the Union, because they don’t want anything to do with this nonsense.
We are now witnessing the end of the American empire, most notably with the demise of the petro-dollar.
We can only hope and pray that the complete lunatics in Washington will be held in check by the American people.
But don’t hold your breath on that one.
Peace on earth. Feel free to use it in any way you like:
https://i.imgsafe.org/ad68689f21.jpg
Absolutely the weirdest interview.
This is Tucker Carlson with Senator Linzee Graham, on Trump’s attack on the Syrian airfield.
Funny thing is, amongst the Alice in Wonderland narrative, there’s a detailed plan for carving up Syria, comprising the further policy suggestions Linzee is suggesting Trump now follow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q44qea3zmc
Thing is, why’d Obama not go along with it. Those further policies.
I don’t think Trump’ll go along with it either.
Linzee, McCain, the Dem warmongers, have only been thrown crumbs, so far.
Their careers are over should there be detente with Russia.
Let’s see how Wednesday’s meeting between Tillerson and Lavrov go.
If the other feckers haven’t contrived nuclear Armageddon in the meantime.
I never Thought i would Marry Again,,,
Then the Wonderful Maria Zakharova Turns up.. With that Logical Intelligence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=419lQljnS-0
Maria Zakharova certainly ia an excellent ‘ambassador’ for Russia in striking contrast to Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the UN,, who shames her country even while lying for it.Her perrformance at the AIPAC conference
capitalizing on her Sikh family upbringing was particularly cringe-worthy, but drew comments like ‘Here we have the next president’.
Her New Hair is up to Her
But She’s Zee Boss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=419lQljnS-0
It looks like they’re preparing the ground to “cut a deal”, but Trump needs to look “anti-Russian” to do it! I hope.
Attention Habbabkuk,
For posters who get a little hot under the collar at our resident GCHQ embedded stooge, Bunker Mentality Habbabkuk, the individual, who with zero military background or published works to his name, denigrates those who have not only served their country in the field of battle, but are fierce critics of the neoconservative consensus that has infected DC – given Habbabkuk has denigrated the former Ambassador of Syria, Peter Ford as a ‘Prat’, here is the CV of Retired Col. Patrick Lang, the host of a Committee of Correspondence on the website Sic Semper Tyrannis, who our resident shill believes is unfit to comment on matters of import:
W. Patrick Lang
A personal background involving expertise in; the Middle East, South Asia, and Islam; unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency and counter guerrilla operations, Special Forces., clandestine and overt HUMINT intelligence collection operations and executive management of same, expert instructor and college level professor .
Employment Record
INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT
September, 2001 –
Expert resource available to industrial, news, security, and international business, and brokerage firms in threat analysis, risk analysis, strategic planning, negotiations with governments and non-governmental entities in Muslim countries. Expert trainer of U.S. and other personnel in requirements of operations in Muslim countries. Strategic military and political intelligence analyst, media consultant for many TV, radio and print productions.
FMS, INCORPORATED.
President, August 1994-2001.
Responsible for the North America centered activities of a privately held European and Middle Eastern based industrial and financial group. Concentrates activities in Business Development, Government, Philanthropic and Political activities and relations of the FM Holdings Group. Also served as President and registered US agent of the Future Millennium Foundation, a non-profit charitable foundation specializing in micro-credit lending for women and vocational training in the building trades as well as computer literacy as well as in support to the Peace Process activities of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City. The foundation concentrated its operations in Lebanon.
DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, U.S. GOVERNMENT
Director, Human Intelligence Collection (HUMINT), June 1992-July 1994
In charge of world wide U.S. military collection of information necessary to American strategic and tactical activities. Included world-wide command of all military, naval and air force attaches serving with U.S. diplomatic missions as well as many other collection activities. These collection activities included all the espionage assets of the Department of Defense
DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, U. S. GOVERNMENT
The Defense Intelligence Officer for the Middle East, South Asia and Terrorism, 1985-1992
The chief substantive official (boss) in the Department of Defense for the analysis and dissemination of information regarding the subjects named in position title. Wrote and supervised the writing of all Department of Defense intelligence documents touching on area of expertise. A principal adviser to Secretary of Defense, Chairman of Joint Staff and President of the United States for Middle Eastern Affairs. This period spanned the Iran-Iraq War, the USS Stark incident, intermittent difficulties with Libya and the 1990-1991 Gulf War. The vice- chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Board which investigated the Stark incident. A principal figure in Bob Woodward’s book “The Commanders.” Briefer for President George H.W. Bush during Operation Desert Storm. Expert briefer.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, U.S. GOVERNMENT
Defense and Army Attaché, 1979-1985
First in North Yemen and then in Saudi Arabia served as the senior U.S. military officer in the embassy. Position equivalent in rank to Counselor of Embassy.
U. S. ARMY
Professor, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York , 1976-1979
Created all instructional programs in the Arabic Language and Middle East Studies. Taught the resulting courses for three years. Founder of Cadet Arabic Language Club. Initiated program of cadet exchanges with Arab Military Academies. Twice selected as best classroom teacher of the year in the U.S.M.A. faculty. Elected member of Faculty Senate for Department of Foreign Languages.
U.S. ARMY
Service As Commissioned Officer 1962-1988
Originally commissioned in the Infantry, served several tours of duty in Special Forces . Served two years in Viet Nam in Special Forces and Military Intelligence. Many decorations for Valor, Distinguished Service and Accomplishments. Qualified and experience military intelligence analyst at the tactical and strategic levels. Clandestine case officer with experience in both counterinsurgency and national strategic arenas.
U.S. ARMY
Born at Fort Devens Massachusetts, 31 May 1940
Education
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE
BA, English, 1962
Collegiate Who’s Who. Graduated Distinguished in General Merit.
THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
MA, Middle East Studies, 1974
National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.
ARMED FORCES STAFF COLLEGE Joint Staff Officer Course 1974
U.S. ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLLEGE (non-resident) General Staff Officer Course 1973
U.S. ARMY WAR COLLEGE, CARLISLE BARRACKS, PENNSYLVANIA (resident) Senior Officer Course, 1984
Skills & Honors
Speaks, reads and writes Arabic and French.
Retired Regular Army officer (Colonel.)
Retired member of Senior Executive Service of U.S. Civil Service Retired in Grade of SES-4. This is the equivalent of a Lieutenant General.
Holds award of Presidential Rank of Distinguished Executive in the Senior Executive Service. This is the equivalent of a knighthood in the British civil service.
Very widely traveled in the Middle East and North Africa.
Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. (Papal Honor)
Silver Palm of Jerusalem (Papal Honor)
Member of the Board of Directors of the Harry F. Guggenheim Foundation
Life Member of the Special Forces and Special Operations Association.
Member, Board of Advisors, Department of International Relations and Political Science, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, 2009-
End Resume.
List of Books, Articles, Symposia, Lectures and Media Events for W. Patrick Lang:
Books:
“Intelligence: The Human Factor,” Chelsea House Publishers, Philadelphia, PA, 2004
“The Tribes of the Al-Anbar Governorate,” (contributor), DIA, Washington, DC, June 2006.
“The Butcher’s Cleaver,” Volume I of “Strike the Tent.” iUniverse, Lincoln, Nebraska. November, 2007 “Death Piled Hard,” Volume 2 of “Strike the Tent.” iUniverse, Bloomington, Indiana, April, 2009 Articles:
“Drinking the Koolaid,” “Middle East Policy,” Middle East Policy Council, Washington, DC 2004
“Wahhabism and Jihad,” “America,” New York, New York, March 10, 2003
“Speaking Truth to Power,” “America,” New York, New York, August 4th, 2003
“Jackson’s Valley Campaign and the Operational Level of War.” “Parameters” Carlisle Barracks PA, Army War College Winter 1985.
“The Best Defense Is…” “Military Review” Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, KS August, 1976
“Contemplating the Ifs……” (With Larry C. Johnson) “The National Interest” The Nixon Center, Washington, D.C. Number 83, Spring 2006
“Dear Hearts Across the Seas..” “America,” New York, New York, May 29th, 2006 “Al-Qaeda and the Jihadis,” “America,” New York, New York, September 20th, 2006.
“A Concert of the Greater Middle East,” The National Interest Online. Washington, D.C. 28 December, 2006. “Islam: Monotheistic but not Monolithic.” “One.” New York, New York, January, 2007.
“What Iraq Tells Us About Ourselves.” “Foreign Policy” .com, Washington, D.C. Posted February, 2007. “Show Russia More Respect.” “The Christian Science Monitor” Boston, Massachusetts, 11 June, 2007. Symposia:
“With the Process Dead, What are the Prospects for Peace?” Middle East Policy Council, Washington, DC, March 8th, 2001
“Imperial Dreams,” Middle East Policy Council, Washington, DC, October 3rd, 2003
“A Conversation between a Military Strategist and a US Ambassador on Postwar Developments in Iraq.” The Miller Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, October 31st, 2003
“Al-Qaeda 2.0: Transnational Terrorism After 9/11.” New America Foundation, Washington, DC, December 2nd, 2004
“Iraq, Afghanistan and the War on ‘Terror,’” Middle East Policy Council, Washington, DC, January 11th, 2005
“The Ethics of Withdrawal From Iraq.” Notre Dame University and Fordham University, New York City, 21 March, 2005
“Terrorism and South Asia.” Smithsonian Institution and Meridian House, Washington, DC, 24 May, 2005
“Occupied Iraq, One War, Many Insurgencies.” Middle East Policy Council,Washington, D.C., June 17th, 2005.
“Iraq, Israel, Iran and the decline of American Influence.” Middle East Policy Council, Washington, D.C., January 19th, 2007
“Iraq, Iran and Beyond.” The New York University Institute of Law and Security, New York, New York, 24 January, 2007
“Government Secrecy and National Security.” The New York University Institute of Law Security, New York, New York, 12 April, 2007
“Annual Symposium on the Middle East.” Featured speaker on Saudi Arabia. US Army War College. Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. March 3, 2008.
“America and the Emerging Iraqi Reality, New Goals, No Illusions,” a panel on this paper written by Ellen Laipson. The Century Foundation, Washington, DC, 9 June, 2008.
“Torture and American Culture, an Inquiry and Reflection.” Panel at the Fordham Center on Religion and Culture. Fordham University, New York, New York. 21 October, 2008
“Torture, Conscience, and the Catholic Moral Tradition,” Panel at the Columbus Law School, The Catholic University of America. Washington, D.C. 19 March, 2009
“Today’s Military: Its Challenges, Missions, and Future.” Panel at “The Center on Law and Security,” New York University. New York, New York, 24 April 2009.
Consulting:
Technical Expert on Issues of National Security. Federal Public Defender Office, Portland, Oregon. August- September, 2008.
Subject Matter Expert Consultant, CENTCOM Appraisal Team, USCENTCOM, Ft. McNair, Washington, DC. January-February, 2009
War Games:
“Path to the Future” war game on the future of the Middle East. Played for SAIC/DNI/NIC, Chantilly, Virginia, 29-31 October 2007.
“Israel and US Interests.” Institute for National Strategic Studies, NDU. Washington, DC. 10 January, 2008.
Hearings:
“National Security Implications of the Disclosure of the Identity of a Covert Intelligence Officer.” Joint Committee of the House and Senate. 22 July, 2005, Washington, D.C.
Lectures:
“Area Orientation for Operations in the Islamic World,” (keynote speaker on two occasions in 2004) Joint Special Operations University, Hurlbut Air force Base, Florida, 2004.
“Cultural Roots of Jihadism.” St. Mary’s University at San Antonio and Ft. Hood, Texas, 28 and 30 April, 2005.
“Intelligence in Counterinsurgency,” Joint Military Intelligence College. Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C. 13 December, 2005
“Counterinsurgency in Iraq,” Joint Military Intelligence College, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C. 15 December, 2005
“Lebanon, Syria and Palestine,” A Forum at The Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 11 September, 2006
“Iraqi Politics,” and “Islam.” St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas, 5 and 6 February, 2007 “Iran’s Actions in Iraq.” Center for Naval Analyses (CNA), Alexandria, Virginia, 26 March, 2007
“Insurgency and Counterinsurgency Theory,” Human Terrain Team training, Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, July, 2007.
“The Petraeus/Crocker Report,” a forum at the Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 3 October, 2007.
“Foreign Policy Seminar in Islamic Religion.” Washington Semester Program, American University, Washington, D.C. 25 February, 2008.
“Islamic Religion and Arab Culture.” Master’s Degree program in “Homeland Security Management,” Joint Program of the Department of Homeland Security and the US Navy Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, March, 2008.
“A Concert of the Middle East.” In the Polymath Lecture Series at the University of Oklahoma, Norman Oklahoma, 17 November, 2008.
Courses Taught:
Senior Crisis Management Seminars, Department of State, Washington, D.C. Continuous seminars beginning in 2006.
“Combating Terrorism,” American University, Washington, D.C., Fall, 2006
“Red Team Training for Deployment to Iraq.” 18th Airborne Corps, Ft. Bragg, NC. January, 2008.
“Understanding Islam,” and “Making Soldiers out of Tribesmen,” Human Terrain Team training, Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, November, 2007, February, April, and May 2008.
Significant Television:
Many appearances on CBS, ABC “Nightline,” CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Australian National Television, German National Television, BBC, CBC, and the “Newshour,” among others.
Many Radio interviews on a variety of US and overseas networks. “Torture at Gitmo.” ” CBS 60 “Minutes,” 1 May 2005. —————————————————–
For those who are interested in such things, I registered under the “Foreign agent Registration Act” for several years as the Washington representative of a Lebanese industrialist, politician and philanthropist. I did this on advice of counsel because I was this man’s employee and he and I both served on the board of advisors of the US Middle East project of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City. The project sponsored papers which made policy recommendations to the US Government and thus its activities were covered by the FRA law.
Now, given Lang was at the time of the first Iraq War a: ‘Principal adviser to Secretary of Defense, Chairman of Joint Staff and President of the United States for Middle Eastern Affairs, in Habbabkuk’s humble opinion this person too is a ‘Prat’, who knows fuck all about the ME and as such his ‘opinion’ is to be dismissed as the ravings of an old man!
Believe in Christ if you want Chris, but you don’t have to copy-paste the whole Bible. Surely links with selected pertinent extracts would suffice?
I think it reflects a certain lack of sensitivity to readers.
Chris,
Very informative.
Now if only the fountain of knowledge Habbabk would throw up his CV so we can compare and contrast.
(Possibly reads like – works at the guardian for the past x years, founder of the T Blair fan club and ‘Invest in Apartheid’ foundation………………hobbies include never answering direct questions put to me………)
Very interesting Chris and much more worthy of posting than vast tracts of the thoughts of an Indian guru which appear on here from time to time.
Tell you what, Ball – I’ll post my CV and identify myself if all the Eminences do the same.
Waddya say? 🙂
Thanks for that Chris, it had to be said, and Ball, don’t waste your breath, this interloper thrives on his anonymity and excuses himself with fluff, most particulars of those he calls eminences are known here, because they all helped/or worked with Craig in one way or other.
Habby is a lost cause and he’s only got us and his imaginary beach babes in Tel Aviv.
Habbabk,
Why do I not believe you would honour that agreement?
Your track record possibly.
Ball
Nicely evaded, Sir ! 🙂
It’s not so much a question of me honoring or not honoring such an agreement than of never having to honor it – because the same Eminences who periodically ask me to give details of myself soil their pants for fear of people finding out who they are.
And the funniest thing is that those who need to know who they are already do.
Alcyone,
Given that Habbabkuk has the ability himself to source said material, and yet does not, made it necessary, rather than supplying a link, to ‘copy and paste’ details of Col. Lang – so, whilst I concur with your sentiment, I’m afraid to say those who make ‘grave accusations, based on zero knowledge and research need closing down.
Indeed, it is because our warmonger generals and leaders don’t desire information contrary to their fake assumptions that one highlighted that the Col., as with the host of this Blog, is no fool and no idiot. Obviously a lifetimes service and experience amounts to little for some. Alas, living in Asia, one is struck by the fact many here actually defer to their elders and give them respect – something that seems lost to our GCHQ Bunker shill.
Various reports have been coming in of US/UK/Israeli forces moving into Syria from Jordan,threatening Damascus from south and east, and these seem to confirm each other, Certainly some game is afoot there,seeking the long- touted dismemberment of Syria and the slaughter/driving out of Christians and Alauites, as well as Syrian gas/oil and pipeline transitthrough Deir Es Zour, with the Golan and Litani river headwaters up for grabs by the usual suspects.. A clock always showing two minutes to midnight like http://www.islamic-intelligence.blogspot.com will be right at least once.
KKC,
I’m of the opinion that those promoting some kind of ‘LARGE’ US incursion into Syria via Jordan are using hyperbole, all we know is that a few US mobile assets crossed over the Jordan border to ‘seize’ signal intelligence assets threatened by Head Choppers, although these ‘assets’ were also Head Choppers, but Head Choppers from the 60K ‘Moderate’ forces operating in Syria, which on further analysis should be 6 ‘Moderates’, 60K being a bit of an exaggeration shall we say – but we do have all the makings of another Cuban Missile Crisis’ and Putin, being a master of diplomacy, ain’t going to back down on this occasion. Most frightening!
Gilad Atzmon sees Trump’s action in Syria as just a show to prove to his electorate that he is not a Russian puppet.
‘President Trump has rejected any suggestion of a Russian connection as “ridiculous” and “fake news.” Trump could probably win the liberal press but the CIA and FBI have proved harder nuts to crack.
Trump was left with no other option. He needed a fireworks show to convey a clear image of a conflict between himself and Putin. He had to invent a war with Russia. The Mirror bought into this façade: ‘Donald Trump warned he is one step away from military clashes with Russia,’ its headline read.
It seems as if launching a missile attack on a deserted Syrian airfield while alerting the Russians in advance would convey the necessary patriotic image to the American people. It would convince the Ziocons that the White House is ready to launch WWIII on their behalf. The attack was there to convince the American people that Trump is not a Russian puppet. Shockingly enough, the liberal press was very quick to straighten line with Trump. The uniquely banal Jonathan Freedland wrote in the Guardian today “sometimes the right thing can be done by the wrong person. Donald Trump’s bombing of a Syrian airfield seems to belong in that category.” Seemingly the Guardian never misses an opportunity to rally for a Ziocon war.
The only question that has remained open is whether such a drone blitz on an abandoned Syrian airbase will convince Trump’s constituency that by now ‘America is once again great.’’
http://dissidentvoice.org/2017/04/make-america-neocon-again/
A piece by Scott Ritter, the UN weapons inspector in Iraq 1991-1998, was yesterday published by Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/syria-chemical-attack-al-qaeda-played-donald-trump_us_58ea226fe4b058f0a02fca4d
It is similar to Peter Hitchens’ Daily Mail article.
Oh goodee. Let’s saddle the NHS with yet more debt. The financiers already have us indebted to them for £billions for Major’s, Blair’s and Cameron’s PFI hospital building. Now it is proposed by Hunt and May to borrow £10bn from the hedge fund sharks because ‘rates are so low’ in order to prop up NHS finances.
‘NHS seeks £10bn cash boost from hedge funds
April 10 2017
Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, agreed not to ask for more day-to-day funding (photo)
The NHS is in talks with hedge funds about borrowing up to £10 billion to repair hospitals and beef up GP care. Health chiefs believe that low interest rates mean the NHS has a “golden opportunity” to raise money for infrastructure without relying on the chancellor.
The Times has learnt that health officials have reached the outline of an agreement with one or two hedge funds, as well as other investment companies. However, no deal can be signed without Treasury approval.
Jim Mackey, chief executive of the financial regulator NHS Improvement, is to meet Treasury officials today to urge them to sign off a round of private borrowing to create a central NHS infrastructure fund to which local services can apply.’
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/nhs-seeks-10bn-cash-boost-from-hedge-funds-rqcmm0tq8?
On the NHS Improvement Board you will find links to Price Waterhouse Cooper (over the NHS like a rash), another who ‘ founded Westminster Health Care in 1985 which he built into a leading provider of care to both the private and public sectors in the UK’ and even the ex COO of the BBC, Ms Thomson, who left with £670k in 2011 in a compensation deal in addition to her £385k salary.
I won’t go on.
https://improvement.nhs.uk/about-us/leadership/
I always thought it was the resident dissenters that were on another page. But this morning it was me. 🙂
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2017/04/the-balance-of-probabilities/comment-page-8/#comment-667525
Nice Photograph on the front page of the BBC News Blog of a WHITE HELMET person breathing through an oxygen bag,
this is about as blatant as it gets.
If he been breathing Nerve Gas, he would be able to pose for The White Helmet Photographer, unless he was already dead.
Syria war: G7 seeks united front on Assad and Russia
30 minutes ago
From the section Middle East
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39551463
In the time it took me to write that,
the BBC seem to have remove the picture of the White Helmet man
and replaced with a young child with breathing difficulties.
Even the BBC must have spotted that not everybody is gullible.
“and replaced with a young child with breathing difficulties”
Not at the moment, no. Seems to be a man with a beard?
https://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/936/cpsprodpb/1440C/production/_95565928_mediaitem95565927.jpg
White Helmet badge just showing.
Maybe the BBC have lots of pictures of people with breathing difficulties.
The point is, you do not JUST have breathing difficulties with SARIN/nerve gasses.
Turkish autopsy results show chemical weapons were used in Syria attack
International outrage continues to mount over attack in Khan Sheikhoun which killed at least 52 adults and 20 children
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-chemical-attack-turkey-autopsy-confirm-gas-attack-idlib-turkish-khan-sheikhoun-bashar-al-assad-a7669601.html
Postmortems carried out on the bodies of people who died in a suspected gas attack in Syria show the victims were exposed to chemical weapons, Turkey’s justice minister has said.
More than 30 injured people were taken for treatment across the border in Turkey after local hospitals in rebel-held Idlib were overwhelmed in the aftermath of Tuesday’s attack. Three subsequently died, Bekir Bozdag said on Thursday, blaming the Syrian government for the incident.
A statement from the Syrian foreign ministry issued on Thursday again denied responsibility, saying that the army “has not and will not use chemical weapons against our people or terrorists” and a strike had instead targeted an extremist rebel group’s weapons depot. Damascus’ allies in Moscow also said that chemical weapons use is “absolutely unacceptable”, adding that there was no objective data from which to draw conclusions that the attack had been chemical.
Michael,
To be blunt, Turkey does not have the technological capability to determine exactly what time of agent was released and caused harm to a number of civilians last week. That does not undermine a medics ability to understand a patient/survivor has been exposed to something – Chlorine being the most obvious, but to verify it was Sarin or a similar agent can only be done in two recognised facilities globally, one in the UK and the other in the USA, neither of which today has received soil, clothing or actual human tissue to test, never mind draw conclusions from – a detailed analysis of the technical requirement need was detailed on SST yesterday by way of a very long post.
The White Helmet Jihadist volunteer with an oxygen bag over his face is a brilliant ‘actor’, he’s been in several productions so far, and no doubt will go on to star in many more. Having exhausted all ’emotional’ possibilities about chlorine gas and Sarin, I think the script writers will be moving towards a more ‘nuclear holocaust’ theme, where once more the WH’s save the day – obviously, given their ‘Hero’ status, no need for any NBC equipment whatsoever – no Christians, anti-Jihadist civilians, children, infants and pregnant women will actually be ‘killed’ in the production, although some may lose the odd limb or two for added reality!
Um I am told by a pharmacology prof that it is easy to detect Sarin. What is SST ref please, so I can investigate. Thanks.
Reassuring that China is taking US spying more seriously. offering its subjects up to $58,000 for catching spies, especially tourists locating underground facilities for surprise destruction.
Guess they really wanted to talk to me when I last passed through..
Trowbridge,
If I lived in China, I’d drive straight to the nearest BBC office and grab a few of them in headlocks.
Easy money.
As far as I know there is only one BBC office in China proper, and even its own reporters have trouble getting there, whiie tourists, like the Canadian Garrets, are everywhere.
They were taking photos along the Chinese border with North Korea for the Canadian and American spy agencies, and were only finally released in Beijing’s hope of establiahing a new relation with the Trudeau government.
China is still looking for the spies who disclosed exactly where the secret facilities around Sichuan are.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39551463
Yes, it looks like the bearded White Helmets Hero is back on the front page
but interesting at the bottom of his picture the BBC says
“Wednesday’s suspected chemical attack claimed 89 lives”
So the BBC are now saying SUSPECTED CHEMICAL ATTACK
not quite the same as
“Definitely Sarin nerve gas dropped on purpose by the henchmen of the Assad Regime”
It would seem the BBC are politely rubbishing the moving positions that America is/has taken
there is now more than some doubt, seeds have been sown
BBC
The search for a unified approach to the Syria conflict after last week’s suspected chemical attack looks set to dominate talks between the G7 group of leading nations in Italy on Monday.
Foreign ministers will focus on how to pressure Russia to distance itself from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Allies will also be seeking clarity from the US on its Syria policy, after some apparently mixed messages.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson strongly criticised Russia on Sunday.
He said it had failed to prevent Syria from carrying out a chemical attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun last Wednesday which left 89 people dead.
But he also clarified there had been “no change to our military posture” in Syria following a retaliatory US strike against a Syrian airbase, and that Washington’s “first priority” in Syria was to defeat the Islamic State terror group.
Those comments came a day after the US ambassador to the United Nations said there was no way to stabilise Syria with Mr Assad as president.
“In no way do we see peace in that area with Assad as the head of the Syrian government,” Nikki Haley told NBC’s “Meet the Press”.
However, she had said last week that Mr Assad’s removal was no longer a US priority.
Michael,
Most of what you have written courtesy of the BBC is rubbish, and the views exhibited by the USA, UK or any other member of the G7 meaningless, meaningless because they have no actual ‘skin in the game’, meaning no boots on the ground – those who do have skin in the game and actual boots on the ground are the R+6 forces, which slowly have been liberating Daesh held Syrian territory and inflicting heavy loses – the next big push has to be Idlib if Daesh is to be eradicated in Syria.
Now, given the R+6 forces are both battle hardened and highly capable, prey tell whom does the G7 expect to take this force on? It certainly will not be the Saud’s or Gulf States, none of which have forces large enough or competent – they may have lots of hardware, but are unable to use it, or indeed service it without Westerners. Obviously, the twin elephants in the room are Turkey and Israel, and Israel after its bloody nose in Lebanon seems none too keen to supply boots on the ground. So, its all eyes on Turkey, which has proved a most unreliable ally of late to the Western imperialist powers.
If I see or hear another propaganda report, on the Chattanooga Express, that leaving England for China, I think I’ll scream out loud.
Apparently Britain is sending its first train load of goods (exports) to China by train, the first one leaves today.
However with Britain importing far more from China than it exports and with Brexit leaving the already debt ridden British economy on its knees, due to uncertainty, Casey Jones and the Chattanooga Choo Choo, is a convenient distraction.
Unsurprisingly over 15 EU nations already export goods to China in this way. Which begs the question what kind of tariffs will the train incur on its route through EU nations, if indeed they apply at all.
If I recall correctly, it didn’t end well for Casey Jones.
Habb.
It feels very much like a propaganda exercise, in an attempt to appease those concerned about Brexit. I’m not against the idea.
I see. And you felt an overwhelming urge to share your feeling with us as your first post of the day?
It’s nice to share, unless of course Gibraltar is in the equation. ?
Now the whole off-shore of Lebanon is METHANE rich but Israel thinks it should belong to Israel.
At least six people have been killed and 35 others wounded in clashes inside a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon since Friday, medics say.
The fighting erupted when a joint security force deployed by the main Palestinian factions in Ein el-Hilweh came under fire from radical Islamists.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39552222
Established in 1948 near the city of Sidon, Ein el-Hilweh is the largest of the 12 Palestinian camps in Lebanon.
The UN says more than 54,000 registered refugees live there, but one recent estimate put the population at closer to 120,000.
Ein el-Hilweh, which like the other camps falls outside the jurisdiction of the Lebanese security services, has been plagued in recent months by deadly clashes between the various armed groups operating there.
Last week, the largest factions in the camp formed a joint force in an attempt “to bring security to it”, a local Fatah commander told the NNA.
Maybe TRUMP will bomb
The Lebanon?
Welcome to the Lebanon International Oil & Gas Summit
http://www.liog-summit.com/?gclid=CKqpkqn3mdMCFYY_Gwodu4oH1w
The 3rd Lebanon International Oil & Gas Summit (LIOG) will take place on 9-10th May 2017 at the Hilton Beirut Habtoor Grand, held under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy and Water, Lebanon.
Launched in 2012 to support Lebanon’s initial findings and to explore the potential of the country’s hydrocarbon resources, the Lebanon International Oil & Gas Summit (LIOG) provides THE meeting place for industry executives and experts to gain invaluable insight to the opportunities presented in Lebanon; the challenges and the road ahead for companies and investors.
Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Energy and Water, in collaboration with the Lebanon Petroleum Administration, with endorsement from the International Gas Union, the 2nd LIOG Summit, was a huge success welcoming 431 delegates from over 25 different countries and over 150 participating companies.
Testimonials
“Halliburton is proud to be sponsoring LIOG 2013 this year, Lebanon is a rapidly developing oil and gas market and the organisers of LIOG are working hand and hand with the Lebanese government to ensure LIOG offers a cutting edge programme and speaker line up. We’re very much looking forward to the event in December.”
Iain Dowell – Area Manager, Eastern Mediterranean – Halliburton
Lebanon issues terms for first offshore licensing round
http://www.offshore-mag.com/articles/2017/02/lebanon-issues-terms-for-first-licensing-round.html
BEIRUT, Lebanon – The Lebanese Council of Ministers has approved two decrees needed to complete the country’s first offshore licensing round.
The first decree divides the Lebanese Exclusive Economic Zone into 10 blocks and delimits their coordinates, while the second presents the tender protocol (TP) that defines the conditions for participating in the round, the criteria applied in the bids evaluation, and the model exploration and production agreement (EPA) that the state will sign with the successful consortium.
Yes Greece, Libya, Egypt, Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Cyprus could be in line for a Klondike time,
if they are allowed to keep their own Hydrocarbons, IF
michael,
Did you know there is a Palestinian Refugee camp in Aleppo City.
From R & U (Russian guy but on the front lines) channel on youtube the camp must be in the north of the city beside the Kurdish enclave. Did some serious fighting against the ‘moderates’ liberating the city.
So the SAA (majority Sunni which dispels the myth this war is sectarian on the SAA side), the Kurd’s, the Palestinians, Hezbollah, Iran and Russia removed the ‘moderates’ AQ, Al-Sham and their friends the White Helmets from Aleppo to Idlib.
Once Aleppo was liberated the Russians sent in the Chechen’s as military police (understanding Islamic custom etc) to restore law and order. I wonder will the US do the same in Mosul or leave a vacuum once again for carnage and sectarianism to follow?
The West – removing secularism in the ME one country at a time.