I was doing a little Googling to get some definitions of who exactly the different Middle East players were while reading this post. Strangely enough wiki has Assad listed and defined as the “former ruler of Syria, deposed in December 2024”. Did I miss something or is wiki, as we know it is, wishing and hoping, rather than being honest.
Militarily, Russia helps the Syrian army with the air force, which is based at Khmeimim. And we help the Syrian army to counter the attacks of terrorists. What is the forecast? I cannot guess. We are not in the business of guessing.
But my point is I am not in the business of guessing what is going to happen. We are trying to do everything not to allow terrorists to prevail, even if they say that they are no longer terrorists.
And there is a series of ideas which we want to put into practice to keep Syria territorially integral and united while ensuring security of the border, which has been porous for terrorist attacks on the territory of Türkiye.
And the last point, human rights. This you cannot interrupt. Article 1 of the United Nations Charter says you must respect human rights of everybody irrespective of race, gender, language or religion.
"Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad. Russia, because they are so tied up in Ukraine, and with the loss there of over 600,000 soldiers, seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria, a country they have protected for years. This is where former President Obama refused to honor his commitment of protecting the RED LINE IN THE SAND, and all hell broke out, with Russia stepping in. But now they are, like possibly Assad himself, being forced out, and it may actually be the best thing that can happen to them. There was never much of a benefit in Syria for Russia, other than to make Obama look really stupid. In any event, Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!"
How many problems are there with this statement? What did Trump do while in office regarding Syria? Did he withdraw our troops? Talking is not the same as action. He damn well better withdraw our troops from Syria immediately upon inauguration.
Ugh. I won't enumerate the problems. No benefit for Russia in Syria? That level of ignorance (if it is ignorance) is scary. As for us not "getting" involved - that would have been nice - but we ARE involved and have been for quite some time (like decades). Doesn't Trump remember ISIS? I thought that was one of his biggest foreign policy achievments. How was ISIS then different than HTS now?
Sickening and appalling that we (our AngloZi friends, plus Turkey) are participating in the destruction of early Christianity and its “pluralistic” civilization, going along with the imposition of Sharia and brutality towards the various co-existing religious groups, while at the very same time Notre Dame de Paris emerges like the phoenix from the ashes. Who are we kidding?
If the government of France suppresses Christianity and subjugates Christians in France why should it care about them in Syria? (Not meaning to pick on France, the same can be said throughout Western Europe).
The idea that Lutnick, et al. carried out a stealthy neocon coup in the transition is laughable. Trump could not have been unaware of what was happening. Remember, he said he would be on guard against it this time. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I’m sure there are people around him telling him the truth, but he has chosen otherwise. This is infuriating. Trump has betrayed us.
Don Jr. explicitly said that they'd be watching out to avoid Neocons, and presumably Don Jr. has the Big Guy's ear. After all, the reliable word out is that Don Jr. persuaded him to go with Vance. So, no, I don't think this was stealthy. Putting Lutnick and Wiles in place was probably the price of donations--and that would have been only part of the concessions.
The only acceptable form of government in Syria, following the removal of Assad and his minions, is an Islamic Emirate governed by sharia.
Daniel McAdams @DanielLMcAdams
Fascinating that Trump calls them "opposition fighters" when in fact they are on the US terrorist list. They are al-Qaeda in Syria. Someone has Trump's ear and is pumping him full of lies.
"Someone has Trump's ear and is pumping him full of lies."
Someone like Gríma Wormtongue, who, in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, was the chief counsellor at the court of King Théoden of Rohan. Bought by the corrupted Wizard Saruman, Gríma became Saruman's mole in the King's court and worked to weaken Rohan.
Wormtongue weakened King Théoden, poisoning his mind and body with his deceitful counsels and false remedies.
Russia's FM Sergey #Lavrov at the 22nd Doha Forum session:
 It’s inadmissible to allow the terrorist groups to take control of the lands [in #Syria] in violation of agreements which exist starting with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
SDF [Kurdish] Press: Tabqa Military Council thwart the attacks on the village of Hanaya in southern Manbij countryside
During the clashes, at least 27 Turkish-backed terrorists were killed
I assume you're referencing an earlier blog whereby Mark or someone referenced the Turkish aligned forces incursion into Syria similar to the Uke's foray into Kursk region?
I was doing a little Googling to get some definitions of who exactly the different Middle East players were while reading this post. Strangely enough wiki has Assad listed and defined as the “former ruler of Syria, deposed in December 2024”. Did I miss something or is wiki, as we know it is, wishing and hoping, rather than being honest.
You and Wiki are on different email lists.
I guess they were right.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s answers to questions
at the 22th Doha Forum, 07 December 2024
https://mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1986144/
Militarily, Russia helps the Syrian army with the air force, which is based at Khmeimim. And we help the Syrian army to counter the attacks of terrorists. What is the forecast? I cannot guess. We are not in the business of guessing.
But my point is I am not in the business of guessing what is going to happen. We are trying to do everything not to allow terrorists to prevail, even if they say that they are no longer terrorists.
And there is a series of ideas which we want to put into practice to keep Syria territorially integral and united while ensuring security of the border, which has been porous for terrorist attacks on the territory of Türkiye.
its a good read covers and variety of topics
And the last point, human rights. This you cannot interrupt. Article 1 of the United Nations Charter says you must respect human rights of everybody irrespective of race, gender, language or religion.
Erdogan must have much confidence in his F-35 orders coming through Congress cleanly.
Here's the latest from Trump on Syria
https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1865434273953509462
"Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad. Russia, because they are so tied up in Ukraine, and with the loss there of over 600,000 soldiers, seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria, a country they have protected for years. This is where former President Obama refused to honor his commitment of protecting the RED LINE IN THE SAND, and all hell broke out, with Russia stepping in. But now they are, like possibly Assad himself, being forced out, and it may actually be the best thing that can happen to them. There was never much of a benefit in Syria for Russia, other than to make Obama look really stupid. In any event, Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!"
How many problems are there with this statement? What did Trump do while in office regarding Syria? Did he withdraw our troops? Talking is not the same as action. He damn well better withdraw our troops from Syria immediately upon inauguration.
“Russia, because they are so tied up in Ukraine, and with the loss there of over 600,000 soldiers…”
And he has the nerve to say Obama looks “really stupid.”
Do you recall that when he was President he tried to get us out of Syria?
Don’t forget, Mattis and others, lied and told him the troops were out or only a handful, and not the 7000 actually there.
Ugh. I won't enumerate the problems. No benefit for Russia in Syria? That level of ignorance (if it is ignorance) is scary. As for us not "getting" involved - that would have been nice - but we ARE involved and have been for quite some time (like decades). Doesn't Trump remember ISIS? I thought that was one of his biggest foreign policy achievments. How was ISIS then different than HTS now?
Michael Tracy, my favorite fair-minded liberal, takes Trump to the woodshed for these statements.
Mark, don’t know if you caught this post on Moon by Craig Murray who is in Beirut:
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2024/12/craig-murray-the-end-of-pluralism-in-the-middle-east-.html#more
Sickening and appalling that we (our AngloZi friends, plus Turkey) are participating in the destruction of early Christianity and its “pluralistic” civilization, going along with the imposition of Sharia and brutality towards the various co-existing religious groups, while at the very same time Notre Dame de Paris emerges like the phoenix from the ashes. Who are we kidding?
Weren't they going to turn Notre Dame into a theme park? I haven't been following things to see what came of this:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10246695/Notre-Dame-turned-woke-theme-park.html
If the government of France suppresses Christianity and subjugates Christians in France why should it care about them in Syria? (Not meaning to pick on France, the same can be said throughout Western Europe).
Not only did I catch it, but I quoted it in the previous thread. :-)
Guilty as charged!
touche'
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/how-the-neocons-won-the-transition/
How the Neocons Won the Transition
The glimmers of hope for the incoming administration seem to be fading.
The idea that Lutnick, et al. carried out a stealthy neocon coup in the transition is laughable. Trump could not have been unaware of what was happening. Remember, he said he would be on guard against it this time. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I’m sure there are people around him telling him the truth, but he has chosen otherwise. This is infuriating. Trump has betrayed us.
Don Jr. explicitly said that they'd be watching out to avoid Neocons, and presumably Don Jr. has the Big Guy's ear. After all, the reliable word out is that Don Jr. persuaded him to go with Vance. So, no, I don't think this was stealthy. Putting Lutnick and Wiles in place was probably the price of donations--and that would have been only part of the concessions.
Way too early to call the result.
ISLAMIC EMIRATE OF SHAM:
The only acceptable form of government in Syria, following the removal of Assad and his minions, is an Islamic Emirate governed by sharia.
Daniel McAdams @DanielLMcAdams
Fascinating that Trump calls them "opposition fighters" when in fact they are on the US terrorist list. They are al-Qaeda in Syria. Someone has Trump's ear and is pumping him full of lies.
"Someone has Trump's ear and is pumping him full of lies."
Someone like Gríma Wormtongue, who, in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, was the chief counsellor at the court of King Théoden of Rohan. Bought by the corrupted Wizard Saruman, Gríma became Saruman's mole in the King's court and worked to weaken Rohan.
Wormtongue weakened King Théoden, poisoning his mind and body with his deceitful counsels and false remedies.
you must be watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy on TNT today. I know I am.
YPG [Kurdish] spokesperson: 40% of Syrian Territory is under control of SDF
Russia's FM Sergey #Lavrov at the 22nd Doha Forum session:
 It’s inadmissible to allow the terrorist groups to take control of the lands [in #Syria] in violation of agreements which exist starting with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
SDF [Kurdish] Press: Tabqa Military Council thwart the attacks on the village of Hanaya in southern Manbij countryside
During the clashes, at least 27 Turkish-backed terrorists were killed
Seems incredible how many times Russia’s intelligence drops the ball. Not seeing the Kursk buildup was an eye opener.
I assume you're referencing an earlier blog whereby Mark or someone referenced the Turkish aligned forces incursion into Syria similar to the Uke's foray into Kursk region?
Why on earth would Russia trust Erdogan?
He is as agreement incapable as the United States.
The Russians have to keep trying because, unlike the U.S., the Turks have actual leverage on Russia — the Dardanelles.
He makes them fine - he just doesn't keep them.