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Sarcastic Cynical Texan's avatar

If there is something or another to be gained by Blackrock et al, by the fall of Assad's regime, might that explain a whole lot of recent events?

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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

Yes, as Grape Soda suggests below this has been the prevailing [but one of] the back stories to the pivot to the ME. This is part of the scramble for scarce resources. Blackrock gains through their holdings in all the vested interests of those who can exploit the situation.

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Dec 7
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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

Yes, Israel wants to control the land and profit from the oil and the tolls they would collect for transport. This would harm and weaken Egypt.

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AmericanCardigan's avatar

I struggle to understand how this anti-Assad coalition is going to stick together. Especially after Erdogan gets slapped around by the Arabs, Iran, and Russia. Once Turkey backs off some, I don't think the multitude of factions will stick.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

It is difficult to figure.

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Tamsin's avatar

Crooke writes "It is a return to the old formula of Zbig Brzezenski: Promise Putin normalisation with U.S. (and Europe) and full sanctions relief, and pull Russia back into the western sphere – severed from a besieged China and Iran..."

Lavrov touched on the cold, hard fact that Russia was very open to joining the western sphere when the Soviet Union dissolved, first with Yeltsin and Clinton, and continuing with Putin and GWB, but after all the water under the bridge... is not now open. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

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Dec 7
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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

It was a wealth grab based on greed and revenge.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

MenchOsint @MenchOsint

 Russian FM Lavrov to Tucker Carlson:

The information [on who's backing terrorist groups in Syria] which is being floated and mentions among others the Americans, the Brits.

Some people say that Israel is interested in making this situation aggravate. So that Gaza is not under very close scrutiny.

...The Americans in the east of Syria groom some Kurdish separatists using the profits from oil and grain sold, the resources which they occupy.

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NFO's avatar
Dec 6Edited

Sadly, there was once a time, not too long ago, when pointed assertions like these from a well-established, senior diplomat of a foreign adversary would elicit direct, line-by-line responses from the USG. Today, with the regime acting so lawlessly worldwide (making all of the above largely true), they don't feel the need to bother, and will simply ignore, brushing aside anything and everything the Russians say as disinformation and the messenger, Carlson, as an agent thereof.

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Dec 7
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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

No change will occur until the pain we feel is felt by our leaders and elites.

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Dec 6
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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

Who owns the NYT and does it benefit them and those they gaslight to give ant reference to Lavrov and Russia?

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ML's avatar

…and yet the darling of Ivy elites, with knowledge of French, John Kerry, was our last great diplomat! On Danny Davis Deep Dive, he showed a clip of Kerry from 2015 (practically 10 yrs ago!) in which Kerry tells of his very positive and productive meeting with Lavrov and how crucial it is to communicate and to meet face to face with our adversaries…Mon Dieu! Davis seemed visibly struck by Kerry’s words as we now lurch forward with zero words exchanged between our pathetically ill-trained and impolite Blinken and the worldly, seasoned and sagacious Lavrov! Even the craggy New England-faced Kerry, climatologue extraordinaire, fulfilled his role as a diplomat.

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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

Just barely, ML and not very well.

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Dec 6
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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

An actor dressed for the part he read his lines well and the seals of the left applauded with zeal.

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ML's avatar

Hélas!

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D F Barr's avatar

The msm acts as if they don’t report on it or mention it, then it didn’t happen. It simply doesn’t exist. They operate in the world of narratives, and not reality. Very Mr. Rodger’s like the Land of Make Believe.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

My guess is that this will isolate Turkey in the Muslim world:

Mintel World @mintelworld

#BreakingNews | Turkish President Erdoğan: Idlib, Hama, Homs and of course the target is Damascus. This march of the opposition continues. We hope that this march in Syria continues without any incident or trouble

We extended our hand to Bashar Assad, but he did not respond

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It's Just Me's avatar

Thanks for the interesting piece.

This gets beyond my expertise so I will only ask, is this a situation in which the 'success' of weakening Syria causes unforeseen consequences to the detriment of the US and Israel? In other words, ala Pottery Barn, you broke it, you own it.

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ML's avatar

Except we break but don’t own. Very dangerous powder keg…

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It's Just Me's avatar

Thanks for the reply. What you said is what I am thinking.

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Ray-SoCa's avatar

Simplicius has an in depth article. Unfortunately I’m not a paid subscriber for the really good stuff.

https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/syrian-crisis-analysis-saa-on-verge?

Reminds me of Isis rapid advance against a corrupt Iraqi military, that was quickly defeated by U.S. forces once Trump let them win.

Alistair crook makes a good point:

Russians are emerging from it indisputably triumphant, and more powerful on the world stage than they have been since the peak of Soviet strength decades ago”.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

Thanks. Good article.

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NFO's avatar

Russia and China just ordered all civilian nationals to evacuate Syria. Following article makes it sound like evac is out of fear of HTS overrun, but could also very well mean that Russia is going to step its response up considerably:

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/russia-china-tell-their-citizens-evacuate-syria-immediately

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Mark Wauck's avatar

Time will tell. There are multiple reports that Russia is planning a major increase of air power to Syria. So far their response--including anti-ship missile drills off the coast of Syria--doesn't suggest a cut and run.

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Dec 7
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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

What they won't do is tell the truth. They are paid and bribed to put forth the prevailing narrative.

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Dec 7
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Piquet's avatar

"...think about how ridiculous this is when there are literally dead NATO troops in Russia."

There, fixed it for you.

You have watched too many action movies that must wrap up the plot in three hours or less.

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Dec 6
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Mark Wauck's avatar

"I have many well-educated and successful Jewish friends and not one of them that I know of supports AIPAC, or the 'Deep State' or is part of any kind of Jewish power conspiracy, secret or otherwise. Many are largely apolitical, but some have political opinions, which are often in sympathy with the views expressed by Donald Trump, if not always in sympathy with his personal behavior or personality. Some, of course, are still on the other team."

Fair enough. How do they react when you raise the issue of genocide against Palestinians, the Nakba, the Israel Lobby, etc.?

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Dec 6
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Mark Wauck's avatar

But I didn't ask whether they're appalled by the Netanyahu government, which is a general sentiment. I asked specifically:

How do they react when you raise the issue of genocide against Palestinians, the Nakba, the Israel Lobby, etc.?

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Dec 6
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AmericanCardigan's avatar

It's actually Rogan too offered up as a Russian sympathizer.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

Yeah, Benz gets into so much. Like, also, his explanation of how USAID fits into the Deep State and is so important. It's easy to understand why they had to get rid of Trump.

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AmericanCardigan's avatar

Yep referenced as a "soft coup" generally. Benz speaks of legal scholars, crowd sourcing etc.. very similar to Soros approach to funding DA's all over.

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