Syria

Syria has really been in the news lately, and one can’t be blamed for having some flashbacks to 10 years ago. Obviously a lot has changed since then, particularly the people that are playing the game. The theatre however remains pretty much the same, only having moved over the border from Iraq to Syria.

There are a number of areas to look at here.

1. The situation in Syria
It is clear that Bachar el-Assad is not a good leader, and the country and its people are suffering. Ever since the beginning of the Arabic Spring started in North Africa, bringing to an end the old regimes in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, it has seemed obvious that Bachar’s days as a leader are counted. In the beginning I actually thought he would have the intelligence to leave “peacefully”, avoiding a civil war, however that soon changed. Instead, the el-Assad regime seems determined to remain there at any cost, or die trying. To add to the situation, the regime is supported by Iran as well as that shithead Nasralla and his Hezbolla lunatics in bordering Lebanon. Historically Russia has always provided support to Syria, and continues to do so still today.

However, in my opinion, the current alternative is not really any better. In fact, I would warrant that it is probably even worst given that the opposition is really being driven by fanatical Muslim extremists. We have seen what a disaster the Muslim Brotherhood created in Egypt, as they are pretty much back to square one there. Libya has become a very volatile area since the death of Kadhafi, with various Muslim extremist factions trying to gain power. Tunisia is also struggling with the Muslim trying to impose their law there as well. Syria has become a playground for any extremist group, and certainly Al Qaida has gotten a firm foothold amongst the opposition.

To be honest, when the chemical bomb strikes were made a little while back, it seemed very strange to me that the el-Assad regime would do that. Sure, there are probably some idiots at the top there too, but it just didn’t really seem to make any sense. They would know for sure that using chemical weapons would bring the ire of the west upon them. This may not seem as particularly frightening as often the west hesitates so long before actually doing anything, and then they very rarely get around to doing something in the end. Still, getting the rest of the world pissed off at you does not help, and using such weapons at home would then only make the opposition even more determined to fight you. On the other hand, the savagery that the opposition has shown so far certainly goes in line with trying a stunt like this in order to put the blame on Bachar. These extremists don’t care any more about the people of Syria than Bachar does, and so pulling a stunt like using chemical weapons and blaming it on Bachar is right up their alley.

2. The Media
I am not really sure what game is being played in the media (if any). For the most part we are greeted by updates on the atrocities that the Syrian army is inflicting on the population. Sometimes there are news about advances made by the opposition, and there is an impression that the end may be near for the current regime.

However, sometimes we also get updates on atrocities that the opposition is also inflicting on the population as well as the army. It does seem though as if these are rapidly removed from the pertinent news feeds, and such stories are never really developed. A perfect example of this, and probably the most pertinent example right now, is the recent release of a Belgian hostage that was released by the rebels. Apart from speaking of the very tough conditions of his detention, he has also provided information that the chemical attacks were in fact (allegedly) conducted by the rebels in an attempt to push the West in supporting them in bringing down Bachar. This piece of news although first reported, quickly dropped down in importance. The news is certainly still available, but is perhaps not receiving the coverage it should. It would help in corroborating what Russia is now also saying, and perhaps the fact that Russia has made such claims it will now gain more coverage.

3. The US (and France)
Obama is obviously in a very tough spot right now. He sorely needs for the US to assert itself as the supporter of just causes, and the punisher of evil doers. The recent NSA/Snowden scandal has shaken things up, and the rest of the world is really getting fed up with arrogance of the US wanting to be able to control everything (I am personally livid about all this, but will leave that for another bitching post). With the evidence of chemical attacks coming out, they are pretty much obliged to step in and doing something. His initial reaction was forceful; saying that if proof surfaced that there had indeed been chemical weapons used the US would strike in Syria. Now that the proof seems to be there, either the US does indeed strike or they will be losing considerable credibility. On the other hand, if they strike the wrong side, the result could be catastrophic.

France’s idiot president has also seen an opening here to assert himself on the world scene, and quickly announced that France would also strike against the Syrian regime. They have however backed off a bit since, especially as the situation is far from clear there. As with anything he does, he does not seem to have a clue of what is going on, and it appears he is really just playing president. Every time I see him speak, I get the impression that he is really just listening to himself, trying to put on the image that he believes a president should have, mostly based on how he once saw Mitterand.

4. Russia
Putin has been playing this one really well, and in the last few days seems to have totally gained the upper hand on Obama. By continuing to stand against any strikes in Syria, together with China, he was annoying the rest of the world for some time. However, with the most recent developments the situation has really taken a 180° turn.

By proposing to send teams to investigate the chemical weapons, and then ultimately securing and/or destroying these stocks, and having this proposal accepted by the Bachar regime, the whole western strike potential has been diffused. He has essentially offered an exit door to Obama and Hollande, and is now also pushing through the idea that it was probably the rebels that were behind the chemical attacks. In one swift move he has placed himself at the head of the world table, with the US and France owing him a major debt. I expect that he will be cashing in on this debt with enormous pleasure.

This is probably enough for now. If anybody is still reading, then well done! I just needed to vent…

Breaking news!!!
Obama preparing to attack Henrik for vent-bombing...  

BTW Hen: do you use DragonSpeak or some such? That's a lot of typing otherwise.
Just curious...

No, I actually enjoy typing. Well,I prefer writing with a proper fountain pen, but typing is not bad. You should see all the shit I have typed but never posted!

Henrik wrote:You should see all the shit I have typed but never posted!

So...you WERE T3...!!  

Back off-topic:
Putin had to play a blinder.
He had that much "International" pressure stacking-up behind him due to "his" homophobic / "anti-gay" stance, reported during the Olympic coverage.

So - one month "Bad Wolf".
Next month - "Good Wolf".

Bi-polar wolf perchance?

Can't wait to see if all of this diplomacy is actually going to work...
'Cos if it doesn't, then we're fucked:
Military Strikes ain't gonna work neither know-how....

Perhaps double-negatives and/or split infinitives might?

No.
That used to hurt, getting wrapped over the knuckles for even broaching those subjects at skool...

Lessons in History

1 Early 70's Some Arab/Muslim countries started to get rich after nationalising their countries oil production.

2 The Shah of Iran told the 1976/7 Non Aligned Conference that Israel could be forced to hand back lands taken in the Six Day War (1966) and Yom Kippur war (1973/4) without firing a shot. All that was needed was for the newly rich Arab/Muslim countries to provide plane, tanks and armaments to all the countries surrounding/near too, Israel. Israel would be unable to purchase sufficient arms to defend itself from the "possible" threat and would be forced into peace negotiations where the Arabs/Muslims would hold the upper hand.

3 In 1978 the move to overthrow the Shah was started and he was exiled in 1979 and Iran was led by Islamic Rabble.

4 In 1980 a war started between the two most powerful countries in the Middle East (Iraq and Iran). Money from Kuwait and Saudi flooded into Iraq to help the war effort (because those two countries were shit scared of Iran) and america, France and Britain supplied arms (including the gas/chemicals that were used to kill the Kurds in 1988) and intelligence into Iraq.

5 During the the next 8 years Trillions of $'s were spent by the "newly rich" Arab/Muslim countries on arms sold by america, France and Britain (which made Mark Thatcher very rich, but that is a different story).

6 1988 At the end of the Iraq/Iran war, american technology was sold to Kuwait to allow horizontal drilling into Iraq's Oil fields and at the same time the Kuwaitis demanded the money given (unconditionally) during the Iraq Iran war was paid back.

7 1989 Saddam complained to the americans about the horizontal drilling.

8 1990 Iraq were told by american embassy officials (Madeleine Albright?) that he had the right to confront Kuwait about the horizontal drilling.

9 In 1990 Saddam invaded Kuwait and america expressed their outrage and led a war against Saddam, led by the father of the idiot George W Bush.

10 In 1991 the forces led by the father of the idiot George W Bush, won a very one-sided-war against Iraq, a war in which the forces led by the father of the idiot George W Bush used chemical weapons (including depleted uranium and napalm).

11 During the next 10 years the americans, overjoyed to have found a country they could defeat and humiliate, continued with the war propaganda and the newly rich Arab/Muslim countries continued to spend billions of $'s on arms deal with america and Britain.

12 During the same 10 year Israel committed atrocity after atrocity against the indigenous Palestinians (using, on many occasions chemical weapons) and building settlements on disputed land.

13 2000/2001 Under Arial Sharon the atrocities against Palestinian civilians and prisoners increased to such and extent that international pressure was at an unprecedented height and their were calls for Sharon to be tried for war crimes at the Hague.

14 2001 The Twin Towers in New York are attacked and the first pictures we see from the Jewish led american TV station are of Palestinians celebrating (we don't know what they were celebrating, they were just pictured celebrating).

15 As well as the Twin Towers in NY, the Pentagon was attacked, amazingly, for such a high profile building, this attack was not recorded on any of the Pentagons CCTV, there was one video released but it was doctored to make it appear a plane was involved (see 3 minutes into this video ) we do not know about other CCTV coverage in the surrounding area because all CCTV recordings were handed over to the authorities and have never been made public. There was another plane that was reportedly hijacked and some brave amerian heroes tackled the hijackers and overwhelmed them, unfortunately this did not stop the plane from crashing into the ground with such force almost all of the plane and all of the passengers were vaporised, on a good note, the American heroes did manage to telephone their loved ones and tell them of their heroic deeds.
To be continued

I knew I could get you to respond! It's always good to get a reminder of what really went down before. The whole chemical weapons thing now in Syria so reminded me of how the US suddenly came down on Saddam for using chemical weapons when they were the ones who had initially supplied them.

Syria is really making Americans scratching their heads. Only like 25% back using force. The rest of us are looking at Obama and asking why we are getting involved. He can't even take it to a vote in Congress because he knows he will lose. People simply don't care, don't want to spend the money, or don't see how this impacts their lives.

To me it looks like this. We have Assad, Iran, and Russia vs the Muslim Brotherhood, and terrorists. You will never have a winner no matter the outcome. Our best bet is to stay out, and let their neighbors fix it.

As for our mishandling, Obama looks like amateur hour on the world stage. Putin is bitch slapping him all over the place.

Hopefully this will really put the final Nail in Obamas coffin. Syria, with Obamacare imploding every minute, and his financial mishandlings should make even his biggest supporter back away and declare him a lame duck.