translation: Tatzhit Mikhailovich
In the media, we often see stories about people from all around the world joining ISIS, for one reason or another. At the same time, almost nothing is known about those who are fighting this plague. We talked to Michel Mizah, a 25-year-old citizen of Russia and Syria, who recently returned from Damascus, where he fought in the “Shabiha” pro-government paramilitary units.
He told us what the Syrians think about the war, President Bashar Assad, the Islamic state, and the future.
– Why did you decide to go to Syria?
– My father is from Syria, and there we still have a lot of relatives with whom we talk to on a daily basis, basically living in two countries at once. We are Christians. My second cousin is fighting in the Syrian army, my uncle and aunt, civilians, were killed in 2012 in Kalamun.
So, each time I saw the news, I was plagued by vague uneasiness… For three years, I wanted to go there, but something always got in the way – wife, job, etc. Only now, everything came together, and I was able to go.
– When the “Arab Spring” had just begun, how did your family react?
– At first, my family sympathized with the protesters. But then it became obvious that the hardliners among the secular opposition work in the interests of Turkey and the Arab monarchies. Plus the course for Islamization was visible early on, and that was a concern.
Like pretty much all normal people, my family, my friends and everyone I know in Syria are strongly against Wahhabis and religious extremism in general.
In Syria, the war is not against Assad, but against civilization itself. ISIS literally keeps slaves, crucifies people, introduces medieval taxes for Christians and kills Shiites and Alawites on the spot…
Do you, personally, want to live according to Sharia law, where you would be killed for smoking or alcohol, and beaten with sticks in the town square for wearing narrow jeans? Neither do we!
And we know that would happen, if Damascus falls. In Raqqa, it’s already like that, the locals tell us. There are still buses traveling, so we know the alternative to Assad very well.
In Damascus, I met a girl, she was only 20 years old, and she spent the last three months in ISIS slavery. One of their commanders bought her as a concubine, and when he died, she was “inherited” by his successor … Relatives barely managed to buy her back.
– Did you know where you’ll be going to in Damascus, was there someone waiting for you?
– Of course. About two months before departure, through a friend of the family, I got in touch with my future unit commander in “Shabiha”. This is the same “Shabiha”, which the UN in 2012, accused of “crimes against humanity”.
In general, over two months, I told him about myself: Who am I, what can I do, why do I want to come, and so on … And he explained what is going on over there, what I would do, and lots more.
I would have joined the army, but my turn for mobilization comes last, since I am the only breadwinner in the family, and you can’t simply go there for a short time. My cousin is there for three years, and he can’t even see his family, because the frontline is constantly very hot.
– Your militia, did it include only Syrians, or was it an international team?
– People come from Lebanon and Iran, because they understand that if Syria falls, they are next. They send us military advisers and weapons … The whole “Shiite axis of evil” supports us!
As for the rest of the world, I have not seen fighters from there… It seemed to me that the Embassy of Syria in Russia does not approve of such things. Perhaps this is due to the rumors about the so-called “Russian Legion”, which a few years ago was hired by some company in St. Pete to fight for Assad [officially, to guard some pipeline or other – ed.]. But when they arrived in Damascus, the Russian diplomats protested, and the “legionnaires” were sent back home, a few were prosecuted for mercenary activities [- it’s legal by Russian law to fight in a foreign war, but not to make money from it – ed.].
In general, joining the fight for Syria is only possible if one has Syrian citizenship, or there is some agreement between governments. But the Islamists – they flock to attack Syria from all corners of the world.
– What were your impressions of Damascus?
– I arrived at the international airport of Damascus, and the first thing I saw was a great number of soldiers and militiamen. But civil life goes on, in downtown people walk the streets without fear, despite periodic mortar attacks.
In Christian areas, the situation is slightly more complicated, but there stores and such are still working. My squad was based in one such area, in the north-eastern outskirts of Damascus, opposite the opposition-controlled district of Duma, which is entirely occupied by the Islamists. It was always populated by religious radicals, so no one was surprised when it turned out to be a hotbed of militant extremism.
However, by the time I arrived, the area had long been under siege and the enemy had no way to escape, so my war was relatively easy, compared with what is happening in the north of Syria…
– When they say “militia”, one imagines a motley crowd, differently dressed and armed. Is that how “Shabiha” is?
– No, of course. On the first day, I was issued standard army gear, got mission briefings, and went to our positions. There is plenty of food, too – well, if you can eat much with all the stress…
The cooking is all local cuisine, meat, beans, various sweets. A pack of cigarettes is given per two days, but they are really strong, so that it is enough. Plus locals brought us food every day, “Shabiha” and the army are their last hope.
Perhaps, in some towns, where the locals have gathered all uniforms and weapons available, contacted the army and said that their unit is now part of the militia, there may be some supply shortages, but in Damascus everything is great in that respect. But the militia are not paid, instead Assad gives all sorts of benefits to their families.
– What is the overall relationship between the army and militia?
– Militia obeys the army. The opposition likes to paint “Shabiha” as barbarians, which the government merely nominally controls, and militia use their status only to rob and rape … This has nothing to do with the truth.
Of course, civilians may be killed by government troops. Unfortunately, that is the reality of fighting in the city. Sometimes such things are unavoidable, especially since Islamists hide behind civilians. But if we really killed everyone who supported the enemy, the Duma district would have been destroyed long ago – simply leveled with tanks in a single day, like some hotheads have been saying for a long time already.
But Assad doesn’t want that – quite the contrary, he even continues to pay salaries to municipal officials in ISIS-controlled towns. Because we don’t want genocide, our task is to reunite the country. Therefore, before each mission, we were told that we should not shoot at civilians under any circumstances. If a civilian dies, there is always an investigation and, if necessary, a court-martial.
– Can you give more detail about the relationship between “Shabiha” and the army?
– Army assigns missions, provides all the necessary intel, support, and so on. Provides us with instructors.
With the permission of Assad, “Hezbollah” is training militias where the army cannot. Perhaps, in remote settlements, militia aren’t always “on call”, but if they do not communicate at all, their unit would not be considered part of the militia.
In other words, the militia is a natural extension of the army. Communication is done via unit commanders. All requests are reviewed by the army and the civil administration, if necessary. Nothing is done on a whim.
For example, if the militia decides that it is necessary to demolish a house for their defense plan, we must first obtain a permit from the city authorities. Of course, occasionally there is no time, but then you have to make a full report after the fact.
As for [the men themselves], my commander fought in the army for 4 years a sergeant, was wounded and went to the militia. In general, the militia is staffed by volunteers, and those who fight with distinction can be transferred to the army.
– 21 of us all told. Despite the fact that the units should be formed on from local residents, we had three Christians from Aleppo, two Druze guys who fled to Damascus from ISIS and joined the militia, and one Lebanese volunteer.
There’s a very strong atmosphere of military brotherhood, so we did not have any religious differences, hazing, or anything like that. Everyone knows who our enemy is, and all the anger goes there. Among us, there were a couple people who at the beginning of the “Arab Spring” took part in anti-government demonstrations, but now Assad for them is something like a prophet. And it’s like that everywhere.
Before I went to Syria, I thought all those slogans in Soviet war movies, like “For Motherland! For Stalin!” were just fiction for TV. But in Damascus, I personally saw people charging into battle shouting “God! Syria! Bashar!”, “Our blood and soul for you, Bashar!”, and so on.
– What is the main problem of the militia?
– The militia did not emerge from great love [for citizen soldiers], but because of the need for something to fill the gaps, when in the early years of the war the army lost most of the men.
Now they can maneuver, and we keep the positions taken. For example, we spent a week sit in a building which more or less “wedged” into the Islamist positions.
I do not know which organization those extremists were – perhaps ISIS, or maybe some other one. It is not really important, because they are constantly migrating from one organization to another anyway.
– So, you got sent to the frontline on your first day? Did the commander test your abilities?
– Yeah, a funny story happened there… Back in the day, I took [ROTC course] in Syria, where I was designated a sniper. But while we were going to our position, it became clear that I’m not a great shot – I could not hit a can, standing on a barrel about a hundred meters away from me.
As a result, I became a common rifleman, or a private, I guess. There are no ranks in small units, you’re either the commander or a private.
So yes, in the battle from the very first day, or rather, from the first night, as in the day it heats up to over 40 degrees [Celcius], and it is hard to do anything.
Until dark, our main goal was not to let the enemy sleep, so they would not be too active at night.
Fighting begins at about 6-7 pm, when the heat begins to subside. However, as my commander told me, even the heaviest fighting in our district is nothing compared with what is happening in northern Syria, where Islamists have heavy artillery, tanks and suicide trucks with explosives.
We had 6 people killed in a week, and that was because of their own mistake, and there, 300 people may be killed per night.
– And how did those 6 people die?
– On the second day of my stay, they went to help a neighboring unit, which seized a house from the Islamists. They entered the building after the militants had already fled.
All the instructions say the engineers go first, because the Islamists always mine buildings before they leave … They forgot, made a mistake, and blew up.
– Did you know where are your enemies were from?
– On the night of the third day we captured one militant, he was a Syrian from Aleppo, who admitted that he was with ISIS. In the neighboring district, he killed one Armenian family – a woman and her four-year old daughter, cut their throats. He climbed into their apartment when he was running from militia.
Then he apparently tried to flee to the Duma district, but as he wasn’t local, he simply got lost and came to our positions. If someone is worried about his fate – he is alive, we handed him over to the military police.
– And how did you know that he was from Aleppo?
– Accent. Arabic is something like the Latin of the Middle East. It is understood by all, but all speak in their local dialects.
And when the man talks in proper, pure Arabic, he is either highly educated, or no Syrian or Arab at all, and knows the language from Koran. That’s how I identified the immigrants from the post-Soviet countries and North Caucasus among the militants… There are quite a lot, and they are the most brutal.
– Charge into machineguns in the open?
– That too …. The night after we took that prisoner, the Islamists tried to take our house. It was those guys from post-Soviet countries, yelling “Allahu Akbar” and something about the prowess of Islamic warriors, running across the open into our gunfire.
Maybe they were drunk or on drugs, but general in the caliphate does not approve of either, punishes it up to death penalty. That day we were attacked by 30-40 militants, of whom we have killed about a dozen.
– Was it scary?
– Mostly, I was scared on arrival. Or rather, you do not feel fear, but some desolate excitement. All the senses are blocked, and you just sit there like a deaf man. But when shooting begins, there is no time to be afraid.
However, occasionally there are people who only understand they are not capable of fighting once on the frontline. During the battle, they go into complete stupor, unable to do anything, not hearing anyone… They are immediately sent to the rear, so that they help, for example, in the hospital. This is not a big deal, the main thing is that one had the courage to come and help in the first place.
– What were you doing to keep your composure?
– Tried to talk about what I’m doing, silently or aloud, it helps to focus. For example, I say to myself: “Here is a running enemy. It is necessary to check the safety, aim and shoot. … The battle is over, I need to report to commander.”
This greatly helped, and after the fight I had the come-down – smoked a lot, and my hands were shaking.
And in the very first night, when I first arrived, I even started to panic, because the militants hit our house with an RPG, and my shoulder got hit by a brick that flew off the wall. I started screaming that I was wounded, the entire squad started running around… That’s how I learned the Arabic version of the Russian proverb “lies like Trotsky.” I still have the bruise from that hit.
– In general, were there moments when you were not on edge?
– A whole day and a half. Then, on the fifth day, I learned about the tunnel war. It turns out that while we were defending our house, the Islamists were digging an underpass right under our noses.
I do not know how long it took them – maybe a month or more – but one “sunny” day, we found that the Islamists emerged behind us and captured a four-story building, the tallest in the area, as all the rest were two or three floors.
Of course, there were a sniper and machine gunners in there, and we all ended up in a small encirclement. If desired, one could run 200 meters through gunfire to get out, but no one wanted to.
Instead, we got in touch with the army HQ, and were told they would find a solution. It took them a day and a half, and then they brought a BMP [armored vehicle], an assault team, and two more militia squads like ours.
First, the building was turned into Swiss cheese for two hours with a heavy machine gun, and then we charged in from all sides.
As a result, our commander had a finger on his hand shot off, and we killed eight Islamists. There were more of them in the building, but the smarter ones fled back into the tunnel. And then my military exploits ended, because it was time to go home…
– Good you got rescued in time. The locals you managed to talk to – what do they think about the war?
– All are very tired of it, but they support Assad, because they understand that if the Islamists win, they will have a hard time.
ISIS take no prisoners – if they surround you, you do not think about giving up, only about taking as many of them as you can with you.
Even secular opposition groups are now using the [government] amnesty offer, to be saved from the Islamists. Only the poorest of the poor are still on the side of the religious extremists.
The majority of the refugees, in spite of the latest news, remain in Syria. The government is trying to avoid creating camps, and settles them in administrative buildings instead.
The richest refugees travel to Iran and Lebanon, to continue their business there, and those that are poorer tend to go to the European Union.
Despite the huge debt and total collapse of the economy, Syria allocates large sums of money for the social sector. Builds children’s centers, schools, hospitals and so on. Salaries are paid even to those officials who were working in ISIS-controlled towns.
Wahhabis are building their own state, but due to lack of their own professionals they have to rely on Syrian officials to maintain occupied cities. Some officials are cunning enough to draw salaries from both Damascus and Raqqa. In general, Assad is doing everything to prove that Syria, unlike the terrorists, takes care of its citizens.
– You’re talking about ISIS, but in fact there are many different groups – don’t locals make that distinction?
– And what difference does it make who cuts your head off?
The military keep track of it, because it is important for them to know with whom they enter into a temporary truce. Also historians and scientists, for their research…
Well, there is also Free Syrian Army, but they are no more than a tenth of the rebel forces. Locals don’t want much to do with them either. All their demands are being gradually met as it is. To counter the Islamists, Assad already needs to establish dialogue with the people.
And FSA demand the resignation of al-Assad – why, if everyone knows that he will win any sort of a fair election?
– Do the locals make the distinction between local and foreign Islamists?
– Yes, that one is important. Foreigners spit on local custom. It went so far that even the Bedouin tribes near Raqqa, who at first invited ISIS in, now run to Assad, as they cannot live under the new regime.
But the main flow of refugees starts when Islamists take over new settlements. The militiamen that I spoke to believe that our mission in life is to cleanse the world from the big pile of shit that got gathered in our homeland. They only regret that it came to Syria, and not to Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States, who finance them.
– What is the general attitude toward the Saudis?
– Even before the war, no one of the Gulf liked them because of their medieval way of life… In Latakia, for example, there is one café with a sign: “Dogs and Saudis not allowed.”
Saudi Arabia is disliked for its savagery, backwardness and barbarism, as well as cultureless pride based on vast oil reserves. In turn, the Syrians consider themselves the heirs of ancient civilizations.
– And what do they think about Russia?
– Supporters of Assad thought well of Russia since the Soviet times, and now even more so. But if ISIS know you’re a Slav or you have a Slavic wife, then you will be killed for sure, because after the war in Chechnya Russia is considered one of the main enemies of radical Islam.
– I see … Was it hard to say goodbye to the squad?
– I was ashamed. I have somewhere else to go, and they do not. I became friends with all of them already. Next year, I want to make another trip. When I went there, I thought the enemy will be like an immortal horde. It turned out that the capabilities of Islamists are exaggerated. They die like everyone else.
– Do you think the war will not stop in a year?
– Of course not. To stop it, the state needs to take control of the Turkish border, and the Jordanian border by the Golan Heights… If the influx of Islamists is stopped, we will quickly deal with the ones in country.
All Syrians know that Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the US are helping the Islamists with weapons and money, buy their oil. Supposedly, they help only the “secular opposition”, but everyone understands that all of the supply goes into a common pool, and FSA distributes those weapons to other groups. [Some FSA units have been described as “mostly consisting of a warehouse on Turkish border, getting rich on re-selling CIA weapons” – ed.]
At the same time, Syria can lose only if a no-fly zone is established, Turkey openly supports the Islamists, and “anti-ISIS” coalition openly attacks Syria.
– Do you feel the change, coming back to Russia?
– I do not understand how you live here so normally. Sleep quietly and dream normally – over there, one can only go to sleep when absolutely exhausted. I hate those that throw firecrackers now. And always look where I step, looking for landmines.
But anyway – I could not just sit and not make even a small contribution to the fight against ISIS. Cousin says that in the north, every day is like “Saving Private Ryan”. Huge losses on both sides, no pity for each other, we do not always take prisoners, the sides even cut off ears from dead enemies for souvenirs …
– Would you like to say something for your colleagues, or to the Islamists?
– For the militia and soldiers: all normal people support you guys. And for the militants … I guess it’s a bad thing to end the interview by saying “You will all be killed?”. Well, one needs to be a complete moron to fight on the side of the Caliphate …
I guess I can tell a joke. The soldiers catch an Islamist. He asks to shoot him at 13.00. They ask why at this time? He says that he needs to make it to lunch with Prophet Muhammad and the martyrs.
The officer says shoot him at 14.15. They ask: Why? He says: just in time to wash all the dishes.
P.S. Michel refused to be photographed – he said he does not want to be identified by extremists.
—
Interview taken by Arthur Avakov and originally published at MK.RU: http://www.mk.ru/politics/2015/09/08/spasti-bashara-asada-otkroveniya-dobrovolca-o-voyne-v-sirii.html
original publication: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=992_1442362752
Thanks to Tatzhit for the long translation work!
Before I read this here quickly a new interesting interview on RT:
‘West crying for refugees with one eye, aiming gun with the other’ – Assad (FULL INTERVIEW)
http://www.rt.com/news/315482-assad-terrorism-refugees-interview/
Salam Martin from S.E.B..
See what Michel is saying above, that there are two Arabic Languages.
1. One is Old, old Arabic and Modern Arabic which is spoken with local dialect, which is written without the Short Vowel.
And, to quote Michel:
2. “And when the man talks in proper, pure Arabic, he is either highly educated, or no Syrian or Arab at all, and knows the language from Koran. That’s how I identified the immigrants from the post-Soviet countries and North Caucasus among the militants…”
So, Hebrew is a dialect of Arabic Language!
Best regards,
Mohamed
Salam Brother Martin from S.E.B.,
Salaam is NOT from Shalom, but rather the other way around. It is Shalom from Salam.
You have got the history wrong due to Greek/Romans adapting the Hebrew verbal woven tales told by the Rabbis.
Why verbal woven tales and not written. Because the Arabic Language had not yet evolved so far.
Then these same Rabbis translated these Hebrew verbal woven tales into written Old Testament in Greek/Roman for their Masters to control the masses. A new and powerful religion sprang up which took control of the masses and each and every word of written Old Testament was considered the Word of God. The concept of “Chosen People” and “Gyomn” was created.
Now Martin, you are fully consumed by these so called, “Chosen People”.
You fail to understand that these people were Slaves in Egypt. These Cow Worshiping People didn’t know the concept of One God (Monotheism). It took them forty years to reach from Egypt to Palestine and in these forty years these Cow Worshiping People, made the life of Moses very miserable. When I brought this to the attention of my Jewish friend, he said what you expect from people being into slavery for generations. He dare not accuse me of antisemitism, as he knew that I have not a bone in me that even hates any mankind.
In Palestine, in Levant, in Arabia, there were ARABS with varying sects but similar religion who believed in the concept of One God (Monotheism). These Arabs spoke varying dialects of Arabic. Now these Cow Worshipers came across people who believed in Monotheism. These Monotheistic People laughed at these Slaves for Worshiping Cows. So, these people had to adapt and their leaders started a new dialect of Arabic and called it Hebrew. These leaders called themselves Rabbis, and told their people that the dialect of Hebrew is for Rabbis only, and that they have to converse with each other in different dialect such as Aramaic.
From Cow Worshiping People they become believers of Monotheism, and their Rabbis started to wove verbal tales in Hebrew dialects. Today, the Power is with Christians and in one stroke these Christians can disown the Old Testament, thus doing away from the concept of “Chosen People”. Then and then Martin, you will not be obsessed with these people.
Martin, you should get your history correct!
Peace brother Marin,
Mohamed
Thanks Mohamed for your contribution to Saker from your faith of point of view.
Salam sejmon,
If you, Saker or anyone on this blog thinks that, what I have written above is from my faith point of view, then you are sadly mistaken. I am not talking about faith. I am discussing the evolution of the Semitic Language.
In a prior thread, my brother Martin from S.E.B. object that I should not write Salam and he quoted Wikipedia. To Martin I replied the following in that prior thread:
“Yes, Salam and Shalom are same but in Arabic it has a higher meaning than in Hebrew. During the times of Jesus, Hebrew was a dead dialect, and therefore Jesus spoke Aramaic. Hebrew was resurrected from Arabic in 19th century. One of my Jewish friend always corrects me that Hebrew was not dead during the time of Jesus, it was dormant.
Dead or Dormant means the same thing.
Yes, the Old, old Arabic and Modern Arabic along with Hebrew is written without SHORT vowels. There are three long and three short vowels in Arabic, where as in English we have five vowels. Therefore, the same word in Arabic such as Mohammad, is written in many, many ways in English. The Porto-Semitic root for Mohammad is H-M-D.
Thus, the TaNaKh (Old Testament) was never written in Hebrew in times of Jesus, it was just memorized by the Rabbis. WHY?
As you Martin from S.E.B. rightly said above from Wikipedia and to quote you, “because in Semitic languages the vowels are not written and the rest is only guessed, rather than read from right to left”.
So, with the Holy Quran the Prophet Mohammad (saws) not only brought the Quran, but complete grammatical Arabic with SHORT vowels. This Arabic is called, Quranic (classical) Arabic. This is the Quranic Arabic, which is taught in Universities to the Arabic linguistic students, whatever their religion.
Yes, in 12th to 15th centuries, the SHORT vowels were added to TaNaKh (Old Testaments) in Hebrew. The Jews never write God with short vowel, they always write as G-d.
So let us put SHORT vowels in YHWH Elohim. What we get is, Ya’HuWaH Elohim. Guess what it means?
O’ He Elohim!
YHWH is not God’s name!”
Best regards,
Mohamed
You said:
“Thus, the TaNaKh (Old Testament) was never written in Hebrew in times of Jesus, it was just memorized by the Rabbis. WHY?”
What about the Dead sea scrolls ?
Salam Rachotilko,
Interesting question, “What about the Dead sea scrolls ?”
No one is claiming that during the times of Jesus or before, there was no written Semite Language. What Martin from S.E.B. rightly claims from Wikipedia is the following:
Quote of Martin from S.E.B:
“I told you already last week: Salam and Shalom are basicly the same word (because in semite languages the vowels are not written and the rest is only guessed, rather than read from right to left). For that reason maybe you might like to think about finding a better word? Only a proposal …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shalom
/tribute-to-a-wonderful-friend/”
You see Martin is correct, because at the time the vowels were not written and the rest was guessed. Thus, only the writer knew what he has written and the readers had to guess. Anyhow, during those times, only few can read and write.
Just a small example, there is “Only One You” in English Language. There are at least “Six You” in Arabic Language, as Arabic has Singular, Dual and Plural. Ant(a) and Ant(i) are “Singular Male You” and “Singular Female” You respectively.
To a Christian it doesn’t matter that they are different versions of Bible floating. To them, Jesus is the Word, therefore each and every Bible, no matter how one differs from the other, each and every writer of the Bible was inspired.
The Commandments in both Tablets in Exodus and Deuteronomy are supposedly to be same, but we all know that they widely differ from each other. But it doesn’t matter.
However, when it come to Holy Quran, it does matter and it matters whether is Ant(a) or Ant(i).
Now to your question. There are lots of things being discovered in Middle East which are fake and put the Yiddish in the area. Supposedly, the Qumran (Dead Sea Scrolls) documents were 200 before Jesus and 68 years after Jesus. Some say that this period is longer. But none of these documents refer to the ministry of Jesus, none of the Scrolls refer to him, nor do they mention any of his follower’s described in the New Testament.
Add to that most Jesus and his follower’s described in the New Testament are supposed to be Jews. But all the Original New Testament is in Greek/Roman and not in Semitic Language.
Wonder Why?
Best regards,
Mohamed
Russia to use Egyptian airspace amid strengthened military ties between Assad and Sisi
http://www.almasdarnews.com/article/russia-to-use-of-egyptian-airspace-amid-strengthened-military-ties-between-assad-and-sisi/
Turkey will open Incirlik airbase to ALL the NATO “anti-ISIS” bombers– and insist upon controlling them:
“Turkey insists that operations, flight routes and targets should be decided collectively by the coordination cell, but subject to Turkey’s final approval. This means decisions made at Incirlik must be conveyed to Ankara immediately. The coordination center in Ankara must be kept informed of all operations and flights in real time with Incirlik.
“Ankara is trying to insert a clause that gives it the authority to send back the coalition planes in case of contravention of the agreement.
” The emerging concept is coordinated planning of Turkish air operations against the PKK in Iraq and US attacks against IS. The United States and Turkey would know all the details of each other’s operations in Iraq, but not interfere with each other.” (“What’s US really doing at Turkey’s Incirlik Air Base?“, Al Monitor)
“Also, Erdogan is going to have the final say-so on who is targeted and who isn’t, which means that his attacks on the People’s Protection Units (YPG) or the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) and can continue unabated, but Washington will have to get the go-ahead for their attacks on ISIS.
“If it sounds like Erdogan is in the drivers seat, it’s because he is. The US will have to do whatever Ankara tells it to do or get the boot. It’s that simple. How do you think the Obama crew is going to like taking orders from a megalomaniac like Erdogan?”
“According to Hamid-Rezi Taraghi, the international affairs spokesman for the Islamic Coalition party and a former member of parliament, Iran is prepared to send Iranian forces into Syria. “If necessary, we will… send up to 100,000 Basij or revolutionary guard fighters.” http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2015/08/21/ankara-the-new-capital-of-jihad.html
There’s much more than I’ve quoted. It’s a Must Read, altho I don’t agree w Mike Whitney’s conclusion that there “must be” war between Rus/Iran/Syria & the West. I’m still holding out hope that Turkey’s military will say “no” to a ground invasion to take Aleppo & the “buffer” (no fly zone) for Turkey.
“If a civilian dies, there is always an investigation and, if necessary, a court-martial.”
Getting hold of US documents that confirm this would be a huge boost in countering the barrel bombing propaganda bullshit.
More Manning’s, Snowden’s, Assange’s, whistle blowers, hackers, and Judicial watch types are needed.
Thanks for the translation Tatzhit. Much appreciated.
wow, that joke makes the Islamic daesh idiots wash dishes for the prophet ? That’s too good for them..to put it just a bit less mildly than the joke…understatement I guess is the word I’m looking for. Perhaps this is a trait of Muslim. Nice…very nice.
Great read Tatzhit…thanks for translating…very good translation.
Head of Uk armed forces today-very concerned that military does not have the freedom to act (except in matters of national defence within own territories) if public opinion and Pariliament is against them or cannot be convinced of the necessity to act as military wishes ….that UK’s enemies , if not demonstrated and acted against strongly will see this as an invitation to persure their military objectives……
note Uk droned 2 UK people in Syria foor reasons of ‘national defence ‘ the last few days
….this could be a very slippery tempting tricky road ie by extension could perhaps mean the military acting independently of government(directly to NATO?) and of course by extension of arguement, against Russia….in other words just like USA , wherever they wish cos uncle Sam will hold their hands while they welcome them to their worldwide network of bases…….
re: note Uk droned 2 UK people in Syria foor reasons of ‘national defence ‘
May be they’ll drone Corbyn as well if he goes to pay a visit to Syria: “national defence”!!!
That was great Tatzit. Now I know something about what it’s really like for the Syrians.
Thank you.
“Russia’s Risky Military Moves in Syria” – comes to the proper conclusion that “salvaging what is left of the Syrian state” should be a shared goal. Achieving this goal should take into consideration that Russia’s involvement follows the direct and indirect military involvement of the United States and many other European and regional countries, becoming direct partners in this war.
While warning Russia about the consequences of its involvement, the Obama administration should be clear that it set precedent by allowing its allies, and itself, to directly or indirectly support militants considered to be terrorist organizations.
Breeding militants in Syria is the main reason this conflict has turned into a vicious war. The first and foremost priority for the international community should be a realization that the political and diplomatic solution starts with a full cessation of support to these terrorist militants.
The interference in Syria by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and European countries, and the support provided by the United States in financing, arming and training militants, led to the calculation by Russia and others to participate in what could be a first line of defense against the spread of terrorism and fundamentalism to their own countries.
From the Saker: please choose another alias. Thank you.
Thank you Tatzhit Mikhailovich for the translation. Very interesting and a good insight.
Along with Assad’s interview (which Martin from SEB has already linked in the comments) tells us a great deal about what is going on in Syria and outside.
Crosstalk was also on Syria today. The arrogant US policy may finally be facing a challenge. But the ex Ambassador seems to beliving in the past. Peter Lavelle got quite irate with him.
http://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/315495-syria-war-isis-rise/
Rgds,
Veritas
A brilliant crosstalk, plenty of that and Peter Lavelle on top form – “what is it about the mere mention of the word *Russia* that sends people into lalaland/confusion?’ – can’t remember the exact term – he picked up the thread from another presenter – but it was very true and very funny. .
Several other noteworthy moments in this video too…
Thanks for link Veritas!
Excellent translation and interview, thanks to all on the Saker blog.
The information about Russian policy re volunteers in foreign wars is pretty much what I would expect, even if the MSM is spinning things very differently.
It also helps to understand why the process of eradicating the ISIL scourge is so difficult and slow: they are embedded in civilian-occupied towns and areas.
The news that the Douma is ISIL-controlled proves the recent MSM attempt to spin the market killings as a massacre of civilians was another propaganda stunt.
The Syrian Nightmare was hatched in IsraHell and made in AMerica>> https://goo.gl/vozdYj
Syria: One of the best CrossTalk program ever.
http://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/315495-syria-war-isis-rise/
Thank you for this very interesting interview.
Thanks all around for those responsible for this report from a grunt on the ground who bears the brunt of civilization’s insanity. It’s a sort of morality play. This man fights in self-defense for more or less secular motives. His enemy is generally a poorly educated religionist who will be rewarded by God-Allah in the next life for killing in behalf of God’s kingdom. The religionist is clearly patriarchal as the concubine incident illustrates. Let me generalize at the risk of over-simplifying. These articles and comments are always a self-educating process which involves general principles and anecdotal experiences like this man’s. In my experience a deeply educated person is not religious in the traditional sense. Religion cuts off education at some point in favor of faith in authority. I speak from experience myself since I was initiated and made a priest twice, once in Roman Catholicism and again in a new age religion. I eventually educated myself out of them and now practice a religion of love based on natural love, which I delineate at thelovegovernment.com. Patriarchal religions are always aggressive and war-like even though they may be passive-aggressive. They always attack ancient woman values even when they convert women into their ranks and use them. They are fundamentalists like the men of ISIS in the sense that they need a fundamental scriptural basis rather than a natural foundation. ISIS is an extreme position of all patriarchal religionists. Secularism, new-ageism and most brands of feminism (goddess is a derivative of god) are covert religions. I am making strong assertions without linking sources to save space and time so please understand every statement in the context of IMHO. As the protagonist of this piece says: the US and its proxies are behind ISIS. Of course since they are the most powerful and aggressive of the religionists today, obfuscated by their superb lying and deceit. They’re “working like the devil; the game is the same, just up on another level.” Dylan. And they all do it under the banner of love. “I’ve been sitting down studying the art of love; I think it will fit me like a glove; I want some real good woman to do just what I say.” Dylan. For patriarchal religions, woman is the ultimate enemy. Not the converted woMAN of today but a real woman with natural values. This shows up in that throw-away line about the concubine. A woman who conceives, births, nurses and raises a child does not take naturally to war; she has to be brainwashed and trained like a domesticated pet. Then she becomes twice as dangerous as ISIS/US patrix men, as we see with many trained female front-feMEN today. The solution is to restore natural woman values. A real man defends women and children as this man demonstrates. IMHO in Russia orthodoxy does help to unify the nation against US/ISIS; it’s called fighting fire with fire. But there’s an Achilles’ heel in that because it will stunt growth at some point by denying reason in favor of faith; and then you’re playing the ISIS game. I still love religion but a religion based on nature, and not just any nature but the aboriginal culture of love which we were given by the original ancestral lovers from the stars and beyond. Patriarchal religions, including the secular ones today, have almost completely destroyed the love-based religion in what is called the Fall of Man and Paradise Lost. Don’t get me wrong; the vineyard is desperately needed in this submarine desert but patriarchy can and will destroy vineyards. In fact, as the church-fathered bible correctly records: God commanded that the vineyards and shrines be totally destroyed along with the women, animals, children and men to set up his kingdom of chosen ones and more recently exceptional ones. That same commandment is being carried out by his loyalists today through ISUS. The basic choice facing us is Loverarchy or Patriarchy. As Hamlet said: “to be or not to be.” Or as Dylan put it: “Time will tell who has fell and who’s been left behind when you go your way and I go mine.” As the saker knows, there’s nothing like politics to bring out the hate but that’s mild compared to what hatred religion can stir up. That’s why angels fear to tread in religion and politics. Dylan: “I’m no angel and neither is she.” Shakespeare: “What fools these mortals be.”
I applaud this man and everything he and his comrades in arms stand for. May Syria prevail against all those set against her in her defiant defense of civilization.
“On the night of the third day we captured one militant, he was a Syrian from Aleppo, who admitted that he was with ISIS. In the neighboring district, he killed one Armenian family – a woman and her four-year old daughter, cut their throats. He climbed into their apartment when he was running from militia.
Then he apparently tried to flee to the Duma district, but as he wasn’t local, he simply got lost and came to our positions. If someone is worried about his fate – he is alive, we handed him over to the military police.”
I do not understand why they didn’t kill this man who killed a woman and child of his own volition – attacked them to get some extra kills in as ISIS was retreating.
Now he is fed, sheltered, clothed and guarded by the Syrian state and there is the possibility he may get out – by escape, amnesty, overthrow of Assad, etc.
I find it also sad how many groups in Syria believed in the opposition and foolishly welcomed terrorists in the first place before they realized they were wrong and went screaming to Assad:
“Yes, that one is important. Foreigners spit on local custom. It went so far that even the Bedouin tribes near Raqqa, who at first invited ISIS in, now run to Assad, as they cannot live under the new regime.”
“I do not understand why they didn’t kill this man who killed a woman and child of his own volition – attacked them to get some extra kills in as ISIS was retreating.”
They didn’t kill him because they don’t want to be like ISIS. What is the point of fighting ISIS when in doing so you become like them?
ISIS is barbarism and the opposite of that is the rule of law, where offenders get handed to the authorities where they recieve fair trail. I also consider the death penalty barbarism.
No, in killing him they would not be killing an innocent. They would not be killing a woman and child.
You can’t compare people killing a terrorist child-murderer with the child-murdered himself.
They would not be shedding innocent blood.
They also would be protecting the innocent from having a terrorist around.
In a state of full-out war, when the country is overrun with murderers and terrorists, you don’t have the time to put them on trial.
He was caught red-handed, fully guilty. It was not a case of false blame or a political trial.
If a terrorist is caught they should be killed quickly and humanely.
Further you can’t compare giving someone a quick death versus a death of drawn-out torture or decapitation.
Getting rid of evil people who prey on the innocent is necessary. Especially in these times where the Syrian army is still not able to handle them.
I agree,and say the same for the Bandera in Donbass.The volunteers killing civilians should not be released.If they are killed in the fighting so much the better.But if captured or they surrender ,a quick military court and then firing squad should be their fate.
Thank you Tatzhit for the translation and Saker for publish this interview.
What a generous and brave young man is Michel Mizah. Congratulations to his wife, familiy, friends and nation.
I was fortunate enough to see the country in the good times, when people seemed happy, a good standard of living was perceived and full families filled the restaurants in cities such as Damascus.
Really enjoyed it. The people were cheerful and helpful, always willing to help. In the Christian quarter, some girls in tank tops from an environmental association invited us to visit the exhibition where a party was being held and made us a gift. You could go out for dinner in the evening, only in the company of a friend, call a cab with a hand, have dinner calmly, and then back to the hotel in a late hour, walking through the lonely alleys of the bazaar, when the shops were already closed, safely enough, enjoying the moonlight filtering through the skylights of the vaulted ceilings…..
The same in Aleppo, where we stayed until late in the bazaar a small group, to whom I said to not worry because I remembered the way back to the hotel, but then was not, and we got lost…..well, we made a good laugh…..
The same in Hama, where to buy a pair of sandals for one guy who wore a No. 46 became an impossible mission…..
The same in Homs, where we could walk at dusk along the river, like the local young men and women…..
The same in Palmira, where we took pictures with some very friendly Bedouins, and wake up at dawn to photograph the magnificent ruins at sunrise….
I loved and keep in my heart the Syria I found that time, and found that people lived well….
For a while, I was considering the possibility of returning for a longer stay in Damascus with the aim of studying the Arabic language….. I found it an affordable and safe city for a woman alone…..
Very brave of Michel Mizah to go to battle. He has very much confirmed much of what had already learned from other sources. Surprisingly in the west their are more people then i would have imagined that realize that if Al Assad was really so bad he would have been toppled long ago and that fact alone shows there is a large part of the population of Syria that supports him.