Please press the “cc” button on the lower right to see the English language subtitles
Saker Message:
Please press the “cc” button on the lower right to see the English language subtitles
Russia is in charge, folks. Have no doubt this was the plan for two years. Get control of the Western cities where most people live and support the government. Then work diplomatically aside from the US/UN Geneva stuff. Create an alliance of the biggest stakeholders, Turkey, Iran, Russia and Assad’s government, create facts on the ground that win over hearts and minds of the Syrian people, and then force ceasefires until enough cities, towns and villages (1475 of them so far) sign on for peace, aid, a place at the negotiations and a piece of the new Constitution and Syrian nation.
Putin’s mind, Shoigu’s military, Lavrov’s ministry of diplomats, and Russian will to win.
On a shoestring budget, 1000kms from Mother Russia, brilliantly executed strategy and tactics with the latest weapons and munitions.
Now, the ME is lining up. Yemen wants Russia, Iraq wants Russia, and in the NA zone, Egypt and Libya want Russia.
Listen carefully to the video, read closely. Shoigu’s Military told Jordan and Israel what the situation will be.
These three generals speak very strongly and precisely.
One press question was: what will happen if some entity violates the de-escalation zone protocols. Answer: there will be an investigation. Then the violator will be neutralized with fire.
It’s a terrific video. You’ll learn why Russia’s military wins and why the Hegemon’s, regardless of its size and might, loses. The man at the top, Putin, the men beneath, Shoigu (and Lavrov) and the staff of truly professional military generals trained to win wars and establish a peace that will persist.
From your lips to God’s ears. С нами Бог.
Great comment! I tend to believe that you are correct about this.
What is occurring then, on an organizational level is somewhat analogous to when the smaller and more nimble English ships were able to outmaneuver the vessels of the Spanish empire.
let it be so.
let the truth prevail
I will believe that completely when the israelis planes stop bombing Sirian soldiers. ;)
Thanks for your perceptive (as usual) comment Larchmonter445.
The reconciliation work (1,479 cities, towns and villages now signed up) is such a key process that those who overlook it cannot have a true idea of Russia’s contribution to the survival and future of Syria.
Not forgetting humanitarian aid, demining, etc., and the advocacy and diplomatic protection.
Моите мисли. 1 към 1. Дано матушка сложи край на тази хегемонска лудост
Translation from Bulgarian:” My thoughts exactly. Spot on. Let’s hope the Mother would put an end to this hegemonic lunacy.
Saker should hire Larchmonter 445 to write columns when the rest of you guys feel the need to pursue you multudinous diversions.
Great subtitles…white lettering on a white background on a glaring monitor screen. I’ll pass and see what the various interpretations are thank you very much.
I have read exactly those same words before…. A number of times. I think it’s called zero attention span….
It is most interesting that Israel was part of this negotiation process, at least two ministries of defense had bilateral talks and it was mentioned publicly, for the first time, that Israel will be part of a real peaceful process. What gives? What exactly did they agree to sign and do?
Regards, Spiral
I can’t get the cc on my android on saker.is but I can get the cc on the new Saker app but it doesn’t show the subtitles. Might I suggest you change your media player or give the YouTube address so those of us on certain mobile phones can get the subs which are easy to activate on YouTube. I watch lots of videos about the Syrian war in Arabic and Russian and they either gave onscreen subs or the cc activation or none at all. On syrper they always give the youtube url.
I am in Australia so it’s pretty standard here for western medias. I also have Adobe flash on my phone.
So please include the youtube address.
☺️
Here you go:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cF-gIL8yzk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cF-gIL8yzk&feature=youtu.be
Here’s my take on the challenges inherent with enforcing Russia’s “no-fly” provisions in the Syrian “de-escalation” zones:
“The introduction of “de-escalation” zones in Syria and specifying remarks by Russia’s chief diplomat to the Astana talks Aleksander Lavrentiev have led to the conclusion that Russia has imposed a “no-fly” zone against the US in Syria, but the reality of the matter is much more nuanced than that.
There’s no debating that the game-changing plan actually does call for this measure within the very text of the document itself, but there are questions about its implementation, enforcement, and outcome, all of which lead to a much more complex reality than the simplified one that Russia has flexed its muscles and scared off the US in Syria.”
http://theduran.com/russia-really-impose-no-fly-zone-us-syria/
@A.Korybko
Netanyahu and Putin close friends?
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
Close evidence? How about Israelis jets bombing Syrian army?
According to Andrew, Israel is Russia’s ally. Strange close friend and strange ally.
If Israeli presence in Syria is a proof that Putin and Netanyahu are close friends, as Korybko claims, then Russian intervention in Syria doesn’t make any sense at all. As simple as that.
@Andrew Korybko,
Andrew, I left a comment on your Duran article thread also.
The Israeli component is always volatile. The hegemony in the region Tel Aviv has “enjoyed” is diminishing by the hour. The four trips to Moscow by King Bibi indicates his proper understanding of the new regional hegemony. A lesson learned by Emperor Erdogan, also, who also travels the road to Moscow regularly. (or Sochi).
Russia has grown and now will have Syria and a Mediterranean fleet to be based in Tartus, to be serviced in Alexandria and to fly the flag where once the 7th Fleet ruled.
This is an amazing 1.5 years of Russian military operations, diplomacy, humanitarian aid and economic growth and demonstration of regional power projection.
It has marginalized Israel, emancipated Iran from sanctions to safety and growing participation in oil and gas futures, and rescued Erdogan and redirected his focus to the East, Eurasia. All while reversing and winning the Syrian war against the Hegemon.
Much unfinished business, but Russia is achieving while all others in opposition are slipping behind.
And the Syrian people know Putin and the Russian men in arms have bled and died heroically to preserve the Syrian nation, peoples, culture and antiquities. This is an eternal bond between Syrians and Russians.
Out of Eurasia into the Middle East, came riding a force of good over evil, a professional military of the Russian Federation, blocking the Hegemon and reducing the proxies to dust.
This is an extraordinary war, unlike all the others of our lifetime. Poor Syria has had to suffer it. But the ending is foreseeable now. Thanks to Putin and his men (and women).
Zion has to re-think-tank its strategies and re-shuffle its tapered cards.
Cozy (but ridiculously expensive) proxy wars by lousy perception management, sloppy false flags and mercenary armies with clownish names can only be won if your are not facing Russia.
Despite infusing billions of dollars a month through dozens of vassal nations (USA, UK, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, GCC…) into hundreds of dubious militias, Zion’s result in the Eretz-Israel war against Syria are catastrophic.
The Syria-Russia-Iran coalition, on the other hand, running on a 10 to 20 times smaller budget and still only in 2nd gear, goes from strength to strength.
Not that the conflict is over. Not by far. The god’s chosen bankers have to come up with something. Losing at Monopoly while owning the bank is mathematically impossible.
But then again – life is full of surprises.
“Losing at Monopoly while owning the bank is mathematically impossible.”
You have not taken God into account.
Slightly OT but worth considering in context of Russian and Chinese agenda.
“Secretary Rex Tillerson Presentation to State Dept. Audience – A Walk Around The Globe…”
(Published on May 3, 2017)
“… Specifically T-Rex explains how the distinction between U.S. ‘values’ relates to U.S. ‘policy’ …”
Certainly the ‘voice of America’ du jour, worth a Saker’s commentary, imo.
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/05/03/secretary-rex-tillerson-presentation-to-state-dept-audience-a-walk-around-the-globe/
It’s difficult to be optimistic about this. The problem still remains that the policy of the US, Israel, Turkey and the Gulf kingdoms is the removal of the Assad government. Israel, at least, would never compromise on this point. The best scenario is they would bide their time. They have no desire to risk Jewish lives in any case. However, there is also much mischief that Israel can cause including attacking civilian targets such as aircraft or other false-flag or terrorist operations.
I keep recalling Minsk II. No such ceasefire agreement followed by political settlement can succeed unless both sides want peace. The term “de-escalation zone” also rings very uncomfortably in my ears. As I recall, frequent diplomatic language referred to Kiev’s ATO as “the de-escalation scenario”. Hopefully, I am proved wrong.
Does it mean anything that Al Qaeda and ISIS-groups are outside. Empire can easily create new organizations of “moderate throat cutters”? Let’s face the facts: this war will continue the next 5-6 years. Or at least until Empire itself has collapsed. I’m too old to believe in just sweet dreams. Too many times disappointed.
Here’s the difference in Syria, versus Donbass.
The war at the front door of Russia in Donbass was a proxy war to bait Russia into invading to stop the carnage. 90% of the carnage has been stopped by the Minsk 2, if you look at the casualties as the template. During the last 2.5 years of Minsk 2 25,000 people have not been killed by war. And the separation of Donbass is far along in process. And the Russian military can change facts on the ground in hours when necessary. And Ukraine as a society is unraveling. And if there were elections, free and fair, none of the junta or Rada would win Ukrainian election for President. Also, a critical mass is building inside the “occupied and suppressed” cities of Mariupol, Odessa, Kharkiv and Kherson. Novorossiya is ripening for revolt should all out war begin again.
Meanwhile, Syria is a great strategic war for multipolarity vs hegemony (global and regional). Russia is dominating the war militarily, diplomatically, humanitarian, and geopolitically. Proof?: Astana vs Geneva. Results, participants, facts on the ground.
The US coalition v.2.0 (Trump-Rex-Mattis-CENTCOM-NATO-Wahabbi nations-Israel) is a failure. Without the Kurds fighting in the north, there is nothing but ISIS and al Nusra as proxies for the US Hegemon and Israeli attempts at regional hegemony allied with Jordan.
It is all exposed by Russian battle field management. This is not an accident of military tactics. Putin and the General Staff designed the plan for two years as Assad was being overwhelmed by 100,000 Islamic radicals and 100,000 Syrian rebels.
Now, we have a military battle zone where anyone fighting Assad is marked for elimination by Russia. They will use Assad’s forces, Iran’s forces, Turkey’s forces and the Kurds if necessary. And the Russian Aerospace.
Russia has taken the Trump call for “safe zones” and made it “de-escalation zones”. This is the complex reality Russia understands and why it will work. There are real political and economic payoffs for the rebels to cooperate with both the fight against terrorists and the reconstitution and rebuilding of Syria. A new Constitution and even a new name for the nation that honors the diversity of ethnicities of Syria (Syrian Republic, not Syrian Arab Republic) is part of the Russian plan.
Controlling the borders will be long-coming because the borders are thousands of kilometers with enemy neighbors and hundreds of smuggling ratline routes through those borders.
But Russia is not a timid partner, like in Minsk 2’s timid France and Germany. Russia pushes around Turkey and has excellent response from Iran. And everyone understands that Israel, wild card that it is, still goes to Moscow, not the other way around. And little pathetic Jordan with its toadie Kingdom will get the message that it has to expunge al Nusra ties at the least, or the war will rattle its own territory as Russia and Syria drive out from the southern provinces all radicals the US intends to mount against Syrian sovereignty. It won’t happen the way the State, CIA and Defense departments have arranged. Russian munitions will devastate whatever the US builds up in Jordan and across into Syria. Those zones will be surrendered to Syria or lost to Syrian victories like Aleppo. And then they will be de-escalated. Shoigu went personally to Jordan and Israel to tell them what they faced.
It isn’t going to be smooth or without setbacks. CIA is entrenched with the worst scum of the planet. Israel’s goals are clear and counter to peace. But the US public was sold by Trump on safe zones. How can he fight this plan now? It saves him men and money.
And the US still has Iraq and Libya and Yemen. And Mattis and McMaster are going back into Afghanistan to face off with “the Russians backing Taliban”. Imagine that. 16 years later, these warmongers think they can fight the Russians by using NATO/ISIS/AQ. They cannot let go of that Afghan death trap. Trillions of dollars and thousands of deaths later they are “all in” for more war. And they think they can beat Putin there like they “beat” Brezhnev using the Wahabbis under OBL.
Where does this end? With Eurasia and OBOR New Silk Road development. Turkey has turned to the East. Iran is rising using its energy resources. China is linking via rail and investments.
Syria was where it all would have ended. Russia stopped the cascading losses and reversed it all. And Putin did it while at Russia’s economic weakest for a decade, under sanctions, withstanding a withering demonization campaign in the world’s media and following a very brilliant decade long rebuilding of his military. It has all come together in Syria.
Peace is rare. Ceasefires are excruciating. De-escalations are painful, fraught with tragic events. But the process is underway. The dead and maimed and shell-shocked have won. Syria will be preserved. Russia will be the regional hegemon. And multi-polarity has stood up and constructed a geopolitical beginning.
“But the US public was sold by Trump on safe zones. How can he fight this plan now?”
Just like when he sent those 59 Tomahawk missiles. There’s no sense in Trump’s action. When Pentagon forces him to use power we will soon seen another missiles etc action. Americans will punish Syrian people heavily many many years. How long did it take to NVA/NLF after Tet to win the war? 7 years.
Have you not seen the “devastating” results of these 59 missiles? Where are they? It was a pure PR stunt. It worked for a few weeks, but ultimately it failed to shut up the neocons, and they are now back on this Russia collusion nonsense again. Hopefully Trump would learn from this.
Excellent comment, Larchmonter. Not a thing I can add to it, you said it all. It remains to be seen when US/nato et al will test the limits as I’m sure they will, they will not stop, they can not stop, but hopefully this is the beginning of the end of this senseless war and possibly the light at the end of the tunnel for the Novorossiya War.
Auslander
Many thanks for your contributions here today, Larchmonter. Always good to read your observations.
Thank you Larchmonter445 for another excellent comment – its good to have you here today giving a clear indication of the realities. As you say – “Peace is rare. Ceasefires are excruciating. De-escalations are painful, fraught with tragic events. But the process is underway….”
The AZ’s will make sure they try and make it painful, fraught and tragic because they still believe in their exceptional rule and the US is run by a psycopathic deep state. Their attempts will no doubt be further “made for Hollywood White Helmet/Al Jazeera” chemical attacks – all lined up and ready for publication.
@Larchmonter445
Thank you.
I read this:@ JohnathanDavid re Donbass |. “No such ceasefire agreement followed by political settlement can succeed unless both sides want peace. |
And I went “that’s not right/ that’s a false equivalent”
Before my itchy fingers could start pecking my keyboard, I read your comment.
And of course your contribution/rebuttal to @J-D makes anything from me superfluous. Thx.
A Good Beginning Makes a Good Ending: Truce in Syria Safe Zones Mostly Observed
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201705061053336923-syria-safe-zones-de-escalation-truce/
“The ceasefire in the recently established de-escalation zones in Syria is generally adhered to, although minor violations with the use of firearms have been registered, a source close to the operations headquarters told Sputnik.”
OMG – at long last, no fly zones !
Is this the first time in history where the US has been told flat out that there are places they can’t bomb?
I can’t think of another occasion in history like this.
Crimea…Russia does not permit US to overfly or bomb Crimea…that happened before Syria.
And the US does not recognise the validity of a general democratic plebiscite where 95%+ of the electoral votes demanded unification with Mother Russia.
And I think the US airforce was kept out of Georgia too.
US generals, the CIA and the Pentagon along with war criminals like McCain must be getting pretty used to being outflanked by Russia these days.
The new EU military must be wondering if it is really worth bothering with a dead from the neck up US military for an ally! Junker must have upped his boozing to two bottles of Scotch whiskey a day to counter his EU army blues.
Here’s the link to the Memorandum for De-Escalation Zones.
http://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/2746041?p_p_id=101_INSTANCE_cKNonkJE02Bw&_101_INSTANCE_cKNonkJE02Bw_languageId=en_GB
Here’s English language version:
6.05.1712:41
Memorandum on the creation of de-escalation areas in the Syrian Arab Republic
924-06-05-2017
en-GB1 ru-RU1
The Islamic Republic of Iran, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey as guarantors of the observance of the ceasefire regime in the Syrian Arab Republic (hereinafter referred to as “Guarantors”):
guided by the provisions of UNSC resolution 2254 (2015);
reaffirming their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic;
expressing their determination to decrease the level of military tensions and to provide for the security of civilians in the Syrian Arab Republic,
have agreed on the following.
the following de-escalation areas shall be created with the aim to put a prompt end to violence, improve the humanitarian situation and create favorable conditions to advance political settlement of the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic:
Idlib province and certain parts of the neighbouring provinces (Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces);
certain parts in the north of Homs province;
in eastern Ghouta;
certain parts of southern Syria (Deraa and Al-Quneitra provinces).
The creation of the de-escalation areas and security zones is a temporary measure, the duration of which will initially be 6 months and will be automatically extended on the basis of consensus of the Guarantors.
Within the lines of the de-escalation areas:
hostilities between the conflicting parties (the government of the Syrian Arab Republic and the armed opposition groups that have joined and will join the ceasefire regime) with the use of any kinds of weapons, including aerial assets, shall be ceased;
rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access shall be provided;
conditions to deliver medical aid to local population and to meet basic needs of civilians shall be created;
measures to restore basic infrastructure facilities, starting with water supply and electricity distribution networks, shall be taken;
conditions for the safe and voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons shall be created.
Along the lines of the de-escalation areas, security zones shall be established in order to prevent incidents and military confrontations between the conflicting parties.
The security zones shall include:
– Checkpoints to ensure unhindered movement of unarmed civilians and delivery of humanitarian assistance as well as to facilitate economic activities;
– Observation posts to ensure compliance with the provisions of the ceasefire regime.
The functioning of the checkpoints and observation posts as well as the administration of the security zones shall be ensured by the forces of the Guarantors by consensus. Third parties might be deployed, if necessary, by consensus of the Guarantors.
The Guarantors shall:
take all necessary measures to ensure the fulfillment by the conflicting parties of the ceasefire regime;
take all necessary measures to continue the fight against DAESH/ISIL, Nusra Front and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaeda or DAESH/ISIL as designated by the UN Security Council within and outside the de-escalation areas;
continue efforts to include in the ceasefire regime armed opposition groups that have not yet joined the ceasefire regime.
The Guarantors shall in 2 weeks after signing the Memorandum form a Joint working group on de-escalation (hereinafter referred to as the “Joint Working Group”) composed of their authorized representatives in order to delineate the lines of the de-escalation areas and security zones as well as to resolve other operational and technical issues related to the implementation of the Memorandum.
The Guarantors shall take steps to complete by 4 June 2017 the preparation of the maps of the de-escalation areas and security zones and to separate the armed opposition groups from the terrorist groups mentioned in para.5 of the Memorandum.
The Joint Working Group shall prepare by the above-mentioned date the maps of the de-escalation areas and security zones to be agreed by consensus of the Guarantors as well as the draft Regulation of the Joint Working Group.
The Joint Working Group shall report on its activities to the high-level international meetings on Syria held in Astana.
The present Memorandum enters into force the next day after its signing.
Done in Astana, 4 May 2017 in three copies in English, having equal legal force.
Signatures
Islamic Republic of Iran, Russian Federation, Republic of Turkey
Appreciate your posts Larch…….hopefully time has been created for spring crops to be grown to feed the populace….plus a final final message to armed opposition to surrender or else….and HNC and similar western saudi etc parties to be shut out of any Syrian equation perhaps…hopefully.
I wonder if there are many intelligent people left in today’s World. Intelligent enough to notice that there is only one country in the crisis’s in the Middle East,that works for peace. Certainly there are a lot of countries that “mouth” the words of peace.But Russia is the only country really trying to bring peace to the region. I may not always agree with their policies. But even I recognize that all their policies are “meant” to bring about peace in those countries.Which country in the West is sending teams to clear away mines from cities and the countryside. Which Western country sends large amounts of humanitarian aid to Syria.The answer to those questions I think would be “not one”. Not only does Russia have to fight against terrorists there.But also against obstruction and lies from the West. If the West was wanting peace in the Middle East they would ,like Russia,be actually making concrete moves towards peace.But they aren’t. Their idea of peace is only the verbal use of the word.
This is wonderful news for the Syrian people and President Assad’s government. Even though this history making event will probably not receive the proper acknowledgement in the western press, the rest of the world will know first hand the Russian Federation’s high degree of diplomatic statesmanship coordinated with the level of tactical planning by the Russian Defense Ministry to achieve this positive outcome.
This article posted today on RT (see: https://www.rt.com/news/387368-syria-safe-zones-discussion/ ) mentions the U.S. and Russia military have had discussions about the agreement but the Pentagon has not committed to respecting the airspace over the de-escalation zones. That may not matter as this RT article from yesterday (see: https://www.rt.com/news/387251-syria-safe-zones-takes-effect/ ) quoted the Russian envoy to Astana as saying, “As guarantors we will be tracking all actions in that direction, absolutely no flights, especially by the international coalition, are allowed. With or without prior notification. The issue is closed.”
I think that means in no uncertain terms the U.S. coalition will be prohibited from flying over the four protected areas but will be allowed to continue air operations near Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, two strongholds of ISIS Inc. Russia is sending “observers” to the four non-combat zones to enforce compliance. I expect that polite-speak for Russian combat troops. That can be the only way the SAA can be freed up to pursue the ISIS in other governorates of the country. Israel is still a problem if they claim the right to fly into Syrian airspace to attack Hezbollah supply lines.
Some questions:
1. What will Russia do if Israel violates the airspace over the protected zones?
2. What will Russia do if the U.S. coalition forces violate the airspace over the protected zones?
3. I predict a “fifth” de-escalation zone in Raqqa governorate will be added before the
end of 2017. That will squeeze out the U.S. ground troops illegally deployed there.
Will the U.S. leave peaceably or not?
I want to add a comment here for Larchmonter and all those interested in Trump – who he is, what he’s doing, etc.
It’s clear that the US component of these de-escalation zones is significant. And that Trump has approved them. Did he and his people know what they were approving? It’s easy on past performance to say they didn’t have a clue, but there’s also a lot of room to say that with Rex Tillerson gaining in strength and influence, and with Trump’s undoubted native pragmatism, the US administration knew exactly what it was agreeing to.
Alexander Mercouris reminds us that while the world was looking at North Korea around May 2, the phone discussion between Trump and Putin actually focused on Syria. From what we now see of the timeline in recent days, it seems that the call primarily settled the Syria de-escalation zones:
Diplomatic exchanges suggest deal between Trump and Putin about Syria
Russia has clearly seized the initiative in Syria with this Memorandum. All the other opposing actors are now only able to react to the Memorandum’s authors’ (Russia, Turkey, Iran and Syria) actions rather than the other way round. To a certain extent Israel/US/Nato/KSA/GCC freedom of action in Syria has been curtailed.
There are a few interesting things said by the Generals (capital G because these gents know the business of fighting a war).
The mention of several countries, KSA, Israel, Jordan, that have given the nod to the Memorandum is significant. It’s the first time, as far as I can recall, that the Russians have mentioned them directly. It means that the Russians are giving them notice that they (RF) take the ‘yes’ seriously and they expect to see action (or inaction) consistent with the nod of agreement that they’ve (KSA, etc) given to the Memorandum.
It’s also interesting that the generals mention that they mainly dealt with the ground commanders, the 50+ guys who command the people who do the actual fighting and dying in Syria, rather the politicians (or ’emigrants’ as one general called them). There’s the wedge in the opposition’s chain of command. There’s nothing much that a politician in his expensive suit ensconed outside the country can do to influence the situation on the ground if the fighters elect not to obey his orders. The Russians have considerable expertise in dealing with insurgency — recall the North Caucasus — something that they’re not always been given credit for. I’ll bet they are working overtime with these ground commanders to make them stick to Russia’s point of view.
Another interesting point is the time limit of the zones — six months. Enough time for some confidence-building, perhaps to smoothen the political talks in Geneva, and not long enough to make ‘zones of control’ as mentioned in a RAND report viable.
Some commentators in the media have questioned what will happen if a party ignores the Memorandum. In fact a question similar to this was asked by a reporter at the end of the briefing. The general replied that that breaches would be investigated and, rather blandly, said that if necessary the guilty party will be “neutralised by fire”.
What if the AngloZionists throw a spanner (airstrikes, missiles) in the works? It is early days yet and nobody knows how the Axis of Peace will react but I think we must give the Russian General Staff some credit. They’re not fools and there must have been a certain amount of wargaming going on to assess possible breaches and appropriate reactions. But one thing is for sure: the Russian General Staff are very agile, they are not prone to jingoistic histrionics and they don’t make threats that they don’t intend to carry out.
PS. Now, why can’t the exceptional country, that great liberator of the oppressed, think of a similar plan for Iraq and Afghanistan?
This is just too delectable not to share, rather than just post the link.
MOSCOW, May 6. /TASS/
US General Raymond Thomas’s claims that Russia is one of the main threats to the United States are based on Cold War stereotypes, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
“The narrow-mindedness of some of the Pentagon’s generals and their obsession with Cold War stereotypes, just as their failure to see the real threats to security should not surprise anyone.
We are often asked what makes the officers of Russian Special Operations Forces different from their US counterparts.
We invariably point out that the main qualities of Russian officers are their intellect and resoluteness,” Konashenkov said.
General Thomas’s statement, he remarked, made it quite clear that “the Pentagon has very different requirements for its SOF personnel.”
“This is probably the reason why they try to resort to hawkish anti-Russian rhetoric reminiscent of Cold War traditions as a compensation,” Konashenkov said.
The chief of the US Special Operations Command General Raymond Thomas earlier said the Pentagon regarded Russia as a “strategic competitor of the US” and one of the five main threats.
He claimed that “strategic rivalry” between Moscow and Washington “is most pronounced in the post-Soviet space,” where Russia, “has shown itself as willing to act aggressively to limit US and Western interests.” *
More:
http://tass.com/politics/944893
*well, actually this is somewhat true, in that Russia and China are building the One Belt One Road once-in-a-millennium project to link 64 nations and 4.4 billion people and around 40 per cent of the global economy which the US will not control….. And which may facilitate currency exchanges beyond the Federal Reserve….. so, yeah, this is “hostile” to ubiquitous “US interests”….