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The Volga flows into Barada
January 04, 2016 Guest Analyses

The Volga flows into Barada

by Ghassan Kadi Syria has never been a perfect place, and probably she never will be. Yet, those who truly love Syria, do not love her because they perceive her as of some fantasy, a Shangrila, a utopia or a paradise-lost. They simply love her because they know the wonderful aspects that the Syrian culture has. Syrians are humans. Inherently, they are not any different from those who are Portuguese,

First thoughts on the Saudi-Iranian conflict: is an attack on Iranian forces in Syria next?
January 04, 2016 Saker Analyses and Interviews

First thoughts on the Saudi-Iranian conflict: is an attack on Iranian forces in Syria next?

First and foremost, a disclaimer: I don’t normally comment on an event right after it has happened, if only because in most cases the key information needed to make an evaluation is missing.  In this case, however, I am confident that three things are already obvious: First, the murder by the Saudi Wahabis of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 other Shia was a deliberately planned provocation.  The Saudis knew, knew

Rostislav Ishchenko interviewed on Syria and Novorossiya (MUST SEE!)
January 03, 2016 Speeches, Statements and Interviews

Rostislav Ishchenko interviewed on Syria and Novorossiya (MUST SEE!)

Video translated and subtitled by Alena Scarecrow Saker commentary: Along with Colonel Cassad, I consider Rostislav Ishchenko as one of the very best experts on the war in the Ukraine.  While Cassad and Ishchenko are very different in their styles, they share two things rarely found elsewhere: they have the intellectual honesty and the professional competence needed to avoid taking extremist positions or engage in the usual hyperbole heard from

Russian Humor January 3rd, 2016 by Scott
January 03, 2016 Scotts Corner

Russian Humor January 3rd, 2016 by Scott

To those Saker commentators who detected “anger” in my sitreps, I can only say that you, Ladies and Gents, sound like my psychiatrist: “Scott, what are we going to do with your anger?” One day, I will tell you the story of how we met. Since he comes from one of those countries “civilized” and “liberated” by the West, I explained it to him in no uncertain terms, and he

Does Erdogan really intend to eliminate all Kurds from Turkey?
January 02, 2016 Guest Analyses

Does Erdogan really intend to eliminate all Kurds from Turkey?

By Ion Todescu December seems to be worst month of 2015 for the Kurdish minority in Turkey. In the early December additional units of Gendarmerie and Armed Forces, including tanks and combat helicopters were sent to southeastern provinces of Sirnak, Diyarbakir, Mardin, Siirt and Hakkari. A curfew has been imposed in numerous cities with checkpoints set on the roads and traffic restrictions implemented. The situation in the South-East has almost

Week Thirteen of the Russian Intervention in Syria: debunking the lies
January 02, 2016 Saker Analyses and Interviews

Week Thirteen of the Russian Intervention in Syria: debunking the lies

This column was written for the Unz Review: http://www.unz.com/tsaker/week-thirteen-of-the-russian-intervention-in-syria-debunking-the-lies/ Ever since the first rumors began to circulate about an impending Russian military intervention in Syria the Internet and the media have been flooded with all sorts of silly rumors, myths and outright lies about what could/would happen. These rumors, myths and outright lies are still being spread today, and not only by pro-US interest groups, but even by supposedly pro-Russian

January 01, 2016 SITREPs

Ukraine SITREP January 1st, 2016 by Scott

History teaches us that millions years of evolution can be easily reversed by a meteor or maidan. Today, January 1th, 2016 is the first day without a free trade agreement between Russia and Ukraine. As I have already wrote here, Russia was occupied by the US in the 1990s and forced to support Ukraine to the extent of $100bln annually. Apparently, it’s all ending now. Ukraine finally gets its full

Interview of Michael T. Flynn, retired United States Army lieutenant general, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
December 31, 2015 Speeches, Statements and Interviews

Interview of Michael T. Flynn, retired United States Army lieutenant general, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)

We are moving towards a major war Source: http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2878025 Translated by KA Michael Flynn, former head of the intelligence service of the US Ministry of Defence from 2012-2014, visited Moscow in December at the invitation of the TV channel Russia Today, which recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. Known as a critic of the US invasion of Iraq and the international military operation in Libya, Michael Flynn talked to “Vlast” about

Germany SITREP December 31st, 2015 by C.
December 31, 2015 SITREPs

Germany SITREP December 31st, 2015 by C.

2015 Year End Wrap-up I would like to start with a brief apology. I am sorry that I have not posted a sitrep in quite some time. My grandfather, who I love very much, has died recently. And I did not really have the time to write, and when I did have the time, I did not really find the necessary peace of mind. I would also like to thank

The Ukraine is dead
December 30, 2015 Guest Analyses

The Ukraine is dead

by Auslander Ukraine is dead, dead on 02 May 2014 in Odessa, the coffin nailed shut a week later in Mariupol. Ukraine as such means nothing to USA or EU, 404 is simply another weapon to use against ‘The Russias’. The enemies of Russia thought they had a weapon to plunge in to the throat of Russia, instead they had a weapon that dealt an off arm wound, serious but

The Ottoman Empire Strikes Back
December 29, 2015 commenter-corner

The Ottoman Empire Strikes Back

This comment was selected by Mod KL  from the  post “Foreign Policy Diary – Turkey Seeks to Become New Ottoman Empire”. The moderator believes it gives an additional brief overview of Turkey’s real ambitions. It reveals more pieces of the puzzle, regarding Turkey’s true  intentions by projecting its power well beyond its borders – yet again. Comment by Calchas     Link to original map Two more pieces of the

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