This column was written for the Unz Review: http://www.unz.com/tsaker/week-ten-of-the-russian-intervention-in-syria-the-assad-must-go-policy-leads-to-war-with-russia-iran-and-hezbollah/
The “news” that Israel and Turkey are systematically violating international law is hardly news at all. After all, we all know that Turkey has been regularly bombing the Kurds in Iraq and Syria, that Turkey still illegally occupies northern Cyprus just like the Israelis have been bombing Syria and Lebanon for decades and that they are still illegally occupying Palestine. The interesting development this week is that France, the UK and Germany have all officially decided to join these rogue states and act just like the Turks and Israelis by illegally intervening in Syria – in direct violation of international law – supposedly to fight Daesh. And even though Daesh is the official enemy, it “just so happens” that Syrian army positions were bombed by the USAF while the Israelis bombed Hezbollah missile depots. Apparently, the “Assad must go” policy is still the order of the day. In a way, one could argue that the West has now (re-)affirmed the principle that “might makes right” and that threats and violence are still the only “policy” of of the Empire in lieu of a legal, negotiated, policy. The problem with that is that the “other side” strongly feels that surrendering to the Empire’s demands is simply not an option.
The Russian warning:
In reality this has been going on for years. From the decision to bomb Serbia to the recent decision by the IMF to bail out the Ukraine in direct violation of IMF rules (which, apparently, shall now be re-written), the AngloZionist Empire has now been violating its own so-called “rules” and “principles” for decades against the background of a quasi-general indifference to the end of the international world order agreed upon after WWII. The big difference today is that the Empire’s reckless arrogance has now brought it in direct contact with the Russian Armed Forces which, apparently, are not willing to accept that kind of thuggery and who will fight back if attacked: in his annual address to expanded meeting of the Russian Federation Defense Ministry Board Putin has clearly indicated that the fact that Russia chose not to strike back at Turkey was a one time exception saying:
I want to warn those who might again try to organize any kind of provocation against our troops: we have taken additional measures to ensure the security of Russian troops and air base. It is reinforced by new air force squadrons and air defenses. All our strike aircraft are now flying with fighter cover. I order you to act very extreme resolve. Any targets that threaten Russia’s group or our terrestrial infrastructure is to be immediately destroyed.
What Putin is doing here is warning Turkey and, really all of NATO and the Empire that next time Russia will shoot back, immediately. This also shows that the authority shoot back has now been given to the Russian forces in Syria and that no top-level decision will have to be requested to return fire. It is true that this is not a first. The RAF was also given similar order in October already, but since the notion of antiquated Tornados shooting down a SU-30SM is rather far fetched (even if the British press insist that their 1970s-era aircraft are “and are capable of blasting any aircraft out of the sky”), the capability of the SU-30SMs and even the SU-34s to shoot down Western 4th generation aircraft is not in doubt. The Russians have the resolve and the means.
But will the West take the Russian warnings seriously?
The Israeli counter example:
The contrast between the NATO countries and Israel could, in this case, not be bigger. Bibi Netanyahu, by far the most intelligent actor in the AngloZionist Empire, immediately traveled to Moscow to sit down with his Russian counterparts to hammer out some kind of deal which would allow the Russians and Israelis to pursue their objectives without risking a shootout. When the first Russian Air Force incursion into the Israeli airspace occurred the Israelis handled it as a completely harmless event. Israeli Defense Minister Ya’alon declared:
“There was a slight intrusion a mile (1.6 kilometers) deep by a Russian plane from Syria into our airspace, but it was immediately resolved and the Russian plane returned towards Syria. It was apparently an error by the pilot who was flying near the Golan. Russian planes do not intend to attack us, which is why we must not automatically react and shoot them down when an error occurs”.
Later, an Ya’alon aide, General (res.) Amos Gilad, stated at a weekly event in Tel Aviv that Russian planes have occasionally crossed into Israeli airspace – but that the “very close cooperation between Russia and Israel” vis-a-vis operations in and around Syria had prevented any misunderstandings.
The counterpart on Russia side was just as obvious, if not officially admitted: when the Israelis bombed a Hezbollah weapons depot near Damascus the Russians “looked the other way”. Considering that almost at the same time Hezbollah operatives were risking their lives to rescue a downed Russian airman, this kind of deal is of less than exemplary morality, but Hezbollah people are also realists: just look at the way they put up with Assad even while he was torturing people for the CIA (the infamous “rendition” program) or when Imad Mughniyeh was murdered with obvious complicity of high-ranking members of the Assad regime). The leaders of Hezbollah understand what is happening here: like it or not, but Russia and Israel do have a “special relationship” which, while hardly a love fest, does include a unique combination of hard realism, often bordering on cynicism, and a mutual recognition that neither side wants an overt conflict. In this case, the Israelis were told in no uncertain terms that the Russian intervention to save the Syria from Daesh was not negotiable, but that Russia does not intend to protect Hezbollah from Israeli actions as long as these actions do not threaten the Russian objectives in Syria. Being a realist, Netanyahu took the deal.
Though there was some confusion about this, it is my understanding that while the Russians have deployed S-400 in Syria, there is also some evidence that the Syrians were finally given at least some S-300 batteries and that they might have used them against the Israelis on at least one occasion. What is absolutely certain is that under international law the Syrians will have the right to shoot at any US, French, German, Turkish or other aircraft flying in Syrian airspace and that if that happens the countries in violation of international law will not have a legitimate self-defense argument to make. By extension, this also means that Russia does also have the right to shoot down any aircraft or land or sea based weapons system targeting Russian aircraft. Unfortunately, western politicians and propagandists (aka “journalists”) are going to extraordinary lengths to avoid ever even mentioning these facts. And if somebody dares to actually ask the right question, western officials have a fit. This is exactly what happened recently between RT reporter Gayane Chichakyan and State Department spokesman John Kirby. See for yourself:
The Iranian warning:
Russia is not the only country which has been repeatedly warning the West about the dangers of remaining stuck in a “Assad must go” policy: Iran has also repeated such warnings. The latest one came directly from the foreign policy advisor to the leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, Ali Akbar Velayati, who openly stated that Bashar al-Assad is Syria’s lawful president and that “Iran considers him as its redline”. Velayati also said that “only Syrian people, who elected Assad, are entitled to decide the future of their country (…) and no foreign country will be allowed to interfere in Syria’s internal affairs”. Furthermore, another senior Iranian official, Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani, said that “Russia does not need prior agreement to use Iranian airspace to bomb sites in Syria” – in other words, such an agreement has already been negotiated. Considering that Larijani and Velayati are amongst the most influential and authoritative officials in Iran, one can only conclude that the Iranians are openly declaring that they are fully backing the Russian efforts in Syria. And that, in turn, means that Iran will send as many “boots on the ground” as needed to prevent Daesh from taking Damascus. This is the other crucial factor which the West is desperately trying not to think about.
The western narrative currently tries to show that it is Russia (and only Russia) which is keeping Assad in power. But this is completely false. The reality is that both Hezbollah and Iran are fully committed to preventing Daesh from overthrowing the Syrian government and their commitment has gone way further than words: Hezbollah has send hundreds of its best fighters to Syria and Iran has committed thousands of soldiers, mostly of the al-Quds Brigade, to the war in Syria. What this level of determination shows is that, just like Russia, Iran and Hezbollah have concluded that their vital, existential, interests are at risk and that they have no choice than to take the fight to Daesh. I believe that this assessment is absolutely correct.
So this is the key question here: do the deep state elites which run the US Empire understand that neither Russia, nor Iran or Hezbollah believe that they can back down and accept a Daesh victory in Syria? Do the western leader realize that Russia, Iran and Hezbollah cannot let the Empire overthrow Assad? Is there anybody out there who does not realize that the “Assad must go policy” implies a war against Russia, Iran and Hezbollah? The only way to avoid a war is to finally give up, even if that is initially denied publicly, on the “Assad must go” policy.
The Saker
The Israelis, as usual, are using their western colonies to attempt to achieve their odious goals in Syria (ref: oded yinon plan), so their cordial behavior towards Russia means little. It’s the smile of the person shaking one’s hand while their partner sneaks up and stabs one in the back sort of thing. Their usual “by way of deception…” style of making war.
@vot tak
In light of the Israelis losing 3 aircraft (including 1 F-16) due to Russian provided technology and air defense weapons to the syrians, do you think the shoot down of the Russian SU-24 was quid pro quo for the F-16?
What do you think of the possibility that erdogan is a Dolmeh putting on the charade of being an Islamist?
I don’t know the answers, what is your opinion?
If Netanyahu is the most intelligent of leaders in saker’s AZ empire model, does that imply that all other leaders in the AZ empire are complete morons? (since Netanyahu isn’t that bright in the 1st place). What do you think?
Anon 3:15
Your 1st point: it was definitely a provocation by Israel-America using their Turk quislings. Part of an overall strategy by the zionazis in Syria and more far reaching than just revenge for Syrians downing zionazi aircraft.
2nd point: erdo is an opportunistic quisling, that’s for sure. Beyond that…?
3rd point: yes, they are morons. Netanyahoo is as dim as the rest, but his direct handlers have more clout.
Well Erdogan is definately trying his luck again today with a Russian frigate in the Aegean:
http://sputniknews.com/military/20151213/1031680448/russian-frigate-collision-turkey.html
No doubt egged on by his NATO/US mates. The Russian defence Ministry has warned them too:
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20151213/1031687674/russia-warns-turkey.html
The man is completely and utterly reckless – WW3 here we come….a warning to him though – Turkey could be the one being carved up!
If you look at the background of some of the main players in the Turkish political class – they are not islamists – take from that what you will.
Samamtha Powerless no doubt delaying the UNSC on Iraq too:
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151213/1031677467/unsc-iraq-syria-troops.html
@Vot Tak
Thanks for your answer. Yes your take on point 3 is a growing consensus among those that have woken up.
As for Donmeh (not dolmeh – the result of stupid autocorrecting text entry algorithms), I can’t blame you for not understanding that point: made confusing by my typo.
Best regards.
This is necessarily speculative but I have been thinking about this for a long time.
Erdogan is not Donmeh, I don’t believe. He has worked both for and against. We imagine straight lines between deep state actors and poltician muppets but things are not so clear, especially in Turkey.
Erdogan is a gangster in a ganster state. He is a force on his own, a very rare character in a
big dirty game. He is resilient and popular but without his political base he is nothing. I think of him as occupying the position of Caesar in Ottoman Rome. Some will object but this is defenitely the best characterization of the Turkish President relative to the submerged Turkish elite. I have no doubt that eventually a ‘Brutus’ will deliver the death blow on behalf of Donmeh, when he is no longer useful to his sociopath frenemies.
This is what Putin was attempting to exploit when complimenting the Turkish President ahead of the recent election. Erdogan has a big ego, to put it mildly, and this was perceived as potentially useful to Russia (and also to Obama) before the downing of the Su-24.
Davotoglu, on the other hand, is an intellectual with no real authority on the ground. If you are looking for Donmeh muppets in a very general sense, the Turkish PM is an important candidate. He is under direct control of the Donmeh, Turkish Wolves and NATO-Gladio, all of whom work together but often with competing agendas. Davutoglu has ambitions of his own but will never be of the same stature as Erdogan. He is my candidate for Ottoman Brutus.
Hakan Fidan is another interesting character, the J. Edgar Hoover of MIT and Turkey. He is more powerful than Erdogan and the man with his hands on his leash.
Keep in mind these are all wolves. They will cooperate in the kill but fight amongst
themselves for the spoils. When I think who is maddest and most aligned to long term Donmeh goals, I think of Fidan. He was a nobody in the Turkish military who rose by his own efforts until spotted by the Anglo-Zionists, thereafter sent to America to further his education and apprentice for the luciferian Donmeh.
I also have to mention the Muslim Brotherhood, who are CIA but with most rank and file members being ignorant of the greater goal of their leaders, sort of like low level masons in the West. Part of Erdogan’s strength has to do with his influence over this semi-idealistic group.
I will stress it again, these are all speculations. If anyone outside of Turkey understands the situation there it must be Russia. Russian actions are the best guide to the machinations of the Turkish deep state. Publically they have been forced to turn on Erdogan but I strongly believe they know the Turkish President is not their main opponent. At the G20 in Antalya Putin threatened to directly reveal those responsible for the “stab in the back.” This was interpretted as a shot against Erdogan but I don’t believe it is so. Rather I believe this was an offer to Erdogan to reveal the true nature of the Donmeh beast. Days later in Paris Erdogan still believed he could work things out with Putin if he would only agree to talk. Putin obviously couldn’t accept this offer but who is to say what information was exchanged between the Russian and Turkish delegations.
I still believe, against all that is apparent, that Erdogan and Putin have some important complimentary goals. It is not inconceivable they could still work together, Donmeh be damned.
@ C I Eh!
Thanks for a very comprehensive answer and good snapshot of the characters involved in what Putin refers to the “Turkish Elite”.
Funny you should mention Davutoglu,that’s exactly my impression: that man, in particular, exudes duplicity, sneaky scheming & slimey double-talk someone totally untrustworthy, not someone I’d ever turn my back to (both from the body language and other traits). I had him pegged as dyed in the wool Donmeh and not a proxy. Davutoglu reminds me of Yatsenyuk (which is an insult to Davutoglu since Davutoglu is intelligent and “Yats” is a cartoonish buffoon & not the brightest chip in the bag).
the saudis have the awac planes used for the attack. dont fregit, the iranian 450 govt/military/political men and families ABDUCTED by the saudis under that planned -stampede- when they thought they were safe going to mecca in saudi jewish arabia, and now they are dead, or tortured into revealing what they know about so much. Look at the list of abducted iran folks.
Russia doesn’t need any foreign enemy, it has its own neoliberal oligarchic collectivist class, which is throwing Russia into an economic crisis, is disregarding presidential orders and elites in the justice system, which act like the mob (Chaika – this b* Navalny and (Novaya Gazeta) used this event for maximal damage of the political stability of the country).
I don’t exactly know why the saker (or the blog in general) is focusing only on international neoliberal empire policies (sure time, effort…), citing Hudson or Khazin at times, but seems to completely miss all the developments inside Russia, most importantly its economy (which is arguably much more important even in terms of national defense). It’s great when Russia resists the Empire militarily and was slowly improving on its sovereignty, but even Ischenko’s writing makes it clear that times of uninterrupted ‘sovereignization’ are over. Real economic indicators show a deepening recession, falling manufacturing volume and drying up of credit (interest up to 25%). You got to describe the situation like it is: the entire monetary / economic policy is an abject failure (adding to general incompetence of planning and executing projects like the “Platon” system, Khazin had a very instructive talk with a trucker rep. on his radio show). To add insult to injury the pinhead of the Russian version of voodoo economics, Nabiullina, receives praise of the int. banking community in form of a prize; god, if you would want to see the allegorical real life version of someone bashing his/her own teeth in, you should look at Russia’s economic policy.
Putin and the group that suported him saved Russia’s statehood, but the delegation of economic policy to neoliberal parasites / magicians / ideologues is biting Russia very hard into its flesh and will come back in the next year with a vengeance.
An analysis of the Russian military is important, the saker blog is one of very few informative sites (the Western press was, is just a propaganda presstitute and as I think most of the world’s press is) which even deals with facts, but analysis without accounting for the state of the source or the foundations of the military in a society is like closing one of your eyes, which will make you blind for offensive economic measures that the Empire takes against Russia and its populace (every iota of discontent in the Russian population, because of the state of its economy, will be seized upon and leveraged to the bone).
People think that having a successful economy is easy. It is not. Especially in the case of Russia, the problem is magnified ten-fold by the Empire’s extreme economic subversion that was previously covert but has now transformed into open economic sabotage.
Russia has been (and now much more so) facing significant barriers to her development since forever by the West. After the catastrophe of the 90s, during which Russia was promised to be included in the global economic system and was actually undermined in every conceivable way, the country partially recovered thanks to high commodity prices.
Russia is facing severe hurdles in her path to development:
a) Limited access to the world’s markets. Unlike Japan or Germany, Russia cannot be granted access to the global markets because that will upset the global balance of power. Germany or Japan, even if very advanced, cannot pose a threat to the hegemonic position of the US because they do not possess the necessary natural resources, and especially hydrocarbons. Russia is very different and for this reason cannot be allowed to develop her economy, even in her current shrunken state.
b) The recent financial sanctions imposed on Russia by all of the world’s rich countries (North America, Europe, Japan and Australia) in combination with a meltdown in commodity prices have created a perfect storm for the Russian economy. If it was just sanctions, but commodity prices remained high, then that would even be positive for Russia because she would be able to self-finance her own investment projects. With the current extremely low commodity prices combined with the lack of funding from the western markets, Russia is experiencing a dearth in investment and internal demand, hence a deep recession is all but inevitable.
c) Even in terms of the products that Russia is indeed allowed to export to the West, this same West tries to limit its purchases as much as it possibly can. Just look at Europe’s energy policy. They are doing anything possible to limit the amount of stuff that they buy from Russia (especially gas) They prefer to sometimes buy from more expensive sources, to use dirty coal, to subsidize highly inefficient “green energy” etc etc etc. Harming Russia’s economy is more important to the NATO Empire than behaving like a rational economic actor.
I even have some understanding in relation to NATO’s policies towards Russia. Russia is the only country on the planet that possesses all the ingredients of power. Not even the US or China have them, not even the EU (if it were a coherent state entity that is, which it manifestly is not) or Japan. If NATO-GCC-Israel-Japan play fair with Russia, then Russia will simply be very soon able to kick their asses up and down the globe. Hence why destroying Russia is an imperative for the Empire.
Putin knows all this, and therefore has to navigate carefully. I think Russia’s current economic thinking is to improve her domestic industrial, agricultural and technology sectors (to the extent that it is possible) and at the same time maintain the resistance against the imperial onslaught. Russia’s best way of development for the next couple of decades is to corner (as much as possible) the energy markets, which is why the stakes in the Syraq war (and its Ukrainian derivative) are so high for both Russia as well as the Empire of Degenerates (as I like to call it)
The establishment of autarchy is a perfectly achieveable goal for Russia. It has all the ingredients to achieve it. It just needs to get moving in that direction. The first crucial move is to liberate its economy and industry from the western-controlled financial and credit system. It needs to have its own real central bank, which it most certainly does not, so it can direct credit to the areas that it needs to develop. Once that first crucial step is taken, the rest should follow rather simply. It is that first step that seems to be hard to take.
” Russian options in the face of Transnational Elite’s frontal attack ”
1. A Market economy integrated into the NWO
2. A non-market economy outside the NWO
3. An intermediate socially-controlled market economy
http://www.pravdareport.com/opinion/columnists/22-12-2014/129352-russia_transnational_elite-0/#sthash.XFrHAhiW.dpuf
Other relevant articles:
“Russia at the crossroads”
http://www.inclusivedemocracy.org/journal/vol10/vol10_no1-2_Russia_at_the_crossroads.html
“The engineered decline in oil prices”
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-engineered-decline-in-oil-prices-economic-warfare-is-the-wests-main-weapon/5418545
” The Russian embargo and the Ukrainian “coup from below” ”
http://www.inclusivedemocracy.org/journal/vol10/vol10_no1-2_Russian_embargo.html
Autarky is indeed possible for Russia, but it can only come at the expense of efficiency. One of the primary reasons for economic growth is the world-division of labor and the global market. Forfeiting that will have negative repercussions.
What Russia can do in the short to medium term, is to limit her reliance on the West (has already happened in fact) and deal more with countries like China and also enhancing the EEU. This will take time however. Years in fact.
In the short-term Russia is in a very tough spot thanks to the full-scale collapse in commodity prices. The only silver lining is that the low commodity prices (especially oil) is not only hurting Russia, but it’s also hurting US shale, Canadian tar sands, deepwater offshore (mainly done by western majors) and even the GCC. The big question here is who can take the pain better and we are about to find out in the coming year.
Russia should not pursue autarky. And it does not need to. It just needs to disengage with the West. Contrary to what western elites think, they are not the world. The rest of the world is open to Russia.
From a “business as usual” viewpoint, you are right. I on the other hand argue, that all the factors you mentioned in your posts above, are only scratching the surface. To talk of efficiency in a global capatalist market system is, to put it mildly, misplaced.
From a technological point of view, automation will only accelerate in replacing the workforce in every country. Demand (already stifled by over indebtedness, only reinvigorated by a modern debt jubilee – not going tohappen, f. oligarchs will see to that) and the credit volume will decrease until they also collapse.
Without getting caught up in too much detail, my hypothesis / model is this: the foundation of any economic system is energy, matter and work (machine or human). Those societies, who will employ an / a
– autark energy supply
– fully automated production base
– modularity of all its parts (for updates, change of used material)
– closed resource cycle (without waste as much as possible,)
– fully integrated production (without being always dependent on the goodwill of investors, suppliers), will prosper.
The state should act as a provider of infrastructure (like a life support system). All the arbitrariness of the political system can be build upon it.
Russia has the means to build such an infrastructure, no doubt.
Refusing to act will lead to a stratification of the society in dimensions we have never seen before. Trillionaires (ruling over f.e. the kingdom of Brin or Soros) will become a reality; neo-feudalism and a few technical apparatchiks – this will be a recipe for war.
As Stavros H. has pointed out autarky has costs.
Also, the central bank is not there to direct credit, but to manage the money supply and maintain the banking system in working order.
Then that may be part of the problem. The financial system overhauled to do the things needed to spur the economy.
To another point made by others. Certainly Russia can be (is being) cut off from some technology. But that is where their “strategic pardner” China should come in. China has (or can get) the Western technology Russia needs. Then it is purely a matter of reverse engineering and tweaking that technology to adapt it to Russian needs. Russia also has one of the World’s finest set of inventors,scientists,etc. Why are they not using them in research centers to develop technology for advancing Russia’s economy. Certainly as some have said,that takes time. Which means no time should be lost, waiting to start those projects. They should be working on that now.
This is what it always boils down to for the monetarists or neoclassical economist. No, the myth of the independent cb is just that, a myth.
It’s not about directing credit per se, but about giving the state the financial means to invest into strategic infrastructure. If this is done directly or indirectly, through connected banks, is a red herring argument (f.e. Germany’s cb bought “Wechsel” of German companies and the public bank KFW financed large parts of its economy) – the reason for doing so is providing the economy with credit. Russia’s cb is deliberately refusing to do so, which in turn leads to a lack of ruble (something on the order of 70% is foreign credit, denominated not in ruble). The “targeted inflation” policy leads to more inflation and the destruction of Russia’s businesses.
You don’t need to be a propht to see where this all leads to. (Simple statistical analysis by sergey glazyev [russian] : https://youtu.be/yg99qdNJyqk https://youtu.be/tnlHThCO1zE)
Whether the central bank is independent of government isn’t the crucial question. I’ve no idea how it works in a command economy, but in a market economy, the allocation of resources is determined by private sector players and by the government, which gets control of resources by taxation, and of the timing of its use of those resources by borrowing. There are circumstances in which the government can usefully borrow from the central bank – if the economy is stuck in recession and the banking sector is broken. There are circumstances in which it is disastrous – if the government cannot raise funds any other way and has to rely wholly on the central bank. The result can be hyperinflation. The point is that the level of investment is ultimately determined by the level of saving. It’s allocation no doubt differs in a command economy. In neither command economy nor market economy can a central bank simply conjure up credit without cost by printing money – if it prints too much, the result is simply inflation. “Inflation targets”, or targets for the money supply, or nominal GDP targets, are simply a way to try to keep the economy growing as nearly as possible at its potential rate, without booms and busts that waste resources and lives.
Yes Ewan, this is exactly what I mean by the term of neoclassical economics. To the point of cb independence and how the FED financed the US in the past: http://www.levyinstitute.org/publications/central-bank-independence. Instead of the government (with at least the possibility of democratic oversight) being in command, the private sector (to be more precise oligarchic monopolies) is in charge. The private sector will always make decisions in its truncated particular interest. That’s the point of regulation, in metaphoric terms, to stop the capitalist nuclear reactor from going critical – the rods (regulation, social welfare) absorb neutrons (fraud, collusion, cartels, environmental destruction). In other words “unfettered capitalism is a revolutionary force that consumes greater and greater numbers of human lives until it finally consumes itself”. Not speaking of the fact, that private sector entities function like the (“real”) communist North Korea – do or die. Adding to the liberal law system, that is in fact more like a shell game for avoiding personal responsibility
Second, if you have no savings there is nothing to invest and here comes the monetarist fallacy that money is just savings, which banks loan to the pubic. In real life money is created by banks and the cb provides them with reserves (central bank money) and here we go, money often consist of IOU that the private sector issues. The real privilege that banks posses is the right to use their IOUs as collateral for central bank money. For more on this: http://www.levyinstitute.org/pubs/wp/231.pdf.
See, I couldn’t care less if you want to live a libertarian or communist lifestyle, the important thing is that the economy should liberate humans from unnecessary work. But as always, ideologues on all sides prevail, by pushing through an economic system, that conforms to an existing power structure and hiding it behind a scientific jargon, that obfuscates reality, hides its deficiencies and sanctifies its outcomes (by accepting all the death and destruction as necessary martyrs for a glory future).
In addition to my reply to Ewan: the hyperinflation boogeyman is another red herring, first it only applies when there is an existing unbalance in the “products” volume (denominated in the unit of account) to money volume (which only consist of money effectively used for the demand of real economic produce) ratio. Second what inflation are we taking about? inflation in asset prieces or real life necessities or consumer products in general. All the FED did after 2008 was to buy junk bonds at nominal value (not to market pricing, which would be zero), it used trillions of central bank money, no hyperinflation ensued (like all the libertarian pundits screamed so much about). Thirdly, historically, nations suffered from hyperinflation when their debts were dominated in a foreign currency or hard assets like gold, as it was the condition in which for example the Weimarer Republic or Zimbabwe operated in.
Nachtigall,
I should say straightaway that I simply don’t understand some of what you say here, so forgive me if I miss the point.
Your strictures against the private sector should be directed more precisely at the current neo-liberal orthodoxy which corporations have found so useful as propaganda in their lobbying of government. Your strictures apply less to other forms of liberal market economy. Likewise, with the legal system. It is not liberalism that requires the legal system to recognise corporate bodies as legal persons, and so on. That is a harmful mutation.
I think your second paragraph garbled. There is no investment without saving by someone, either the investor themselves or the saver the investor borrows from. I think we agree on that (but it’s not clear to me from what you say). Money is not credit. It is as well to keep this in mind. Similarly money or nominal values are distinct from real. Your account of the banking system appears (at least to me) to overlook these necessary distinctions (but this is not the place to go into the subject of banking and finance, even if I were qualified to do so).
You say you’re indifferent between libertarian and communist. I’m not. I can’t see how either can work. We are left with the endless negotiation between versions of the middle ground of the mixed economy (and your first paragraph is eloquent about how the West has got this horribly wrong).
Your addendum in part agrees with me and in part is wrong. We agree that an economy working well below capacity can benefit from QE or “printing money”. Where I think you are wrong is in saying that hyperinflation is a risk only where debt is denominated in a foreign currency or the domestic currency commodity based. I think regardless of the institutional arrangements – commodity currency, currency board, or free float – hyperinflation will follow if the central bank prints money without limit (if not in the official market, then in the black market where more and more of the transactions in the economy will take place). Likewise if debt is denominated in foreign currency or domestic. Fiat money and domestic debt may postpone the crash, but that is all.
Capitalism (free market system etc.) was and is an idea of liberalism. Classical economist like Smith, Tobin, Mill and so on tried to improve the free market system (eliminate economic rent), neoclassical economist, what many call voodoo economics, have a bizarre virtual model of the economy (DSGE, utilitarian approach…) culminating in the political ideology of neoliberalism, which is at least in my view its logic conclusion (albeit being absurd). People like Keynes got never through to mainstream economics. Followed by all the socialist, anarchist etc. critique of it. All groups try to improve their position in a capitalistic system through all means available (illegal or not if it makes a net profit), mostly through differential advantage, turning to monopolies and megacorps sooner or later. It’s really a war system than anything else. All in all nobody seems to get that all the economic terminology is basically referring to power structures inside the human society – call it the group around the investor, high priest or king, it doesn’t matter which economic system it really is, you will always find power structures. To the point of corporate personhood: superficially the liberal idea of individualism and corporate personhood is not connected. But under the paradigm of individualism responsibility was paradoxically delegated away from the individual to a virtual entity. Everyone and everything received rights. Now even corporations have the right of free speech. This development is the logical outgrowth of the ideology of liberalism (albeit into the absurd).
Money is also effectively credit. Banks accept your IOU when a credit contract is formed. A claim appears on the assets side of the bank balance sheet. On the liabilities part of the balance sheet the corresponding checking account will receive a mark-up. If the bank client is spending the (IOUs of the bank) money (if it would be cleared immediately) the inner money (CB) will be transferred to another bank (Fedwire, rtgs account) – (http://www.debtdeflation.com/blogs/2015/03/01/what-is-money-and-how-is-it-created/). I know that money is almost of no interest for mainstream economists, they regard it as a commodity which is bartered back in forth.
To your last paragraph. If you mean, “printing” money without the simultaneous increase in the production of corresponding products, than I do agree with your assessment, that this will lead to hyperinflation (no matter if it is a commodity currency or a free float arrangement) after a certain time period. Let me specify what I would describe as money “printing” by the FED: the central bank increases the balance of any entity that has an electronic checking account (Fedwire, rtgs-account) at the FED (inc. against any newly colleteral by banks etc.). What do I mean by corresponding products? it depends for which purpose the FED has created new money (inner money in MMT terms). Is it to pay for new government employees or for building a new space port, the newly created money will be turned over through different pathways. In the first case typical consumer goods would be demanded, maybe housing demand will rise and with it its price (also materials). I know this is a very simplistic model but it should explain what I mean by ‘corresponding products’. What it boils down to is to increase the necessary production volume (higher productivity, efficiency) so that price inflation will be low.
I know that there is a long history to the debate about the theory of value.
The real source of everything we call wealth is either biological or machine labor and their manipulation of matter (which would be commonly called resources) – the only real currency is energy. Everything else, build upon this fact of life, is political arbitrariness. My view is that the economy should be based on the liberation of humanity from unnecessary labor, a scientific approach dictated by natural sciences (not that pseudo science which is now called economics or the social “science” of economy) and the absence of political ideology.
This link might help to understand the money conundrum:
http://neweconomicperspectives.org/2013/12/essays-monetary-theory-policy-nature-money-3.html
You forgot to mention that the fed will never be able to sell them. And slowly it will be monetized so everyone ends up paying for it. And cost of milk, property taxes, medical bills, most food items now cost twice as much. You can hide inflation and yell it is not there but when your burger now is half the size it was 5 years ago, saying you ate too much before just don’t cut it with the hungry hippo. So they say people eat more now than before.. huh?
I have just two words for you about your claims of what the central bank does and does not do, and what would or would not happen if it prints too much money:
Quantitative. Easing.
Apparently it’s OK to print trillions as long as you give it all to billionaire speculators.
Ewan,
let me say this, on a more general note: there is big confusion out there about the right terminology, that one should employ to describe the economy, social system or any other system (esp.in light of the whole body of science, that studies the bases of communication – semiotics and linguistics). I’m limited by my foreign language skill, that’s why I write more extensive replies.
To be perfectly accurate I would have to provide a adequate definition of liberalism, the school of thought, that I think is relevant and my deduction of its principles. To provide you with a reasonable argument why I think corporate law (inc. personhood and the judicial reasoning behind the genesis of the act) is an outgrowth of liberalism. Never rmind all the history of law (i.a. to the philosophy of law) and the ideology or environmental pressures that precipitated new pathbraking laws. Therefore, our comments have to be evaluated as not satisfactory, but on the other hand like you rightly pointed out, that this is not the format for an in-depth discussion (of academic quality).
Concerning the topic of political economy, like capitalism, there is also an entire body of thought that one should have in mind when talking about capitalism. This is there all the problems of none comprehensive definitions arise and you most likely have a very different working model on capitalism compared to mine (nevertheless, we do have overlap / intersection). I think the biggest difference will be in what we would consider to be relevant social dependencies that emerge out of the ideological system of capitalism (and its relationship to other important conceptions, like free will).
My point is, that contemporary high priest of the religion of capitalism (who sit in different institutes, universities, foundations…) are very picky in what they consider to be capitalism and in its consequences, in all its forms. There is not a big leap to make from the ideological content of Victorian capitalism to the cancerous capitalism of our time (every interaction should be transaction based, commercialized and our lives should be the offering at the altar of the one and only free market). Just like the seed’s of the planned economy also contain the gulag economy (like an allele in genetics), Today’s “experts” on capitalism behave like Bolsheviks of the 20th century. For god’s sake, it’s even easier to think of the apocalypse, than the end of our so called economic system Yes, I accuse all the believers and participants, of every crime that capitalism implicates.
But as a realist, I see that humanity needs its fetishes, totems and toys, so that we should try to reform the real existing economic system and possibly, one day, erase it by a system, that deserves the name of a ‘humane economic system’.
Next, I don’t care what model today’s economic shamans use, it has to be based on empirical fact. The empirical fact is that credit and (holding of debts = savings) are different sides of the same coin. Credit was / is used as an IOU which in turn was / is used for payment of taxes or for goods and services. I refer you all to Steve Keen’s book “Debunking Economics”, Hudson’s “Bubble and Beyond”, Wray’s “MMT” and the FED’s accounting and general procedures (on it’s homepage) to see how the banking system works not the figment of imagination that is used in Paul Samuelson’s and other neoclassical books. You will never comprehend the housing crisis (how people used their houses as atms) / subprime / junk bond trading, without understanding how credit works. It’s like lacking concepts of reality without which you will be functionally blind and unable to recognize structures that are right in front of you.
Finally, I discontinued studying economics (partly because of all the inconsistencies and frankly religious aspects of the prevailing doctrine) and changed the field, to study physics, chemistry and biology. At this point I will try to develop an economic theory, that is based on an energy centric approach as it is already the case in cell-biology (metabolism, sure it’s not an economy per se, but a form of matter manipulation driven by energy cascades [ATP-cycle]) .
Nachtigall
I have no notion why, but my reply has appeared miles away on page 2.
Stavros H on December 13, 2015 · at 10:20 am UTC
China and the NSR are the reality that the West cannot stop. Russia is not dependent on Fictitious Western Capital.
Having met a few younger Russians, both inside Russia and while traveling, I am pretty shocked at their anti Russian attitude. Especially those under 30 years old see Russia as ‘brutal’ and seem to have no idea of what the West and specifically, the USA has had in mind for Russia for some time.
True, the inferiority complex is carefully cultivated by Russian liberals (in the Russian sense and Russian understanding of liberal) and the economic policy of the Russian government is helping to foster it big time. As civilizational progress is often equated with materialistic wealth. The international capitalist propaganda is propagating the image of wealth, the desirability of being rich, having shiny toys and stones, living in palaces or in the concrete tower jungle, lit up by colorful lights, full of possibilities. The Russian youth is exposed to that and learns it its propagandized history books how bad and backwards the country was in the past, with all the predictable results: even if a patriotic sentiment exist the “Fernweh” for a “better life” will motivate them to emigrate, boosted by the objective reality that Russia’s political economic elite deprives them of their potential for self-realization.
To Ewan (reply on page 2): Let’s put it in Marxist terms: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_and_superstructure. “The base comprises the forces and relations of production ….These relations determine society’s other relationships and ideas, which are described as its superstructure”. This model has limitations, it should be judged by how well it corresponds to empirical findings.
The fact that many economist don’t see capitalism as oppressive, highly unjust , destructive can be explained in part by this model (institutions that provide the educational background forming their perception of reality, as well as, the upbringing [class] etc.).
“Economics is the science of the allocation of scarce resources” – a better definition would be the art of Political Economy (using the scientific method to analyze its parts, processes, for optimizing resource allocation, etc.).
I think that there should be a big fat gap between science, that study’s principles of nature (producing the laws of thermodynamics to quantum mechanics) and economics; the science of the former is strictly emerging out of principles that govern our universe, the latter from a existing power structure and a set of assumptions that are made up by humans (often times, just value judgements). I cannot stress this enough.
Anyway, like I wrote before, power structures (which are also effected and influenced by the economic system) will decide, which economic system will be in effect. Every system has pros and cons (one worse than the other depending on the outcomes it produces in health, environmental destruction, etc.), its own ideological framework (inc. ideas, values, concepts of reality…), its own vectors of development in time and its own objectives.
So if we want to continue with capitalism in its current form or in a more milder form, we should start packing our gas masks and start digging our graves (or try to get on the last ship to mars, like some billionaire jimbos already plan to). In the meantime we can tweak the economy with Khazin’s or Glazyev’s suggestions (as far as I know, he has suggested to create strategic institutions to develop the economy, similar to other countries – and on the other hand, not just one institution that does all the lending and all remaining banks do the lending for non strategic purposes i.e. toys. Generally, the central bank (should finance the state to build infrastructure, industrialization of the country, etc.) is the lender of last resort [mainstream view], it has never prevented any bubble, you are simply wrong, private institutions create the bulk of credit not the central bank, the central bank is the b* that provides all the reserves needed and only if the banks want to clear their positions do they actually use central bank money. Under utilization and sclerotic economy? 70% of the money supply is foreign credit, demand in the order of7 trillion ruble is lacking – so what are you taking about? it’s demand [inc. prohibitive credit conditions] that is lacking.The private sector is killed by high costs [inc. credit] and a parasitic monitoring/law enforcement combo – only the government sector is able to act. It should generate currency [without interest] to finance SPECIFIC PROJECTS) – if we haven’t lost our minds yet, we will choose to organize ourselves more on the lines of what the TZM suggests (http://www.thezeitgeistmovement.com/uploads/upload/file/19/The_Zeitgeist_Movement_Defined_PDF_Final.pdf) and leave capitalism to the margins of society.
Either way, generally, I would recommend to have contingency plans – try to survive in this asylum, we call our home, planet earth.
Nachtigall
You know, we agree on more than I think either of us realised.
All political economists should study Marx, for the reasons you give (even though his economics shares the flaws of classical economics in general and his theory of value hasn’t stood the test of time).
I disagree with your notion that there is some cut-off point after which our theories aren’t science. Economic theory does a good job on other social organisms besides us (where power is easier to analyse), precisely because it is the science of the social allocation of scarce resources. When it studies human societies, as you say, it has to incorporate more complex analysis – involving, I suggest, game theory and sociology. And its practitioners have to stop pretending they can forecast the economic cycle. However, it might just be we disagree on terminology.
I have obviously not read Glazyev as carefully as I should. I still disagree with what I have read.
I don’t think I said the central bank provides the bulk of the credit in the economy. Quite the contrary.
On banking bubbles and crashes: Yes, the record of the last hundred years is bad. There was, however, a marked improvement in the stability of banking in the UK as the Bank of England established its preeminent role, and a consequent improvement in the provision of credit; there was a sharp decline in bank runs in the US after the Fed was established. Central banking provides a public good. There have of course been repeated episodes where the central bank has failed to rein in bank lending, or has regulated the banks inappropriately, or fuelled a boom by too lax a monetary policy or prolonged a bust by too tight. This is not a fault of the institution of central banking, but of its implementation (faulty monetary analysis) and its vulnerability to political interference (“light touch” regulation, for example). These can be remedied. As I say, Canada and Australia have done well (if only relative to disasters elsewhere). It is not wise to destroy a useful institution rather than reform it.
Russia’s sclerotic economy: If inflation is is double digits even while capacity utilisation is low, there is something wrong. You touch on one problem, “monitoring and law enforcement” i.e. badly designed regulation of markets. With inflation in double digits, scarcity of credit is simply not the problem. On the outflow of capital, mainstream economists are now willing to recognise the faults of the “Washington consensus” – as they haven’t since at least the S.E. Asian crisis of 1997-8. “Liberalising” capital markets when other markets are still restricted in one way or another can clearly do great harm. Capital controls are part of the solution i.e. more tinkering.
I’m still not clear how you propose to get from our current toxic system to something better.
See, we do agree on many things (excerpt for some really important ones), you seem to think, that when you start the ideal capitalist system (with a perfect regulatory body, democratic participation, but not in economic terms [i.e. the owner of the enterprise is in command and his minions are to perfectly obey his/her rule], a central bank, private sector, banks [bank license, right to trade their IOUs into cb money], cultural institutions [f.e. universities]) it will behave like the theory of economics says it will.
This is where I think the disagreement really is, there is a model and than there is the reality of an existing power structure. Where is the possibility of corruption [regulatory capture], existing inequities (property, heritage [never taxed at 100%]) incorporated into the capitalist model? the right to command resources is a extraordinary privilege, this by itself makes a joke out of the assumption of a level playing field for all (everyone who is connected to the banking /money creation cluster will be part of ah entity in the power structure, that is much more powerful than any other part of the ps)?. The notion that a transaction based, capitalist economy will be based on free will (f.e. freedom of contract) is another fiction. Existing property (or are we Bolsheviks, who will equalize the property situation) has a starting advantage. Those who own nothing [excerpt their body] will have the option either to live on state transfers [if available] or prostitute themselves (because they don’t have the means of production or fail at begging to get them). Btw, mainstream economist explain this away by telling us, I kid you not, that respective people have a far more expressed propensity to consume and thereby don’t accumulate capital for productive endeavors. a benevolent dictator redistributes resources prior to trade, SMD… The exponential accumulation through interest on debts, is a turbo charged transfer system of wealth (historically debt jubilees were a regular occurrence to free debt slaves). All this culminates in a hierarchical (or in Orwell’s terms) collectivist oligarchy (might be better to name it collectivist plutocracy | Please read http://www.newspeakdictionary.com/go-goldstein.html if you haven’t already). You think regulatory capture in a ideal capitalist system is the exception – no after the competition process reaches a state, where a competitor has enough differential advantage to acquire more and more market share, the competition finally dies and the winning capitalist entity will try to consolidate by any means possible – corrupting anything it its reach, from media to universities in the end. If its stopped by a regulator, it will try to corrupt the regulator by any means: if it has to form a cartel with other firms, it will do it, if it has to blackmail specific subjects it will do it). All this leads to today’s capitalist societies, who are commanded and controlled by its corporate media (“The buying public: The bewildered herd must pay for understanding the unseen environment through the mass communications media…”), political technologist (like: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Lippmann, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Lasswell ….) and its plutocratic class (even Piketty gets it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_in_the_Twenty-First_Century).
The funny thing is that we often discuss today’s human condition, as if still any borders for our collectivist oligarchic class exist. Some possess resources (paper claims) on the order of existing states. They jetset (even the Chinese communist party has enough examples of that) where the f* want, employing the local populace as serfs, in the most habitual and arrogant way, speak to us through their lackeys in political parties and media.
Externalities (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Externality) are another big thing. Most ominously when scientific community cannot predict all the side effects of producing a particular product.
We are talking fundamentally of power, the power to control&command, to rule over lives (how pervasive is rape in the capitalist system, do we actually know how much women had to suffer; do as I like or you will be terminated…). Violence in all its forms, is also unaccounted for in any capitalist model (yeah sure, laws will prevent all that and the police will always be at the right place at the right time. A totalitarian capitalist system may prevent any following corruptive moves after the first successful one). All this may happen in any system, but any system, that doesn’t provide life’s necessities (food, shelter, resources for self realization) will be especially prone for corruption.
Ewan I sense your honest effort to reform the current capitalist economic system, I really commend you and everyone else for that. Still I cannot get how you don’t see, that the bad consequences are all incorporated in the seeds of capitalism (like genes that are activated in the DNA helix [f.e. through epi-gentic pathways] ). The Master-Slave Dialectic, the trinitarian formula (http://territorialmasquerades.net/the-trinity-formula/) – one can always hide behind the “science of economy” and its jargon, but you cannot hide that its programs and models are after the fact – there is no science that will help one not to see that.
Nevertheless, I don’t think it will come to a natural end like many others, quite the opposite, the capitalist system (and its protagonists) will incorporate the critique, dismember it, disinfect it and obfuscate and hide everything, that has the possibility to endanger it. And for fun sake, they will sell products, that mock their critics (like chocolate Marx effigies). Finally, the capitalist vehicle will enable some progress and “development” in the sense that it allows for some harmless science – that is all it is for me.
Lastly, my so called “energy centric economy” is intended for a future time, a new paradigm of production that will depend on already existing technologies – but more like a OS that one (anyone, populace, dictator, whoever can use) even, possibly conscious machines. I don’t think it is really new, only divorced of typical human fetishes like money. I cannot present it because, I didn’t develop a coherent model, that I could present.
Nachtigall
A visitor to Ireland asked a local how to get where he wanted to go. The local thought for a while and then replied, “well, I wouldn’t start from here”.
That is my question.
We always start in the middle of a game started long since. The game has settled in an equilibrium that reflects the relative power of the players. Other equilibriums (yes, I know it’s equilibria) are feasible. How do you get from the current equilibrium to the one you prefer.
In our state of ignorance, I argue, the best we can do is Whiggish reform that edges us to “better” outcomes. We cannot manipulate something as complex as a modern society. We cannot know what the outcome of any reform will be. Wholesale reform simply risks an exponential cascade of unforeseen consequences. Or perhaps the more realistic version is that the neoliberals have already manipulated society and what we’re arguing about is how effectively we can oppose them, because some of the consequences are all too foreseeable.
We agree that capitalism’s current lethal mutation risks destroying us. (You think further that capitalism inevitably leads to this point.) The question remains, What do you propose we do?
Your answer appears to be, Here we have an economy where the few have the power to exploit the many, to keep them in subjection, and there is nothing we can do they won’t subvert, and it’s wrong, it’s evil etc. etc. In other words… I wouldn’t start from here. Well, tough – we don’t have a choice, and being right but ineffective is not obviously better than being only half-right and effecting some small improvement.
I wanted to pronounce a short fundamental critique, to lit up the monstrum and show, how destructive it really is (and how the capitalist mode of production, in my view, leads to today’s situation). We have to relentlessly, mercilessly analyze (in Sun Tzu words: to know your opponent) and know the ins and outs of the “real” existing economic system. This is at least half the effort in my opinion.
Otherwise, one would risk to destroy structures that could be employed to improve the human condition.
At this stage, I’m pessimistic about reform efforts (the situation in Russia is ample evidence, how even under conditions of war, the dominant class is able to successfully suppress reforms). Then again, this does not mean to be passive and discouraged. I’d like to think, that one should carry on, even if f.e. an asteroid is on a path to destroy earth.
It’s physically impossible to start somewhere else. The critique of Steve Keen, Hudson, Khazin, Glazyev gives us ideas how to carry on. I’m definitely not against reform, but, it has to be a multidimensional approach. Alternative structures should also be encouraged (like the TZM already does). A sufficiently stable equilibrium is not enough (the usual suspects, will always try to restore the most parasitic state possible).
The most immediate measure, that, imo, should be taken, is to build an infrastructure (at the beginning for the most vulnerable), that is providing life’s necessities (food, shelter etc.) independently of the capitalist system and is self-sustainable. This is perfectly feasible with today’s technologies (again look at the TZM defined handbook under transitional measures). Which particular technology should be employed is a matter of debate.
A prudent transition won’t endanger the capitalist system, it would slowly deflate it (finally a good sign when gdp numbers fall, ; ) ) and take root parallel to the existing system.
I welcome any suggestions, that formulate a better, more efficient approach.
If humanity wants peace, the Master-Slave Dialectic has finally to end.
Nachtigall
You propose a critique and piecemeal reform. I suggested piecemeal reform and gave a critique of Glazyev.
There are detailed worked-out proposals for more equitable taxation. There are comprehensive proposals to share the benefits of globalisation and reduce (and spread) the costs. There are feasible proposals for coping with climate change. All consistent with mainstream economics. All politically less unlikely to be implemented than outright revolution (with no blueprint). Those who oppose the current lethal version of capitalism have to be realistic, because something has to be done.
I do not pretend to be expert in mainstream economics. It feels slightly odd to be defending it when I’ve already said it can benefit from serious reform (ironically NOT Krugman’s which is wrong in its diagnosis and proposed cure).
What you say about mainstream economics seems to me at some distance from what it propounds. At least I think you should know your enemy.
Politics is inevitably a competition between lobbies for interest groups seeking more of the scarce resources. Economics in theory and practice is inevitably bound up with politics. What economics can tell us is useful but more modest than many economists would have us think (encouraged by the interest groups who benefit from one theory or another).
I still say we’re stuck with current economics and politics and must start from here with piecemeal reform in the hope of addressing some of the problems and injustices you describe.
Quick thought…
Interest rate can be limited by law — interests rates, which are return on investment — can be usurious (even if not all interest is considered usury).
So why can’t company profits which result from a combination of investment and the work of labor also be considered usurious (if not commensurate with ordinary interest), and at some point with the capital investment being paid off so that exploitation of workers for profit is no longer legitimate? At what point does labor contribute enough production to a company that it can no longer be considered to be owned by the initial investors?
Blue
Is it not rather that wages are set in the labour market, which in capitalist economies has been rigged by legislation in favour of those who buy the labour?
To blue’s point, at this time a set interest rate would probably crash the money casino, which lives of volatility in all prices most importantly those that concern money (derivatives).
What the recent FED decision will mean for the US economy (Steve Keen):
http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevekeen/2015/09/16/should-the-fed-raise-rates/
Ewan,
if we would have the mainstream economist way of free labour market, employers would organize and crush the wage by any means (as it is already the case today). The minimum wage is under the subsistence level in most parts of the world. To think that only the sum of all money in circulation matters is a friedmanite (the guy who was responsible for the Chilean market “reforms”, aka “shock doctrine”, under the dic. Pinochet) belief. It’s a simplistic abstraction of the real existing market economy. No mentioning of debt levels, the rate of change of debt etc. In their view the holy free market will return to equilibrium by itself (some of the barter wonks, like Krugman re-adjusted their models to the possibility of a disequilibrium after their models collectively crashed and burned in 2007-08). The market is a chaotic system with inherent unpredictability. The totem of supply and demand, is just that, a totem (demand curves can have any shape, supply curves are nonsense, producers will sell at any price point, that will make profit).
You still think that conventional free market economics isn’t implemented the right way (sorry if you don’t, I deduce this from what you have written so far), because things like politics or special interest groups have interfered with the one and only pure market. This reminds me of the epicyclist mode of operandi (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deferent_and_epicycle).
Technological unemployment will rip up our economic system as its stands today. The blindness of some econs is breathtaking. They have almost never seen, how a contemporary factory is designed or they were not involved in machine engineering. The advances in machine learning will eat away any hope, that humans will have a place in the sphere of production (and increasingly white collar jobs). They are also seemingly oblivious to the exponential development of IT. (examples are plenty from Rio Tinto to Foxconn factories in China). Yeah humans can always invent new bs jobs (like prof. water tasters in South Korea), but this lays bare, the fiction of economics, that it is for the betterment of humanity. It’s to keep on doing nonsense for no purpose what so ever. Have anyone if these geniuses ever asked themselves what this sh* show is for? what do we try to accomplish with our economy? time to stop living like bacteria.
No one needs a revolution, but be prepared for one (or revolt fir that matter), if no measures are taken to ameliorate the consequences (f.e. basic income, tzm etc.).
Saker, I am not sure you are right this time. Wasn’t there a UN Security Council resolution allowing intervention in Syria?
“This is an extraordinary UN Security Council mandate – no one is in charge, but everyone is in charge – that is, all those member countries that have the political will and the military muscle to intervene in Syria and Iraq.
Clearly, R 2249 opens a Pandora’s box. Like the old saying goes, too many cooks spoil the broth.”
http://blogs.rediff.com/mkbhadrakumar/2015/11/21/shame-on-un-security-councils-p-5-members/
That being said, I ask you to not forget Ukraine. There are problems at the border. Civilians still die and Kiev takes weapons to the border.
As I understand it, the UN resolution did not authorise anyone to take military action in Syria without a request from the government of Syria i.e. it endorsed the actions of Russia and Iran, but not those of Turkey, the US, France, the UK, the Gulf States, Israel etc.
Well 2249 at least says “in compliance with internatinal law”. As far as I know no NATO country was invited by the govt of Syria. So the Saker is (at least technically) correct.
Which happens to be just correct.
Yes, “in compliance with international law and the UN Charter” – both of which absolutely forbid interference in the internal affairs of another nation without explicit invitation by its government.
This is the bit that Cameron and his fellow warmongers deliberately concealed from their peoples and their legislators (those who were too idle and ignorant to know). The following article gives an excellent summary: https://www.rt.com/op-edge/323396-unsc-isis-syria-us/
The point of the UNSC resolution is that it is there and it authorizes intervention against ISIS by anybody and everybody who is capable. The specifics of that authorization are subject to interpretation. Anybody remember Libya? The resolution on that intervention did not authorize regime change. But thats what was done under its authority.
All NATO needs is a fig leaf resolution and they now have it. Hence Britain has now been able to intervene, without the permission of the Syrian government. Thats a direct effect of that resolutions. Besides all NATO needs to do is claim that the Syrian government is directly supporting terrorism in Syria. This can be done by arranging a few false flags in Syria and blaming them on Assad. This will likely be done once the “ISIS free safe havens” have been set up and populated with civilian sacrificial lambs. Once that happens it will be completely legal under the text of this resolution for NATO to attack the Syrian government.
It would have been better if Russia had not permitted any UN resolution at all, as this would have left the Syrian government and its invitees as the only legitimate actors in the conflict. I consider this resolution a major win for NATO and a loss for Syria and Russia. It does nothing to help the Syrians and their allies, while it provides a fig leaf excuse for their enemies to intervene enmasse.
The link to the wording of the UNSC resolution was provided in the comments above:
Here it is:
http://unscr.com/en/resolutions/2249
I have to disagree with your comment – the resolution clearly doesn’t allow for ,military intervention without the agreement of the Syrian Government whereas the Libyan resolution did allow for military intervention.
The US/NATO were already bombing and going into Syria for over a year now – without the UNSC resolution – so why do you think it would make any difference? They are lawless.
The Russians have a very strong legal case – as does Syria.
So NATO hasn’t won anything – they are losing and the world is seeing their lawlessness in all its glory.
The resolution does not state anywhere that states need the permission of the Syrian government to intervene. It simply states that they must intervene in accordance with the UN charter and international law. Both the UN charter and international law permit intervention for self defence. Then there is the principle of R2P affirmed by the UN 2005 world conference and used as the fig leaf in Libya.
This resolution is also what has allowed Britain and Germany for example to intervene in Syria. Otherwise their internal politics would not have approved this. Other Euro countries like Belgium may also intervene on the basis of this fig leaf.
That is the importance of this resolution. It allows countries which otherwise would never have intervened in Syria to do so. Thats why its a big win for NATO.
Also once a resolution exists it can be interpreted in nefarious ways ala Libya. No resolution, no (deliberate) misinterpretations.
Ngoyo on December 13, 2015 · at 7:28 pm UTC
Summary
The House of Commons is likely to debate a Government motion on using military force against ISIS/Daesh in Syria, possibly in early December 2015. The Government’s November 2015 response to the Foreign Affairs Committee report on extending British military action to Syria says that the main legal basis for UK military action in Syria is collective self-defence of Iraq, with the individual self-defence of the UK and collective self-defence of other states (but not Security Council authorisation) as additional legal bases.
Self-defence is one of the three main exceptions to the UN Charter’s prohibition on the use of force, the others being Security Council authorisation and consent/invitation.
There is no UN Security Council resolution clearly authorising the use of force in Syria. UN Security Council Resolution 2249 (2015) on ISIS/Daesh in Syria and Iraq, whilst using some language familiar from other resolutions on the use of force, seems intended to have more political than legal impact. It is a significant display of unanimity that had previously been notably lacking; but its careful wording implicitly supports states’ existing military actions against specific terrorist groups in those countries without either explicitly accepting or rejecting the various justifications or clearly providing a new stand-alone legal basis or authorisation for those actions:
• it determines that ISIS/Daesh is ‘a global and unprecedented threat to international peace and security’, and
• calls for (not authorises) ‘all necessary measures’ (code for using force) in compliance with international law to ‘redouble and coordinate’ existing efforts against ISIS/Daesh, Al-Nusrah Front (ANF), Al-Qaeda and other designated terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, and ‘to eradicate the safe haven they have established’ in Iraq and Syria.
This means that the UK and other states will continue relying on the varying legal bases they have been using up until now, despite the dispute between Russia and other states.
Iraq’s request to the UN for military help in combating ISIS/Daesh both in its territory and in Syria has been cited by the UK and other states to justify military action as collective self-defence. Russia argues that it is acting at the invitation of the state of Syria, represented by the government of Syria led by Bashar Assad. States can use force in the territory of another state whose government has agreed to or invited it – but what if there is disagreement over who is the effective or the legitimate government?
International law allows states to use force in other states as individual or collective self-defence against an actual or imminent armed attack, as long as the force to be used is necessary and proportionate to the threat faced. However, when the armed attack comes from a ‘non-state actor’ such as ISIS/Daesh, based in a state that is ‘unwilling or unable’ to prevent the attack, the international law is not entirely clear. UNSCR 2249 could impliedly support the view that using military force in self-defence against such attacks can be lawful, and it has even been read as suggesting that in this particular situation states do not need to show that an armed attack is happening or imminent. Humanitarian intervention has not yet emerged as a fully-recognised exception in its own right to the prohibition on using force. The UK has been keen to promote it, and used it as part of its 2013 argument for using force against the Assad regime in Syria, but has not cited it in the current debate.
http://www.voltairenet.org/article189449.html
I don’t recall the details offhand but with the Iraq invasion, I think it was, there was some resolution which ended with ;the SC is seized on the matter’ meaning that no further action by the US could be taken without further SC action. But it was ignored and buried, and the US went around telling people that the US said they could invade — which was illegal from several standpoints.
The US and NATO lies and makes stuff up as it goes to do what they want, so it still pretty much comes down to raw power. In that sense, it doesn’t make much difference whether there is a resoultion or not except for purposes of propaganda. Any country who wanted to attack IS could have just gotten Syria’s and Iraq’s permission. But then, the US says it has permission even when it doesn’t. Turkey says it has permission to move military into Iraq, and is building a base there, citing what a Kurd leader said with no authority to give permission. Neither did the US legally invade countries without congressional authorization — they did it anyway. And it attacks countries and groups and says it didn’t.
The whole thing is built on lies and raw power.
It said it had to be actions under international law and following the UN Charter. So under both those points they would need the permission of Syria’s government before intervening in that country. Russia and Iran are the only two countries that have that permission at present. The rest are in violation of both international law and the UN Charter.
Anonymous, as I understand it 2249 “authorizes” no one, but “calls upon” those who can LEGALLY aid in eradicating ISIS from its safe havens to do so. In the case of Syrian territory you know who is legally– by Syria’s invitation– allowed to do that.
In the case of Iraq, unfortunately Iraq has invited US, France & now Germany by requesting their “help”. Puppet-Abadi, was put in after the US kicked out the elected al-Maliki. However, the important cleric Sistani or the Iraqi parliament may be helpful in this regard.
I have no idea why Russia persisted in inviting US & NATO into Syria to “fight ISIS”.
Or why Russia & China supported 2249 which was bound to be purposely misinterpreted by the bad guys. Both actions seem to me perverse.
Russia and China are legalistic in the face of the disorder of the Hegemon. They have recourse in the UN, their best non-military solution to problems where war has broken out. They both prefer diplomacy where their FMs are far shrewder and capable than the US turkeys.
They will always exhaust negotiations and diplomacy in most cases.
The very built in delay usually helps them, though it seems the opposite.
Stopping the air war against Syria in 2013 was diplomacy over militarism. The Chemical weapons move by Putin to save Assad was brilliant. That was a UN deal.
Minsk 2 is sanctioned under UNSC and gives it great weight. Ukraine can run but it can never get away from that decision.
Putin and China know how to use various weapons.
Oh, by the way, without nukes, they both would lose in a war with the Hegemon in the ME.
That is why Putin talked about not wanting to use nukes to settle the war with ISIS, but he will if necessary. That is always on the table. In Ukraine, in the Baltic, in the Black Sea, in the Balkans, in Central Asia, anywhere Russia has interests, Putin has nukes for the enemy of those interests.
Velvet touch of diplomacy or total war. He lets his opponents choose, but he goes first. It may seem he takes the first hit. He doesn’t. These moves are just what the enemy does.
Like the Ukies right now. They are doing what they do. If they form into an attack formation, the Army of Donbass will strike them.
And the reason Putin is ignoring for now the West in Syria is, he has to clean out all the AQ terror groups and hurt ISIS. He needs a front Syria controls. And they have three airbases and a 4th for Iran that have to be protected in depth. What Russia is doing now is shaping the battlefield. It is going slow because the forces they have are not fresh and large enough to attack and sweep out the enemy. They really need much more from Iran. The numbers Iran has in play so far is around 7000. They need five to eight or ten times that number to deal with ISIS.
They have opted for air power increases, but soon they will need thousands to hold land reclaimed. That is why things are ebbing and flowing, gaining some towns , sometimes giving them back. It takes thousands of men to hold the ground they will be taking under the air attacks.
Iran is the key to the ground game. They can’t be the leaders. But they have to be the holders.
The tens of thousands of TOW missiles ISIS and the AQ gangs have made armor vehicles very vulnerable. And without mechanized brigades, everything is slowed down to men on foot.
It’s complicated.
You have a few debatable things in that. How many TOW systems are there in the world? Next, Iran doesn’t need to send five times more troops to handle ISIS as all the insurgents are going to be destroyed or otherwise subdued before that long, and Iran and Russia have to be ready for actions that might involve Iraq and Turkey. Can’t put everyone you’ve got into the battle ’cause you have to keep reserves. Turkey might invade or occupy some area in a big way.
And the reason the West backed down from a war earlier may well have been that Russia shot down a couple of missiles. That is a common belief in the Middle East. Since when is a vote in the British Parliament on something vital allowed to go against establishment wishes?
So it may be that both Russia and China are stalling for time, not actually having great faith in diplomacy. Sure, they both want the lawlessness of the Empire to end, but the important thing in terms of winning the war is to gain more time. One can debate the legal nuances of the Minsk agreements for a long time, but just about everything that happened in the country was illegal. What is deeply relevant is that Russia is modernizing the military in the Crimea and has built some alliances, or even an army in the case of the Donbass, that can carry a lot of the load.
Reportedly 10,000 newly shipped TOWs.
It is like the stinger was in Afghan against the USSR. The right weapon to neutralize the Syria Army’s offensive.
Iran is the only source of large numbers needed for the vast spans of territory held by ISIS.
You couldn’t be more wrong.
The Syrian Army has been vastly diminished over the 4.5 years of war. Thus, why Russia and Iran had to act to help save Assad.
Get some facts into your analysis before you counter-argue.
Unless you think the strategy is not to reclaim all the land within the borders, giving up on sectors of Syria. In which case, why fight? You could negotiate that result.
As for Turkey coming into Syria… Putin would love to have a column of tanks and a few thousand Turks to destroy. Syrian is not Iraq. Russia owns Syria now. And the Turks and Arabs are screwed because they can do nothing about it. If they blow up another airliner or shoot down another plane, they will lose a very fast war against the RF.
Well this is where I started doubting that Putin is fightin the AZE NWO for real. It is technically correct that 2249 calls for compliance with intl law, but this all important detail is omitted in the Western press. So Putin really invited them in Syria. It is not the first discrepancy in his actions:
– he let Gaddhafi get murdered and the country get bombed into the stone age
– he did not protect Yanukovich and let the nazi coup take hold
– he was quiet After Odessa
– he is quiet about the 9/11 false flag and endorses thee GWOT
– he endorses the Paris false flag / hoax as real
– was the Russian passenger plane over Sinai shot by an Israeli F16?
– he teams up with the French who illegally bomb Syria
– he is quiet about AZE bombing the SAA and Hezbollah
– he has a special relationship with Israel
– he has a special relationship with Russian jewish oligarchs
RE: jz
Notice how it “personalized” it’s attack against Putin rather than Russia. This is standard zio-media spin tactics, also faithfully followed by the ZPC’s network of “helpers” S.W.A.R.M.’ing the web. A dead giveaway. The same old tired az anti-Russian propaganda spamming.
He was not President. Medvedev was President when the UNSC no fly zone against Libya went down. Putin could not stop DM from abstaining instead of vetoing. And China did the same, naively thinking it would not lead to all out war and overthrow of the government.
You are ignorant of the facts or purposely propagandizing. Ignorance is not a good position to hold. Nor is stupid. Nor is running a hollow argument against Putin on this forum.
Too many very erudite commenters.
JohnnyZ, try and be realistic: Putin is not the world’s policeman, Russia does not have the power, or the economy to challenge/oppose the USG all over the world, he has done what he can, choosing his fights, buying time, and you do NOT know what was said secretly, the threats made, etc, so while you have the right to your opinion, I think you are being overly critical.
Ok guys,
I am not a propagandist. I am making my mind. Here in the West where I live Putin is painted black like the devil. So I started to root for him. It seems that nowadays you cannot trust anyone but your own mind. I notice these discrepancies, so I think that the hypothesis I am laying does not have a zero probability. Think about it. Disprove it if possible. It seems that jewish masons are ruling this world and they must have infiltrated Russia as well. So this would make the current war rumblings either a kabuki theatre or a competition between criminal elites. Nothing to gain from the outcome for the common man. Stay vigilant. Gather the evidence.
Dont worry about it, People here are over sensitive if people rock the boat.. They have a reason to be but some just go too far..From what I have noticed, MSM used to for the most part agree with you on a lot of things throughout the years.. Imagine my surprise when all off a sudden, especially MH17 and the sanctions, Russia was invading everyone.. To a tee all of them started printing the same garbage.. So all of them were just a one trick pony.. An outlet to vent the frustrations of those who saw through the propaganda.. They caught a lot of people off guard into believing these lies.. Dont trust anything without spending time learning more on the subject. Although being unable to discuss various scenarios with others is a major shortcoming as that ends up being not PC and following the rules.
HUH did everyone forget the US was in Syria for more than an Year? So was the Saudi’s, Jordan and Turkey and other side kicks.. They were all in Syria without any invitation or UN what ever.. UN is useless.. Only thing that limp smick is good for is to bully the Non aligned countries and such to follow UN mandates. Iraq cant even get a hearing. Syria cant even enter the building. Even the British SAS were fighting the SAA inside syria. How do you think the terrorists were able to take large areas of the country even many fortified positions? Turkey directly supported the terrorists take ildb in syria sending like over 10,000 terrorists with fire power, ecm jamming and logistics. The UK bombers blatantly bombed an SAA base.. Shows what they were really upto.. Did Putin invite them to do all this?
Still like over 5 million Syrians that can fight.. So where are they? Why should Iran send anyone.. Why should anyone else send anyone… although over 200,000 Syrians are in the NDF which is Syrian militia and they dont get paid. That should be a million at least.. So 80,000 Syrians died fighting for their country in 5 years out of 25 million.. They want assad to keep them safe and fight for them but run away to germany when no one is looking.
Many militia from others countries are in Syria.. Sunni Iranians, Pakistani’s and here Afghani’s… But these were all invited by the Syrian government..
Hossein Fardai senior commander of #Iran-backed Afghan militia Fatemiyoun brigade, killed fighting in Aleppo.
https://twitter.com/GEsfandiari/status/676040756562419712
Now look at the Vietnamese and Koreans.. They did not run away.. Even when facing super powers.. Or even the afghans.. Maybe that’s why they still have a country.. I remember the Taliban in 2003 saying, how long can you go… We will be here when you leave and you will leave or be forced to leave.
And by the looks of this latest propaganda in the Ukronazi promoting Canadian press, Novorossiya had better batten down the hatches for what is likely to come. Atlantic Council board member Wesley Clark and Yevhen Marchuk do the preparatory agit-prop in Canada’s National Post.
In Ukraine Conflict Vladimir Putin Banking on a Distracted West
http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/matt-gurney-in-ukraine-conflict-vladimir-putin-banks-on-a-distracted-west
Forbes: NATO Not Capable of Beating Russia
http://sputniknews.com/military/20151213/1031666977/NATO-Not-Capable-Beating-Russia.html
The article is about conventional warfare, and doesn’t discuss the nuclear dimension. Interesting to see it admitted in the zio-media that Russia has the edge over nato to such a degree.
Articles like this is just to get a bigger defense budget. It is a trick, you really think nato which spends 20 times as much as Russia will not be able to defeat Russia? Without using nukes Russia wont even be able to stop an attack. Yea it will cost nato.. But if they are willing to do a WW2, it is definitely possible if Russia’s nuclear arsenal is neutralized. Heck even the US is far more powerful than Russia conventionally.. Only having parity in nuclear weapons. Let us not kid ourself. It is like saying since China has a 3 mil man army they would easily beat the 1 mil army of the US.. Saddam had a 3 mil man army once… after the US got through with him he had less than a million man army which took like a couple of hours to defeat.
Really? That is such a simplistic reply. Warfare is much more than money spent on weapons, especially now, with the F-35. And care to tell us how Russia’s nuclear arsenal could be neutralised? That alone destroys your argument.
Arguing that the organisation that spends most will have the most effective military force, is like suggesting that the person who spends the most on their running shoes will be the fastest runner……
It’s more like saying the one who spends most on a personal trainer, wages lost due to time off work spent running and training, carefully tailored diet & etc., will be the faster runner. And OK, while individual talent certainly makes a difference, on balance of probability I’d say yeah.
But it’s more than that. On military issues, hardware makes a big difference. That’s why Europe took over Africa in the 19th-early 20th century. It’s also why they then lost it again. It so happens that US military expenditures nowadays are Very Inefficient Indeed, so it’s really hard to tell just how much of their money edge is eroded by the crappy way they spend that money. And there are questions of just what sorts of warfare the US and NATO have armed themselves for, vs. what Russia have armed themselves for. For example, Reaper drones are worthless against an enemy with planes and anti-air defences.
But take the simplest case: Two countries spend their money identically but one spends twice as much, on twice as many soldiers armed and trained exactly the same way. Whose military is stronger? Duh. Or take a more technological case: Two countries spend the same amount of money on paying soldiers and on training and even arming them, but one also spends extra money buying radios and fast-moving troop transports. Whose military is stronger? Yeah. Money talks in military matters. Unfortunately for the US, so does stupid. Which is stronger? I don’t think that’s currently knowable.
So how about Russia having 450 T90 front line tanks and US 4000 upgraded front line tanks or 20000 precision cruise missiles to Russia’s 2000? Or 80 B2 stealth bombers and 1000 or so B52 bombers compared to Russia’s under 50? Or 4000 or so front line attack fighters compared to 500 or so Russian fighters.. Does those numbers matter? Or 500 or so attack helicopters compared to the 100 or so Russian attack helicopters..
Dont forget US can project power.. Even their 20 old carriers in storage are more powerful than the operating carriers of everyone else that’s active. Those super carriers are not as easy to take out with their 80 or so front line fighters.. And that only matters if you can take them out before the fighting starts other wise no one can even get close. With over a dozen of them even losing half wont matter. Don’t forget the 100 aegis destroyers..
mmiriww
I agree with you that the article was probably intended to help promote increased spending on war material for the ZPC/NWO oligarchs. But your opinion that nato, or the USA alone, could do what the French under Napoleon and the Germans under the nazis failed to do, I consider to be silly and chauvinistic thinking, and rather revealing of where you are coming from.
Does NATO have to worry about its western front the way Napoleon and the third reich did?
You are kidding right?
You think that incompetents that pepper the bureaucracy in the Pentagon and the demotivated and liberal agenda socialized troops of the current US military would have the steel it takes to go thru a brutal ground war against Russia which would last forever? Remember the casualties will higher on the NATO side than the Russian side. Casaulties themselves cause NATO to cut and run.
If the fanatical murderous troops of Hitler couldn’t do, there’s no chance the US infantry of today could do it – dream on. Just look at the state of the US military today: promotions are not based on merit, but who you know/connections, social engineer criteria like promoting women in combat roles, the front-line personnel are demoralized (and many of them have conscience and an awakening), they don’t have the staying power or stamina of men brought up in a normal environment (like in Asia).
I have ‘relative’ that has served in the army in Canada, I couldn’t believe what a namby-pamby coddled little weakling he turned out to be when he actually thought that marching a few 10s of km with a half-load backpack, without food, was a very tough thing to do. He had no idea how pathetic he sounded: marching 10s of km with a backpack is therapeutic for most men of my generation, it’s a hobby. Yet my erstwhile younger weakling Nato infantry recruits can’t even walk a few km without getting “tender-feet”. What really gets me is that he describes the other troops as bigger prima-donas than himself (and he’s not lying).
It actually took years of siege warfare and sanctions to beat Iraq, with many people dying in the process.
I know what you’re talking about, but that’s nonsense. The USians could have gone to Baghdad in 1991 without working up a sweat. It’s the aftermath that would have been the bitch, and was, something Bush pere was smart enough to realize and Bush Jr. wasn’t or didn’t care about.
No, unfortunately the genocidal sanctions were at least militarily pointless. Politically, the point wasn’t to ease military conquest of Iraq but to destroy it as a functioning society, a model of a state with working social programs, educational system and so on that others might threaten to emulate. The threat of a good example has always been what the US hates the most. So it was destruction, not quite for the sake of destruction, but for the sake of averting creation. That’s what half a million children died for. That’s what Madeleine Fucking Albright thought “the price was worth it” for.
Come-on mmiriww,
I know this is all theoretical, because it’ll never come to a conventional war in Europe, they’ll switch to tactical nukes sooner or later and then strategic if Nato attempted a hot invasion. However…..
Your reference to China defeats your argument: China under Mao defeated the United States twice in Asia: 1st in Korea then in Vietnam. Of course. the North Viet and North Koreans were a huge part of it, but Mao’s China provided the unlimited manpower and weapons flow and his overall strategy defeated them decisively, and it ensured that the US never again engaged in a land war in the main Asian landmass.
The Iraq war is a non-sequitor, you can’t compare Saddam’s corrupt, terrified (of Saddam), and exhausted army (just finished huge war with Iran) with China – it’s a ridiculous comparison.
The size of the Chinese army is it’s current minimum size (that’s what you should have in peacetime), the size of the Iraqi army was it max possible size. That’s why the CIA doesn’t even bother listing standing army size on their world fact book – it’s meaningless, instead they list how many men can a given country draft/Field per year and when it comes to that figure, the numbers for China (and India) are huge:
China:
—>Manpower fit for military age: 318,265,016 men
—>Number of reaching militarily significant age annually: 10.4 Million – that’s each year,
India:
—>Manpower fit for military age: 249,531,562 men
—>Number of reaching militarily significant age annually: 12.2 Million – that’s each year they add another 12 million men capable of entering military service.
Take into account the huge productive capacities of those huge countries, as well as Russia’s huge conventional arsenal and they’ll able to sustain a violent massive and terrible war for years. There’s no way in hell that surrender monkey, creature-comfort accustomed NATO-Europe (remember the Dutch peacekeepers running like cowards from a Serb militia in Srebinica?) would be able to win a conventional war with Russia on Russian territory.
Having seen the weakness in a younger relative of mine in the Canadian military who thought a standard military hike was the toughest thing he’s ever done physically (and he was one of the better recruits) and his total self-blindness to his own low-standards, there’s no chance that the vast bulk of the NATO fighting force would have the stamina and toughness of people from tougher environments like Russia – not today’s generation of socially engineered and castrated males (most guys under 40 are just too soft).
Nothing unusual about that article. Completely normal PR to increase military budgets and the arms industry.
A great article. Hopefully the empire and their stooges understand the points made in the article.
Warning from the deep state to their out of control sore-loser minions in the UK, France, the EU and the neocon dominated parts of the US Admin to back off perhaps?
A message?
Boy, that Q & A with Kirby was embarrassing. If the White House had any sense they would fire him.
It appears to be the fact, as of the Kirby news conference on Dec, 10, 2015 linked above, that until Iraq decided to take this issue of the presence of the Turks in Iraq to the UN Security Council–which happened just yesterday, Dec 11– that the issue until that petition to the UNSC was made formal remained an issue between Iraq and Turkey:
Saturday 12th December, 2015
Iraq appeared to abandon an effort to negotiate with Turkey over several hundred troops stationed in northern Iraq and revived its demand for an immediate withdrawal in an appeal before the United Nations.
“We call on the [UN] Security Council to demand that Turkey withdraw its forces immediately…and not to violate Iraqi sovereignty again,” Iraqi Ambassador Mohamed Ali Alhakim said in a letter late December 11 to U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, who is president of the Security Council this month.
“This is considered a flagrant violation of the principles of the UN Charter, and a violation of Iraqi territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state of Iraq,” the letter said.
The UN council has no plans to meet on the matter, but Power said the U.S. position is “that any troops deployments in Iraq need to be with the consent of the sovereign Iraqi government.”
She “urged that the dialogue continue between the Iraqi and Turkish governments to find an amicable way out of this difficult situation.”
The UN petition came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that removing the troops was “out of the question,” although he offered on December 11 to “reorganize” the military personnel at the Bashiqa camp near Mosul in northern Iraq. [emphasis added]
– See more at: http://www.saudiarabianews.net/index.php/sid/239388151#sthash.4RkvXVQe.dpuf
I’m not impressed with how the RT reporter presented the issue as it stood on Dec 10, but I am impressed that she persisted.
And yes, Kirby is operating way above his pay grade and it shows.
pogohere,
I liked the question. The reporter is asking Mr. Kirby to respond to the concerns of the Iraqi Parliment about the activities of the U.S. and other countries in Iraq. Kirby seems to think or tries to imply that this question comes from Chichakyan but it is being raised by the Iraqi government. It is a legitimate concern.
Edward
They didn’t fire the pile of psaki or the pool of harf, so why sack the current traveling vacum cleaner salesboi?
The “hope and change” zionazi quislings are just as much neocon degraded as the previous “bushitters for Israel” regime. It’s been an American tradition, actually, since the gay wing* of the zionazis and nazis got together and murdered JFK, to seek the lowest common denominator of society sorts, the fox network mentality types, who never matured beyond early adolescence, to represent the American regime to the American public. That they (the zionazis) have gotten away with this insult for 3 generations now, says loads about the mental state of Americans.
* the other 2 wings of this perverted corruption being the bi and asexual wings.
vot tak,
I don’t care about people’s sexual orientation. It is a private matter. The criminality of the U.S. government is a legitimate problem.
Hi Edward
“I don’t care about people’s sexual orientation. It is a private matter. The criminality of the U.S. government is a legitimate problem.”
See how well propaganda works ?
Would you care if your own child declared itself to be homosexual ? ‘Cause his/her friends were.’ ?
It hurts me to realize that people who are in many ways on my side have ideas this stupid.
Thinking of propaganda, it takes a good deal of propaganda to imagine that people become gay because their friends are. No doubt you’re also in the camp that imagines people can be “cured”. Here’s a cluebat: Some of the people who started that stupid, vicious, deeply harmful racket have realized how totally dead wrong they were and apologized for all the harm they have done.
And no, I wouldn’t care. Any more than I would care if someone somehow waved a wand and turned my daughter black. And if my daughter had turned out to be gay, and if you gave her a hard time over it, I would cheerfully get one of my female friends to beat the crap out of you, because while I’m fine with any inherent feature of a person or for that matter with nearly any non-inherent religion or personal taste that doesn’t harm anyone else, I have no tolerance for bullies or bigots.
Hi Ann,
I haven’t been propagandized. I have had this view since before it became mainstream in the U.S. I think trying to control other people’s behavior is a pandora’s box. When someone does something that effects you, such as steal your furniture, you have a right to respond. However, the personal choices people make, which do not effect you, should be left alone.
I do think homosexuality is a biological malfunction but I don’t think people should be oppressed or pressured because of it.
Please see my comment below – all further comments are going to trash. This is off topic and has absolutely nothing to do with the Saker’s review.
You used to sound smart. Is this person sounding like a loon on the sexuality kick really the same person as the old bot tak?
Vot Tak
“The gay wing of the zionazis murdered Kennedy” Oh, ha, ha, ha.
You “don’t care about people’s sexual orientation” – then why mention it? Why divide your zionazis into homo-, bi-, and a-?
OK folks this discussion is closed. All further comments will go to the trash. Please stay on topic. Thanks.
Watching that I couldn’t help but think, “Gosh, there may still be a few virtues associated with Americans. But dignity surely isn’t one of them.”
It’s almost weird now to think that many, even most, of the major figures on both sides of the Civil War had dignity.
” like it or not, but Russia and Israel do have a “special relationship” which, while hardly a love fest, does include a unique combination of hard realism, often bordering on cynicism, and a mutual recognition that neither side wants an overt conflict. ”
—————————————————————————————————————
If this is true, then I wonder does this “special relationship” includes the forgiveness by Russia of the Israeli role in Ukraine. I think about Igor Kolomoisky, an Israeli citizen who organized the massacre of the Russians in Odessa ?
Saker, are you serious at all, i wonder sometimes.
The analysis is surely eminently sensible. Or are you disputing that Russia and Israel are brutal realists who tend to know which fights to pick? Your last, presumably rhetorical, comment seems to me needlessly cheeky.
Yeah, Ann, agree about ewan. Most definitely is one. :D
@Ewan
You didn’t address the point asked by Wend. So your response doesn’t have relevance to the question asked.
I think the question from Wend is legimate, it’s a stretch to think that a truly objective true Russian leader can overlook the support and sheltering, by the Israeli govt, of criminals that have stolen from the Russian State & have funded murder against Russian people in Ukraine (several absconding Russian kleptocratic Oligarches, khodorkovski, and Kolomoisky).
All evidence points to the contrary: Israel does not appear to used any of it’s influence to put a leash on that conniving neocon freak Victoria Nuland or Kolomoisky nor any other neocon freaks. On the contrary all of these individuals were given free reign to create chaos against the civilians of the Donbass. (unless you believe that Kolomoisky was secretly working for Russian interests in Ukraine – which some Russian politicians have implied).
How can their be a special relationship with Israeli when no apparent benefit accrues to Russia during the worst of the provocations? Where is the evidence of benefit to Russia that one can point to as indication of a Special Relationship?
True, Israel can potentially be useful to Russia, but no one has pointed out what this benefit currently is.
As for present on-the-surface Israeli cooperation with Russia, that seems more to be motivated by Israeli fear of Russia and their fear that the US maybe gradually abandoning them along with the mid-east to focus their clipped resources on Asia. Israel has long expressed anguish about being absndoned by their current sponsor and have openly discussed looking for new patrons to help protect them. You can see the fear, attentiveness and nervousness on Netanyahu’s face when he’s in Putin’s presence.
The Wend can ask his question. My answer, for what it’s worth: Russia needs to minimize the risk of getting into air fights over Syrian airspace. This is currently way more important than Kolomoisky. But my answer is neither here not there. The Saker has provided a serious and informed analysis. To say “Are you serious at all” seems to me mere impertinence. The Wend could have asked about Kolomoisky without it.
@ Ewan
Then you should have place a separate posting instead of posting via a response directly to Wend. Do it the way you did: posting a response that had nothing to do with Wend’s question is the equivalent of trolling – if you disagreed with his view, then you should have been explicit in stating that, otherwise your opinion in that thread is just confusing noise for the rest of us.
Also, Saker doesn’t need you or I to defend him from Wend (who is a long time reader and a very pleasant and gentle individual), we’ve seen Saker really go thru hell with seeing thru the Charlie Hebdo fraud: he defended himself extremely well in a very tough situation, he’s very tough and stubborn. Don’t create an environment where people are admonished for asking Saker questions or disagree with him, it’s not your place to do so.
Okay, I take your point.
If you remember I’ve posted a couple of times that Russia’s relations with Israel are very complicated. They are not anti-Israeli,though are anti-zionists actions. The Jewish influence in Russia is still important. And there is a large Russian-Jewish community in Israel. Israel doesn’t have with Russia the master-servant relationship they have in the US and Europe. But still there are a lot of connections between them.
When the RF intervened in Syria and Netanyahu hot-footed it to Moscow, I wondered if this had something to do with Israel’s #1 national security issue, water.
With the RF in Syria, the removal of Assad is not assured. Syria will continue to support Hezbollah and Israel will not be able to annex southern Lebanon to the sweet waters of the Litani. The deal with Turkey went south with the boarding of the humanitarian flotilla heading for the Gaza five years ago.
The RF is Israel’s best hope for fresh water.
@tsuki
thx for bringing up the water issue…altho it is only one of several, it has been a constant issue between Lebanon and Israel.
I have often wondered …why the hell doesn’t Israel just BUY the water from Lebanon?
I guess like every other issue they would rather steal than buy.
Christine
Seriously,your right. They do have a pattern of stealing what they want. They might could buy it. And there are actually dozens of things they could have done to bring peace to the region (and more security for themselves). But it seems whenever given a choice,they pick the wrong choice. When dealing with long term foreign relations it would seem to me,that a win-win solution is always the right one. But unless Israel can come out on top,by hook or by crook. They want nothing to do with peaceful solution.
Zionist elites have been using paranoia as a control tool since before the state of Israel was even founded. Paranoia deeply restricts your available policy options–you can’t make serious deals with others because you assume they are not in it for the benefits they get from the deal but rather are just waiting for a chance to betray you. But relaxing the paranoia means relaxing control–and anyway it’s too late now because the current elites were all brought up in the propaganda so they believe it as much as they use it.
The well is poisoned. Lebanon has been the target of sectarian violence that has its roots in Israel. This could be overcome, but Netanyahu, not the brightest bulb in the closet, is no Begin. Obama is no Carter. And Lebanon is a mess.
However, the RF, Putin and Lavrov, could put together a meeting given the right circumstance, but I believe it would require regime change in Israel, an end to the violence in Lebanon and many meetings, compromises on both sides and a firm commitment.
If this happened, I would be really surprised!!!
Ha! Ha! Ha! True.
Russia just needs to keep it’s calm and everthing will resolve itself, no sense in angering the jewish overlords of the western vassals.
Just wait and the Empire will selfdestruct, all other disputes will be dealt with in due time and under more sensible circumstances.
I believe your right and recommend this video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxeHQSVO6O8&feature=youtu.be- Remember to spread the word.
“Jewish overlords of the Western vassals”….what the…?
Or soros, the jew, and of course, camoron the British pm is a jew (as is wesley clark), and you should know that he’s locked down the British Government regarding the Donbass; he has a budget for the Dept for International Development of nearly £12 billion ($18 bn) of which about £16 million (about 13% of 1%) has been provided, and is way underspent, through inefficient and crap agencies like the UN & IRC – which takes months to do things when matters are very urgent – and through corrupt kiev, and not directly to the Donbass, and the DFID will NOT give me the amount actually spent on the Donbass.
Soros is Jewish? Jings! Crivens! Help me bob! Who knew? David Cameron is Jewish? Well, that will be news to his father – but for the rest of us, if in some parallel universe it happened to be true, so what?
The Wend
I’ve had it explained to me in words of one syllable that I mistook you. Apologies.
The Wend
It has been explained to me with great patience and forbearance that I mistook your comments entirely. Apologies.
Could someone explain to me how replies to one comment appear as replies to another? What am I doing wrong?
This Serbian article – contains a picture – from 1958!! – which shows that in respect of Syria nothing has really changed.
Well worth a look. (You don’t need to understand the text – just look at the poster.)
http://www.telegraf.rs/zanimljivosti/1902421-ovaj-poster-iz-1958-godine-jasno-pokazuje-interese-svetskih-sila-u-siriji-foto
Thats an amazing photo alright. Amazing how history spirals back round. Thanks for the link.
Excellent piece.
Thinking of the situation in Montenegro amongst many others, it is impossible to disregard the awesome soft power of the AngloZionists.
Putin is no fool. He knows better to attack the enemy on their strong side. He has forced Netanyahu to accept a level of defference to Russia which the Israeli PM never shows to other so-called allies. Think of the contrast.
Russian leadership has a long term goal in mind: i.e. turning the Israelis away from the West. Russia is exploiting soft spots in the relationship between various AZ factions.
Saker has a much better handle on the Russian outlook and this leads some to question his anti Zionist credentials, which I’ve noticed in the relatively few comments post thus far. The critics are completely off base.
If you aren’t called an anti Semite now and then, I have no interest in reading your opnions. I prefer not to waste my time. If you’ve also been called a Zionist shill, as Saker has on several occaisons, then I truly admire your willingness to go for truth and say what you mean.
Great Article Saker.
Forgot to sign.
C I eh?
Yes it is.
Very grateful for The Saker’s informative analysis concerning the growing Global military and political confrontation in the Middle East.
Saker’s essential Thesis is highlighted by him: “Is there anybody out there who does not realize that the “Assad must go policy” implies a war against Russia, Iran and Hezbollah?”
Saker’s analysis, (and who else could make such an analysis?) is not only accurate, it is completely and succinctly correct.
If you are waiting for the word, “However.” It will not be used.
I have emphasized in several missives on this website, and to my email list, that – We are at War!
1. The Anti-Fascist Military Alliance, who are fighting in the fields against the Zionist American imperialist and terrorist Armies includes Russia, Syria, Iran, the Hezbollah (from Lebanon), some (small) Palestinian militias, and, increasingly, the Iraqi Army and several Iraqi militias.
2. The Zionist American Fascist Alliance (often mis-labeled ‘ISIS’, or ‘Al Qaida’, or other exotic fantasy named forces, or by several other titles), includes Zionist Soldiers based in (from) Occupied Palestine, American Troops of all kinds, from Army, to private Oligarch extra-legal (unconstitutional) forces (such as Blackwater), to a variety of English soldiers and ‘specialists,’ to other puppet forces from the Mid East, such as Turkish Troops, and Saudi hirelings.
Are you listening – brainwashed Fools, and Rubes, Democrat gangers, and Republican gangers? The enemy is clearly identified. Don’t say you did not know. The smoke is rising in your backyard.
3. The line up of both opposing alliances is clear (and not at all difficult to account for). The Anti-Fascist Alliance is still growing; and the Zionist American Alliance is, also growing (during WW I and WW II, the opposing alliances continued to grow, long after the war had started).
4. The Fascist alliance, including the NATO puppet nations have a long list of recently destroyed Nations and bombed cities and millions of casualties as a result of their Terrorist aggression. This “Short List” begins with Yugoslavia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Palestine, and the attempted dissolution of Egypt, and Lebanon. There is an equally long list African nations which have been destroyed, or heavily damaged by this same Fascist Alliance.
5. The vital human need for Peace, with Liberty, and Economic Development, are always present. The lack of one, or all of them, often sets the stage for global conflict. we recall that the Stage (for war), was decorated, years before the conflicts, such as the ‘Great Wars,’ exploded in full terrible fury. George Orwell, Hemingway, and The Spanish Republic, confronted an early Fascist Alliance in Spain, in 1936. China was resisting Japan as early as 1931, and Russia was battling Japan as early as May 1939. Ethiopia resisted Fascist Italy in 1935. World War II (only) officially began on September 1, 1939.
6. Americans and Europeans (with a few exceptions), are under the illusion that they/we are living in Peace, as the global conflict continues to expand. This is a dangerous illusion. The forest is alight; the flames may reach our homes.
7. All the necessary ingredients for the charge into an all-out conflict exist. Our last Constitutional American President, John F. Kennedy, and our Constitutional American Government, was able to step back from the Nuclear Abyss during the so-called ‘Cuban Missile Crisis’ of 1962, and come to an agreement with the Soviet Union, that preserved Cuba’s independence, the preservation of which was the Russian Government’s only demand.
Unfortunately, America no longer has a Constitutional Republican Government. Neither its Federal Branch, (the Presidency), nor its Congress have an ounce of value, or political integrity.
America is no longer an independent nation. Our President is a hired Hollywood Actor, who presides over a post-Republic government and post Caesar Congress.
Roman Emperor Caligula placed his favorite horse as a voting member of Rome’s Senate. America’s acting (and unconstitutional) President, Netenyahoo, who has spoken in front of his Washington DC based Congress, has not seen fit to replace any of its members-with horses, as they (the American Congress) are all Asses, (And Asses are members of the Horse family).
The conundrum is:
*This Zionist owned American Government, does not possess any leaders (such as JF Kennedy), who are capable of stepping back from folly. This government cannot make peace any more than it can restore the Nation’s political health, or Sovereignty. The American Government is no more independent, or capable of representing its constituents than the American colonial Governments were, prior to 1776. That is the problem. America and the world is paying dearly for the loss of the American Republic on November 22, 1963. Our lack of a Sovereign and Constitutional Government is vitally important. It is dangerous for any people to exist without one.
We need to restore our Republic. Or else!
**It is easy enough to analyse, but highly difficult to fix:
In America, we have the duty and opportunity to expose these harsh truths as we resist the non democratic and non constitutional 2016 Presidential electoral circus. We must confront the Fascist Alliance in its own backyard.
“The main enemy is at home!.” Liebknecht
We live here; so we fight here!
The restoration of our Republic is only a matter of life and death!
“The leaders of Hezbollah understand what is happening here: like it or not, but Russia and Israel do have a “special relationship” which, while hardly a love fest, does include a unique combination of hard realism, often bordering on cynicism, and a mutual recognition that neither side wants an overt conflict. In this case, the Israelis were told in no uncertain terms that the Russian intervention to save the Syria from Daesh was not negotiable, but that Russia does not intend to protect Hezbollah from Israeli actions as long as these actions do not threaten the Russian objectives in Syria. Being a realist, Netanyahu took the deal.”
It is a bit difficult to believe that Russia would accept bombing of their allies, Hezbollah, INSIDE Syria, especially those soldiers and material that are being used to assist Russia in achieving their objectives in Syria. Such bombings would have a negative impact on the ability of the “boots on the ground” which must invariably be in short supply on the Russian side.
And the air attacks (by unknown entities???) on the Syrian soldiers? Apparently this was coordinated with at attack by Daesh on the ground. Hard to believe this does not have a negative impact on the Russian efforts and that Russia would turn a blind eye to it.
i strong belive that there is people in Hezbollah and in SAA who will try to smugle precision weapon to Hezbollah in Lebanon. that is for shure non intentional outcome of russian intervention in Syria which may provoke dangerous and complicated outcome in M.E. that would make Russia to become US v.2.0
nobody wants that. Russia wants to behave responsible and it is delivering weapon to legal governments only. then governments have “allies” and own responsability. i am not defending Israel, just saying that some things are logical to some levels.
Sanjin on December 13, 2015 · at 9:05 am UTC The Russian army partially blocks the air space over Lebanon and Cyprus http://www.voltairenet.org/article189404.html
Russia and the SAA are also taking care of Jihadists coming of of Jordan…..Russia will do what it has to do regardless of how Israel feels about it. Next month we will see the resistance including all those Syrian’s who have stayed behind rise up and rid all opposition forces from their country.
NATO can do nothing about any of it. Try as they might.
RR
Word that there will soon be a ceasefire in Yemen. This worries me a great deal, since I interpret as an indication that NATO-GCC are trying to cut their losses on that front so that they can concentrate on the far more vital Syrian front. If their ceasefire an be maintained (I don’t know if that is possible) then their inhibitions about providing their rats in Syria with MANPADS will decrease significantly.
Also pointing towards significant escalation is the fact of the NATO build-up around Syria as well as all the fighting talk from Turkey. It seems to me that NATO is preparing for a major false-flag/provocation/escalation, along with renewed pressure on the oil price, so that even more pressure can be applied on the Russian state.
I very much worry that at some stage, Russia will have to use tactical nukes.
In regards to the possibility of a false flag, check out this link.
Where will the Ukrainian bombs explode?
by Andrey Fomin
http://www.voltairenet.org/article189607.html
Alexander Mercouris believes Russia and the US agree that US planes were miles away. Two other “coalition” planes launched the attack. Gordon Duff claims these were British. Is this true, please?
to Bob Jackson – Gordon Duff has no respect at this site…he’s a known liar..so I guess that might answer your question a little.
I also consider duff not worth bothering about, and this was before discovering the Saker.
checked coupla days ago, Syria was trying to find the evidence from weapons debris, haven’t seen any subsequent announcements……
No more support for Russia until the NAF takes Odessa. Strelkov, Batman, Mozgovoy, Pavel . . . the list goes on. Anti-fascist, anti-capitalist in Russia, Ukraine and the US.
all power to the people
I’m with you.
They will miss your support.
hahahaha
Not going to happy. Russia want Ukraine be distracted by East Ukraine, so it will not able to concentrate on a fight on Crimea.
Ukraine use NR as punch bag because of Crimea.
This is rubbish: the attack on NR was pre-planned, i.e. BEFORE Crimea joined Russia.
So NR’s suffering has noting to do with Ukraine of losing Crimea? Russia want a frozen conflict has nothing to do with Crimea? Ukraine bitterly banning their head o the NR has nothing to do with losin of Crimea?
You’re missing my point, which is that the warfare pre-dates Crimea. This attack on the Donbass has been years in the making – they want(ed) the people off the land, but Putin stopped them.
Saker
1 correction please; Russia did not violate “Israeli airspace”, as noted by Tel-a- Viv and then subsequently widely parroted by the controlled MSM.
At the time of the incident, any incursion by Russian aircrafts ,would have been over the Golan Heights.
As far as I know, as it relates to International Law, the Golan Heights still belong to Syria.
The Golan Heights is “Syrian territory currently occupied by Israel”.
While the controlled MSM omit to supply the relevant information needed to place ownership of the Heights in context, we here at the Vineyard must not assist them in disseminating lies and falsehoods.
On his recent trip to Washington, arch criminal, Benyamin Netanyahu sought to capitalize on the willfully ochestrated chaos in Syria by trying to get the White House to formally change existing US policy and acknowledge Israeli possesion of the Golan Heights.
On this occasion, Obama stood his ground.
If Obama, as a hapless tool of the Empire can stand his ground, then we here at the Vineyard must do no less.
Israel used the occasion to deceptively try to show how reasonable thery are, as compared to the misguided Turks, but more importantly to have the international community speak of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory…..
I am glad you bought this up.
The Israeli’s actually said ” Israeli controlled air space” – the word that stands out there is “controlled”. Therefore the Russians never entered Israeli airspace………The words uttered are very important.
This is better. Russia / Iran / Syria / Hez are must and will continue to fight. IMHO they will win.
A must watch! 8 minute video breaks it down.
The Paris Attacks Are Just The Beginning
http://21stcenturywire.com/2015/12/12/the-paris-attacks-are-just-the-beginning/
How dare Muricans and other Westernos even suggest that they, leaders of the West, will decide who is going to rule Syria and not Syrian people?! Westernos have no right to dictate to other nations and countries who can and who cannot rule. Colonialist Westernos want to put their puppets to rule sovereign people! This imperialistic, arrogant, shameless, obscene, typical Western attitude must be punished!
It is an arch-mistake to deal with Israhell other then sending them some language they understand: BOOM
I agree.
Oh ferchrissakes. They have a powerful military and 300 nukes. You can’t just start bombing everyone in the world you don’t like. Even the Americans aren’t quite that dim.
So the 100’s of countries that the US has bombed is because? Like 15 in the last decade itself..
There are lots of countries they don’t like and yet don’t bomb. So far, they’ve been smart enough to only do the ones that can’t defend themselves.
The next country most likely is brunai as they have oil and are rich.. being a monarchy, perfect for democracy.. The west having stolen its lands throughout history it is a very small icon of its past now but being central to pretty much everything to contain china.. Also they only have like 5 soldiers left after the british got through with them.. Perfect.. as the state dept can use the US embassy itself to take over the country without any outside help..
Now this is cool:
Merkel, Obama, Erdogan ‘Liars of the Year’ – Poll
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/world/20151213/1031670177/merkel-obama-erdogan-liars-of-the-year-poll.html
“German web platform Alles Schall und Rauch has conducted a poll among its readers to determine who they think is world’s “liar of the year”. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, US President Barack Obama and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan “won” the first three positions.
It seems that Angela Merkel lost trust among citizens of Germany as they crowned the Chancellor with the disgraceful “Liar of the year” title with 39 percent of the readers’ votes.
However, the platform claims it wasn’t just Germans who took part in the poll, but people from 40 different countries.
Around 21 percent of those surveyed thought Barack Obama deserved to be called the biggest liar. Recep Tayyip Erdogan received 18 percent of the respondents’ votes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko are close on the heels of the “fantastic three” with 8.05 percent and 7.81 percent respectively.
According to the poll, Germans consider Russian President Vladimir Putin, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Iranian head of government Hassan Rouhani honest policy-makers.
Surprisingly, the president of Syria Bashar Assad received only 0.10% of the votes. French leader Francois Hollande earned just 0.77 percent.
The author of the article, while summarizing the poll’s results, noted that it was Angela Merkel who Time magazine named “Person of the Year”.
Yes, that’s what I was saying all the years: Many in Germany are not “politically correct” MSM brainwashed zombies.
However – the readers of that web platform costitute a niche like us readers of the Saker web platform.
That having said: It is a dramatically _growing_ niche.
I saw that Russian mod has decided to upgrade their 450 T90 tanks now rather than waiting for 2 years to get the T14’s.. So Russia is on a war footing to waste the money now on tanks that will be replaced by newer models. The Russian T72’s are no match for recent ATGM’s. Only india has more T90’s.. With such a disadvantage, I wonder how many T90’s Russia would transfer to Syria which only has like 8 of them for training purposes. If Russia plans on freeing some of the occupied Syrian cities, it can not be done without the upgraded T90’s just due to the 10,000 US supplied TOW missiles.
Those Hezbollah missile depots were SAA missile depots.. How did Hezbollah depots end up deep in Syria? Israel just does its ape impersonation whenever there is any movement at SAA bases.
Heba Ibrahim was also martyred in yesterday’s #ISIS terrorist attack in #Homs #Syria #RIP
https://twitter.com/BBassem7/status/675841905108774913
After Putin’s visit to Jordan, its all quiet on the southern front. As it was at the time of the SU24 shoot down, it must have scared the living bejeeves of the king.
Jordan has closed the border crossing with thousands of Syrians stuck in the no mans land.
Syrian Army quietly approaches the Dara’a-Jordan border-crossing while the world is fixated on northern Syria:
For the last two months, the Syrian Arab Army’s 5th Armored Division (specifically, the 15th Brigade and the 82nd Battalion) and the National Defense Forces (NDF) have quietly been advancing inside the provincial capital of the Dara’a Governorate, capturing several building blocks every week from the Free Syrian Army’s “Southern Front Brigades” and Jabhat Al-Nusra (Syrian Al-Qaeda group).
With this structured advance taking place inside the provincial capital of the Dara’a Governorate, the Syrian Arab Army’s 5th Armored Division and the National Defense Forces of Dara’a City are currently en route to the Dara’a-Jordan border-crossing that has been under the control of opposition since 2013.
https://twitter.com/TheArabSource/status/675793731497275392
SAA is literally making it rain #Russian grad rockets on terrorists in Sahl Al Ghab in reef #Hama. #Russia #Syria
https://twitter.com/Hamosh84/status/675812840985489408
#SAA #NDF securing #Qastal road leading to #kessab border crossing with #Turkey. #Syria Northern #Latakia.
https://twitter.com/Hamosh84/status/675765106442158080
Turkey De-mining the border with Afrin.. Not good for kurds..
Removing border mines is what the Turks did just before they started their anti-Syrian jihad. Bad news 4 Afrin.
Turkey declares ‘special security region’ by Syrian border: This usually means that some covert shit is going down.
https://twitter.com/agitpapa/status/675574380374720512
PT I count 40 rocket launches on the right, 5 launchers. 5 X BM-21 MRLS full load = 200 rockets. Another video
https://youtu.be/CKsLD-jmrew
Tragic loss in the name of freedom! NAF Cmd, Pavel Dremov “Better die as free men than li…
Killed by a car bomb..
https://t.co/NYrEcHqm1G
re: Israel in the mix. Israel is playing a double game ( helping wounded Daesh militants at the same time acting like it is part of the coalition against Daesh) Same game the Turks are playing while they pursue their own agenda of war against ( PKK, YPG) certain Kurds. It is the same game the Israelis play with their attack against the Golan and bombing of Hezbollah.
The Israelis arrived in Moscow when the Russian intervention was beginning accompanied by ranking members of the general staff (8-12) of the Israeli military. OK it is logical to assume that there is a high possibility that there will be a conflict of interest if the Israelis attack Syrian troops who are engaged in an assault on a position which Russian planes are bombing. That is why that will not happen. Giving up The Golan is a strategic sacrifice by the Russians who have bigger fish to fry in other parts of Syria. But both the Israelis and the Russians have an interest in a stable Syria–Russia just happens to want it more stable than the Israelis desire because the Israelis want it divided up as much as the Americans do.
Now, the Russians need to watch for a “betrayal” from the Israelis just as they were not watching for one from the Turks. Once burned, Twice shy: one can hope.
The difference is if the betrayal comes from the Israelis it will be competently done at a pivotal moment in the battle for Syria and against Daesh.
This can be avoided if Russia just does not turn its back.
We shall see if Russia would actually strike back at a NATO plane or whatever. The Empire’s approach is to test an opponent, such as the massacres in Odessa and Mariupol, and to escalate if there is no counter force. Nothing was done with the bombing of SAA forces the other day, so we shall see. Of course, one could argue that the correct revenge is to just continue with the war, and that is certainly being done. Similarly, one can make the case that the best approach in the Ukraine has been to dampen everything and hope for the best.
In any case, it would be good if Russia fought back. That is the only thing that earns the respect of her opponents. Power and force. All the rest is sophistry and deception. And Russia shouldn’t put too much confidence in manipulating or deceiving elements of her enemies, such as France. The PTB in France can tell two opposite lies before breakfast, and barely be warmed up. Once they get on a roll, the lying abilities of someone like Hollande have to be seen to be believed.
On a related topic, it is time for articles here on what may be the Empire’s new approach of using Iraq for a puppet state that harms Russia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Hezbollah.
Dictator Putin gifts puppy to 12yo girl who sent him letter asking for husky as New Year’s present
In the true holiday spirit, Olga Maruchshenko, from a small town in Siberia, got the present of a lifetime from Vladimir Putin. He wasn’t there in person, but ordered the head of the Republic of Khakassia, where the girl lives with her family, to give Olga a husky puppy after reading the girl’s letter.
Olga’s younger sister also received a present from Putin.
http://bit.ly/1Y9vnmT
Better map showing the Kassab highway in Lattakia.. Wonder if erdo will start using donkeys to move weapons through the mountains like the terrorists in afghanistan.
#SAA, #NDF succeed to manage control over #Kassab highway through Qastal Ma’af in Northwestern #Lattakia
https://twitter.com/Syria_Protector/status/675714261168087042
http://www.mediafire.com/view/rk6a4cjnulzqrex
Iraq Liberation Progress 12/12/2015
IS blew up their last escape route and like 500-1000 of them are stuck in downtown Ramadi .. Baghdadi’s last stand…
ISF say they have begun battle to reach central #Ramadi #Iraq
http://www.mediafire.com/view/rk6a4cjnulzqrex#
Syria #Russia Syrian Agreement to set up a #Russian Electrical Transformer Factory in Syria.
Above the Law: How Israel Thrives from Syria’s Natural Resources By Lulu Mikhail on December 12, 2015
The Golan Heights was and still is Syrian territory.
We all know how the story goes. The Golan Heights is Syrian territory that has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War. It was then controversially annexed in 1981, despite the UN calling the efforts “null”, “void” and “without international legal effect”. Today it is still internationally and legally recognised as Syrian land, but Israel persists with its possession.
Of course, such persistence can prove to be quite lucrative when the land is abundant in resources – especially land as fertile as the Syrian Golan – a generous source of gushing waters and game changing oil reserves.
In fact, the Golan Heights contributes a quenching one-third of Israel’s entire water supply. Its catchments leading to the Jordan River and Lake Kinneret – Israel’s main water source – receive long bouts of heavy rainfall, particularly during the colder months and occasionally during stormy season in the summer.
Full article…
https://t.co/jy1MUHus9I
Hi Saker, great article, always enlightening.
I hope the deep state that runs the empire, reads your articles….and book(s)….
I would also like to thank moderator(s) as this thread is very easy going and pleasant to be here….no locals being harrassed about anti- pindo comments etc….
LOL. The American State Dept. shill John Kirby needs a time out in the corner.
He is throwing a temper tantrum just because he was asked some uncomfortable questions about America/Turkey’s penetration of Iraq under their bogus War against the Islamic State–the same Islamic State that the United Snakes and Turkey are both covertly arming and financing.
Somebody give John Krby his pacifier and change his diapers, and maybe that will soothe him.
No way, hang the pacifier just out of his reach and feed him prunes. Leave the diaper on and let him suffer in the stink of his own excrement.
The harder he goes after journo’s that ask real questions the more stupid he and the positions he is supporting, look to the rest of the owrld
War is coming and its Pax Americana’s doing…as THEY don’t want to relinquish their hegemony.
The goal is – Russia must end up like Carthage.
The article is exelent, thanks.
Only one remark, on this sentence:
But will the West take the Russian warnings seriously?
There is no “The West” there are the Natoists the biggest threat to the world, war-mongers and criminals.
OT but what about Joe Biden’s speech to the Ukrainian Rada? While he mentioned federalism and ending corruption, he really doubled down on the anti-Russian rhetoric.
While this could be interpreted as soft-selling a hard message (you catch more flies with honey than vinegar), recent actions, such as the IMF changing its rules to allow more money to Ukraine tell a different story.
I’m cautiously (VERY cautiously) optimistic that possibly Ukraine’s sponsors have had enough of their foolishness. The timing seems off, however, with the Syrian situation. This could be perceived as a capitulation by the US and I just don’t see that happening. I also don’t see a quid pro quo in regards to Russia so what to make of this?
Sorry, forgot to add link to Biden’s speech.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/12/09/remarks-vice-president-joe-biden-ukrainian-rada
there was always a coalition of Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Iraq Shias, you could say Russia joined this coalition in order to exert influence on the West, to save itself really. The same Russians who watched helplessly as three of their allies, Iraq, Ukraine and Libya where destroyed by the West. But Iran drew the line on its allies, and guess what they are still standing. As to Hezbollah site being attacked by the Israelis what proof can you show that it happened, TimesofIsrael or western MSM?
“The only way to avoid a war is to finally give up”?
How many of these US clowns/politicians/Pentagonians are trapped in their own matrix and believe what they are saying?
The only thing that will bring the US back to earth is a massive defeat where they lose large numbers of citizens in an attack on their “homeland” similar to what Russia and China went through in WWII.
Sad as it is, you may be right…
If that threatened to happen there would be a global thermonuclear war and then we’d all be dead.
More likely is a couple more financial crises and continued industrial hollowing, followed by more and more cities, counties and maybe even states going the way of Detroit as US elites impose Greece-like austerity on their own people and/or genuinely lose fiscal capacity to run proper governments, followed by a bunch of uprisings, some violent some not, from various different political and racial groups. For all its theoretical surveillance ability, the reach of the central government could get shorter and shorter as more and more of the country became a no-man’s-land. Somewhere in all that, the national capability for taxation would be seriously curtailed and the American dollar’s international status would wane.
The international war machine just would no longer be . . . not so much affordable, it isn’t affordable now . . . more like the cheques would bounce. This isn’t a prediction, but it seems like a fairly likely medium term outcome of current trends.
Dont see any mention of snap exercises held in the southern district.. Very close to Turkey..
There have been 45 bombings in #Homs between 20/7/14-12/12/15. Al-Zahraa has been targeted the most
Syrian Army Band of Brothers. MUST SEE if you know Arabic. The untold story of #Kweires airport epic.Published on Dec 10, 2015
50 mins or so…
https://t.co/1qyZx2rOqn
A Mi-35M attack helicopter was spotted at the Russian base in Latakia yday. First time since the operation began
https://twitter.com/yurybarmin/status/675688281573576704
Utter devastation, you don’t want democracy and freedom to come to your town.. You see a nato humanitarian bomber coming with gifts, send him back on the same flight, throw the cookie back in her face and tell her to just get out..
Still across the city from here, life goes on, the hustle of people, cafes, weddings the resilience of #Syria-ns
https://twitter.com/HalaJaber/status/675844733374177280
https://twitter.com/HalaJaber/status/675839409112129543
https://twitter.com/HalaJaber/status/675841070371102720
https://twitter.com/HalaJaber/status/675839409112129543
Destruction in Tel Tamer, the Assyrian town in Hasakah (NE #Syria) which was struck by 3 car bombs on Thursday.
https://twitter.com/IraqiSecurity/status/675825753515257856
Imagine your job is having to search every chickens cranny before being allowed into terrorist held areas.. Worse than working in a morgue. Explosive chickens are the aid most sought after Toyotas by the FSA.
https://twitter.com/HalaJaber/status/675834762364362752
Look at all the cute girls and boys.. Terrorists sending their children to buy subsidized food, while blowing up cars in other other parts of the town trying to kill the very people paying taxes to subsidize that food and killing police and soldiers trying to protect them.
https://twitter.com/HalaJaber/status/675837635202523136
https://twitter.com/HalaJaber/status/675828912442753024
How silly of me to think that the Israeli’s might actually be an original problem rather than a final solution….and don’t they have history attacking ‘friendly’ ships….Hmmm, suppose I be never any good at love or war.
I know what is to be good at love; but, what is to be good at war? I think you cannot be good at both as they seem to be at opposing sides…
Let’s not overcomplicate thing IMO. The name of the game is “Afghanistan”. Let’s have the russians military stuck in some of those dirty wars that can’t be won. Putin’s game is to do it with the balance that allows it to be more gain than pain. Empire’s game is to tip that balance with nasty blows like Turkish shooting. As analysed by the Saker, Russia seems vulnerable to this. For now the defense has been verbal. Next time it’s tested it has to be something else. Now that being said it may very well already be the case and we didn’t heard of it. Something like every time any NATO fighter is moving there are 2 russian airplaine very visibly marking it. Such thing wouldn’t make it (at least immediately) to the press.
The Dutch Pay Price for Supporting Maidan Coup – German Media
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/europe/20151213/1031677723/dutch-art-ransom.html
“It seems that the Dutch taxpayers’ money will eventually end up in the pockets of Ukrainian gangsters. This is the price the Dutch will have to pay for the financial support they gave to Ukraine’s provocative Hromadske Telebachennya TV, for helping to falsify in Kiev’s favor of the results of the MH17 crash and for the help they gave in the making of the Nazi propaganda film ‘Maidan’,” Die Junge Welt wrote in conclusion.”
Well, looking on the bright side, the Israeli-American proxies were demanding ransom in this instance, rather than engaging in outright destruction (cultural genocide), as they do in Western Asia.
Israel-America had their Turk quisling stage another provocation against Russia:
Russian MoD Summons Turkish Military Attache Over Incident in Aegean Sea
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/military/20151213/1031680770/russian-mod-summons-aegean.html
“The Russian Defense Ministry has summoned a Turkish military attache in Moscow over an incident in the Aegean Sea, the ministry press service said Sunday.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the crew of the Russian frigate ‘Smetlivy’ was forced to use firearms to prevent a collision with a Turkish seiner vessel in the northern part of the Aegean Sea.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW”
Says they fired in front of the ship using small arms..
look at this shit..
https://twitter.com/MFS001/status/676034132984520704
Certainly Photoshop. But I have another concern over than incident. Legally Turkey can close the straits to Russian ships (at least military ships). If they are at war,”or” if there is a security “threat”. So what more of a “threat” could there be, by Russian ships “firing” at boats. And sailors pointing weapons during the passage through the Straits. They may be setting up Russia,to be able to “legally” block Russian navy ships from passage through the Straits. I wouldn’t trust them not to try something like that.
The squeeze is coming from another direction too – Barzani (only still president by judicial decree and only of a region, not a state at that) is being heavily wooed by Turkey to get him to close KRG airspace to Russia:
http://www.dailysabah.com/columns/ilnur-cevik/2015/12/11/barzani-visit-display-of-strong-alliance-with-turkey
Now, will the Iraqi Kurds stand idly by while Barzi, Nutty and Erdo carve out a nice little oil fiefdom for themselves? Time they allied with the Shiites, regular Sunnis and others to regain control over what is basically a slow coup…
Ps The payment for the oil produced has to go though the scandal-mired Turkish Halkbank: Erdo’s clan and associates have been .implicated. The sale of the oil on the black market is organized by a Pakistani fixer, and you can be sure those ISIS convoys are well-reimbursed for their ‘work’..
It is just piracy…
Intriguing development – Iran arming Gorran (Change Party), Barzani’s biggest challenge to political control in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq:
http://basnews.com/index.php/en/news/kurdistan/248056
I read somewhere they were seeded by the CIA , but I can’t see Iran arming them if this was true..they must be on the same page on the Russia/Iran/Syria initiative.
Also, Baghdad setting portion of Iraq budget aside to pay peshmerga and popular militias – that is certainly going to affect who they are going to take orders from..
Excellent article from RT (January 2014) that gives the background to the current crisis between Russia and Turkey – the AKP (Erdogan and Davutoglu ) really are doing untold harm with their neo-Ottoman lunacy:
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/turkey-iran-sanctions-corruption-scandal-883/
Good point, UB, about turkey staging this incident to close the Bosporos to Russia. That is exactly the sort of chickenshit thing Israel-America would have turkey do.
mmiriww
Ah, somebody posted a picture on Twitter so it must be true, eh?
:D
You use Twitter a lot to source your “product” here, I’m beginning to wonder if you are not a:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ALbH63Ali9U
Whatever you do, do not watch part 2.
vt…you’re funny
If it is on the net then it is absolute proof.. Wait a min and I’ll put up a page about it to prove it.. Dont ever accept imitations..
/sarcasm….
the point that MSM is missing, apparently, the rus ship was anchored, so no time to get the anchor up, so ship had to be warned off by any means as it ignored radio calls, rockets etc.MSM ignores this point to “prove’ it was rus causing the problem………………………..
On Sunday, the Smetlivy guided missile destroyer, anchored not far from the Greek island of Lemnos, was forced to fire warning shots to avoid collision with the approaching seiner. The warning shots were fired as a measure of last resort since the Turkish fishing boat did not respond to attempts to make radio contact and ignored signal flares.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/politics/20151214/1031704997/turkey-erdogan-smetlivy-fishing-boat-aegean-sea-incident.html#ixzz3uI8dLQj3
There has been an incident today between a Russian frigate and a Turkish ship in the Aegean sea 22 kilometers from the Greek island of Limnos where the Russians had to open fire in order to avoid a collision with the Turkish ship. The Russians have surmoned the Turkish military attache in Moscow to explain the incident.
The report does not say if the shot fired was a warning shot or if the Russian destroyer fired on the Turkish ship directly as details are still a bit scant at this stage. The Turkish ship was heading directly for the Russian frigate and was not responding to signals and radio messages from the Russians.
The Natoists are behind it.
Here’s the British Bloviator article. The short article is notable for neutrality and no pro-Turkey spin. Very strange -Turkey is in the toilet.
“Russia says one of its warships fired warning shots at a Turkish fishing vessel in the Aegean Sea to avoid a collision.
A Russian defence ministry statement said the Turkish vessel approached to 600m (1,800ft) before turning away in response to Russian small arms fire”
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35087050
Even Fox (sorry, Faux) news was similar:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/12/13/russian-destroyer-fires-warning-shots-at-turkish-vessel-in-aegean-sea/?intcmp=trending
“When the first Russian Air Force incursion into the Israeli airspace occurred” Occupied Syrian airspace actually (Golan) and UN recognize it as such.
Also, the absence of the tiresome “flag waving, hurra patriots” in this piece is freshening, maybe we can get down to the subject matter henceforth.
The development is indeed serious but let´s not forget that it was Russia who invited the western fascists in the first place, during the G20 meeting in Antalaya, Turkey after which NATO (in reality) shot down the Russian plane. Prior to that no NATO forces was anywhere near Syrian territorial waters or land. Now they are all over the place in an increasing pace and NATO is moving it´s infrastructure further to the front-line.
Was Russia really that naive, to believe that the west, all over sudden, could be trusted to play by the rules, int. laws, regulations and UN resolutions? Do Russia have full control over the situation? The word mission creep comes to mind and bombing the Syrian army right under the Russian nooses was, after the US continuous bombing of Syrian civilian infrastructure the most brazen “in your face” attack so far especially since it is suggested that the US war planes provided cover for another so far undisclosed member of their “coalition”, possibly Syrian arch enemy Qatar, that did the actual bombing. Now the US is even accusing Russia for the attack and from now on we can expect them to attack & deny in the same fashion.
It is with utmost interest i am following these developments and i do hope that Russia dont accept too many “accidents” like these before the NFZ is established for any part not not invited by the Syrian government. Otherwise al it takes is a false flag and the R2P charade is back in full swing.
Inside Isis Inc: The journey of a barrel of oil
Financial Times version of the oil smuggling in Syria and iraq…
Isis controls most of Syria’s oil fields and crude is the militant group’s biggest single source of revenue. Here we follow the progress of a barrel of oil from extraction to end user to see how the Isis production system works, who is making money from it, and why it is proving so challenging to disrupt, even with airstrikes.
Where the oil is extracted
Isis’s main oil producing region is in Syria’s eastern Deir Ezzor province, where production was somewhere between 34,000 to 40,000 barrels a day in October, according to locals. This has since fallen due to coalition and Russian airstrikes against oil facilities. Isis also controls the Qayyara field near Mosul in northern Iraq that produces about 8,000 barrels a day of heavier oil that is mostly used locally to make asphalt.
The group sells most of its crude directly to independent traders at the oil fields. In a highly organised system, Syrian and Iraqi buyers go directly to the oil fields with their trucks to buy crude. This used to result in them waiting for weeks in traffic jams that sprawled for miles outside of oilfields. But since airstrikes against oil vehicles intensified, Isis revamped its collection system. Now, when truckers register outside the field and pick up their number in line, they say they are told exactly what time they can return to fill up to avoid a pile-up of vehicles and make a more obvious target for strikes.
http://ig.ft.com/sites/2015/isis-oil/#airstrikes
Huh what????????????????????
Russia puts Yars ballistic missile systems on combat alert southwest of Moscow
“The missile regiment of the Kozelsk unit equipped with the state-of-the-art Yars missile system has been put on full combat alert,” he said.
http://tass.ru/en/defense/843403
Maybe because soon is Silvester/New Year?
The Saker is talking about 7000 Iranians. But recently articles have appeared that claim that most of them have been withdrawn. See
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-12-10/western-officials-iran-retreating-from-syria-fight
In October, the Wall Street Journal reported on experts’ assessments there more than 7,000 Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps members and other militia volunteers were aiding the Syrian regime. In late October, General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified there were 2,000 Iranian troops in Syria leading the fight to save Assad.
Today that number has dwindled, according to U.S. and other Western officials. One estimate shared with me by a senior Western defense official said there were only 700 Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps members now fighting in the Russian-led offensive. (That estimate does not include Iranian military advisers who have embedded with the Syrian armed forces since 2012.)
If you believe what the Joos of Bloomberg say, then I indeed feel sorry for you.
A genuine Middle East expert, Elijah J. Magnier (with sources on the ground) confirms that not only is Iran not withdrawing from Syria, but that they are in fact increasing their boots on the ground. Also, they will soon join with their own Air Force.
If Bloomberg is saying that Iranian forces are decreasing then it is very likely the opposite is happening.
It is far simpler to avoid Bloomberg but if you must read it then run it through a mathematical BT transform (Bloomberg translator) which inverts everything to arrive at a closer approximation of the truth.
LOL
Bloomersberg and Murdoch media are not credible sources, wim. This isn’t the guardian’s cif perversion or the moon of Alabama zio-media promotion service.
BTW, have you guys found those missing Iraqi WMD’s yet?
Putin on the way to taking Oil to $20…
Opec revenues will fall to $400bn (£263bn) this year if current prices persist, down from $1.2 trillion in 2012. This is a massive shift in global wealth.
Russia plans $40 a barrel oil for next seven years as Saudi showdown intensifies
‘We will live in a different reality,’ said a top Kremlin official. The message is aimed squarely at Saudi Arabia in a war for market share
Maxim Oreshkin, the deputy finance minister, said the country is drawing up plans based on a price band fluctuating between $40 to $60 as far out as 2022, a scenario that would have devastating implications for Opec.
Bank of America said there was now the risk of “full-blown price war” within Opec itself as Saudi Arabia and Iran fight out a bitter strategic rivalry through the oil market.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/12046185/russia-opec-saudi-arabia-bluff-40-oil-price.html
SAA find pilot seat of downed #RuAF Su-24 during advance in Jabal Turkmen #Latakia
The force of blowing up an IS IED throws everyone to the ground.
#SAA & #Hezbollah blow up #ISIS VBIED near #Palmyra #Syria yesterday.
https://twitter.com/Hamosh84/status/676032162337001472
#SAA response on #Douma Zahran Alloush thugs after shelling #Damascus with mortars and Katuysha. #RuAF #Syria
Opp sources report of ~40 dead as a result of #RuAF bombardment on Douma, Harasta in East Ghouta #Damascus
https://twitter.com/Hamosh84/status/676014240650670080
Intense bombardment by #RuAF on East Ghouta in response to rocket attack by #JaishIslam this morning in #Damascus
Footage of today’s #Douma air strikes indicate #SyAAF rather than #RuAF.
https://twitter.com/ArtWendeley/status/676007819427098624
Militants suffered heavy casualties after Russian fighter jets bombed their positions in #Damascus province. http://bit.ly/1lXXKbu
Looks like 3 planes bombed them.
https://twitter.com/Conflicts/status/676016128745971712
Syriac Christian women, members of the battalion called the “Female Protection Forces of the Land Between the Two Rivers” train at their camp in the town of al-Qahtaniyah (photo by Delil Souleiman/AFP)
Christian female fighters take on IS in Syria
Babylonia has no regrets about leaving behind her two children and her job as a hairdresser to join a Christian female militia battling against the Islamic State group in Syria.
The fierce-looking 36-year-old in fatigues from the Syriac Christian minority in the northeast believes she is making the future safe for her children.
“I miss Limar and Gabriella and worry that they must be hungry, thirsty and cold. But I try to tell them I’m fighting to protect their future,” she told AFP.
Babylonia belongs to a small, recently created battalion of Syriac Christian women in Hasakeh province who are fighting IS.
They are following in the footsteps of Syria’s other main female force battling the jihadists — the women of the YPJ, the female counterpart to the Kurdish People’s Protection Units or YPG.
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/contents/afp/2015/12/syria-conflict-women-religion-jihadists.html
On the path to $20…
Iran Will Export Oil Even With Prices Below $30 Per Barrel
After its return to the market, Iran will be able to export oil even if prices fall below $30 per barrel, Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh said Sunday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — His statement came in wake of global oil prices’ continuous decline since mid-2014, triggered by oversupply and fears over Iran’s return to oil market after sanctions’ relief.
http://sputniknews.com/business/20151213/1031693437/iran-oil-proces-export.html
Saudi Arabia is increasingly paranoid and will not cut oil production. However, introducing new quotas by OPEC may allow Russia and Riyadh’s rivals in the cartel to grab Saudi Arabia’s market share.
OPEC has left the oil production quota unchanged. It is getting more and more difficult for Saudi Arabia, the cartel’s major member, to play for lower prices in order to squeeze its rivals from the market, economic observer Liam Halligan wrote.
“Then there’s Russia, outside OPEC and constantly vying with the desert kingdom to be the world’s biggest oil producer. An Opec production cut, the increasingly paranoid Saudis’ fear, would make yet more room for Russian crude,” the author wrote.
“Moscow is less bothered about cheap oil than Riyadh – given that, in ruble terms, prices have not fallen so far,” he explained.
http://sputniknews.com/business/20151213/1031687582/saudi-arabia-russia-oil.html
OPEC Increases Russian Oil Supply Forecast for 2015
“Is there anybody out there who does not realize that the “Assad must go policy” implies a war against Russia, Iran and Hezbollah?”
I am afraid Saker that is exactly what US elites want because they believe that the war will stay in Europe and Euroasia and it won’t spread to the US soil. For war to go to US Putin would have to give an order for a nuclear attack and that is highly unlikely.
There is more than one type of Genocide, and these include Physical, Cultural, and Economic Genocide, which is caused by Economic Sanctions.
The Syrian Refugees Yearn to Return Home as soon as the War against Terrorism is over in Syria.
However, the European Union, which is Immorally following the Orders of Terrorist America are Deliberately Delaying this, and this is because of America’s support for its Secret Ally of ISIL.
Syria recently had a Free and Fair Election, and Everyone Knows that Syria is fighting the Terrorism which Attacked Paris on 13/11/2015, and so there is No justification for the continued Embargo and Economic Sanctions on Democratic Anti Terrorist Syria.
Democratic Syria is Considered to be as an Ally on the War against Terrorism by Many Countries of the World, and this is how the European Union Should also Consider Syria.
The President of Syria was recently Democratically Elected in a Free and Fair Election, and the Syrian Constitution, says that any Syrian Citizen can stand at any Elections, and that Governments can run their full course until the next Constitutionally Scheduled Election, and so any calls for the President of Syria to be intimidated to leave Public Office, or to be forced to leave Public Office by Violent means is Illegal, Undemocratic, and it is Terrorism.
These Immoral Economic Sanctions are compounding the Refugee Crisis in Europe, because Syrians are Struggling to purchase the Necessities they Need, and More Refugees in Europe is Also making it Unnecessarily harder for Europe’s poor People.
ISIL Saudi Arabia and ISIL Turkey want to Divide Syria up between themselves, and ISIL Turkey who has Not as yet apologized for the Armenian Genocide, would use Syria as a Region to Ethnically Cleanse the Kurdish People of ISIL Turkey, and this would cause All of the Syrian People and Millions of Kurdish People to become Refugees in Europe.
ISIL Turkey has Illegally sent its Military into Iraq, because America and the European Union Elites want Millions of Refugees in the European Union, so that they can make it a Police State, and a Military Dictatorship.
All Good and Decent People are against Terrorism and Lawlessness, which are Sponsored and Funded by Terrorist Anglo-America, Colonist France, Nazi Germany, ISIL Saudi Arabia, and ISIL Turkey against the People of Syria.
There are People who think that a Country should write the following to All Politicians in the European Union, and it would ask for at least one European Union Country, or some Political Parties of the European Union to File Charges of Crimes against Humanity and Genocide against certain Countries of the European Union at the European Court of Human Rights.
The Letter should Request a Written Reply to that Letter from All of the European Union Politicians, because of the Seriousness of the Situation, and notify them that a copy of that Letter, along with their individual Replies or their lack of replies to that Letter will be Published on a Website, and that this will be done in Every European Union Language.
The European Union is Committing Genocide on the Syrian Refugees, because these Syrian Refugees want to Return to their own Country which they Love, and because they are Homesick for Syria, and they Know that they Belong in Syria.
The European Union is Committing Genocide on the Syrian People, because it is helping the ISIL Terrorists, and the European Union is saying that the Innocent in Syria are guilty, and that the Guilty in Syria are innocent, and that the Guilty Perpetrators of Terrorism are the innocent victims of terrorism, and that the Innocent Victims of Terrorism are the guilty perpetrators of terrorism, and this is Unnecessarily Delaying the Return of the Syrian Refugees back to their Country that they Love, and where they Yearn to be.
The European Union is Also Committing Genocide on the Syrian People in Syria, because the European Union are placing Economic Sanctions on Syria, and they are doing this for Unjustifiable and Illegitimate reasons.
There are People who think that Countries who are Just should Cooperate with the Legitimate Democratically Elected Syrian Government and its Armed Forces, who are Valiantly Fighting against Terrorism, because this will show that they are against Terrorism, that they Respect the Sovereignty of Nations, and that they are Committed to International Law.
Is Aegean Sea Incident With Russian Destroyer a ‘Turkish Provocation’?
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/military/20151213/1031694539/russia-turkey-aegean-sea-frigate-incident-provocation.html
“In this situation there are only two explanations: either it is carelessness and disregard for safety of navigation on part of the captain of the Turkish vessel, who it seems never leaves his cabin. Or it is a planned but clumsily organized provocation against the Russian military ship, which in the case of a collision would have received damage requiring repairs in the factory.”
The source further said, “Removal of a frigate ship even just for a few months is a serious breach in the overall security system of the country.”
The bit said about the captain of the Turk vessel never leaving his cabin is interesting, both for what it implies and that the Russians made a point of mentioning this seemingly unimportant detail. Obviously the Turk ship is not a regular fishing boat.
Looks like the zionazis have been foiled again by those “drunken, inept and backward” Russians. :D
I am unsure how long it takes a Russian guided missile destroyer to ‘up-anchor and away’ to avoid a collision but I must assume that a KH35 anti-ship missile, that the Smetlivy apparently carries, would wake the Turkish captain from his slumbers -assuming it works at that minimum range. Otherwise the deck gun should do the trick.
Admirable restraint -they are lucky they didn’t get blown out of the water.
SO
Both vessels were under way at the time. The Turkish ship was heading straight for the Russian.
Correction, you are right, the Russian ship was anchored.
You can’t believe everything you read then. I had previously read the Smetlivy was at anchor which I thought a bit odd given its location:
“In the latest incident, Russia’s defence ministry said its destroyer Smetlivy was anchored just off the Greek island of Lemnos on Sunday morning when it spotted the Turkish fishing boat heading towards it some 1,000m away.”
So the Turkey was playing Chicken.
NO, the Russian ship was at anchor waiting for the signal to move.. The Turkish boat was the one approaching and they thought they could get their jollies off trying to ram the Russian ship, I highly doubt they would have rammed the ship, only they would have tried to act like they were going to. They were playing bully.. No radio contact, no reaction to signal flares or lights.. All says it was just a bully..
Since the entire goal of the Syrian crisis is to degrade both Syria and Hizballah in Lebanon, with the end goal being a a decades long war with Iran, the US and NATO and Israel and the Saudis will not abandon their war against Syria.
They don’t even care if Assad must be overthrown – that is just their “fig leaf” to cover over their REAL goal which is to destroy Syria’s and Hizballah’s ability to be effective actors against Israel in an Iran war.
So, yes, a war with Iran is absolutely necessary for the US and Israel and if Russia and Hizballah get in the way, so much the better for the neocons and the military-industrial complex.
There was an article over at The Intercept today about the organization that fronts for the military-industrial complex saying that they are influencing the political candidates to more militarism. It’s all about the MONEY stripped from the US taxpayer and handed over to the corporate elite.
They’re not going to let that go even if it threatens nuclear war with Russia.
With regards to the Global Research article link, alleging a shootdown of a Israeli F-16, its probably true. However, there is no way Syria could kill an Israeli pilot and without the IDF squawking, so no crowing.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/syria-shoots-down-israeli-warplane-f-16-bomber-and-helicopters/5471009
The aircraft was likely an F-16 drone conversion. The U.S. has made a few, and Israel surely has access to the tech. After taking its shot, a manned aircraft normally would have taken evasive maneuvers. More than likely, this was a successful test of Syrian Air defenses and a new toy.
http://www.gizmag.com/boeing-f16-jet-unmanned-drone/29203/
http://www.businessinsider.com/qf-16-aerial-drone-2014-8
Israel has several retired F-16 airframes no longer considered safe for manned flight. These would be suitable for drone conversions. Plug in the numbers, and a F-16 drone could strike at a known fixed location with minimal, if any, direct human input.
http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/israels-f-16-with-the-most-air-to-air-kills-ever-has-be-1685424102/1685670174
Expect a few more attempts by the West to figure out how Russia’s aerospace defense works.
The quality of your analysis Saker has gone through the floor – try this comment for reality (Not written by myself).
The U.S. Is the only thing keeping NATO afloat, and the U.S. Military is broken. I know this because I was raised in the U.S. Military, served multiple combat tours and have many friends still in SF and at the Pentagon. Hard knock vets are being pushed out. 6K vets commit suicide every year and many struggle with what they experienced in Iraq and the Stan. Think long and hard about how spoiled Americans would fair in a real war, the likes of which we have never truly seen. Even WWII doesn’t count, as the U.S., as usual, entered late in the game after the Soviets and Chinese did the heavy lifting. Keep trolling, just remember, when the American empire crumbles, the Baltics and Ukraine will be little more than a speed bump to Russia.
This is a comment from another site written by a US ‘Vet’
Hi, just to point out that deception is a fundamental aspect of self defense and modern warfare. Weve heard all sorts of things about the US forces and equipement. They could well be true. But they could allso be part of a sophisticated long term game of deception to draw in an enemy to become over confident and rash.
Just because someone says” the US military is Broken ” and professes to know from personal experience means absolutely nothing. Neither do any press reports of ships ” breaking down” yes it could well be another example of US incompetence, there are too many to mention.
But it would be a very strange move for someone to tell the enemy how weak they are…….. Take nothing for granted. As we know Putin is a master and is hardly likely to be taken in by such techniues, and will have likely been useing them as well for decades
Its basic self protection 101 ” decieve, distract and destroy.
I have a thought about the sjip. It was new, and new engine I assume, and it was reported that there were metal pieces clogging the filter.
Well, when you have a new engine if it isn’t broken in yet then you will stuff that wasn’t entirely cleaned out in assembly and also a lot of stuff from initial wear because the parts aren’t lapped in and roughness in the finish is worn down. It’s good practice in a new engine, or after some work has done (such as replacing the rings in a car engine) to run it for a while and then put a new filter in.
This breaking in period in common for many different devices, until it settles down.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Break-in_%28mechanical_run-in%29
Perhaps they didn’t break it in properly.
In Interest of fairness id like to point out that Bluff is an integral part of military stratagy, just look at normandy1945 for an example of that! Both posturing to present an image of strength, or an image of weakness. So we best assume all sides are engaged in some form of Bluffing. Eg all figures of military force available are to be disregarded unless from direct humanint, from both forms of bluff. Ie a strong side might entice a foolish attack by appearing weak or prevent an attack by appearing strong and of course over many battle fields these approaches are in combination . Ie we are weak here, but strong there……..
One has to look at what actually happens . In this case its fairly obvious that the west is not winning the fight they have forced on the rest of the world. Ok it could be a massive deception operation, ie Wesley Clarkes famous 7 countyr speech.
IMO what we need to ask our selves, not who is bluffing and if they are but where they are bluffing, because they are, one way. Or another.
Its been obvious for many years that this situation was brewing, Iran , China , Russia , etc recognised that and have been actively engaged in defensive(and offensive)planning and preperation for decades. Dont believe a word of what they say their military prowess involves. It will be considerably more than is known outside of very secure and select circles?
Motivation is what propels a man to fight in defence or to attack. It matters not a jot how many tanks or guns an army has if the men useing then are beaten before they start………beaten intheir own minds. Thats why propaganda and psi ops are so important. Thats why the west is determined to paint Russia as an aggressor. Thats why there is such a determined campaign! Its a military campaign in effect .
What does that then say about the real mental strength of the western axis?
If they were actually so strong there would be no need for any of it. If they are so powerfull,why do they run around like headless chickens……..
Come on , be realistic. the US amassed huge fighting force next to Iran with every indication of a full scale attack a few years and then backed down? Why….. Because they are all powerfull?! Why use mercenaries ?
Of course there could , and probably are, many different sub currents . Ie
Putin could work for the NWO…..
But is it likely? And if so, then theyve already won.in which case why the wars and the risk involved?
I like to keep an open mind and view the situation from as many vantage points as I can.
I also come from hundreds of years of very high ranking British Army Officers.
I am an Irish Republican .
Cheers
“West has now (re-)affirmed the principle that “might makes right” and that threats and violence are still the only “policy” of of the Empire in lieu of a legal, negotiated, policy”
An echo of Thucydide’s statement(Circa 400 BC) … paraphrasing … the strong will do pretty much as they wish and the weak will suffer as they must.
“West has now (re-)affirmed the principle that “might makes right” and that threats and violence are still the only “policy” of of the Empire in lieu of a legal, negotiated, policy”
An echo of Thucydide’s statement(Circa 400 BC) … paraphrasing … the strong will do pretty much as they wish and the weak will suffer as they must.
Seems our “human nature” has not changed in 2,500 years … not yet!
Kudos to the RT reporter who persisted so effectively in the face of some really nasty bullying by yet another overmatched State Dept. spokesentity.
Nice too to see a Saker missive that does not sneer. This is a good direction.
If it is true that Russia has finally given s-300s to Syria, a question arises: what will Russia do when Syria presumably uses them, as it should, to shoot down the next Israeli jet that crosses the Syrian border or fires on Syrian territory?
Daddy will take the car keys away…
They already did after they used the radar from the S300 to shoot down a Turkish F4 I think.. We know Syria has it because although not assembled and working we have seen parts of the system at various places. You dont think Russia would give such advanced weapons to anyone if they could not disable it do you? Many of the US weapons systems they dont even give to nato.. I wonder how good the F35’s they are giving to others are degraded.. We know the stuff they sold to the rest of the planet are junk. Then again the stuff the USSR sold to the rest of the planet are mostly junk as well. Why india had to use 3rd parties to upgrade their soviet stuff.. Especially using Israeli and french systems. Also notice how many Argentinian bombs and missiles hit British warships.. Most did no damage and just failed.. So the french stuff are also junk or can be easily disabled. It is all just for show and to clobber your 3rd world barefoot neighbor..
Is it strictly necessary to downgrade an F-35? They are already useless.
Good to see someone put together many of the pieces into a single piece..
Interview with Konstanin Zivkow, doctor in military sciences.
– The “Free Syrian Army” exists, they fight against government as well as Daesh, size less than 20 thousand men, by now, only 5-6 thousand are suitably for fight. Means: have no chance.
– It is critical for them to spare manpower, for this reason they have agreed to leave Homs city through a corridor, battle for Homs was a battle of encirclement, similar to Grozny during Chechen War.
– The idea of an “Idlib kettle”: possible, but could not be realized. Only limited gains. Still, SAA is supposedly preparing a new major offensive.
– The SAA is not that weakened as it seems to many. The main problem is the LACK OF AMMUNITION, that is why they cannot advance fast.
– Example: a typical combat operation, which takes 5 days, requires about 15 – 20 pieces of ammunition for ONE artillery gun. Cosideringthat ONE kilometer of frontline needs approx. 100 artillery pieces ONLY,
the total quantity of shells is MORE THAN 1 MILLION. You still have to add the tanks, which need approx. the same amount, if one tank carries between 36 and 45 shells. And during an INTENSIVE andavnce, all thisammunition is comsumed IN JUST 36 HOURS.
– Conclusion: one major offensive requires 1,5 – 2 million shells.
– Every time when SAA really possessed such an ammount, it carried out offensives with excellent results.
– Example: 7th and 8th october, when SAA andvanced 70 kilometers in ONE DAY. Excellent example of Blitzkrieg.
– But soon, they ran out of ammunition. Afterwards, only limited tempo was possible, with concentration on key objects.
– Conclusion: by now, SAA advances very slowly, few kilometers a week. Not even RuAF can compensate this.
– However, SAA has much experience and high fight morality.
– All in all, material shortages make a breacking through strong, graded enemy fortifications a VERY HARD JOB.
– By now, SAA needs time to rest and accumulate the neccessary amount of weapons and ammunition.
– The most important strategic success up to now is Homs city in SAA hands.
– House fighting is very hard and costly, with many causalties. Most effective method is encircling the enemy groups, cut supplies and make him surrender.
– WE WILL DEFINITELY SEE A SURPRISE:
Unfortunately, it could be a bad one. USA and Turkey could start an all-out war against Syria, in case of successfull SAA advances, sealing border with Turkey.
– Pretext for Turkey: defending the Turkmen
– I am confident and really hope, that:
– SAA will carry out an successful offensive in the direction of Idlib by the end of this month.
– the Russian airforce group in Syria will be SIGNIFICANTLY ENLARGED, by expansion of Humaymim base or/and creation of further bases.
– Russia will keep on using its stratgeic air force and destroy the oil infrastructure of the terrorists
(However, Iran still gives only limited access to its airspace for Russian bombers. Uncertain why. Possible differences? )
– by the end of the year, a large offensive with 30 – 40 kilometers per day, lasting a few days ( not enough ammunition for any longer ), resulting in cutting the terrorists from Turkey and finally creating the
“Idlib kettle”.
– our military political leadership will be able to find a solution for the Syrian crisis within AT MOST HALF A YEAR, MORE TIME WILL NOT BE, otherwise pro-Daesh coalition of US and allies( YES, PRO-DAESH,
not the other way round ) will reinforce the terrorists and intervene directly.
– SYRIA AND RUSSIA MUST HURRY UP.
http://www.anna-news.info/node/49243
No medal or recognition for this kids bravery…
He tackled the suicide bomber and they blew up saving his class mates.
Aitzaz Hasan, The boy who sacrificed his life to prevent a suicide bomber attack at his school
https://twitter.com/Souria4Syrians/status/676050453851951105
Marj Al-Sultan town & airbase has effectively fallen to #SAA after massive withdraw by militants, predominately #JaishIslam
After taking Marj Al-Sultan #SAA managed to advance 1km towards Bilaliyah, they also bombarding Nashabiyah #Damascus
https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha/status/676354292224159749
Iran Rejects Allegations about Withdrawing Military Advisors from #Syria
Russian_Defense_Ministry? Plans Annual Procurement Of About 200 Aircraft, Up To 30 Ships And Submarines And Up To 600 Armored Vehicles – General Staff Chief
Russia General Staff: 5000+ #FSA fighting alongside #SAA against terrorism, #RuAF carried out 30-40 air-raids to assist rebels vs terrorists
Embarrassingly for Riyadh, it is a key #Saudi demand in Geneva peace talks that all #Yemen forces withdraw from Saudi Arabia’a territory.Long list of #Saudi territories under #Yemen attack is the reason why UN talks in Geneva is off limits to media.
UNSC rejects #Russian draft as #Damascus condemns ‘discriminatory silence’ on #Syria terror acts
These are the people Assad was supposedly barrel bombing for the last 5 years, held by moderate terrrorists, The home of the revolution… And those soldiers you see getting flowers are from the Syrian Arab Army..
You’ll never see this in Western media. Everything to demonize Assad and his soldiers, to give biased and one sided information about the war.
According to Western media like CBC, CNN and others BS outlets, Syrian president has been brutalizing his own people and even accused him of gassing hundreds of Syrians when in reality the so-called rebels that they’ve arming and financing did it. These people are celebrating the liberation of the city of Homs after being under Isis control since 2011. These are the troops of Bashar al-Assad that are being greeted and these are the real Syrian people that are celebrating and happy.
People of the district of #Homs recently liberated by #SAA greet the Syrian soldiers as heroes!
Published on Dec 12, 2015
Thousands of poor Syrians tormented by years of “moderate rebel” rule, pour out to greet and cheer for the SAA who is parading through Homs after finally liberating it, with the help of Russian air support.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PauFSKZafr4&feature=youtu.be
Ankara’s actions highlight a change in NATO’s strategy in Syria. The aggression has progressed from being strictly a proxy war, funded and trained by the West, to one where the west is now directly involved.
A good example of this is the coalition jet that killed 3 Syrian soldiers and wounded 13.
The reason behind these deployments is the failure of the original NATO plan that intended Assad be overthrown by tens of thousands of mercenaries. Four and a half years later, even the most hostile and least rational policy makers in the United States now realize that this plan was doomed to fail since the beginning.
Even though provocations and hostile acts against Russia are on the rise, Moscow has always responded in a rational, mitigated manner towards NATO. Yet with the downing of the SU-24, the red line appears to have been crossed.
In this sense, Moscow has knowingly supplied S-300s to both Tehran and Damascus, since air defense systems are decisive factors in modern war scenarios. But the S-300, S-400 and S-500 (to be introduced in a few years) aren’t just a deterrent, they’re sending a clear message that the limit of tolerance has been reached.
http://russia-insider.com/en/skies-over-damascus-and-tehran-covered-next-move-nato/ri11827
Firstly, the Syrian military base that was hit by the air strike was apparently the scene of a bitter battle between the Syrian military and the Islamic State.
It seems that shortly after the air strike – and most probably as a result of it – the Islamic State’s fighters were able to storm it.
Inevitably, that begs the question of whether the aircraft that carried out the air strike were providing air support to the fighters of the Islamic State.
If so, it is an extremely serious and worrying development, suggesting that some members of the US-led anti-Islamic State coalition are actually in league with the Islamic State.
This is scarcely surprising since any hint that any Western ally is in league with the Islamic State – even in the most informal sense – would after the Paris attacks be politically explosive.
If the Russians do indeed know how many aircraft from the US-led coalition were flying at any one time over Der az-Zor, and can identify the countries they belong to, then the inescapable conclusion is that their surveillance and intelligence operation in Syria is very effective indeed.
This raises the interesting possibility that this sort of thing has not only happened before, but that it has been going on unreported for some time, and that the reason why the Russians made so much of this particular incident was so as to warn the US that with the Russian surveillance and intelligence operation in Syria now so good the US cannot get away with doing this sort of thing any longer.
If Russian reporting of this incident is intended as a warning to the US, then that might explain why the Russians have held back information about the identity of the countries whose aircraft were involved in this incident.
The two coalitions supposedly fighting the Islamic State – the US-led coalition and the Russian-led coalition – have in the space of just two weeks twice fought each other – once when the SU24 was shot down, and now with the attack on the Syrian base.
On both occasions it was members of the US-led coalition that acted as the aggressors.
http://russia-insider.com/en/military/did-members-us-led-coalition-carry-out-air-strike-help-isis-russia-implies-they-did/ri11749
Nachtigall,
What you say has a bearing on Glazyev. Many Sakerites support him. So, it’s maybe worth continuing, although we’re a bit off topic (if the moderators can face it).
I have to say I understand your alternative even less than the orthodoxy. So, again I may simply be missing the point. Apologies in advance.
The current toxic system isn’t a “logical” consequence of capitalism. It took a major political effort.
You’re right that economists seem to hide the politics away in their assumptions and definitions. This does not make economics non-science, simply science that needs done more carefully. The social sciences are sciences – they pick out real patterns (money, markets etc.)
A question you have to ask, even assuming your analysis, is how to get from here to there. It would take an intellectual and political effort of the same magnitude. This against the most powerful in the world.
As to Russia in particular, it seems plausible that its best bet against economic war waged by the US is its alliance with China. It still has to follow the best domestic policies it can. If the inflation and capacity utilisation numbers are accurate, Glazyev’s diagnosis is wrong. It’s not a shortage of credit. It’s a sclerotic economy.
His solution seems wrong anyway. I don’t see the point in concentrating the banking sector in one single institution. The loss of information, and information bottlenecks, would surely be severe.
Credit and money are related as you describe. When the bank extends you a loan, you incur a debt and receive a money balance. You will have sought the money for consumption or investment. So you transfer the money for whatever it is you’re after to someone else, who likewise wants the money mainly to transact. If there is an excess of money created relative to the demand for it from those who wish to consume or invest, the price of money will fall, in other words, inflation will rise.
The central bank backed by the full credit of government has evolved to protect the banking system from the bubbles and busts of earlier centuries. Its role as bank to the banks allows it to manage the money supply. As with any economic institution, politics can interfere with its proper functioning. Canada and Australia have shown even in the fiasco of 2008 that it is viable. There are feasible alternatives. Free banking is one. No-one has dared try it. Another is the command economy. No-one has made that work particularly well. It seems to me best to reform the current system of central rather than jump to another.
Economics is the science of the allocation of scarce resources, whether in nature or in society. I don’t think you’ll get far trying to look at it at a more fundamental level.
Turkey says its patience with Russia ‘has a limit’:
Russia and Armenia has agreed to deploy 7000 Russia-n troops and S-300 missile system to Turkish border.
Russian president’s envoy: Russia to freeze cultural ties with Turkey
30-yr-old Tochkas blew up the brand-new Patriots that were supposed to protect the base from missile attacks. 160 dead… 42 of the dead were mercenaries.. Huge recruitment going on to hire replacements.. Apply now.. Free travel to exotic lands, bonus, free food and lodging and ticket back home plus casket thrown in .. Go see them at their San Diego office for an interview..
Sure hope the S400 is better….
How is Russia keeping its planes safe in the Syrian skies?
The S-400 Triumph to provide more effective protection for Russian planes.
https://t.co/xWPzBnFbZr
Since NATO can hit Russia with impunity what does it matter?
“Newest U.S. warship breaks down, has to be towed 45 miles to shore”
Israel and the USA want a Kurdish Buffer state to act as a barrier to the “Shia Cresent” Only the Iraqi Kurds are in the pocket of the US Israeli cabal. The US Inc will try to create some sort of “Sunnis-tan” that is hardly representative of the Sunni population but has everything to do with ISIS mercenaries on the territories of Iran and Syria. Note the ridiculous confab in Riyadh last week.
More on NATO impunity to follow as pro-Syrian forces wipe ISIS assassins from the face of the earth.
I just had a crazy thought.
Regarding Syria/Turkey.
Perhaps, Turkey and ? made a deal. Turkey did its part. The ?, failed to keep their promises.
Turkey retaliates by…
1. Flooding Europe with migrants (how much are the Europeans paying Turks now? hmmm)
2. Shoot Russian plane down.
3. Invading Iraq
4. The sea incident.
Military operations in preparation in and around Syria
by Thierry Meyssan
The Western Press doesn’t have much to say about the military operations in Syria, except to affirm, without the slightest proof, that the Coalition is successfully bombing Daesh jihadists while the Russians continue to kill innocent civilians. It is in fact difficult to form a reasonable idea of the current situation, particularly since each side is readying its weapons in preparation for a wider conflict. Thierry Meyssan describes what is going on.
http://www.voltairenet.org/article189631.html
Fun fact from Thiery Meyssan’s must-read article:
“… the Mecid Aslanov, property of Necmettin Bilal Erdoğan’s BMZ Group, left the French port of Fos-sur-Mer on the 9th November 2015, having just delivered, in total impunity, a cargo of oil which it claimed had been extracted in Israël, but which in reality had been stolen by Daesh in Syria. “
the 27th October 2015, a Tupolev 142 made numerous approaches to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, which was working on manœuvres with the 7th fleet and the South Korean Navy to the East of the peninsula.
Since April 2014, the Russian Air Force has engaged in a number of actions aimed at testing their system for scrambling NATO communications and commands [1].
This time, the US Navy sent up several of its planes before the Russian Tupolev scrambled the US communications and commands, so that they were finally able to chase the intruder away. However, the Tupolev got as close as 500 feet from the aircraft carrier without either the carrier or the 7th fleet being able to react, which proved that Russia is now able to destroy a NATO flagship.
The Russian system for scambling NATO communications and commands is currently being tested in a war situation in Syria, where it covers a radius of 300 kilometres around Lattakia – a zone which is now invisible for the Atlantic Alliance’s surveillance technology. The Russian system is also deployed over a part of the Black Sea and at Kaliningrad.
Translation
Pete Kimberley http://www.voltairenet.org/article189241.html
The Russian army partially blocks the air space over Lebanon and Cyprus
VOLTAIRE NETWORK | 24 NOVEMBER 2015 http://www.voltairenet.org/article189404.html
Call us when they manage to scramble the communication system of a single Turkish F-15.
you did not provide phone number and address where to send flowers.
Dear Saker,
Rather than being embroiled with a fake existential threat in Syria Putin should be focused on the real issues
He should be focussing on the entrenched 5th column
He should be focussing on the central bank which is nothing but a filalial of the US fed
He should be focused on Ukraine. Believe me Ukraine is much more important that Sochi Olympics and Syria together
I fear that while Putin is trying to be an international hero, he might be turned into a national zero. The rug might be pulled from under his feet.
But again that might not be necessary since he is not a real threat to empire because he has totally failed on issues that really matter.
You are sounding as very pessimistic. So far it seems that Putin has been manoeuvering in a clever way with the Empire of Chaos. I am amazed by his patience. Garaudy, a french communist used to say that to get rid of the Empire, you have to get it broke and you have to avoid direct conflict. To get the Empire broke, you have to get enough countries getting rid of the dollar. It takes time to do this but I think Putin is doing that with the BRICS countries. You need to have the Empire to implode before he starts a nuclear war so you have to use homeopathic measures to prevent the explosion of that nasty Empire. I admire Putin for his patience, for, should I have the button, I might have pushed it to get rid of the whole world.
Iran “is studying an official request already made by the Syrian government to send large troops (& jets) to #Syria”
14 #Hezbollah were killed in reef #Aleppo Dalaymeh (6 villages). #SAA took 19/120m mortars with a lot of ammunition in d city used by #JN.
ISIS’ is now executing disabled children in Syria:
PHOTO Russian #Airforce Su-34 staging attack on #Syria from Shahid Nojeh Air Base in #Iran?
The Russo-Iranian Military Coalition in Syria may be Deepening
The Russo-Iranian military coalition in Syria may be deeper than many have believed. The Iranian armed forces appear to be allowing Russian aircraft to use their military airfields in support of combat operations over Syria. This development is remarkable: Iran is one of the most virulently anti-colonial regimes in the world, and yet it is allowing a former colonial power that had partitioned Persia with Great Britain to place military forces on its territory. But Russia likely requires access to an airfield in Iran to support its military operations in the region, and Tehran seems willing to permit it. Contrary to Western analysts’ arguments that Russia is marginalizing Iran in Syria or even driving it out, Russia appears to be more dependent militarily on maintaining a strong relationship with Tehran than has been previously thought.
Iranian fighters have been escorting Russian bombers as they transit Iranian airspace for some time, as can be seen in a video filmed and released by the Russian air force (reported by The Aviationist). Military aviation specialist Babak Taghvaei reports (as cited by The Aviationist) that Russian Tu-95MS Bear, Tu-160 Blackjack, and Tu-22M Backfire bombers have flown a southwesterly path through Iranian airspace since late November on their way to missions against rebel and Islamic state forces in Syria, flying southwest of Tehran, passing Esfahan and Ahvaz, and crossing over the Iraqi border north of Basra. Satellite imagery recently obtained and analyzed by AllSource Analysis now shows that advanced Russian combat aircraft have used Iranian Air Force bases to stage on the way to or from bombing runs in Syria at least once.
One such combat aircraft, a Russian Su-34 “Fullback” strike fighter, was seen on the main parking apron of Shahid Nojeh Air Base in the northwestern province of Hamedan, Iran on November 23, 2015 and remained there for at least two days. An Il-76 “Candid” transport aircraft arrived likely in the afternoon or evening of November 24. Both had departed by December 5, according to AllSource analysts.
http://www.criticalthreats.org/russia/kagan-donovan-bucala-russo-iranian-coalition-in-syria-deepening-december-14-2015
Failure of both Armenia & the diaspora to secure its people’s safety leads to them taking desperate measures. RIP.
Another tragedy.Armenian family from #Aleppo drowned while trying to reach Greece.All died except the girl in center
https://twitter.com/BBassem7/status/676461449884004352
Russia’ s relation with Israel puzzles me when it goes up to allowing Israel to destroy the Hezbollah. Israel is just the top of the iceberg of the Zionists running the Empire of chaos.The Zionists by controlling the world financial system and the media are those behind the New world Order and they are not humanists but slave-drivers. They have corrupted the whole political system in the west. With the gender theory, the gay’s pride and mariage, with the pornography and consumption’s bulimia
they are driving people to the animal’s status. The Russian’s complaisance towards the Zionists is disturbing and is letting me to not trust Russia.
Sorry but Israel is not the top, they are the sacrificial victim….. Again .
The “British Empire “in effect still runs things.
The Americans have been used as sock puppet to enable the Brits to avoid some of the comeback….they hope.
we’ve all heard of the “special relationship” between the American Colony and Britain, well thats it in a nutshell.
There was a joke about Blair being A Bush ” poodle.” As if…. Far from it ! Blair ‘ ran’ Bush.
I am not sure that I can buy this assertion without data
Certainly not! :-) but it bears thinking about and its a theory. i dont believe anything, i hold opinions .
However there is rather a lot of compelling evidence to suggest it might in fact be the case but….
Dis-info is a huge part of any engagement in the real world..
There is a story of a boxer going to fight up north. He got on the train but his mind was on the fearsome reputation of his opponent, he dwelt on this and eventually got off and went home. He wrote to the fighter” you beat me at Huddersfield”
But he beat himself…
So by portraying an ” unbeatable, all powerfull image” as the west does with disinfo ,propaganda and lies, And by totally destroying any militarily weak power that does stand up ie Libya Iraq, now syria , they create an image that is all powerfull not in accordance with reality.
Which is that the west hasnt a hope without their airpower , the troops will not fight when they see that they can not defeat the growler and so have no aircover and are effectively sitting ducks…
It becomes a mopping up operation as is in Syria now. Yes it can be drawn out , as every city has to be taken building by building , and secured…… The most dangerous and difficult grueling warfare.
There is a famous saying and im going to paraphrase it.
” whatever happens,
we have got,
The S400,
And they have not”
This terrain map shows why the going is so slow.. Snow covered mountains.. Russia just needs to bomb any supply lines 24×7 and in a few months the terrorists holed up in fortress will starve.
SYRIAN BATTLE MAP LATAKIA
https://twitter.com/petejohn10/status/676554670203080704
https://twitter.com/petejohn10/status/676554670203080704
Intense clashes reported between #SAA vs #JN & allies on the summit of Mt Nuba #Latakia countryside
https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha/status/676716589941583873
RuAF bombing in #Latakia countryside
https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha/status/676374602126266370
Syria Army, Hezbollah Capture Damascus Air Base
A helicopter airbase 7 kilometres away from Damascus International Airport originally captured by rebels in November 2012
Syrian government forces have retaken a key airbase on the outskirts of the capital Damascus after a battle with rebels, military sources said. The airbase in the town of Marj al-Sultan, which lies some 15km (nine miles) east of Damascus, was captured by regime troops on 14 December – more than three years after it fell into rebel hands.
“The Syrian army has taken full control of the town of Marj al-Sultan and its airport in Eastern Ghouta,” a military source told the AFP. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the regime’s offensive to retake the airbase began last month and was supported by fighters from the Lebanese militant outfit Hezbollah.
The monitoring group’s Rami Abdulrahman told AFP that while the airbase had been retaken, regime troops were “still working to secure the town”, where some rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remain.
http://russia-insider.com/en/syria-army-herzbollah-capture-damascus-air-base/ri11845
New map.Eastern Ghouta.#SAA take control #Marj_As_Sultan and Marj As Sultan North Helicopter Airbase
https://twitter.com/miladvisor/status/676436945392791552
7000 #Russia/n troops will be deployed in #Armenia on the borders with #Turkey equipped with S-400. (Snowball of the #su24 #Syria)
https://twitter.com/EjmAlrai/status/676760177287299073
Iran confirmed its presence as “advisors” to mirror the #USA definition of “advisors” for 3500 officers and soldiers.
So now, not only we have “moderate” & “less moderate” in #Syria , but we have “worse” & “best” terrorists. Wonderful
#Syria Oil market in Maʿarrat al-Naasan targeted by RuAF airstrikes. Casualties reported .
https://t.co/TRH5Rep3gG
Arrival of TOS-1 to #Syria (link in German)
https://t.co/CEOfo9hDV3
https://twitter.com/TalaWithLove/status/676767829107064833
PHOTOS: Aftermath of a Russian air-strike on Maarat al Naasan in #Idlib today #Syria
https://twitter.com/Conflicts/status/676764701452337152
NATO Is Going for Bust in #Syria! By Pepe Escobar
The FSB, SVR and GRU in Russia, while drawing all the right connections, cannot help but conclude that Washington is letting Cold War 2.0 escalate to the boiling point.
Imagine Russian intel surveying the geopolitical chessboard.
A Russian passenger jet is bombed by an affiliate of ISIS/ISIL/Daesh. A Russian fighter jet is ambushed and downed by Turkey; here is a partial yet credible scenario of how it may have happened.
Ukrainian right-wing goons sabotage the Crimean electricity supply. A Syrian army base near Deir Ezzor – an important outpost against ISIS/ISIL/Daesh in eastern Syria – is hit by the US-led Coalition of the Dodgy Opportunists (CDO). The IMF “pardons” Ukraine’s debt to Russia as it joins, de facto, Cold War 2.0.
And this is just a shortlist.
This is a logical progression. The NATO-GCC compound in Syria is devoured by angst. Russia’s entry into the Syrian war theater – a proxy war, not a civil war – threw all elaborate, downright criminal regime change plans into disarray.
If the US-led CDO were really committed to fighting ISIS/ISIL/Daesh, they would be working side by side with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), not bombing it or trying to stall it.
And they would be actively trying to shut down the key Turkey-Syria crossroads – the Jarablus corridor which is in fact a 24/7 Jihadi Highway.
Which brings us back to the downing of the Su-24. Venturing one step further, Russian expert Alexei Leonkov maintains that not only did NATO follow the whole operation with an AWACS, but another AWACS from Saudi Arabia actually guided the Turkish F-16s.
https://t.co/09DpMaLEeV
@mmiriww
The Sotloff reveal was a re-tweet of an article in Today’s Zaman, so I doubt he was beheaded for that.
If he was beheaded at all.
Interesting the pretext for the ‘Assad-must-go’ invasion of Syria – the chemical attack – is no longer being promoted the way it had been: if anything, some media seem to be desperately attempting to gain kudos for ‘truth-telling.’
It’s also possible Sotloff was no journalist and is still alive. . .
Meanwhile, a Turkish politician CHP has been indicted for ‘treason’ for revealing details on RT about the import of Sarin gas from Turkey to takfiris in Syria. He is also being targeted on social media by a group of Turkish extremists, the Ottoman Hearts, who apparently to be inspired by the Grey Wolves. Wonder who is funding them?
http://www.todayszaman.com/national_chps-erdem-facing-investigation-over-chemical-weapon-claims-on-russian-tv_407112.html
RT is headlineing the story.
He was beheaded like last year.. Or the stage was done last year before the Sarine gas attack by IS. He was a jew as well.. So who knows.. But this has nothing to do with the RT report of yesterday.
Subject: Downing of Russian SU-24
In a relatively short article by end November/early December you wrote that the Turks officially admitted that they knew from the US, where the Russian SU-24 fly and that they intended to down one. According to my recollection this official admission was deducted from internal Turkish communications, which were listened and recorded from the Russian side.
You would do me an enormous favor, if you could send me this article (again), because I could not find it after a full day of research on your webpage.
For me the issue is, that Turkey intentionally brought us to the brink of a regional war, which is totally unacceptable for me as well as all my friends.
Thank you in advance. With most kind regards from Munich,
Heinrich Buch, Dipl.Sc.Pol., Colonel rtd.