Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Putin Ups The Ante - Inching Closer To War




Putin Ups the Ante



The attack on Deir Ezzor was a flagrant act of betrayal. For the first time in the five year-long war, US warplanes targeted an SAA military outpost killing 62 Syrian regulars. The surprise attacks — which lasted for the better part of an hour and were followed by a coordinated ground assault by members of ISIS– were intended to torpedo the fragile ceasefire agreement and send a message to Moscow that the US was prepared to achieve its strategic objectives in Syria whether it had to launch direct attacks on defenders of the regime or not.

The attacks–for which the Pentagon eventually accepted responsibility–were followed by a callous and thoroughly-unprofessional tirade by the administration’s chief diplomat at the United Nations, Samantha Power. Power dispelled any doubt that either she or anyone else in the Obama administration cared at all about the people who lost their lives in the bombing raid. She also made it clear that she didn’t care if the US had violated the terms of the ceasefire just two days before critical parts of the agreement were scheduled to be implemented.

Naturally, Moscow was taken aback by Washington’s reaction, it’s blatant disregard for the soldiers they killed, and its obvious determination to sabotage the ceasefire. 

Having reflected on Obama’s de facto rejection of the agreement, Putin pursued the only viable option left open to him; more war. As a result, he has intensified his efforts on the battlefield particularly around Aleppo where the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and crack-units from Hezbollah have launched a three-prong attack that will dispose of the US-backed jihadists that have destroyed much of Syria over the last half-decade and displaced over 7 million civilians.


Bottom line: Having foreclosed the political option for reducing the violence, the Obama administration will now face the consequences for its rejection.


According to recent reports, pro-government forces are advancing on a number of fronts. At the same time, the Syrian and Russian air forces have intensified their bombing campaign reducing large swathes of the city to rubble and killing several hundred Sunni militants. While the jihadists have performed better than many had expected, their fate is no longer in doubt. The cauldron is encircled, their front lines are collapsing, their supply lines have been severed, and the end is in sight.
Aleppo will fall and the US-backed effort to topple the Assad government using a proxy army of Islamic extremists will fail.

The fact is the Pentagon doesn’t want to have to get approval for its target-list (identify and verify) from the Russian military. That’s what’s really going on. And the reason for this is obvious, the strategic objectives of the US are exact opposite of Moscow’s. 


Washington has no interest in defeating terrorism in Syria, in fact, as we pointed out earlier, Washington is just fine with terrorism as long it helps them move the ball closer to the goalpost. What the US wants is to topple the regime, replace Assad with a US-stooge, splinter the country into multiple parts, and control vital pipeline corridors. These goals cannot be achieved if the Pentagon has to get a green-light from Moscow every time they go on a bombing raid. How are they going to assist their jihadist assets on the ground if they have to follow that rule?


To grasp what’s really going on behind the endless recriminations, we need to understand that the Obama administration has abandoned its original plan to oust Syrian President Bashar al Assad, and moved on to Plan B; partitioning the country in a way that establishes a separate Sunni state where US troops will be based and where vital pipelines will be built to transfer natural gas from Qatar to the EU.


“Washington has previously made it clear that if it cannot achieve its plan A; regime change, it will go for its plan B; to balkanize the country and help to create a Kurdish and/or Sunni state in eastern Syria…
Attacking the Syrian Army, and allowing ISIL to capture the city will make Deir Ezzor a probable target for the US-backed proxies to attack and annex.” (“The Ceasefire Failed; What happens now?“, The Vineyard of the Saker)

The idea of splintering Syria into numerous fragments (and controlling the eastern portion of the state) has been promoted by western elites across the board, from neocon John Bolton who said:


“Today’s reality is that Iraq and Syria as we have known them are gone…..Washington should recognize the new geopolitics. The best alternative to the Islamic State in northeastern Syria and western Iraq is a new, independent Sunni state.


So, there you have it; divide and conquer. Split up the country, install new leaders, and let the plundering begin. Sound familiar?
But the Russians will have none of it, in fact, Putin has responded to Carter’s escalation by escalating himself. The circle around Aleppo has closed, supply lines have been cut, the airstrikes have intensified, and the three-pronged ground assault has already begun. So while Washington may have big plans for Syria, they appear to be failing where it counts most…..on the battlefield.








The US holds Russia responsible for the violence in Aleppo and is threatening to break off all cooperation with Moscow in Syria, the State Department said. Russia is asking the US to live up to its obligation to separate US-backed opposition from terrorists

In a phone conversation with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday morning, the US Secretary of State John Kerry “expressed grave concern” over the “attacks on hospitals, the water supply network, and other civilian infrastructure in Aleppo” by the Russian and Syrian forces, State Department spokesman John Kirby said.

“The Secretary made clear the United States and its partners hold Russia responsible for this situation, including the use of incendiary and bunker buster bombs in an urban environment, a drastic escalation that puts civilians at great risk,” Kirby added.


The Russian foreign minister pointed out that a number of anti-government groups described by Washington as “moderates” refused to follow the ceasefire arranged by Russia and the US on September 9, instead choosing to side with Jabhat Al-Nusra and attack the Syrian Army alongside this Al-Qaeda branch.

The Russian foreign minister pointed out that a number of anti-government groups described by Washington as “moderates” refused to follow the ceasefire arranged by Russia and the US on September 9, instead choosing to side with Jabhat Al-Nusra and attack the Syrian Army alongside this Al-Qaeda branch.

Washington is preparing to suspend the “bilateral engagement” on Syria with Moscow, including the establishment of the Joint Implementation Center, unless Russia immediately halts the attack on Aleppo and restores the ceasefire, Kerry told Lavrov.



“I’m really scared about this ultimatum, because it seems like the US administration is going to escalate the [situation] in Aleppo,” Atwan told RT. “Things are really moving into a really dangerous zone here.”









Unless Russia “stops the violence” in Syria, extremists would “exploit the vacuum” to attack Russian interests and even cities, the US State Department has said.

Early on Wednesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry threatened to end all cooperation between the United States and Russia to stop Syria’s civil war, unless Moscow and Damascus ended the current attack on East Aleppo.

Foreign Minister Lavrov told Kerry that many US-backed groups are working side by side with the Al-Qaeda affiliate, and brought up media reports that Nusra was receiving weapons from the US.




































8 comments:

ally said...

Uh oh, get ready. Crazy UN and military movement going on, I do man crazy, the reason trump was chilling it at the debates is because "they" sent him a message, basically lose or we are going to EMP the country. Yes these guys ARE that crazy!
So much is going on its spinning my head, and im fairy used to oddness and weirdness.
I'm hoping we will be flying shortly but trying to stay prayed up.
Praying for you guys, if we do get cutoff from each other, just remember to pray for each other....
See ya up top! This birth pain and the next nasty involved some screaming and freakin out....cuz it's naturally supernatural childbirth lol (my apologies to Sid Roth for stealing his line)
Get ready. Only a few more contractions till pushing time. Thank God, I can't take much more if this insanity.....

Caver said...

Ally, just gotta chuckle at your take on life here.The Lord blesses us with a sense of humor and it would be a sin not to use it and share it.

Have no idea if Putin is going to continue showing restraint here. Pretty sure he's tried hard not to get too much dust flying and hold on until a more sane administration is in place.

Have no idea if its going to be armed conflict, economic collapse, UN assault, or an invasion by the Cookie Monster and Snoopy....but somehow TPTB has got to stop Trump from taking office. Trump would destroy their plan put in place over 50 years, put huge numbers of them in prison, and probably have dozens housed on death row.

Urge strong prayer for our B&S around the world under severe persecution. They need our help!

Now...we really need to track down that last Gentile. He's out there running around like he's got good sense and a full Happy Meal. He ain't. We got the french fries and his pickles, not to mention his Good News. If you find him, jerk a knot in his neck or whatever and get his attention. He's got some 'splanning to do...not to mention a celebration to take part in.

Unknown said...

What if Hillary is the last gentile & her health condition worsens, resulting in a death bed conversion. Happy Thursday! Apologies for my mind, it is warped.

Lance

Caver said...

Lance, if Hilary is the one, the she is the one. That Blood covers whoever truly comes to faith. There's been some pretty bad dudes suddenly get broken.

Reminds me of a story I heard during a sermon a few months ago. Some of the older doctors or hospital workers have confirmed. Not too long ago it wasn't that common for folks that were on their death bed to be all doped up to escape any pain.

Medical folks could often tell those that were saved just by the days leading up to death. Those that were saved were at ease, comfortable, usually with a smile on their face.

Those that were agitated, often awoke from short naps complaining that their feet/legs felt on fire, ill toward everybody and thing....well, they weren't headed in the same direction.

Many of those personnel often wondered if that burning sensation wasn't their final warning and chance. Some took advantage of it.

Scott said...

Caver i can confirm that from my personal experience. The difference in a non-Christian dying vs Christian is profound. It struck me immediately even as a med student. The difference is dramatic

Unknown said...

Very true Caver! It's been said that we'll be surprised by who is in Heaven as well as who isn't. Only God knows one's heart. Just glad that the invitation is for "whosoever calls on the name of the Lord".

Just ready for that last "whosoever" to see the light...whosoever they are!

foretastes said...

Love the levity here. And the encouragements, the reminders of our Blessed Hope that awaits us... soon... please.

ally said...
This comment has been removed by the author.