At a Tokyo Afghan donor's
conference, Clinton barely stopped short of declaring war. Time is running
out to save Syria, she told reporters.
Kofi Annan's admission about peace failing is a "wake-up call for everyone."
"The sand is running out of the hourglass."
"It should be abundantly clear to those who support the Assad regime
their days are numbered."
"The sooner there can be an end to the violence and a begetting of a
political transition process, not only will fewer people die, but there's
a chance to save the Syrian state from a catastrophic assault that would
be dangerous not only to the country, but the region."
Ban Ki-moon marches in lockstep. Like Kofi Annan, he's a reliable imperial
tool. In a separate Sunday news briefing, he said:
"It is crucial for the Security Council... to pressure the parties to
prevent any further escalation of the conflict."
"President Assad must understand that things cannot continue as they
are. Fundamental change is needed."
"Syrian people have suffered too long and too much. I sincerely hope
that the member states of the UN Security Council will look into this
issue more seriously... sharing the common responsibility by taking
collective action as soon as possible."
The Human Rights Council also runs cover for Washington. On July 6,
it concluded its 20th regular session. It adopted a resolution on Syria
pointing fingers the wrong way.
It blamed Assad for Western-generated violence, saying:
"(T)he Council strongly condemns the widespread, systematic and gross
violations of human rights and the continued extrajudicial killings
and prosecution of protestors, human rights defenders and journalists."
"The Council reiterates the importance of bringing to justice those
responsible for the use of violence and encourages the international
community to ensure against impunity."
Interviewed by Turkey's Cumhurieyt daily, Assad pointed fingers the
right way, saying:
Washington is "part of the conflict." America "offer(s) the umbrella
and political support to those gangs to destabilize Syria."
"As long as you offer any kind of support to terrorists, you are partner.
Whether you send them armaments or money or public support."
"It is absolutely clear now that the largest part of the crisis is driven
from the outside, and the evidence is the existence of Arab fighters
and extremist and Islamist fighters fighting in Syria now. Moreover,
there is the sophisticated weapons being smuggled through the borders,
and the money being sent from abroad. "
"This has actually changed the convictions of many people inside Syria,
both among the opposition and the supporters of the government. The
Syrians are defending their country now. The revolution cannot be a
revolution of gangs."
Terrorists "are perpetrating massacres against civilians, and it is
our duty to defend civilians. It is our duty as a state."
He accused Turkey of turning its borders "into venues for smuggling
weapons and terrorists to Syria. We talked for years about turning these
borders into frontiers of development. But development and terrorism
can never meet."
Last August, Russia's NATO ambassador Dmitry Rogozin accused the alliance
of "planning a military campaign against Syria to help overthrow the
regime of President Bashar al-Assad with a long-reaching goal of preparing
a beachhead for an attack on Iran."
Planning is well underway, he added. Regimes "whose views do not coincide
with those of the West" are targeted.
"The noose around Iran is tightening. Military planning against Iran
is underway. And we are certainly concerned about an escalation of a
large-scale war in this huge region."
Russia "will continue to oppose a forcible resolution of the situation
in Syria."
On July 8, Russian journalist Ankhar Kochneva told Russia Today (RT.com)
she has proof about a Western invasion by end of summer.
"Bloody bandits" are waging war on Syria, she said. She saw what they
do to kidnapped people.
"I have been to the torture chambers. I have met mothers who saw their
children die. The whole country loathes them as bandits. There is nothing
worse than being loathed by your own nation."
"They killed a mufti’s son. They kill Christian priests, and they kidnap
and torture children. A few days ago they killed two elder brothers
of a five-year-old boy to take vengeance on him for reciting poems at
rallies to support Syria."
"They massacred the whole family of an MP. I have been to homes turned
into bandit hideouts. I have seen empty liquor bottles. How does it
square with Islam?"
"I have been to churches destroyed by bandits in Homs. I have been under
their fire, with grenades dropping right next to me. I have been targeted
by snipers who could perfectly see I am a woman, not a soldier."
"In the bustling street where I lived, near the marketplace, they blew
up a few cars. Why blow up civilians shopping for food?"
She said accusations that Assad staged public explosions are "ridiculous."
She called reports about a Syrian pilot defecting and landing in Amman
highly suspect. "There are reasons to suggest that the incident was
thoroughly staged."
She thinks Turkey used Jordanian-supplied deciphered codes in staging
its Syrian airspace provocation.
Separately, Today's Zaman headlined "Turkey says no sign of missile
attack yet in jet incident," saying:
Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz said "there is no sign of land-to-air
missile or another kind of weapon on found pieces of the plane."
US intelligence said the same thing. On June 29, the Wall Street Journal
reported story, saying:
Turkey's "warplane (was) shot down....by shore-based antiaircraft guns
while it was inside Syrian airspace, American officials say, a finding
in tune with Syria's account and at odds with Turkey."
Kochneva accused anti-Assad elements and supportive media of spreading
misinformation.
Reports about attacks on the presidential palace, parts of Syria beyond
Damascus' control, defections of generals, other officers, and whole
army units, as well as Russia and China agreeing to remove Assad are
completely false, she said.
So are claims about "15,000 soldiers in Syria." So far, only a video
showing "five Iranian electricians" has been shown.
On July 5, Mossad-connected DEBKAfile (DF) headlined "Moscow may hand
Iran S-300, breach arms embargo if Assad ousted," saying:
Russian defense analyst Ruslan Pukhov said:
"If the Syrian regime is changed by force or if Russia doesn't like
the outcome, it most likely will respond by selling S-300s to Iran."
Tehran claims already to have the sophisticated air defense "technical
accessories." In 2010 and 2011, Russia trained Iranians in S-300 use.
China has the technology. Beijing reportedly is helping Tehran to some
degree.
Pukhov added:
"The fall of the Syrian government would significantly increase the
chances of a strike on Iran. Resuming S-300 shipments to Iran may be
a very timely decision."
"Resuming" sounds like he knows or believes supplies of these weapons
were sent earlier.
On July 8, DF headlined "Clinton: Syria on brink of catastrophe as rebels
advance. The region in danger," saying:
DF's "military sources" called her language "over-the-top."
Reports suggest Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar "have substantially stepped
up the flow of (weapons and) munitions to the rebels." They're getting
them both inside Syria and at Turkish military facilities.
With no confirmation, DF claims 50,000 insurgents operate in 17 brigades
and 260 units. Each "consist(s) of one or two battalions." They range
from 1,000 - 1,500 fighters. Some have up to 3,000.
They have sophisticated weapons and hi-tech communications equipment.
"A well-organized arms smuggling ring" supplies them. It's "fed by Turkish,
Saudi and Qatari suppliers via Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey."
US, UK, French, Turkish, Saudi and Qatari special forces are involved.
Anti-Assad insurgents have one objective: "The regime's overthrow."
Washington planned it over a decade ago. It bears full responsibility
for months of violence and thousands of deaths.
Expect conflict to continue with no letup. Only imperial dominance matters,
not human lives and welfare.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book is titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized
Banking, Government Collusion and Class War"
http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge
discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News
Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time
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