On Wednesday, June 27, Assad
said "a state of war" exists.
"(A)LL our policies, directives and all sectors will be directed in
order to gain victory in this war."
He called on government officials to boost relations with Russia, Latin
American and African states.
"Apparently, the problem was with the West only, while the majority
of the world want to build relations with us and with others, but throughout
decades, we were seeking to boost our economic ties with those who colonized
us directly or indirectly."
"Syria seeks to build good relations with all world countries but we
have to know where are our real interests."
On June 27, Hurriyet daily headlined "Downed jet was flying with another
plane: CHP deputy," saying:
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Orhan Duzgun
"demanded that the government reveal the nationality of the accompanying
jet...."
Hatay area Syrians "saw (it) with their naked eyes. There were two planes
flying. The fate of the second one remains unknown. The government....denies"
what people on the ground saw.
Duzgun believes it belonged to another NATO member. Its country of origin
isn't known. It could be America. US military aircraft operate from
Incirlik Air Base. It's near the Aegean Sea close to Syria's border.
It's operated jointly by Washington and Ankara. Both planes likely flew
from the same location.
On Thursday, insurgents attacked the privately owned Al-Ikhbariaya TV
station. It's located 20 km south of Damascus. Despite no evidence suggesting
it, The New York Times claimed "elite Syrian Republican Guard" defectors
were responsible.
AP gave a different account. It said "gunmen" raided the station. Seven
employees were killed. Others were kidnapped. Al-Ikhbariya's compound
sustained heavy damage. Nonetheless, broadcasts resumed shortly after
the attack.
One employee said:
"I heard a small explosion then a huge explosion and gunmen ran in.
They ransacked the offices and entirely destroyed the newsroom."
Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi called it "a massacre against the
freedom of the press." Terrorists were responsible, he said.
"This massacre won't go unpunished and the broadcast of the Syrian al-Ikhbariya
Satellite Channel will not stop and we hold the EU, Arab and International
organizations responsible for this massacre."
"Those who committed this crime had carried out the decision of the
Arab League Council to silence the voice of Syria."
Three journalists and four other employees were killed. Al-Ikhbariya's
editor-in-chief, Abdo al-Assadi, called the massacre an attack on all
Syrian media. Those murdered were "armed only with their words and views."
Editor Adham al-Taweel said al-Ikhbariya was attacked for discussing
anti-Assad propaganda. Correspondent Yara Saleh added that other journalists
will be motivated to "unmask these terrorists and their actions."
The Syrian Journalists Union and National Media Council also condemned
the massacre. So did the Lebanese Amal Movement. Its Central Information
Bureau said it constituted an attack against journalism, the media,
and a free press.
On June 26, Russian State Duma's Vice Chairman, Vladimir Zhirinovsky,
condemned Turkey for violating Syrian airspace. He called doing it "a
deliberate provocative act."
He suggested Washington and key NATO allies are escalating conflict
ahead of full-scale intervention. He said Syria acted responsibly.
Vice Chairman of the Russian Federation Ilyas Umakhanov said Syrians
alone must resolve issues.
Viktor Ozerov, Chairman of the Council of the Federation Committee on
Defense and Security, warned against NATO intervention. So did
Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich.
Heated Turkish rhetoric continues. On June 26, Today's Zaman headlined
"Army on high alert on Syrian border as Turkey warns of retaliation,"
saying:
"Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Syria that the Turkish
Armed Forces (TSK) have been given instructions to treat any approaching
Syrian military unit as a threat...."
He ordered them to intercept, confront, and attack "in case of any violation"
encountered.
Turkey runs point for Washington. It's NATO's regional attack dog. It
belligerently flew warplanes low and fast into Syrian territory. It
suggests other provocations will follow. Erdogan's spoiling for a fight.
America, Israel, Britain and France urge one.
"The rules of engagement have changed," he said. Hours after his comments,
Turkish forces headed for Syria's border areas from Diyarbakir to Mardin.
They included tanks and long-range artillery.
He also accused Russia of being "Syria's mouthpiece." Calling what happened
"extremely dangerous," its foreign ministry warned against using this
incident as a pretext for further intervention.
White House press secretary Jay Carney said Washington "will work with
Turkey and other partners to hold the Assad regime accountable."
Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain John Kirby said:
"We don’t have the tick-tock of the decision-making process that led
to this aircraft being shot down. The fact is that it was shot down.
We believe it was a deliberate act."
Another Pentagon spokesman, George Little, added that "the the Syrian
regime needs to answer for it."
Washington, Turkey, key NATO partners, and regional allies keep advancing
the ball closer to war. Expect a future false flag attack used to launch
it. The likelihood looks more certain daily.
NATO's Tuesday meeting gave ominous signs. Secretary-General Fogh Rasmussen
made hostile comments. He condemned Syria for Turkey's provocation.
He called it "unacceptable....in the strongest terms.” He accused Assad
of violating "international norms, peace and security, and human life."
Syria is under attack. According to international law, it's entitled
to respond defensively. Failure would be irresponsible. Rasmussen is
titular head of a global killing machine.
NATO's record shows total disregard for international law. Since the
1990s, it committed naked aggression against Yugoslavia, Afghanistan,
Pakistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria. Member states support Washington's
proxy wars.
According to Rasmussen, "the security of the Alliance is indivisible.
We stand together with Turkey in the spirit of solidarity." Discussions
in Brussels stopped short of invoking Article 5. Doing so suggests imminent
war.
Given what's ongoing, one or more false flags could launch it. They
could come any time. Scoundrel media misinformation increases the possibility.
Propaganda reports feature big lies. Repetition enlists public support.
It works every time. No matter how often people are fooled, they're
easy marks for more.
Syrian expert Patrick Seale sees ominous "War Clouds over the Greater
Middle East."
"Six conflict-zones....are in danger of erupting into fresh violence."
Washington and its allies spurn peace. Instead they're "adding fuel
to the fire."
Pressure builds intolerably. At issue is embroiling the entire region
in conflict. Washington is losing multiple wars. Why itch for more?
Spoiling for more fights makes winning any less likely.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov calls Washington's war on Assad
"an element of a larger regional geopolitical game."
Obama's policy is influenced by electoral priorities. Much depends on
pleasing the Israeli Lobby. AIPAC wants war on Syria and Iran. It calls
both countries state sponsors of terrorism. No evidence backs either
claim.
For years, "Syria has been a force for (regional) instability," it says.
"Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terror and is racing toward
a nuclear weapons capability. Through its proxy armies of Hizballah
in Southern Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza Strip and insurgents in Iraq
and Afghanistan, the Iranian regime is supporting terrorists carrying
out daily attacks on American troops and Israeli civilians."
Again, rhetoric substitutes for hard facts.
Seale says Obama "lost control to Israel. (He) collapsed in front of
(Netanyahu's) Greater Israel (land grab) ambitions...."
He's embroiled in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Palestine,
Yemen, Somalia, and "increasingly across the Sahel from the Atlantic
Ocean to the Red Sea. Its territory includes Mauritania, Mali, southern
Algeria, Niger, Chad, South Sudan and Eritrea.
He's fighting battles he can't win. He's like a punch drunk fighter
refusing to go down when licked. Instead, new ways to kill, destroy,
and subvert are used. Peace and stability more than ever look distant.
Immanuel Wallerstein discussed the "impossible dilemmas of declining
powers." Years ago he predicted America's decline. It's happening faster
than he imagined. It's policies are self-defeating. Short-term priorities
assure its longer-run downfall.
"The obvious thing to do is not to go down this road any more." America's
agenda doesn't work. Neither does Israel's "Don't (Obama and Netanyahu)
understand this?"
If so, why do they keep doing what's failing? They even boast when they
should change strategies responsibly.
Political priorities take precedence. Opposition hard-liners in both
countries think they're soft. Voices for change are absent. Hawks are
dominant. Public opinion remains indifferent about what matters most.
Wallerstein suggests both leaders have delusions of grandeur. Obama
wants unchallenged global hegemony. Netanyahu seeks a Greater Israel.
It includes all Arab land he can grab.
These policies fuel conflicts. They endanger world peace and humanity.
They also ignore both nations in decline. Imagine what they'll risk
to restore lost supremacy.
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
and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy
listening.
http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour
|