On April 21, Security Council
Resolution 2043 established UNSMIS.
It authorized 300 observers to monitor "a cessation of armed violence
in all its forms by all parties and to monitor and support the full
implementation of the (Annan plan) to end the conflict in Syria."
On June 16, UNSMIS suspended its activities subject to daily review.
On June 17, China's Xinhua News Agency headlined "Suspension of UN observer
mission serves for western 'next step' in Syria," saying:
Next steps involve "political transition." Military options may be chosen.
Syria said violence escalated markedly after UN monitors arrived.
Insurgents carried out massacres and "at least five huge bombings....in
different parts of the country...."
National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said Washington is
working with allies "regarding next steps toward a Syrian-led political
transition" without Assad.
America wants war. It's "pushing for militarization...."
Reports say "around 6,000 people, including Arabs, Afghans and Turks,
have been recruited and trained by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
to commit 'terrorist' acts in Syria."
On June 15, UN mission head General Robert Mood said:
"There appears to be a lack of willingness to seek a peaceful transition.
Instead there is a push towards advancing military positions."
He pointed fingers largely at Assad. He left his real motives unexplained.
On June 19, Russia Today (RT.com) headlined "Syria UN mission headed
by spy?" saying:
An unnamed Jordanian UNSMIS monitor accused Mood of "gathering critical
coordinates and visiting military bases for his own purposes."
Syrian state media published his remarks.
"Sources say Norwegian General Mood took his convoy to the city of Tartus
last Friday, where no violence was reported."
"The group visited no less than four military installations of the Syrian
Army there without any sanction through the General’s UNSMIS mandate."
His convoy also went to Rastan far from fighting. He and others "went
straight to the Syrian Army's military installation, again without any
apparent connection to (his) mandate."
Syrians say he's spying. His mission isn't about monitoring crisis conditions.
Analysts recall how Iraq weapons inspectors were fraudulently used.
More on that below.
Press TV reported the same story. Lebanon's al-Diyar newspaper said
an unnamed Jordanian monitor accused General Mood and other UNSMIS members
of "conduct(ing) acts of espionage against the Syrian government."
Military areas visited included Daraa, Homs, and Idlib. They're where
Syria maintains "air and defensive air army" facilities.
Videos were made. Targeted sites included an al-Hareh aerial reconnaissance
base and a military installation located between Nowi and al-Sheikh
al-Meskin.
Spying on the pretext of monitoring is common US practice.
Press TV also said Syrian insurgents are getting Israeli weapons. They're
smuggled in from Turkey and Lebanon.
"Images taken from the strategic mountainous region show trenches constructed
and used by the armed groups. Weapons made in Israel and imported ammunition
chests were also found."
Israeli President Shimon Peres said he respected armed gangs that "expose
themselves to live fire and I hope that they will win."
Previous reports also confirmed that Israel supplies insurgents with
weapons. It's actively involved with Washington's regime change plans.
A separate Press TV report accused CIA and Mossad operatives for Syrian
massacres.
Deputy head of Turkey's Felicity Party, Temel Karamollaoglu, said:
"Not only the Syrian crisis will not be solved, but (Washington and
Israel are heading the country for) civil war."
"Due to having common interests in Syria, the US, Israel, and the EU
make no attempt to stop bloodshed in the country."
On the one hand, he added, Western countries claim they support peace.
On the other, they stoke conflict. Their motives are clearly transparent.
On January 7, 1999, The New York Times headlined "US Spied on Iraq Under
UN Cover," saying:
Unnamed US officials confirmed it. American "spies had worked undercover
on teams of United Nations arms inspectors ferreting out secret Iraqi
weapons programs."
Saddam's government said UN teams were riddled with "American spies
and agents."
"Scientists, military officers, diplomats and other professionals serve
on the commission. The United States included some intelligence officers,
using diplomatic cover or other professional identities, to gather intelligence
independently, according to the officials."
Former Iraq chief weapons inspector Scott Ritter (1991 - 1998) said
CIA operatives corrupted UNSCOM. It was the special commission to investigate
alleged Iraqi WMDs.
Ritter called it "a facade." It wasn't about disarming Iraq. It was
used for regime change. GWH Bush ordered it. Clinton and GW Bush continued
it.
Ritter and other monitors understood the scheme. Washington controlled
the process. UNSCOM was a Trojan Horse. Saddam, not WMDs, were targeted.
Aggressive spying was conducted. War was waged on false pretenses.
Official reasons given were to disarm Saddam. It "was a bald-faced lie."
Intelligence was fixed to justify policy.
"Nobody wants to talk about the deception, the lies, the distortion
that took place."
The pattern repeats. Lies facilitate wars. They're based on misinformation,
fabrication, and managed news. At issue is replacing independent regimes
with pro-Western puppet ones.
Iraq was "never about national security or international peace...."
It was about advancing America's hegemonic interests. Syria and Iran
are targeted for the same reason.
Ritter's book titled "Iraq Confidential: The Untold Story of the Intelligence
Conspiracy to Undermine the UN and Overthrow Saddam Hussein" explained
more.
Iraq was no noble cause. It's a disaster. Ends never justify means.
Ousting Saddam didn't solve a problem. It created one.
In October 1992, Ritter accounted for all Iraqi ballistic missile programs.
The same year, an Iraqi defector with firsthand knowledge said all its
biological weapons were destroyed. "The CIA knew this," said Ritter.
They also knew that Saddam fully cooperated on virtually everything
related to disarmament. Ritter's team got free access in accordance
with "modalities of sensitive site inspections."
In 1990, Saddam went from America's true friend to the equivalent of
Adolph Hitler. Gaddafi underwent a similar transition. So did Assad.
Post-9/11, US officials said he directly aided America's war on terror.
At the same time, relations fluctuated between friendly cooperation
and icy tension.
On December 29, 1979, the State Department declared Syria a state sponsor
of terrorism. At issue was supporting Palestinian groups and Hezbollah.
Damascus said it rejects terrorism but backs resistance to Israel's
illegal occupation of Arab land.
Despite differences, US/Syrian relations warmed. Congressional delegations
visited Damascus.
Nonetheless, Bush administration Undersecretary of State John Bolton
called Syria a "rogue state."
Damascus University Law Professor Mohammed Aziz Shukri asked:
"When President Assad receives a letter from (Secretary of State) Colin
Powell thanking him for his 'invaluable help' in pursuing terrorists,
how in the name of heaven can we be called a terrorist state?"
He and other Syrians accused Washington of double standard politics.
Syria's information minister Adnan Omran added:
"What is really strange now in the American administration is that we
hear many voices coming from different corners and a lot of contradiction.
I wonder if this is a healthy sign especially when it comes to the policy
of a superpower."
"We want to see good relations existing between the US and Syria based
on mutual respect, commitment to international principles, and the UN
charter and not to (Washington's) blindly prejudiced position and alliance
with Israel."
Assad concurred. At the same time, he was uncompromisingly hardline
on Israel. Perhaps it was his kiss of death. Netanyahu and America's
Israeli Lobby want him ousted. Obama willingly obliges.
Moreover, flip-flop is official US policy. Today's ally is tomorrow's
enemy. It's also true vice versa and, at times, Washington uses individuals,
groups, and nations as friends and foes.
Wars ravaged Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.
Saddam and Gaddafi were killed.
Assad knows what he's up against. Perhaps he's next.
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
|