A war of words accompanies
conflict on the ground. On August 14, Reuters headlined "Assad's rule
disintegrating, ex PM says after defecting," saying:
Former prime minister Riad Hijab claims Assad "controls less than a
third of Syria and his power is crumbling."
Hijab has no credibility. He was bribed to defect. In June, he was appointed
prime minister after May parliamentary elections. Other defectors were
also bought off to leave.
Former Gaddafi officials were enlisted the same way. Doing so creates
the false impression of internal dissension. It suggests regimes are
disintegrating. Claims bears no relation to reality.
Assad controls most parts of Syria. Insurgents were routed from Damascus
and Aleppo. They shift from some locations to others. Unknown numbers
have been killed, injured or captured.
On August 14, Maan News headlined "Libyan fighters join Syrian revolt
against Assad," saying:
Elements involved in ousting Gaddafi arrived in Syria. Hussam Najjar
heads one unit. He said "he was surprised to find how poorly armed and
disorganized" they are. He was "shocked," he said.
Later more powerful weapons were supplied. Disorganization remains serious.
Insurgents are "scattered here, there and everywhere." They're no match
for superior Syrian forces.
On August 14, SANA state media headlined "Authorities Arrest Dozens
of Terrorists in Aleppo, Destroy 7 Cars Equipped with DShK Machineguns,"
saying:
Insurgents were captured in Aleppo's al-Bab area. Others were killed
or injured in other parts of Aleppo. In Daraa, terrorists assassinated
Ma'moun al-al-Zoubi. He served as city Assistant Director of the Health
Directorate.
Civil servants and other state employees are vulnerable. So are journalists
reporting accurately on the ground. They're targeted to silence them.
SANA state media is repeatedly hacked.
Washington and allies only want their own message disseminated. It reflects
imperialism's ugly face. Accurate full disclosure is suppressed. Truth
defeats their agenda.
On August 14, Russia Today reported that Russian Foreign Ministry Deputy
Director Maria Zakharova condemned "terrorist attacks against journalists."
They're working to "ensure the democratic rights of people to receive
objective information, freedom of speech and opinion," she said.
She called on international and regional journalist organizations to
follow Russia's lead. "We are operating on the assumption that the appropriate
international and regional organizations, together with those countries
that have influence on the armed opposition, cannot ignore what is happening,"
she added.
"All media personnel should receive equal treatment; arbitrariness and
double standards are unacceptable on this issue."
UN observer mission head General Babacar Gaye also condemned violence
against journalists. So did Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin
Mehmanparast. He said Tehran is committed to peaceful solutions.
He added that a US/Zionist conspiracy wants regime change in Syria for
their own self-interest. He condemned their destructive, destabilizing
agenda.
On August 13, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers
adopted a resolution suspending Syria's membership. At issue is further
isolating Damascus. Fifty-seven states comprise OIC. Member states include
regional despotic ones.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, the new Libya, Yemen, and
other rogue states remain members in good standing.
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said:
"By suspending membership, this does not mean that you are moving toward
resolving an issue. This means that you are erasing the issue. We want
to really resolve the issue."
Salehi added that Tehran firmly stands against foreign interference
of any kind, including safe zones and no-fly zones. Implementing them
violates international law. So does Washington for waging proxy war
to replace an independent government with a pro-Western puppet one.
Last November, Arab League states voted to suspend Syria. They also
comprise a rogue's gallery of despotic monarchies. They support Western
imperialism. They condoned Libya's ravaging. They ignored mass killing
and destruction.
They're silent on how Washington destroys, colonizes, occupies and plunders
one nation after another. They commit atrocities against their own people.
They support Western-backed anti-Assad insurgents. They're criminally
involved in a plan to destroy another independent state. They're mindless
that one day they may be next.
On August 14, a senior Assad aide arrived in Beijing for talks. He'll
meet with Chinese officials. Both countries maintain normal relations.
China want peaceful conflict resolution. Assad likely seeks more support.
It's in China's interest to provide it.
Also on August 14, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs/Emergency
Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos arrived in Damascus for talks with Syrian
officials and others.
OCHA director John Ging accused Assad of blocking visas for aid workers
representing certain countries. At issue is whether their mission is
spying and subversion, not aid.
UN agencies side with Washington and Western interests. Amos is Britain's
former High Commissioner to Australia. She also served as House of Lords
leader and Lord President of the Council. In 2003, she was appointed
to serve in Tony Blair's cabinet. She represents imperial interests,
not Syrians.
On August 14, Hurriyet daily contributor Semih Idiz headlined "Turks
watch as their country moves into unchartered territory," saying:
Allying with Washington against a neighboring Islamic state "is new
for Ankara." Previously, Turkey had close ties to Damascus. Western
nations disapproved.
"Prime Minister Erdogšan and his Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutogšlu,
are seen now by Islamists to be bedding with what they consider as 'the
devil’s instrument on earth,' namely America, in an effort to try and
topple a regime in an Islamic country."
Both leaders may be staking their careers on it. So far, it cost them
popular support. Some believe it also harms "Turkey dearly and at all
levels." Concerns are raised about possible Kurdish autonomy in northern
Syria and greater Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) power.
Erdogan firmly opposes what he considers threatening. He may react militarily
if it emerges. Ankara made it bed and now has to sleep in it. It may
end up more loser than winner.
On August 14, Mossad-connected DEBKAfile (DF) headlined "Syrian rebels
armed with first T-62 tanks," saying:
Twenty Russian-made T-62s arrived from Libya. DF said Hillary Clinton
authorized transferring them. Obama officials allegedly first agreed
to supply FIM-92 anti-air Stinger missiles.
On August 12, insurgents claim they shot down a Syrian jet fighter.
Damascus denied it. Asked about it at Monday's State Department press
briefing, spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said she had no knowledge of what
happened.
DF claims Ankara plans safe zones from five to 25 km inside Syria to
its border. If true, full-scale war may follow.
DF rhetoric was more fanciful that realistic saying heavy weapons and
safe zone protection "threaten to turn the tide of war against" Assad.
"Unless he decides to cut and run, the danger is greater than ever before
of his turning to unconventional weapons to save his regime."
Earlier, DF falsely hyped a Syrian chemical weapons threat. So did Western
media. They went hyperbolic over Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi
saying Syria would use them against external aggression. He ruled out
using them internally. His comments were maliciously distorted.
DF now falsely claims Israel faces a potential Syrian chemical and biological
weapons threat. Netanyahu is preparing just in case. Haaretz contribute
Reuven Pedatzur correctly calls him a "dangerous prime minister." He
threatens Jews like others in the region.
Perhaps he plans war against Syria and Iran. Separating bark from bite
won't be known unless or until he acts. Leaders risking catastrophic
consequences pose regional threats. Israel and Washington menace humanity.
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
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