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Terrorist Leader Zahran Alloush’s Death |
By
Stephen Lendman |
| On Friday, a Syrian military statement said “(t)he Syrian air force
has carried out airstrikes, following intelligence reports and assistance
by respected citizens, targeting terrorist groups in the eastern suburb
of Damascus. As a result, terrorist Zahran Alloush was killed.” He headed the Saudi-supported Islam Army (Jaish al-Islam) salafist umbrella group, representing thousands of fighters, operating from the eastern Ghouta area of Damascus. His father, Abdullah, is a salafist cleric. He rejected negotiations with Assad all along - called for eliminating all Shiites and Alawites from Damascus and greater Syria. His group’s ideology is very much like ISIS, Al Qaeda and similar terrorist groups. Expect another strong leader to replace him. His Islam Army remains a potent force. Yet his death is important. Infighting to replace him could follow. Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen TV reported multiple Syrian airstrikes in the Damascus suburb of Otaya killed him along with other Islam Army commanders. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) confirmed his death along with “a large number of leaders of the same terrorist organization and of al-Rahman Legion and Ahrar al-Cham, which are responsible for firing rocket shells at civilians in Damascus and its suburbs.” It called his Islam Army’s ideology along with likeminded takfiri groups similar to Saudi-based Wahabi extremism - funded by Riyadh, holding thousands of civilians hostage eastern Ghouta. The New York Times called his death “a significant blow to the armed opposition, bolstering (Assad) ahead of a planned new round of peace talks” - likely no more successful than previous ones because Washington remains adamant about regime change. Obama’s whole idea for waging war was and remains replacing Assad with a Western-controlled puppet, supported by likeminded parliamentarians - along with eliminating a major Israeli rival and isolating Iran. Significant Western and regional support maintains an endless state of war with no resolution prospects likely as long as US aims remain unchanged. Alloush is gone. Endless conflict continues. Syrian ground forces continue retaking earlier lost areas with significant Russian aerial support. Deaths and injuries mount. Syria’s refugee crisis grows. Peace and stability remain distant dreams. A Final Comment Washington and Moscow are at odds over Syria with little chance of squaring the circle. Obama supports ISIS and other terrorist groups, using them as imperial foot soldiers. Putin wants their scourge eliminated, urging world unity against a common threat. It’s no surprise Washington won’t share intelligence data on ISIS positions or work jointly with Moscow against them. On Friday, Pentagon spokeswoman Lt. Col. Michelle Baldanza said “(w)e are not going to cooperate with Russia on Syria until they change their strategy of supporting Assad and instead focus on ISIL.” Fact: Russia supports Syrian sovereignty and right of its people alone to decide who’ll lead them - free from outside interference as required under international law. Fact: America wants Syrians denied their sovereign rights, wanting its own imposed, the reason for Obama’s aggression. Fact: US officials won’t provide Russia with intelligence enabling its aerial campaign to eliminate terrorists they support. Fact: It’s been hugely effective in combating ISIS and other terrorist groups. Pentagon and other US claims otherwise are Big Lies. Accusations of Russia attacking the “wrong” armed groups don’t wash. Moscow has evidence of scores of terrorist groups operating in Syria - all justifiable targets. It bears repeating what other articles stressed. So-called moderate fighters don’t exist or number too few to matter. The Free Syrian Army exists solely on paper, a phantom force. Their elements work actively with ISIS and other terrorist groups, including handing over weapons and munitions supplied by Western and regional countries. US and rogue partners’ propagated myths persist. Ongoing devastating war continues - endlessly as long as terrorist groups keep getting outside support, their vital lifeline letting them flourish. Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs. |
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