Obama Planning War on Syria?

By Stephen Lendman
2-2-14

......

Obama is the latest in a long line of lawless US leaders. He's one of numerous past warrior ones. He campaigned as a peace president. On October 28, 2007, he said:

"I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do."

"I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank."

And he'll close Guantanamo. And he'll hold Bush administration war criminals accountable. And he'll end lawless military commissions trials.

And he'll increase capital gains and dividends taxes on high-income earners. And he'll tax corporate windfall profits.

And he'll support sovereign independent Palestine, free from Israeli occupation. And he'll end indefinite detentions without charges.

And he'll treat illicit drug use as a public health problem. And he'll close loopholes that enrich speculators. And he'll close secret US global prisons.

And he'll issue a decree banning torture. And he'll label GMO foods and ingredients. And he'll support labor rights. And he'll end no-bid contracts.

And he'll guarantee all children and youths a proper education. And you can keep your doctor.

And his administration will "creat(e) an unprecedented level of openness in government."

And he'll guarantee Americans a public health insurance option. And he'll reduce health care costs as insurance premiums soar. And he'll be a uniter, not a divider.

And he'll put Americans back to work with unemployment higher than when he took office. And he'll ensure responsible immigration reform within a year of taking office.

And he'll support fair trade, not one-sided free trade. And he'll protect Net Neutrality. And he'll increase whistleblower protections.

And he'll "adhere to the Geneva Conventions." And "no more illegal wiretapping of American citizens."

And he'll close the revolving door between public and private sectors. And he'll keep "hands off" use of medical marijuana.

And he'll help millions of Americans facing foreclosure keep their homes. And he'll "revisit the Patriot Act and overturn unconstitutional executive decisions issued during the past eight years."

And he'll end unconstitutional presidential powers. And he'll "eliminate taxation of seniors making less than $50,000 a year."

And he'll guarantee "constitutional protections and judicial oversight on any surveillance program involving Americans."

And he'll "not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment."

And he won't unilaterally authorize military attacks in situations "not involv(ing) stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation."

And he'll hold Wall Street crooks accountable. And he'll halve America's deficit by end of his first term.

"(T)he days of compromising our values are over," he pledged.

And he'll "solemnly swear (to) execute the office of the president of the United States faithfully, and will to the best of (his) ability, preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the United States."

He systematically broke virtually every promise made. He betrayed millions of Americans doing so. Things are far worse than when he took office.

Protracted Depression conditions persist. Over 100 million working-age Americans can't find jobs. Poverty or close to it affects half of US households.

Social benefits are being cut when they're most needed. Inequality is unprecedented. The world's richest country spurns its most needy.

Corporate handouts take precedence. So does waging war on humanity.

Throughout his tenure, Obama waged multiple direct and proxy wars. They continue. No end in sight looms.

He wants all sovereign independent governments toppled. He wants pro-Western stooge ones replacing them.

His war on Afghanistan rages. No end in sight looms. Permanent occupation is planned. His combat troop drawdown from Iraq was more subterfuge than real.

Obama's US combat troop drawdown was more subterfuge than real. Most redeployed US forces shifted to Kuwait and other regional locations. Permanent occupation is policy. Four super-bases remain.  

They include one near Baghdad International Airport, Tallil Air Base near southern Iraq's Nasiriyah, H-1 Air Base in western Al-Anbar Province, and northern Iraq's Bashur Airfield. The Pentagon retains access to other bases handed over to Iraqi authorities.

Thousands of private military contractors (PMCs) and other paid US employees remain. They're at Washington's huge Baghdad embassy. They're in two large consulates.

One's in Basra. Another is in northern Iraq. Around 1,000 paid US personnel staff each one. Washington's Baghdad embassy has up to 20,000.

America largely retains control of Iraq's air space. Drones and satellite surveillance augment internal and regionally positioned ground and naval power.

Unacknowledged US special forces, CIA and FBI agents, as well as unknown numbers of other covert elements infest Iraq. So does out-of-control violence.

Obama waged lawless aggression on Libya. He defended the indefensible. He added another imperial trophy. North Africa's most developed country was ravaged and destroyed.

Out-of-control charnel house conditions persist. Violence, unemployment, poverty, and deprivation replaced Jamahiriya fairness.

Central governance is more illusion than reality. Militia gangs control local areas. Green resistance is resurgent. Liberating Libya remains a distant dream.

The entire populated north is a battleground. Conflicts persist in southern areas. Law and order don't exist.

Today's Libya is polar opposite Gaddafi's vision. What he instituted, Obama destroyed. Policies benefitting all Libyans no longer exist. Dystopian harshness replaced them.

In summer 2013, Obama planned full-scale aggression on Syria. False flag deception was used as pretext. Mass public opposition alone stopped him.

Toppling Assad by force was delayed, not foiled. Longstanding plans remain unchanged. War may be Obama's weapon of choice. More on this below.

He orchestrated democratically elected Honduran President Manual Zelaya's ouster. He supported fascist despot governance replacing him.

His attempt to oust Ecuador's Rafael Correa failed. US-supported coup plotters were foiled.

He attacked Paraguayan democracy. Parliamentary impeachment was his weapon of choice. Democratically elected Fernando Lugo was ousted. Fascist Federico Franco replaced him.

He orchestrated sham Haitian elections. Popularly supported Fanmi Lavalas candidates were prohibited from participating.

Stealth Duvalierist/corporatist/hard-right Michel ("Sweet Micky") Martelly became president. He was anointed, not elected. Nearly 80% of Haitians refused to vote.

Obama killed Hugo Chavez. He was poisoned or infected with cancer-causing substances. Four surgeries in 18 months raised suspicions.

They couldn't save him. Chavez knew he was marked for death. He said so many times. Fidel Castro warned him.

Nicolas Maduro replaced him. He was democratically elected. Obama wants him ousted. He wants fascist governance replacing him.

He's going all out to destabilize Venezuela. He wants Bolivarian fairness ended. He wants another imperial trophy.

He wants control of Venezuelan oil. Its reserves are the world's largest. Revenues they produce provide vital social services. Obama wants them ended. He wants Big Oil interests served.

On January 22, so-called Syrian peace talks began. Participating Syrian National Coalition (SNC) delegates lack credibility.

They're US stooges. They take orders and obey. They have no legitimacy whatever. They scorn fundamental Syrian rights.

Assad must go, they demand. Syrians overwhelmingly support him. They alone must decide their future. International law supports them.

Obama wants things his way. He wants sole say over Syrian policy. He wants pro-Western stooge governance installed.

He wants an Israeli rival removed. He wants Iran isolated. Maybe he has two wars in mind.

On January 31, talks broke down. No progress was made. It's unclear when or if they'll continue.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said:

"I regret to tell you that we have not reached tangible results during the week." He blamed SNC "lack of maturity and seriousness."

Its US-controlled delegates want peace talks "implode(d). They acted as if we had wanted to come here for one hour and hand over everything to them."

"It's indicative of the illusions that they are living under." Syrians alone will decide their future. Outside forces have no say.

Talks are suspended. Syrian delegates want time to consult with Assad. Al-Moallem said he'll review the delegation's report. He'll decide what's next.

He'll do what's best for Syrians. "We represent the concerns and interests of our people," he said.

"The forefront of our concerns is combatting terrorism." SNC delegates are "completely detached from what is happening in Syria."

He cited blatant US interference. US meddling prevents conflict resolution. America wants war, not peace.

"We are a country. We have our government, our institutions. We are willing to discuss, but for that we have to know the identity of the other side. Are they Syrians or are they not," asked al-Moallem?

They have no connection to Syria. They live abroad. They're self-serving. They take orders from Washington. They're imperial tools.

UN/Arab League Special Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi is no honest broker. He's Washington's front man.

He's intermediary for both sides. They addressed each other through him. He hopes for resumed talks in about 10 days.

Syrian delegates presented a document to fight terrorism. SNC delegates spurned it.

Government delegate Luma al-Chebel said "(w)hoever refuses to sign the document on fighting terrorism is the one who supports" it.

John Kerry threatened Assad. He wrongfully accused him of delaying the removal of chemical weapons.

"Every indication we have is that there is no legitimate reason why that (removal for destruction) is not happening now," he said.

Syria agreed to destroy all its CWs by mid-2014. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is in charge of doing it.

All CW sites were identified. Progress is slow. At issue is insurgent violence. It's assuring CWs don't fall into their hands.

Transporting them for loading onto ships requires special care. OPCW Director General Ahmet Uzumcu cited a January 16 attack on two CW sites.

"It would be worrying if there are attempts to capture those chemicals," he said. "I don't think it's in the interests of anyone."

He hopes for removal and destruction of all Syrian CWs by end of June. Security considerations come first.

Kerry suggested using military force against Assad. Russia categorically opposes it. Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said:

"We agreed a long time ago." There's "no alternative to a political solution to the conflict in Syria."

Mikhail Ulyanov is Russian Foreign Ministry Security and Disarmament Department director.

"It is surely negative and alarming that the tensions surrounding the removal of chemical weapons seem to be heightening," he said.

"Success in Syria's chemical demilitarization has become possible due in no small part to the fact that this process was being carried out in quite a favorable and constructive atmosphere."

"If the political climate is ruined, this will certainly not be good for the cause."

"Everyone who is involved this or that way in the implementation of the decisions made by the UN Security Council and the OPCW should not forget about this."

"The situation in Syria is far from being favorable for the chemicals to be removed in a routine manner."

Support provided to do so is significant, he added, "but still not sufficient."

Security issues are paramount. He doesn't blame Syrians for delays. They're acting responsibly.

Removal and destroying CWs requires keeping them out of insurgents' hands. It's no simple matter. Extreme caution is essential.

Washington wrongfully accused Syria of "starve or surrender" policy. A so-called London 11 communique falsely blamed him for refusing to open aid corridors, saying:

"We express outrage at the maintaining, by the regime, of its 'starve or surrender' strategy which in particular deprives hundreds of thousands of people in the suburbs of Damascus, in the old city of Homs and elsewhere, from receiving food and medicine, and at the arbitrary detention of tens of thousands of civilians."

Al-Moallem explained otherwise. Huge efforts are being made to deliver aid, he said.

Attempts are made to evacuate residents wanting to leave. Insurgents are responsible for blocking humanitarian efforts, said al-Moallem.

They threatened to attack humanitarian conveys entering the area. They're using residents as human shields.

"We have documented what has happened to whomever wants to know," said al-Moallem.

Syria is ready to act responsibly. Every effort is made to do so. Peace talks remain deadlocked. According to Brahimi:

"Things have gone so far down that they are not going to get out of the ditch overnight."

Syrian Information Minister Omran Zoubi said:

"Neither in this round or any (future one will) the (US-controlled) opposition get a single concession (by) political means (that) they failed to achieve with force."

Syrians alone will decide their future. Outside meddling won't be tolerated. Nor should it be.

Washington threats bear watching. Did Obama obstruct peace talks to wage war?

Is another false flag pretext planned? Assad won't be replaced diplomatically. Syrian delegates won't negotiate his removal.

Democratically elections will decide. Perhaps Obama will act before they're held. Opposition elements have no chance to win.

Assad is too popular to defeat. Maybe Obama plans another war to do it. The fullness of time will tell.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.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 Fridays 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