West Asia News and Discussions

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 03 Mar 2014 13:35

MK ji, please write more about this when you have time. Thanks.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 03 Mar 2014 16:30

very informative series of posts gents. you have at least one interested reader. please continue.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 03 Mar 2014 20:10

Singha,well put.Agni,Most informative.

From the above ,it appears that there can be no reconciliation between the hard line Sunni and Shiite factions and that eventually they will sort it out on the battlefield,which is why the Saudis are/have obtained N-weapons from the Pakis for their Chinese procured ballistic missiles.This also explains why their chief bum-chum,the US,is doing everything to prevent the Iranians from getting their hands on an N-weapon,because of the intense business ties between the Saudi royalty and the US mega-capitalists like the Bush family,also alleged business partners with the Bin Laden family.These US entities would lose trillions if the Iranians even defeated the Saudis.The fighting capability of the Iranians is well known,after the savage years of the Iran-Iraq War.The fighting spirit of the Gulf monarchies is also well known after saddam's invasion off Kuwait!

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 06 Mar 2014 07:18

When camels fall out!

The "camels" in the desert are snorting and farting at each other,with the "keepers of the two holy places" leading the dromedary quartet.The braying by the clan leader,"King Camel" is directed at his "gasbag" neighbour,a flatulent upstart ,Gutter-ree,who in recent times started his own international choral outfit named "All-that-Jeez-ra-ra".The loud braying and farting of the ra-ra choir was already annoying the United Arab Camels ensemble and King Camel in his kingdom of Sow-dee,who were looking at forming a grand orchestra of dromedaries of the Sunni clan. What enraged them was that Gutter-ree surreptitiously brought into his choir some truly disreputable dromedaries from a far off desert land,E-Gyp,the Brothers Muslim,whose wind-breaking was both exceptionally loud and awfully unhygenic,thus banned from the kingdom and sheikhdoms.The ra-ra ensemble refused to snort as "seconds" and wanted to be the first-farters in the orchestra . To add to the discomfort of King Camel and the clan leaders of the United Arab Oases,the Gutter-ree choir allegedly began to poke their noses into the tents of King Camel and the United Arabs,with the "Brothers Muslim" wanting to be the orchestra leaders as well! They accused the Gutter-rees of tresspass and sabotaging their mutual agreement upon which sand dune to defecate! The Sow-dee King and United Arabs accused the Gutter-ree dromedaries of defecating inside the wells of his oasis and those of the United Arabs.

These 3 clans of the United Arabs,along with the Gutter-rees,the Covet-ees and the Oh-moneys,are all members of the GCC (Grand Camel Choir),conducted by King Camel of the Sow-dees. On Tuesday,the Grand Camel Council met but were unsuccessful in persuading the Gutter-rees from defecating and fornicating in their pastures.Miffed and piffed at the Gutter-rees,the GCC withdrew their dromedary diplo-mutts from Gutter-ree.What the cacophony will sound like with the camel orchestra in disarray is anybody's guess.But dromedary experts say that louder and smellier farts and brays is on the cards.

3 Gulf States Withdraw Ambassadors from Qatar
http://www.voanews.com/content/saudi-ar ... 64426.html

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 06 Mar 2014 07:43

Philip wrote:Singha,well put.Agni,Most informative.

From the above ,it appears that there can be no reconciliation between the hard line Sunni and Shiite factions and that eventually they will sort it out on the battlefield,which is why the Saudis are/have obtained N-weapons from the Pakis for their Chinese procured ballistic missiles.This also explains why their chief bum-chum,the US,is doing everything to prevent the Iranians from getting their hands on an N-weapon,because of the intense business ties between the Saudi royalty and the US mega-capitalists like the Bush family,also alleged business partners with the Bin Laden family.These US entities would lose trillions if the Iranians even defeated the Saudis.The fighting capability of the Iranians is well known,after the savage years of the Iran-Iraq War.The fighting spirit of the Gulf monarchies is also well known after saddam's invasion off Kuwait!

if you go by Hegeleian dialect (linear march of history aka force of history) the Shia are a major improvement over the Sunnis and hence will prevail eventually. Add to that they now have the Persian deep culture unlike when Ali with his Arab minions got trounced in Syria by Muwayya..

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 08 Mar 2014 09:46

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03/07 ... -al-qaida/
Saudi Arabia names Muslim Brotherhood, al Qaeda terrorist groups

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia identified the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group along with al Qaeda and others Friday, warning those who join them or support them they could face five to 30 years in prison.A Saudi Interior Ministry statement said King Abdullah approved the findings of a committee entrusted with identifying extremist groups referred to in a royal decree earlier last month. The decree punishes those who fight in conflicts outside the kingdom or join extremist groups or support them.The king's decree followed the kingdom enacting a sweeping new counterterrorism law that targets virtually any criticism of the government.Friday's statement, carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, identified the other terrorist groups named as al Qaeda's branches in Yemen and Iraq, the Syrian al-Nusra Front, Saudi Hezbollah and Yemen's Shiite Hawthis.. It said the law would apply to all the groups and organizations identified by the United Nations Security Council or international bodies as terrorists or violent groups. It said the law also would be applied to any Saudi citizen or a foreigner residing in the kingdom for propagating atheism or pledging allegiance to anyone other than the kingdom's leadersThe counterterrorism law bans meetings of the groups inside or outside of the kingdom and covers comments made online or to media outlets.The unprecedented and harsh prison terms seem aimed at stemming the flow of Saudi fighters going to Syria, Yemen or Iraq. The Syrian civil war is believed to have drawn hundreds of young Saudis, worrying some in the kingdom that fighters could return radicalized and turn their weapons on the monarchy.
Influential Saudi clerics who follow the kingdom's ultraconservative religious Wahhabi doctrine encouraged youths to fight in the war and view it as a struggle between Syria's Sunni majority and President Bashar Assad's Alawite, Shiite-backed minority.Saudi officials and some clerics have spoken out against young Saudis joining the war. However, the Saudi government backs some rebel opposition groups in Syria with weapons and aid.
The new law is also believed to reflect pressure from the U.S., which wants to see Assad's overthrow but is alarmed by the rising influence of hard-line foreign jihadists -- many of them linked to al Qaeda -- among the rebels. U.S. President Barack Obama is scheduled to fly to Saudi Arabia and meet King Abdullah this month.Meanwhile in Qatar, outspoken Egyptian cleric Youssef el-Qaradawi did not deliver his usual sermon on Friday. The reasons for his absence were not made immediately public. His past sermons, in which he publicly criticized the UAE and other Gulf countries for their support of Egypt's new government in its crackdown on the Brotherhood, led to outrage among Qatar's neighbors who saw the comments as an attack on their sovereignty.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 09 Mar 2014 11:46

Exclusive: Iraq’s Maliki accuses Saudi Arabia of supporting ‘terrorism’

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki accused Saudi Arabia and Qatar of supporting global “terrorism” and seeking to destabilise Iraq.

“I accuse them of inciting and encouraging the terrorist movements. I accuse them of supporting them politically and in the media, of supporting them with money and by buying weapons for them,” Maliki told FRANCE 24’s Marc Perelman. “I accuse them of leading an open war against the Iraqi government.”

Maliki went on to say that not only did Saudi Arabia support terrorism in countries such as Iraq and Syria, but around the world.

The prime minister said, however, that Iraq did not intend to retaliate against Saudi Arabia and Qatar, citing concern over the region’s stability.

“We don’t wish widen the arena of confrontation,” Maliki said. “But, we’re telling those countries, be aware, be careful, because the support of terrorism will turn against you.”

Maliki also discussed Iraq’s security situation during the interview, as well as the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections in April and the impact of neighbouring Syria’s nearly three-year crisis.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 09 Mar 2014 19:46

The impious Saudis fear religious instruction from their more pious brethren?

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 10 Mar 2014 12:34

NightWatch for the night of March 9, 2014

Saudi Arabia: On Friday, the Kingdom issued a royal decree that designates the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. The royal decree also criminalized membership plus supporting and sympathizing with the terrorists "through speech or writing." The Saudi terrorism list includes the Kingdom's branch of the Shiite movement Hizballah and Syria-based militant groups the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the al-Qaida linked al-Nusrah Front. The royal decree gives a 15-day ultimatum for Saudi fighters in Syria to return home. Abdel Latif al-Sheikh, head of the Saudi religious police, said the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizballah, ISIS and al-Nusrah Front were blacklisted in Saudi Arabia because "they were ruled from outside to serve political purposes. They are groups that fight moderate Muslims and are causing troubles around the world. This is what we consider against Islamic principles and has given a negative impression about Muslims in the West," Sheikh said.

Comment: The background to the decree is King Abdallah's announcement on 3 February of tougher penalties for activities deemed as terrorism. Saudi Arabia already has banned the Brotherhood. Under a previous decree, Saudi citizens fighting abroad face up to 20 years in jail. Similar punishments will be applied to "extremist religious and ideological groups, or those classified as terrorist groups, domestically, regionally and internationally," according to the state news agency. Several commentators pointed out that this aligns Saudi Arabian policy toward the Muslim Brotherhood with that of Egypt. It indicates an increased concern about the security threat to the Arab kingdoms because of the number of Saudis and Gulf Arabs who have joined the Islamist groups in Syria and who would bring terrorist tactics, techniques and practices into the kingdoms on their return. Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain withdrew their ambassadors from Qatar to protest its support for the Muslim Brotherhood, which Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain consider a threat to their national security.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 10 Mar 2014 23:30

When the KSA declare the Wahabi clerics as terrorist then we can believe this charade!!!!

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 11 Mar 2014 08:05

Another take on Saudi de-jihading:
http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semp ... 87092.html

kmkraoind · Post by **kmkraoind** » 11 Mar 2014 22:07

Saudi Arabia Threatens to Lay Siege to Qatar: Cooperation or Confrontation?

Saudi Arabia has threatened to blockade its neighbouring Gulf State Qatar by land and sea unless it cuts ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, closes Al Jazeera, and expels local branches of two prestigious U.S. think tanks, the Brookings Doha Center and the Rand Qatar Policy Institute.

The threats against the television station Al Jazeera, Brookings Institute and the Rand Corporation, were made by the Saudi Foreign Minister Saud bin Faisal in a foreign minister's meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh last week, according to a source who was present. Bin Faisal said only these acts would be sufficient if Qatar wanted to avoid "being punished."

...........

The Saudi royal family were enraged and threatened, in equal measure, by the role Al Jazeera played in the first years of the Arab Spring , which saw fellow potentates deposed in popular revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt . They are now equally upset at the sympathetic coverage the Doha-based television station gives to the opposition, secular and Islamist, in Egypt.

I have some noob questions.
Is Saudi bluffing? Has KSA has wherewithal to act against Qatar? Since Qatar hosts US 5th Fleet, which side US sides? What impact does Iran or Majority of Shia in Qatar has?

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 11 Mar 2014 22:14

kmk, KSA is trying to point fingers at Qatar while they host the most violent, regressive mullas who are the inspiration for all jihadis elsewhere.
So Qatar should tell them "Physician, Heal thyself!"

A_Gupta, We need more corrobartion of the decline of Bandar. Recall KSA was going to buy Paki MANPADs for Syrian jihadis!

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 12 Mar 2014 00:22

AFP reports:

As war enters fourth year, Syrian regime eyes victory

As Syria war enters fourth year, regime eyes victory

(AFP) – 18 minutes ago

Beirut — As Syria's conflict enters its fourth year, ravaging the country and creating a massive humanitarian crisis, President Bashar al-Assad's regime is on the offensive to regain territory from a divided opposition.

Diplomatic efforts by Russia and the United States are all but on hold with the two powers now divided over the crisis in Ukraine, while the fighting continues on the ground in Syria.

"Without Western intervention, the war will continue for many years more and such an intervention is very unlikely while (US President Barack) Obama is in the White House," said Thomas Pierret, a Syria specialist at the University of Edinburgh.

"Things could change after 2016," after elections to choose Obama's successor, he said.

For now, neither side seems to have the means to win decisively a conflict that has cost more than 140,000 lives and displaced nearly half Syria's population, many of them now refugees.

The conflict began in March 2011, with peaceful anti-government protests that were brutally repressed.

The opposition took up arms and the insurrection developed into a full-blown war by February 2012 with the regime's bombardment of central Homs.

After watching its territory shrink, the regime launched a counter-offensive in the spring of 2013, shored up by Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah and Iraqi Shiite fighters trained by Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

It was bolstered by having avoided threatened Western military action in the wake of a deadly chemical weapons attack in August 2013 that activists blamed on the government.

And its strategy now has become to protect "useful Syria": the coast, the major towns of the north and south and key roads.

The opposition now controls more territory than the regime, but the regime controls the more densely populated regions of the country.

It is advancing on three fronts, south of the capital Damascus, in the strategic Qalamun region near the Lebanese border, and in the city of Aleppo in the country's north.

Near the capital, it has negotiated limited ceasefires with neighbourhoods under army sieges, where populations have suffered from dwindling food and medical supplies.

In Qalamun, after a string of victories last year it has encircled Yabrud, the last rebel stronghold in the region.

And in Aleppo, it has retained its grip on the western side of the city, while advancing around the outskirts of the rebel-held east as well as securing and reopening the nearby airport.

- 'No good scenarios' -

At the same time, the opposition is more divided than ever, fighting both the regime and its former ally, the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant .

Both moderate and Islamist rebels, and even Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate Al-Nusra Front, are engaged in the bloody battle against ISIL that began in January and shows no sign of waning.

Despite its recent advances, experts say the regime lacks the manpower to retake all its lost territory.

Experts believe the opposition numbers around 100-150,000 fighters, among them between 10-20,000 foreign fighters.

There are an estimated 2,000 rebel battalions, with the Islamic Front coalition the most important.

The army numbers some 300,000, half of them conscripts, and can also count on the support of thousands of pro-regime militiamen.

But the regime has suffered heavy losses: 50,000 of its fighters have died in the past three years, the Observatory says.

"Neither side is winning," said Volker Perthes, director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told AFP.

"Assad could, perhaps, retain the majority of the territory and apply a scorched earth policy to the areas beyond his control, but he'll never be able to restore all of the country under his regime," he added.

Perthes, the author of "Syria under Bashar," the disintegration of the country "is not a possibility, but a reality, and if the war ended tomorrow, it would take more than a decade for the country to recover."

Geographer Fabrice Balanche, whose work focuses on Syria, said a division of the country seemed possible.

He predicts "a de-facto partition between the Kurdish region in the north-east, a rebel region in the north and a zone in regime hands in the centre, in the absence of victory by one side or another."

"There are no good scenarios for Syria. Assad will regain control slowly, but at what a price," he said.

"The return of the regime will be accompanied by repression that will encourage hundreds of thousands to stay away," he added.

"And I would be astonished if Syria receives the money that flowed to Lebanon in 2006 (after a conflict with Israel), and the country doesn't have oil like Iraq."

Copyright © 2014 AFP. All rights reserved.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 12 Mar 2014 22:18

Qatar and Saudi Arabia call it quits: America’s lead from behind failure

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 13 Mar 2014 03:16

Camel spat still on!
The great camel spat in the sand dunes of the Arabian peninsula has entered its second round.King Camel,of the Sow-Dees,"keeper of the two-holy places",has been snorting and farting at upstart dromedary Tam-al-Tinpot,head of the Gutter-Rees for his loud broadcasting of seditious "Al-that-Jeez-ra-ra" music,which has been upsetting the herds of camels in the neighbouring kingdoms.Tinpot's unwavering support for the music of the Brother's Muslim from the land of E-Gyp,has enraged King Camel,who is now intending a savage kick,to boot out the Gutter-Ree's musicians in Sow Dee, playing favourite numbers from the Brother's Muslim.

The Gutter-Rees also hate the support of the Camel King for E-Gyp's chief of the dromedary clan for war-camel Abdul-the-Fat-Sissy,who like the Camel King,detests the music of the Brother's Muslim.The Sow-Dees are also livid that the Gutter-Rees are supporting rival jihadi camels invading the land of the Serious-Ones led by a nasty camel called "Basher" Arse-hard,supposedly feasting upon his own clan. the Sow-Dees have warned camels from their own clan not to fight against the Serious-Ones,as King Camel is to give his own dro-mercenary camels new arrows which they can stick up the backside of "Basher" Arse-Hard! The Sow-Dees have warned the Gutter-Rees that if they persist in their nefarious actions ,they will not allow Gutter-Ree caravans from crossing their sand dunes and making pit stops at their oases. Sow-Dee camels however continue to bray loudly for overthrowing Arse-Hard and the Shit-tight dromedaries ,who hold allegiance with the Sow-Dees' mortal enemy the Perversions of I-Ruin!

This spat is getting most interesting,keep reading the Animal Times.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/m ... eace-syria

Controlled by Iran, the deadly militia recruiting Iraq's men to die in Syria
The Middle East's most potent new political force, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, is stepping up its support for the Bashar al-Assad regime

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 13 Mar 2014 08:14

Muddle East musings.

Many years ago,I-Wreck was truly wrecked by the horrible antics of the Yanqui donkeys and war elephants,who along with several species of animals from the Western lands arriving in great numbers of arks filled with war chariots and other war like implements,under the command of King Dumb-ya,invaded the ancient land of camels and dates,Babbel-On,rich in rock-oil,double-crossing its great war camel and one-time bum-chum,Sod-Em the Great.Though Sod-Em was captured and put to death by the Yanqui beasts,the I-Wreck camels are made of sterner stuff,who drink from any well in the desert unlike the Yanqui beasts who could only drink water packed in plastic bottles.The I-Wreck camels outraged and angered at the wrecking of their ancient land and murder of Sod-Em, banded together stealthily.And it came to pass that when the Yanqui beasts were sleeping after their daily snorting and farting about,would sneak up and bite their bums and shove hot rocks up their nether ends, making them lose sleep and incapacitating many beasts! Other clans of camels began ambushing the caravans carrying bottled water and war chariots,repeatedly.The Yanqui beasts roared with rage and sent many animals experienced in biting,kicking,electrocuting,raping and all manner of atrocities that the Yanquis specialise in to quell the insurrection by the I-Wreck dromedaries.But alas,all the Yanqui King's camels and all the British Queen's horses couldn't put together I-Wreck again!

Thus it came to pass that the animals of the Yanquis elected a new king of the Yanqui beasts replacing King Dumb-ya to sort out the mess in their land and the outlands.He was a black donkey called O'Bomber,with ancient roots in he land of darkest Africa and also of the I-Slam faith,that all camels in the Muddle-East follow.Slam,dunk,shock and awe,were just up his nether end! "Surely,he will put those rowdy rebellious camels to pasture?" said the wise old beasts of the Yanquis.But no matter what O'Bomber tried,his war donkeys and elephants were getting their backsides burnt ad nauseum and even turning on their own side.In desperation he sent his top war donkey,Gen.David the Pet-Arse to win the war.Bet Gen.David the Pet-Arse also got his arse tanned and told O'Bomber in the White Tent in the oasis of White-Washing-by-the-ton (where all evil deeds are made clean),that retreat from I-Wreck to fight another day was the best solution. Since former monarch Dumb-ya had already declared "Mission Accomplished",the Yanqui beasts began to beat the retreat,tails firmly tucked behind,but ever so softly so as not to attract the attention of the international news-hounds who would bark all over the world that the Yanquis had lost yet another war!

The humiliation of losing war after war in foreign lands and loss of face (especially to the Pekingese dogs of the east,who claimed to be top dog) was impossible to digest for the stupid old men of the Yanquis.They decided that in future they would use hired camels to do their fighting,preferably from the Muddle East itself,who knew the land and where the oases were and who would not need bottled water to fight.Yanqui war donkeys would merely advise them on the best methods of biting,farting in the face and braying loud enough to frighten an enemy into retreat.And thus it came to pass that after using these methods to conquer the desert lands of Tunisia,Libya,even unto the land of E-Gyp,where the old war camel ,the Mob-a-wreck once a dear bum-chum like Sod-Em,was captured and caged.The Brothers Muslim then came to power in E-Gyp,but O'Bomber had a trick up his sleeve.Using his secret beastly force called the "See-Eye-A" (A standing for anywhere).The chief dromedary of the Muslim Brothers who won the E-Gyp elections was ousted in a palace coup by a veteran war camel Gen. Abdul-the-Fat-Sissy with the covert help of the Yanqui donkey.Now we know from past reports that Fat-Sissy and the Sow-Dees get along fine,but not with the Gutter-Rees responsible for spreading the music of the Brother's Muslim,the rage all over the desert and I-Slam world.

The next target on the Hit Parade list was the kingdom of the Serious-Ones,where the ruling camel in past ages was a wise camel of the All-White clan called Huff-Easy Arse-Hard.Huff-Easy and his tribe were Bath-ists,which is why the tribe are called the All-Whites.Now Huff-easy begat a son who was named "Basher" ,reflecting his father's fondness for the sport,bashing his camels black and blue if they were not of the All-White clan.The Serious-Ones were the only kingdom in the region that refused to pay tribute to the most afeared camel clan in the region,the Israe-lites.Nothing light about them though.They were the "heavies" of the region,who for millenia were expert in the art of smoting,gouging,especially good at dental and the opthalmic arts.They were descendants of the great wise one,Solomon,who had many wives and concubines and begat many sons and daughters,who rutted for generation after generation producing fine war camels and war horses.Thus the Serious -Ones had many enemies who all conspired together under the advice of the Yanqui donkey to dethrone "Basher" Arse-Hard.Many dro-murder-cenaries were hired to assist the tribes who were not of the All-White clan and who Basher enjoyed bashing.Another great bashing event began.There was much smoting and gouging by both sides,great gnashing of teeth and wailing by the non-combatant camels who were being slaughtered in their thousand upon thousands.The murder-cenaries cried,"Basher has smote thousands,but we have smote tens of thousands!"

A quick victory was expected that would send Basher to meet the same fate as Sod-Em who had also been a Bath-ist.Alas,a donkey proposes,but the Great one disposes.Despite the huge animal force of war camels and murder-cenaries from the Sow-Dees,Gutter-Rees and the camel kingdoms of the Gulf and beyond,even from as far of as Puke-istan and Huff-Gun-istan, Basher with caravan support from the Rush-Ins and Pekingese ,staved off the hordes of warmongering beasts of every description and had them on the run! And so it came to pass that the falling-out of the army of beasts began.The Sow-Dees were enraged at O'Bomber the donkey,for not sending in as promised,his war chariots and war elephants to bash Basher. The Gutter-Rees and the Sow-Dees fell out because the Gutter-Rees wanted followers of the Brothers Muslim (whose music the Sow-Dees detest) to take control of the spat against Basher. Adding to the cloud of dust clouding the entire region is that the mortal enemies of the Sow-Dees ,the Perversions of I-Ruin,are now sending in bands of Shit-ites under the command of war camel Gen. Curse-em Sod-em Curse-em Slimy,leader of the notorious Al-Hack clan of I-Wreck Shit-ites.Under Gen.Slimy,the Al-Hacks are hacking at the enemies of Basher, smoting them most severely even unto thousands,causing them to flee in fear with much wailing and gnashing of teeth.For the moment it appears that Basher has won the first round of bashing and as all attention is now upon the land of Crime ,where the Rush-Ins are facing off the Yanquis and their allies the Euro-Peons,he can rearm his beasts in peace while is enemies lick their wounds.

So endeth this report,but the smoting and gouging has not ended.It will go on and on,for that is the way of the animals in the desert of the Muddle_east and of the faith of I-Slam,who stupidly follow the follies of the policies of the donkeys of the Yanquis.

Read the Animal Times regularly.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 15 Mar 2014 23:44

Lunch with the FT: Prince Turki al-Faisal

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 16 Mar 2014 20:44

As the Syrian conflict enters its 4th year,with the opposition in chaos and their sponsors fighting between themselves,the Assad regime scores a major victory.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/m ... er-yabroud

Syria claims to have captured rebel stronghold on Lebanese border
Fall of Yabroud, a key rebel supply line into Lebanon, would be latest success for President Assad as conflict enters fourth year

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/m ... er-yabroud

Associated Press in Damascus
theguardian.com, Sunday 16 March 2014

Yabroud, Syria
The fall of Yabroud would deal a signifcant blow to rebels since the initiative passed to the government in spring of 2013. Photograph: Sana/Reuters

Syria claims its military has seized a key town on the Lebanese border that was the target of a months-long offensive. Activists said fighting was continuing but the government was in control of much of Yabroud.

Yabroud was a key supply line for rebels into neighbouring Lebanon and overlooked an important cross-country highway. Its fall, coming as the Syrian conflict enters its fourth year, would be a significant blow to rebels since the initiative passed to the government in the spring of 2013.

It is the last major rebel-held town in the mountainous Qalamoun region, where President Bashar al-Assad's forces have been waging an offensive for months to try to cut rebel supply lines across the porous border into eastern Lebanon. Its fall would come a week after the Syrian army seized the village of Zara, which also served as a conduit for rebels from northern Lebanon into central Syria.

Syria's state news agency, Sana, reported that military forces seized Yabroud early on Sunday and were combing the city to remove booby-traps and bombs and hunt down rebel holdouts.

Kasem Alzein, a Syrian pro-rebel doctor who lives in the nearby border town of Arsal, said military forces entered the eastern part of Yabroud and that rebels fled to the nearby town of Flita. He said a small hardcore group of fighters said they would fight to the death in the city.

"They don't want to surrender," he said, adding that supplies were cut off and weapons promised to rebels never arrived.

"Qusair will repeat itself," Alzein said, referring to the strategic rebel-held town on the Syrian border that fell to pro-Assad forces last summer. As in the Qalamoun offensive, Lebanese Hezbollah militants played a key role backing government troops.

Gunfire could be heard on footage broadcast live by the Lebanon-based TV station al-Mayadeen, which also showed troops walking through empty streets.

Meanwhile, a flare-up of violence in the northern Lebanese city of Tripolihas left 12 people dead in recent days, Lebanon's state-run news agency said. NNA said the latest fatality was a soldier who was killed on Sunday when attackers fired on his armoured vehicle with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms. His death brings the death toll to 12 since clashes erupted Thursday, the NNA said.

The clashes pit Sunni gunmen from Bab Tabbaneh who back Syria's Sunni-majority rebels against rivals from nearby Jabal Mohsen, dominated by the Alawite sect, Assad's faith.

Sunni gunmen have also attacked Lebanese soldiers, accusing them of loyalty to rival sectarian factions in Lebanon.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 16 Mar 2014 22:16

"Sunni gunmen have also attacked Lebanese soldiers, accusing them of loyalty to rival sectarian factions in Lebanon."

Not dumb at all, attacking opportunely while Lebanese allow them to fight in the name of jihad!

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 19 Mar 2014 09:53

Israel considers Obama weak , calls for Strike against Iran

Israeli Defense Minister Suggests Military Action against Iran because the US is “Weak”

darshhan · Post by **darshhan** » 19 Mar 2014 10:05

Philip wrote:As the Syrian conflict enters its 4th year,with the opposition in chaos and their sponsors fighting between themselves,the Assad regime scores a major victory.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/m ... er-yabroud

Syria claims to have captured rebel stronghold on Lebanese border
Fall of Yabroud, a key rebel supply line into Lebanon, would be latest success for President Assad as conflict enters fourth year

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/m ... er-yabroud
Associated Press in Damascus
theguardian.com, Sunday 16 March 2014

Yabroud, Syria
The fall of Yabroud would deal a signifcant blow to rebels since the initiative passed to the government in spring of 2013. Photograph: Sana/Reuters

Syria claims its military has seized a key town on the Lebanese border that was the target of a months-long offensive. Activists said fighting was continuing but the government was in control of much of Yabroud.

Yabroud was a key supply line for rebels into neighbouring Lebanon and overlooked an important cross-country highway. Its fall, coming as the Syrian conflict enters its fourth year, would be a significant blow to rebels since the initiative passed to the government in the spring of 2013.

It is the last major rebel-held town in the mountainous Qalamoun region, where President Bashar al-Assad's forces have been waging an offensive for months to try to cut rebel supply lines across the porous border into eastern Lebanon. Its fall would come a week after the Syrian army seized the village of Zara, which also served as a conduit for rebels from northern Lebanon into central Syria.

Syria's state news agency, Sana, reported that military forces seized Yabroud early on Sunday and were combing the city to remove booby-traps and bombs and hunt down rebel holdouts.

Kasem Alzein, a Syrian pro-rebel doctor who lives in the nearby border town of Arsal, said military forces entered the eastern part of Yabroud and that rebels fled to the nearby town of Flita. He said a small hardcore group of fighters said they would fight to the death in the city.

"They don't want to surrender," he said, adding that supplies were cut off and weapons promised to rebels never arrived.

"Qusair will repeat itself," Alzein said, referring to the strategic rebel-held town on the Syrian border that fell to pro-Assad forces last summer. As in the Qalamoun offensive, Lebanese Hezbollah militants played a key role backing government troops.

Gunfire could be heard on footage broadcast live by the Lebanon-based TV station al-Mayadeen, which also showed troops walking through empty streets.

Meanwhile, a flare-up of violence in the northern Lebanese city of Tripolihas left 12 people dead in recent days, Lebanon's state-run news agency said. NNA said the latest fatality was a soldier who was killed on Sunday when attackers fired on his armoured vehicle with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms. His death brings the death toll to 12 since clashes erupted Thursday, the NNA said.

The clashes pit Sunni gunmen from Bab Tabbaneh who back Syria's Sunni-majority rebels against rivals from nearby Jabal Mohsen, dominated by the Alawite sect, Assad's faith.

Sunni gunmen have also attacked Lebanese soldiers, accusing them of loyalty to rival sectarian factions in Lebanon.

This is not just a victory for Assad but also a significant defeat of the Anglo American camp.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Mar 2014 21:37

Philp, the Levant seem so have reverted to a modern version of the chaos after the Cursaders left the region. However now the warring factions have modern weapons that cna inflict much more damage.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 20 Mar 2014 04:10

Yes,esp. if the Sow-Dees supply the mercenary "opposition" with SAMs.

Here is a news item.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/m ... t[b]Former Abu Ghraib detainees ask US appeals court to reinstate lawsuit[/b]
Four Iraqis who say they were tortured should be allowed to pursue their claims against US military contractor, court hear

n 2004, photos depicting soldiers abusing Abu Ghraib detainees became public, shocking the national conscience. Photograph: AP

Four former Iraqi detainees who say they were tortured at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison should be allowed to pursue their claims against the US military contractor in charge of interrogating them, an attorney told a federal appeals court Tuesday.

Baher Azmy urged a three-judge panel of the fourth US circuit court of appeals to reinstate his clients’ lawsuit against CACI Premier Technology Inc. The company’s lawyer, J William Koegel Jr, argued that a district court judge correctly dismissed the lawsuit in June. The appeals court typically takes several weeks, or even months, to rule.

The plaintiffs say CACI employees conspired to have soldiers torture them to make them more compliant during interrogation. The former detainees say they were subjected to electrical shocks, sexual violence and forced nudity.

In 2004, photos depicting soldiers abusing Abu Ghraib detainees became public, shocking the national conscience and producing “universal condemnation among US political and military leaders,” the plaintiffs said in court papers.

However, US District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee in Alexandria, Virginia, ruled last year that he lacked jurisdiction to consider the former detainees’ civil claims because the alleged abuse occurred in a foreign country. His dismissal of the lawsuit on that basis prevented a hearing on the merits of the case.

Azmy told the appeals court that under supreme court precedent, the jurisdictional barrier can be lifted if the claims sufficiently “touch and concern” US territory. He said that is clearly the case here, not only because the prison was under US control but also because many of the activities furthering the alleged conspiracy occurred domestically.

“We allege the corporate defendant was approached by military and civilian whistleblowers and ignored those complaints,” Azmy said.

Koegel said the “relevant conduct” was the alleged abuse itself – and that all occurred in Iraq and therefore outside the reach of US courts.

Judge Barbara Milano Keenan asked if it mattered whether northern Virginia-based CACI followed the dictates of the contract, which was signed in the US.

“Why isn’t that the jurisdictional hook?” she asked Koegel.

He said the “performance of the contract” is what matters, and that occurred in Iraq.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 20 Mar 2014 15:36

Seems like War Planning is Israels favorite past time

Israel budgets $3 bn for strike on Iran - report

Israel’s 2014 military budget includes at least 10 billion shekels devoted to preparations for war with Iran, Haaretz newspaper reports. Top Jerusalem officials recently said that Israel may strike Tehran’s nuclear sites even without US help.

The Tel Aviv daily cited three parliamentarians who had been present at joint committee meetings at the Knesset earlier this year, where figures of 10 to 12 billion shekels (US$2.89 billion to $3.47 billion) were touted by senior Israel Defense Forces officials. The sum is being spent on preparing for an air strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, even if it does not take place. It constitutes about one-fifth of the total military budget – about the same amount that was spent last year.

The parliamentarians said they questioned the decision to maintain funding in view of Tehran’s softening relations with the West, only to be told by army commanders that Israel’s political leaders ordered them to continue regardless.

While the world’s leading powers have eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for its curtailing of its nuclear enrichment program – and have been negotiating in Vienna this week – Israel has remained steadfast in its belief that Tehran is attempting to develop its own nuclear weapons, and is using the talks to buy themselves time and economic relief.

On Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon criticized the US for wishful thinking during its attempts to find a diplomatic solution.

"Weakness certainly does not pay in the world," Yaalon told students at Tel Aviv University.

"No one can replace the US as the world's policeman. I hope the US will come to its senses."

Yaalon, who represents Prime Minister Netanyahu’s center-right Likud party, further reiterated his superior’s claims that Israel needed to act preemptively.

"If we wished others would do the work for us, it wouldn't be done soon, and therefore in this matter, we have to behave as if we can only rely on ourselves," said Yaalon.

Netanyahu has also persisted with the line he held during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s abrasive presidency, despite the tentative ‘charm offensive’ that Iran has undertaken since the relatively moderate Hassan Rouhani replaced Ahmadinejad less than a year ago.

“Letting the worst terrorist regime on the planet get atomic bombs would endanger everyone, and it certainly would endanger Israel since Iran openly calls for our destruction,” Netanyahu said in a speech this month.

Tehran insists that it has no plans to manufacture nuclear arms, and even Israel’s own intelligence agency now believes that there has been a “strategic change” in Iran's nuclear stance since last year, according to an earlier Haaretz report.

Nonetheless, the latest talks in Vienna – where Iran has faced the US, China, Russia, Great Britain, France, and Germany – have not produced a concrete outcome.

Adding to the long-established issues of access to existing facilities and the extent of Iran’s enrichment and stockpiling of plutonium – a key ingredient in nuclear devices – is a yet-to-be-finished nuclear reactor at Arak.

Western negotiators say the facility in its current form could be used for plutonium enrichment and should be modified, while Tehran insists its uses will be chiefly medical.

The two sides have set themselves a July 20 deadline, by which a definitive agreement has to be produced on the country’s nuclear program. But for Israel’s leaders, each month without concrete action is one month closer to Tehran possessing its own nuclear weapons – meaning that vast expenditures to ready for a strike are as necessary as ever.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 20 Mar 2014 18:01

Watch Al Jazeera on the US led death squads in Iraq,which operate under Gen Petra-Arse's nose and alleged Salvadorean death squad specialist Jim Steele. Special Iraqi police commando units operated these prisons where torture was carried out on a regular basis.US troops who saw what was happening and protested were told to clam up.1200 GMT today.

member_28502 · Post by **member_28502** » 20 Mar 2014 20:10

Israel prospers in wars
Just read history
Like Indians they argue and squabble away resources during peace times
Unlike Indians though they do through job of their enemies

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 20 Mar 2014 21:55

Why Israel thinks it is better to have sunni terrorists armed to teeth in the neighborhood? Assad is manageable. Why they are trying to stir the pot. If they think Russia is tied down in Ukraina and they can have free run on Syria and Iran.....that is a mistake.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 21 Mar 2014 09:08

"Rue Brittania.....return of the unicorn."

Camel spat gets curiouser.

The camel spat engrossing the sands of the Muddle-East is getting curiouser with the arrival ...yet again of the once thought extinct British unicorn. Thought extinct,this animal was once seen in the desert sands in large numbers,the leader of the pack answering to the call "Orenz-of-Rabies",actually partook in a camel race to Damn-and-curse,capital of the the Serious-Ones,when it was part of the empire of the Turkeys.The "Gobblers" had gobbled up a large part of the desert world including Damn-and-curse.Orenz along with a motley gang of camels from what would later be known as the Sow-Dees,Trance-Jordees,How-it-dat,and other dromedaries,including some from the land of Hind-a not very well known fact,won the rat-pack race to Damdn-and-Curse,feasting upon Turkeys all along the way.Upon arriving at Damn-and-Curse,they feasted upon large number of "Gobblers",giving thanks to the Great Camel in the Sky,in a feast that has come to be known as "Thanksgiving".

However,acute indigestion after the feasting saw the dromedaries all blaming each other for their belching,farting and defecating in each others tents,and they deserted Damn-and-Curse,why it is aptly named so! Damn-and-curse and the land (of the Serious-Ones today) was then divided by the British lions and the French frogs until the All-White "Bath-ists" cleaned up the place of its animal droppings.

But history is known for repeating itself,often as a farce.This time the unicorn in small numbers without the lions,is returning to take part in the great camel spat,and is calling upon more unicorns to join in and eventually get their backsides singed in the desert sand upon which they will retreat in defeat as is the usual custom of the British murder-cenaries !

We look forward to more exciting news from the Animal Times.

PS:The successor to the "Rotter-Man" empire of the Turkeys,who now possess that great city of the ancients,"Con-Stan-the-Noble",are furious at their inability in recapturing Damn-and-Curse,now held by the Serious-Ones,even with the help of the murder-cenaries.The Gobblers,despite all their machinations,and gobble-de-dook,are livid at their very own ilk babbling and gobbling at their impotence ,"telling it to the birds".Thus have the leaders of the Turkeys banned the gobblers from "twitting" with the birds.Grave warnings have been issued,that anyone "tweeting" will be on the menu at the next Thanksgiving!

British fighters in Syria urge others to join them
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 05428.html

Thousands of foreign fighters are thought to have travelled to Syria since the beginning of the civil war in 2011, with many of them crossing Syria’s porous border with Turkey. Turkish authorities have recently sought to exert more control over its border as extremist groups have grown in strength.

As Isis and other jihadist groups have come under greater pressure from other rebels, many foreign fighters have fled Syria and returned to their country of origin. Senior security officials have said that around 250 British “extremist tourists” have returned home, and are now suspected of wanting to carry out attacks here. Scotland Yard revealed earlier this year that Syria-related terrorism arrests are soaring with 16 so far this year, compared with 24 for all of 2013.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 22 Mar 2014 20:40

The 11th Anniversary of Bush's Iraq War

vic · Post by **vic** » 22 Mar 2014 21:20

I am wondering, as Sunni group led by Saudi Arabia are putting pressure on Syria, Iran. Won't the Shias retaliate by fomenting trouble in Kurdisatan, Yemen, Baharain and even Libya & Egypt?

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 22 Mar 2014 22:39

There is but over whelming Military Force is used by Sunni Countries to clamp it down and no Western Media hammers that part day in and out as per Washington directive.

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 23 Mar 2014 20:25

Turkey shoots down Syrian plane, saying it violated airspace

ISTANBUL: Turkey's armed forces shot down a Syrian plane on Sunday after it crossed into Turkish airspace in a border region where Syrian rebels have been battling President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

"A Syrian plane violated our airspace," Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told an election rally of his supporters in northwest Turkey.

"Our F-16s took off and hit this plane. Why? Because if you violate my airspace, our slap after this will be hard," Edrogan.

The rebels have been fighting for control of the Kasab crossing, the border region, since Friday, when they launched an offensive which Syrian authorities say was backed by Turkey's military.

Syria said Turkish air defences shot down the jet while it was attacking rebel forces inside Syrian territory, calling the move a "blatant aggression".

State television quoted a military source as saying the pilot managed to eject from the plane. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said initial reports from the area said the plane came down on the Syrian side of the border.

Al Manar, the television station of Assad's Lebanese ally Hezbollah, said two rockets had been fired from Turkish territory at the Syrian jet.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 23 Mar 2014 22:24

Camel spat takes to the air!

The gnashng of teeth and chafing at the bit by the "Gobblers" of the neo "Rotter-Men" empire,at jibes from their own Turkeys was too much to bear. The leader of the "Gobblers","Turd-of a-gun" launched one of his lethal "Fighting Falcons" at a Serious-One carrier-pigeon that he claimed was carrying seditious messages to dromemdaries across into his oasis. What this will do to the mood of "Basher" Arse-Hard who was enjoying his daily ablutions with other members of the Order of the Baath is not hard to guess.Now here we must read from the Book of Confusious as this could be very confusing to some.The "Order of the Baath" must not be confused with the ancient "Order of the Bath",a chivalrous order given to militant animals in the land of the Lion and Unicorn,aka the "Perfidious Albinos" of the land of "Get-Bitten",by their traditional revolting rivals across the waters aka known as the "Frogs". The other "Order-of-the-Baath" refers to members of the "All-White" clan of the Serious-Ones,led Basher Arse-Hard.They are named so due to their bathing habits-frequently ,to wash their bloodied hands.Now these animals are quite unlike the members of the "Order of the Bath" of the Perfidious Albinos of the militant kind,once led by the "Duck-of-Smelling-like-a-ton" (of night soil),named so because of their bathing habits-infrequent,just once a year.Here endeth the lesson,from the Book of Confusious Ch.1.

The enmity between the Frogs and the Lions of "Get-Bitten",goes back a long time to the days when the Froggie army famous for their "Foreign Legion" of murder-cenary dromedaries,were led by a Corse short fat Froggie nicknamed "Boney".Boney aka "Nap-o-Lion",was famous for his frequent cat-naps,during which time he dreamt of catching his enemies napping,and frequently did so ,until he was caught napping by the Duck-of-Smelling-like-a-ton,while searching for Water-in-a-Loo after a bad attack of bum-bleeding. But I digress! This report is all about the Gobblers Fighting Falcon downing one of Basher's carrier-pigeons.

Basher is now gnashing his teeth in rage at the temerity of the Turkeys in getting his birds involved.,saying Turd-of-a-gun had farted in his air-space asphyxiating his poor pigeon! In reply,the Turkeys reminded Basher and co. that they were the ones who had downed one of their gobblers a year ago.Thus continueth the tit-for-a-tit and tooth-for-a-tooth traditions which have remained unchanged for thousands of years!

PS:"Camels" taking to the air was a feature in the 1st World War of the animals,whose centenary we are commemorating this June. These flying "Camels" were part of the Air Farce of the kingdom of Get-Bitten,who loved being rogered in their backsides by the "Fokkers" (led by the famous Red Baron ,Vun Rich-too-Often),who were subjects of the king of the Germs,Kaiser-Bully.I assure you it isn't a load of Bull,as you will see these ancient sporting events again,courtesy the All-that-Jeez-ra-ra band,of the Gutter-Rees,

Read the Animal Times!

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Mar 2014 22:25

Erdogan needs some diversion for his people because of the problem he is going through due to corruption etc this news should do well for sometime for him

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Mar 2014 22:28

Check how BBC manipulated news during Syrian crises ....digitally altered sound from Napalm attack to Chemical Attack ......also dead man waking up after CW attack

http://rt.com/shows/the-truthseeker/med ... ttack-645/

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Mar 2014 22:46

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey ... sCatID=359

According to the statement issued by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), Turkish radars detected two Syrian MIG-23s approaching Turkish airspace at 13:00 p.m. local time yesterday and warned the pilots not to get closer to the Turkish border four times. One of the jets changed its route and returned to Syria, but the other flew into Turkish airspace for nearly 1.5 kms, the TSK said. The pilot was able to eject, it added as the jet was downed in Syrian territory.

It stated that the MIG-23 entered Turkish airspace at 13:13 p.m. and was shot down just a minute later, in line with the rules of engagement. It was shot down by a Turkish F-16 jet that was already on a patrol mission in the region, along with another Turkish jet.

Turkey changed its rules of engagement in the aftermath of the downing of a Turkish jet by Syria in June 2012 and announced it would take “every measure” against any Syrian military vehicle approaching Turkish borders, either by air or sea.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Mar 2014 22:47

1.5 Km for a fighter jet is not deep penetration .....even if Mig-23 takes a turn depending on speed and height it will stray inside Turkish Airspace .....the good thing is Pilot Ejected hope he is safe and sound

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 24 Mar 2014 10:01

Veteran Middle East expert Fisk,nails "Obamery",the hogwash that the US pres. indulges in ans the stark truth,the retreat from global hotspots by Marshal O'Bomber,who succeeded marshal Dubya,infamous for his "mission accomplished" claim!

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 11142.html

Assad is already counting on soldiers still at school to fill the gaps left by 30,000 casualties

There are intriguing hints that the conflict is changing. There are mini-ceasefires nowe

We were driving down the main road from Homs – fast, of course, as the Syrian war now requires – when, just outside the Damascus suburb of Harasta, a government soldier asked for a ride into town.

I have always stopped for hitch-hiking soldiers, especially in time of war – Egyptian soldiers, Lebanese soldiers, Israeli soldiers, Algerian soldiers, you name it – because they’re usually poor, often exhausted, occasionally frightened. And they always want to talk.

But this time, our guest was silent. We drove past acre after acre, mile after mile of suburban ruins, greater than I have seen before outside the capital. And then the soldier said to my driver: “I am one of four brothers, all in the army. The other three have been killed. I am the only one left.” One out of four. I checked that I had heard him correctly. My driver repeated it. What does that tell you about casualties in Bashar al-Assad’s army?

We dropped the soldier off near the old Ottoman Hejaz railway station and carried on round Umayyad Square to the dark interior of the Sheraton Hotel. The moment I walked up to reception to tell them I was back, a huge explosion echoed across the empty marble lobby. An incoming mortar round from the rebels around Damascus. It crashed into the square, where three policemen lay in pieces. The suddenness and speed of this war quickly wears you down.

An interview – long sought-after – swiftly becomes an obligation of annoyance at the end of a day in which you watch a MiG jet bomber as it races north to drop its ordnance on the Syrian army’s next rebel target at Rankoos, along the road from the town of Yabroud. Assad’s soldiers – with a plentiful legion of Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon – recaptured the town from their opponents last week.

But I meet a very old friend who knows pretty well just how the war fares. The government army has now lost more than 30,000 soldiers in three years – that’s more than a fifth of the total casualties of the conflict, most of whom are civilians if you believe those who oppose Assad. But the government in Damascus now calculates that the next three years of military conscription will raise a new generation of 20,000 extra soldiers.

There is something Douglas Haig-like about such calculations – adding up your reinforcements by counting soldiers who are still at school. But, in one sense, this is a war unlike any other.

There are intriguing hints that the conflict is changing. There are dozens of mini-ceasefires now, between the remains of the defectors of the fractured Free Syrian Army (FSA) and their former comrades in the government forces.

That’s one reason why the battle for Yabroud last week did not claim quite as many lives as Assad’s men would have us believe. When the army and Hezbollah captured Qusayr in the previous big battle along the Lebanese border, the rebels in Qusayr fled to Yabroud.

So when the government surrounded Yabroud, they were able to call up the rebels on their own mobile phones and talk to them – by name. Release the 13 Christian nuns held hostage there, the insurgents were told, and clear out of Yabroud ... and we’ll briefly hold our fire.

The Islamist defenders of Yabroud apparently executed several fighters who wanted to leave – but leave the defenders did, to live and fight again in the next battle-to-be at Rankoos. But the army won, and it is this increasingly formidable force – let us, of course, remember that the West claims war criminals are among them – that is the one institution in Syria upon which Assad must rely.

He knows it, too. When he visited the wreckage of Baba Amr in Homs, soldiers surrounded the President with the usual cries of self-sacrifice in the cause of Assad. But Assad himself immediately walked over to the state television crew and ordered them to cut the sequence from the evening news. This was the army’s victory, not his.

Only a few months ago, the Free Syrian Army was trying to find an accommodation with the regime, sending middle men to Damascus to talk to representatives of the President. But the government abandoned such contacts when the FSA decided to grab at the American offer of more arms at Geneva – a conference at which US diplomats expressed their displeasure not at the enthusiasm of Assad’s opponents for more weapons, but for their insistence on flying to Switzerland business class – all at the expense of the American taxpayer.

Among the Islamists opposed to Assad, there is now considerable debate – almost to the point of hostility – about their future activities. A new al-Qa’ida faction wants its people to leave Syria and go to fight in Yemen, which is far closer to Saudi Arabia and its oil fields and holy Muslim cities. This, it says, is far more relevant than squandering resources in the wilds of Syria and Iraq.

At the same time, new power relationships are congealing around Syria. President Rouhani has visited Iran’s old friend Oman, and Qatar is just – slightly – beginning to allow its suspicion and contempt for Saudi Arabia to outweigh its enthusiasm for the war against Assad. If it’s true that it paid $60m for the release of those nuns – clearing them out of the way of the Syrian government bombardment at Yabroud – then the Emir of Qatar was doing Assad a favour.

And not without reason. The Americans have abandoned the Syrian war as a lost cause. The US will leave the Gulf. They may well close most of their huge airbases in Qatar, leaving the Emir grimly exposed to the territorial greed of his Arab Gulf brothers. Who else to guard him – and Oman and the other small Gulf states – other than that former policeman of the Gulf, namely Iran?

With a Russian-Iranian-Qatari guarantee of “fair” elections in Syria – please hold your breath, readers – who better to rebuild Assad’s rubbled country than Iran and Russia, backed by Qatar’s wealth? Why, they could even invite the workers of Crimea to give them a hand…
Putin beware! The latest offering of Obamery

As a student of linguistic garbage, I marvelled at last week’s Obamery. The world concentrated on his interview with a tin-pot San Diego channel – President Obama uses small-town media to avoid giving massive and boring interviews to The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN and other crippled giants of American journalism.

So it was that we learnt, via Obama-speak, that “we are not going to be getting into a military excursion [sic] in Ukraine.” But it was not this Chamberlain-like determination which caught my eye. It was Obama’s follow-up threat to Vladimir Putin – totally ignored by the press or, when it was recorded at all, reported without comment – that fascinated me.

“What we are going to do,” quoth Obama, “is mobilise all our diplomatic resources to make sure that we’ve got a strong international correlation that sends a clear message.”

Gadzooks! Achtung! All those mobilised correlations packed with clear-cut messages crashing down upon Russia! Surely the walls of the Kremlin will now come tumbling down.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 27 Mar 2014 23:09

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/ ... da_com.php
Chechen al Qaeda commander, popular Saudi cleric, and Ahrar al Sham emir spotted on front lines in Latakia

A prominent Saudi cleric and a Chechen military commander in a unit of the Al Nusrah Front for the People in the Levant, al Qaeda's official branch in Syria, celebrated together after recent heavy fighting against Syrian government forces in a mountainous area in the coastal province of Latakia. The leader of Ahrar al Sham is also seen in the video.Muslim al Shishani, a Chechen jihadist and Al Nusrah military commander, is seen in a video with Dr. Abdallah Muhammad al Muhaysini, an al Qaeda-linked Saudi cleric, after the Al Nusrah Front overran a Syrian military position in the eastern province. The video was posted on YouTube on March 26. In the video, hundreds of jihadists are shown walking around the captured outpost as fires, presumably caused by the the fighting, are still burning. A tank and a pickup truck with a machine gun mounted in the bed are seen in the background. Gunfire is heard, but it sounds celebratory. The Al Nusrah Front has allied with Ahrar al Sham and a Salafist group known as Ansar al Sham, in an offensive to take control of areas in Latakia. The jihadist groups have seized a coastal village, "the Armenian Christian village of Kasab," and a border crossing with Turkey, according to Reuters. Muhaysini, the Saudi cleric who moved to Syria in 2013 and has more than 240,000 followers on Twitter, has publicly supported the position of the Al Nusrah Front and the Islamic Front in their dispute with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham. When he launched an initiative in January to reconcile the groups by creating a sharia court to settle disputes, Muhaysini cited al Qaeda emir Ayman al Zawahiri. In February, after the ISIS rejected his plan, Muhaysini called on ISIS fighters and leaders to defect and join the Al Nusrah Front and the Islamic Front. [See LWJ reports, Popular Saudi cleric endorses Islamic Front, calls for cooperation with al Qaeda; Saudi cleric's reconciliation initiative for jihadists draws wide support, then a rejection; and Pro-al Qaeda Saudi cleric calls on ISIS members to defect.]Muslim "served in the air defense division of the Soviet army in Moldova" before the collapse of the Soviet Union, MEMRI reported. Afterwards he joined the jihad in Chechnya and fought alongside Ibn Khattab, a Saudi who led al Qaeda's International Islamic Brigade in Chechnya before he was assassinated by Russian forces in 2002."He worked with many leading figures in the Chechen-Arab units, including Abu Jafar and Ibn Khattab's successor Abu al Walid, and was eventually promoted to the position of field commander," according to MEMRI. He was captured by Russian forces in 2003 and released after two-and-a-half years in detention.