Syria: Lies Fuel War and Genocide
Lies Fuel War and Genocide
I am getting frustrated with some of the blatant bullshit coming out of the pro Assad social media brigade which is, for the most part is supportive of extreme international facism, racist pigs, and in some cases as full of bullshit and genocidal evil ideology as the Al Qaedah/ISIS religious fanatics/Turkish affiliated fascists they fight.
I fully agree its up to all Syrian people (not just Arab majority) to negotiate a solution, and strongly disagree with tactics by any and all military forces who use the tactics of carpet bombing their way to victory and lying about it.
Syrians might want to check out Bolivia's solution to a multi-ethnic society i.e a plurinational state with autonomies just to generate ideas to begin with.
Just a very small example of bullshit here illustrated. I need to add a caveat that I am blocked by Bana Alabed, never took her seriously and strongly oppose her mother's bullshit. I pay zero attention to her propaganda. On the other hand, pro-Assad forces go on and on repeating myths and lies, such as no Internet in East Aleppo when she was there, which they still claim she wasn't.
Well, here is how the SDF embedded reporters work their phones from Tabqah without electricity.
Don't expect me to just go along with lies and bullshit even if I fully support your ideology and that goes for all factions everywhere.
The image server never works, sorry. Thats why I no longer write essays.
Hopefully a link to the photo I want to share.
An Ideological Conflict
Where have 3,485 Yazidi women gone after Islamic State abduction?
The Syrian government (and the KRG) retreated from ISIS, i.e. abandoned fellow Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians, Yezidis, Armenians and others to ISIS. As they were being slaughtered by ISIS, Turkey sat and watched, supplied ISIS arms and supplies, allowed thousands of ISIS mercenaries cross the border. A clear tactic to exterminate Kurds, Yezidis, Christians from Syria is what amounted to attempted ethnocide.
The Kurds, who are experienced guerrilla fighters, filled the vacuum and, with support from local people of all ethnicities, ran ISIS back to the Euphrates. No one would help them in an way except the USA, which shouldn't be there at all.
That produces an ideological conflict in my mind. If local people are abandoned to genocide by their legitimate government, do they have a right to accept aid to protect themselves from anyone who will offer it? Can I, as an anti-imperialist and anti-war accept it?
If they liberate their areas, abandoned by their legitimate government, do they have a right to govern themselves? Do they have a right to negotiate a certain amount of autonomy within the framework of the Syrian state? Even if they are supported by blatantly imperialist USA?
Most International Humanitarian Aid Organizations Abandon Refugees in northern Syria.
Arife Bekir pointed out that on the day the Turkish state bombed the Rubar camp, ISIS massacred refugees near the Rajim Salibi Border Gate. She said: “4 camp residents were injured in the Turkish state’s attacks. And ISIS murdered dozens of civilians-refugees in their sleep. Both attacks seem to be planned in the same headquarters. The Turkish state murders them on the borders and at the same time seems to be almost taking revenge on them for coming to Efrîn by bombing them.”
“DEAF TO OUR CALLS”
Arife Bekir stated that they made calls to the world, the international community and the international forces after the attacks but they couldn’t get responses and continued: “Like the conflict in Syria now, the refugee issue is an international issue. We called on the international society, the international forces and the aid organizations to visit the Rubar Camp and inspect the damage created by these attacks, material and otherwise, and see for themselves. But there wasn’t any interest except for one Russian committee. We didn’t get any.
replies.”
304,000 refugees abandoned by the world.
The least that the USA could do if they are involved in a war which creates massive refugee problems is spend a lot of time and money on making sure that civilians are well treated and taken care of.
Post Liberation
The SDF (Syria Democratic Force i.e. northern Syrians) has been fighting a number of weeks in narrow streets, house to house ISIS hold out areas (two neighborhoods) near the Euphrates Dam. The area has tall buildings and is laced with tunnels. It is made more difficult by the civilians still in the last hold-out areas, who cannot escape, and the general fact that the SDF is committed to saving people and destroying as little of the infrastructure as is humanly possible.
In this film you will see the women's protection units (YPJ) moving house to house looking for, well ISIS snipers, tunnel entrances, explosives, trapped civilians. In much ISIS/Turkish/Saudi propaganda the flow of refugees (seen at the end of the film) is called dislocating civilian population, a war crime.
I thus have to explain that in areas captured by the SDF, the civilians return home after the area has been secured, cleared of mines and boobey traps, unexploded ordinance and is safe (Check Manbij as an example). The Raqqa people have already formed a local autonomous governing body for Raqqa (Tabqah is part) made up proportionally of women and men, and proportionally to the ethnic demographics of the area. . . in the case of Tabqah, Raqqa that means the council is majority Arab.
A great many of refugees in northern Syria are fleeing from areas still held by ISIS. Hundreds a day flee Raqqa, the recently entrapped women tossing their veils and black sacks off to the side of the road and "dancing a jig" as they do so. Many join the YPJ to free other women still trapped.
Comments
Syria's FM al-Moualem says Kurdish fight vs ISIS is legitimate
The fascist wing of the Assad social media support groups will try and have you believe that the Kurds are an illegitimate separatist terrorist force dedicated to eradicating Arabs and separating out an independent (puppet to USA and Israel) Kurdish nation.
This has been and still is facist bullshit. Today the Syrian Foreign Minister gave a press conference which clearly shows that the Syrian government considers the Kurdish fight "legitimate for preserving Syrian unity."
http://reut.rs/2pd9qh1
From the Light House.
Just to clarify for myself,
in this comment and in your essay you are saying that the Syrian government is supportive of the Kurdish fight against ISIS, whereas the supposedly pro-Assad social media are not because it will not unify the country. Is that close to what you mean?
I apologize for not knowing anything about the pro-Assad social media or even about Bana Alabed, except as referred to by others.
After the chemical attack in April, it occurred to me that the only people who could know who committed the crime immediately after it happened were the people who did it. So that suggested to me that deep state actors are carrying out such attacks either independently, or on the part of ISIS/AlQaeda, or on the part of the Assad government. It was the first time that I considered the possibility that the Assad government could be infected with the same fascist agents who infect every other government we're talking about, including ours of course.
Cui bono, cui bono, cui bono, cui bono
If cui bono is not sufficient then here's some facts.
About the sarin. . .
I am not arguing the Sarin attack, my hypothesis is similar to tragic cases in Libya where child hostages are sacrificed for propaganda films by ISIS/AQ. The USA official story is a crock of bullshit on toast. I suspect pesticides or CO.
But this near worship of Assad as the only man who can save Syria, well, we've heard that before in Latin America with people like Somoza, Trujillo, Papa Doc, Pinochet and the rest of these fascist "strong men" who always won 99% of the vote and had bank accounts the size of many national budgets.
I am not suggesting there should be "regime change". I am suggesting that the form of warfare he indulges in i.e. essentially long sieges with indiscriminate bombing will need to be explored as a crime on par with the ISIS/AQ crowd's crimes.
From the Light House.
Where the fuck do you get "near worship of Assad" from?
Its up to the Syrian people whether Assad stays or goes.
Its painfully obvious you've drank the western kool-aide with those comments and comparisons.
I'll let Tulsi speak to your concerns.
Did you at least view the documentary on Aleppo I posted here to try to understand what the Syrian people think of their government? I fucking doubt it!
I've read reports saying that Assad's government
is not firmly in control of several militias that are helping to fight ISIS and the "rebels". That the internal power structure of the SAR has been weakened by its prolonged struggle for survival -- but to what extent this might be true, is unclear -- like so much else about this war.
native
The situation is changing
Most of the dozens of militias connected with the SAR were locally formed as a backlash to the infestation of foreign backed sectarian "rebels" who had taken up arms against the Syrian government.
The SAR is still mainly Sunni. They fight for their country, not their religion. Rampant sectarianism has been imported into Syria by the US and its allies in order to destroy it. BTW, even war-monger Hillary said Assad's fall would be a matter of a few months if not weeks. She said this when a massive amount of arms and Salafist-takfiri fighters were being covertly moved from Benghazi into Syria with the help of the State Department.
If you want to understand the American game plan for the Middle East:
Unfolding the Future
of the Long War
Motivations, Prospects, and
Implications for the U.S. Army
Published 2008 by the RAND Corporation
This chaotic and multi-faceted war
is beset by so many shifting alliances, and includes so much foreign involvement, that its various ideological distinctions are often obscured or masked. Propaganda stands in for truth, and information itself becomes a tool used in the interests of battlefield exigencies.
If truth is the first casualty of war, then innocence might be a close second. By its very nature, war is no humanitarian enterprise. It imposes kill-or-be-killed priorities on people who are engaging in it, and even on people who are simply caught up in it -- priorities that have much more to do with basic survival than with ideology.
native
The US doesn't give a damn about its own citizens.
It sure as hell doesn't care about refugees from Syria or any place else. There are so many lies being peddled by some many people and institutions, I sure as hell don't know what is true or not. They're all a bunch of liars and crooks, and I can't imagine what Assad would be any better. If I were king, I'd cut the US military budget in half and mind my own damn business.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
The MSM has a vested interest in amplifying the message
of the Fascist Assad supporters. They know exactly how it will look to the average person when the person supporting the cause the media wants vilified is patently offensive, and TRYING to be.
The media does this with every group they want vilified. Gamer? Make sure the MRA trolls are out in force to support them! Peacenik? Have the Nazis out to protest war! Poor person? Get the most racist rednecks on tv, even when it's revealed it's only an act! Black? Oh there's plenty of minstrel shows... oooooh, wait we're not supposed to mention when they get caught.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
Don't bother with MSM
I don't read or even look at MSM, haven't in years. I don't have cable or broadcast TV at all. I do follow social media conversations, imagery and videos on all sides, much of it in Arabic and Turkish (machine translated to Spanish). The objective is not to believe what they say, but to understand what they want me (us) to believe and put it into a framework. I am quite aware of social media troll ops, their importance is, once again, understanding that they want us to believe and the amount of blatant lying they engage in.
From the Light House.
For me, this question is simple
My answer is "Yes, I can accept it."
The notion of sovereignty ties closely with freedom. If I am to honor the idea of sovereignty then I must also acknowledge that my neighbors may sometimes get up to some shit I really don't like. There are lots of things I can do about that including military intervention but I'd like the bar on military intervention to be set very high.
Now, do I think those people have the right to accept aid from others? Sure I do. But by what right do those others offer such aid? There's my rub. By what right would we offer such "aid" and to whom would we do it? In my own rough thinking, get it through the UN and I'll listen. I don't want unilateral "aid" since such aid is seldom helpful.
A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard
Good question.
Still thinking on it.
From the Light House.
Life returns to Syria’s Tabqa after ISIS expulsion
In the original essay this morning I posted that the SDF "dislocation of Tabqah civilians" and how the fascist wing of Assadists and ISIS etc. claim it is a war crime. I mentioned Manbij as one example of being a fascist lie.
Here we have reports of the IDP's (Internally Displaced People)already returning to Tabqah. Two days ago the discovery of thousands of tonnes of flour in ISIS tunnels was confirmed, yesterday five bakeries were repaired and put into operation. Today bread is being distributed to thousands of returnees.
Note the discarded burkhas and veils dotting the road (by the thousands if you see the escape routes), then check the women in the caravan who ten days ago were forced to wear them.
Death of civilians and infrastructure damage (USA bombing) was kept to a bare minimum. Official documents from SDF told USAF that they were not to bomb without specific instructions (i.e. the Hospital is now out of ISIS hands and intact). There are specific SDF air strike guidelines, particularly suicide trucks on the move & ISIS troop convoys.
While you all may think this is propaganda, I have by now thousands of hours invested in investigating claims and the details behind them from sources on the ground. I'm a Bolivian without any nationalistic irons in the fire in a country that prohibits war in our constitution.
Having women on the front lines has many advantages in keeping war more humane. Hugs and kisses for scared children is one.
http://aranews.net/2017/05/life-returns-to-syrias-tabqa-after-isis-expul...
From the Light House.
What are you talking about with this comment?
Can you supply a link for both of these claims?
Muddy Those Waters Tactic
That, unfortunately, seems to be the idea. Have you listened to Eva Bartlett?
Remember what General Wesley Clark said about the plan?
Moral Framework for Propaganda
There are a number of reporters like Eva Bartlett, Vanessa Beeley, Lizzie Phelen, PartisanGirl, and many others who I hope won't be insulted that I haven't mentioned their work, some of whom have quite large, almost worshipful followings on "FakeBook" and Twitter (make your own rhyme). They get air time on RT, play the conference game and so on with hundreds or thousands of mentions, complementary comments and some of whom will block your sorry ass if you contradict what they say with evidence (and others who will politely argue their point, or even change). They aren't all liars and crooks.
The Kurds, Yezidis, Assyrians, Syrian Armenians, Balochs, Houthis (OK, Houthis & Balochs not so related to Syria) have minimal effective propaganda outfits and followings.
In addition there are, within "factions" tens, if not hundreds, of paid trolls/worshippers. Trolls, as we all know, are as easy as spotting a four legged pigeon on whats left of the Arctic ice.
I read them all from all sides, (even down to scanning the official ISIS magazine and propaganda videos, which probably has me on top of the fucking NSA watch list). I think that most of the folks believe what they are saying is the truth and most often their evidence is at least partially (selectively) true. Again, they aren't all liars and crooks. But, a great many of them are liars, fascists, warmongers, carpet bombers, nationalists, morons, headchoppers, woman haters. . . whose words and reporting form the foundation of destruction and genocide of whole countries, cultures and belief systems.
So, once again, my subjective objective is to see how they distort (if they do) the evidence and especially what they want us to believe from the evidence they cite. I try and fit that into a moral framework. I like to tell myself that my moral framework in politics is "what is best for the children" and "What stories do I want our children to follow to build their foundations?"
Thats why last night I posted the "refugees return home after a week to a mostly intact, unlooted city, after throwing off their black burkha sacks, and find five bakeries functioning with captured flour supplying bread at half price and our women soldiers hugged children" story.
From the Light House.
You are conflating issues
You need to look at the larger picture of the conflict. The Syrian government did not "abandon" these people. It was losing badly to the US, EU, Saudi, Qatari and other GCC countries support of Al Qaeda/Al Nusra/ISIS "rebels". You only need to look at a map of Syria just before the Russians entered the picture. You also need to address how Raqqa became the so-called capital of ISIS. There were only about 250,000 people in that area compared to about 11 million in the more populated areas around the major cities.
The majority of the displaced people moved from the "rebel" dominated areas into government controlled areas. A large number left the country to avoid fighting and for financial reasons as the economy crashed. The largest demographic of refugees were single males between 18 and 30.
Aleppo and Damascus were much more important to protect.
There was very little sectarian conflict in Syria prior the US intervention. This was not a civil war - EVER. It was a US engineered regime change operation that had been planned decades before.
Abandon is correct English
Excuses and justifications aside, "Abandon" is the correct word in English. As in "surrendered control of". "to leave completely and finally; forsake utterly" or, at best "ceded control of".
As far as I can tell, They never bothered to even put up a fight against jihadis in Kurdish areas.
If the locals won it back by driving Daesh back to the Euphrates, they have every right to expect a fair deal in forming a new unified Syria with "autonomias" and protection from the Turkish Islamo-fascist government.
From the Light House.
You are being disingenuous
The Kurds were not "abandoned" in the normal use of the word.
You obviously have not been following the conflict. The Kurds had been attacking Syrian forces up until ISIS intervened in March/April of 2014. At this time the SAA started bombing ISIS but could not keep it up. They got pushed back further and further until they asked for support from Russia.
Rojava–Syrian government relations - Timeline
I suggest you read the following in full:
Where do you think the Kurds should have a homeland? The following map was a result of the Sykes–Picot Agreement of 1919 in Paris. Maybe the US should bomb Turkey to give the Kurds their REAL homeland.
http://thekurdishproject.org/kurdistan-map/
Edit: Forgot youtube map.
You are free to stream your favorite propaganda
…in this age. Something that was unthinkable until now. When given a choice, most people believe whichever narrative promises to bring personal security, aka, the "home team." Then there are the "purist" types, who tend to believe whichever narrative yields the fewest lapses in logic. For analysts or disinterested parties, some narratives are simply more compelling. In the Americas, as the continents were first being invaded, conquered, and colonized — who had the most compelling narrative of what happened? The Europeans with guns or the native Americans with their natural spirituality? The interventionists or the intervened upon?
Democracy vs. Foreign Invasion. A Syrian's Perspective: Bashar al-Assad's Democratic Movement
Cesspool Of Lies: Western Media And The Toxic Fantasy
[Edit: Links added for another perspective]
IMAGINE if you woke up the day after a US Presidential Election and headlines around the the world blared, "The Majority of Americans Refused to Vote in US Presidential Election! What Does this Mean?"
Russia is the largest aid provider in Syria
Russia has also helped the YPG advance and take control of many towns.
Can't we get
the CIA indicted, its leadership arrested, and the agency put out of business over this?
The CIA does what it is designed to do - regime change
The Pentagon wants to defeat ISIS. SofS Hillary and her minions were working with the CIA while Obama was listening to the Pentagon. This was why American foreign policy was so schizophrenic under Obama. Hillary got her way in Libya and Obama got his in Syria.
Regime change in Syria or the country shattered back to the dark ages - both good outcomes for the 51st state. Iran next on the list - fait accompli for the Middle East.
Then on to bigger and better things - North Korea, Russia and China.
I just can't be
bothered with it all, couldn't care less what happens to Syria, Iraq, whatever. Nothing positive will happen there until the US and USSR get out, and neither is so inclined. I have no fucks to give to that war. It is on us, We, the people, to end the war becuz TPTB won't. And not just us. The world needs to say No to this crap.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
The USSR is long gone
The US started the shit in Syria. Russia is ending it.
Russian-Kurdish relationship deepening
You must mean repression and dislocation of Kurds by Assad
That is one of the hopeful things that has happened. If they can continue to avoid conflict and work against criminal mercenary pseudo-religious gangs, and keep the Turks (and other interntional actors)from being spoilers, I can hope that the whole thing will be over by next Spring and ready to negotiate amongst Syrians.
From the Light House.
There was a step forward with Decree 49 of Apr 7, 2011
wherein 225,000 Syrian Kurds would gain full Syrian citizenship. Keep in mind that there have been tens of thousands of Kurds that have entered Syria illegally and these would not be considered under this decree. This is similar to problems with illegal aliens in the US wanting citizenship. If these illegals get caught they are also "repressed and dislocated" by arrest and deportation by US authorities. Under Obama 2.5 million undocumented people, the majority of Hispanic ethnicity, have been "repressed and dislocated" from 2009 to 2015 (no figures for 2016). How many Kurds did Assad arrest and deport?
Too many Kurds in Syria would also be rejected by the Syrian Arabs now working with the Kurds in the Arab majority Raqqa region. This is probably the most southern limit to the effectiveness of the combined PYD/SDF. Not all Kurdish forces are aligned with the SDF or FSA and vice-versa.
The situation for Kurds is improving but keep in mind that there are a half dozen different Kurdish parties in Syria all wanting something different. Add to this, the widely differing Kurdish parties in the neighboring countries of Turkey, Iraq and Iran. A completely autonomous Kurdish enclave in Syria would attract hundreds of thousands of Kurds and disrupt the entire region. The majority of the Kurdish ethnic groups are located in Turkey with Iraq being the second most populous. There is also tremendous divisions within the Kurdish populations in these countries..
BTW, I don't think the use of the word genocide is warranted in your title. It is just inflammatory.