517 Dispatches from
S yria is Obama’s war. It’s now Trump’s. His actions belie his rhetoric so far. Campaigning last October, he said “I don’t like Assad at all, but Assad is killing ISIS. Russia is killing ISIS and Iran is killing ISIS.” A good thing. Last month, he said he’ll establish “safe zones” and have Gulf states pay for them. Syria justifiably rejects the idea. So does Russia without Assad’s authorization.
The NYT War on Truth
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Dispatches from
STEPHEN LENDMAN
S yria is Obama’s war. It’s now Trump’s. His actions belie his rhetoric so far. Campaigning last October, he said “I don’t like Assad at all, but Assad is killing ISIS. Russia is killing ISIS and Iran is killing ISIS.” A good thing. Last month, he said he’ll establish “safe zones” and have Gulf states pay for them. Syria justifiably rejects the idea. So does Russia without Assad’s authorization.
Does Trump Want War or Peace in Syria?
[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ast month, Assad said a role for America to defeat terrorism in Syria is only possible with his government’s approval, as part of rapprochement with Russia, adding: “We are here. We are the Syrians. We own this country as Syrians, nobody else. So you cannot defeat the terrorism without cooperation with the people and the government of any country.” He insisted Washington lift illegally imposed sanctions as a first step toward a working relationship.
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Instead, the Trump administration, along with Britain and France (which under the faux socialist Hollande is plumbing new depths of criminality and servility), introduced a draft Security Council resolution for new ones – responsibly vetoed by Russia and China. Washington so far failed to participate in two rounds of Astana, Kazakhstan peace talks, as well as Geneva IV negotiations. It’s unknown if it’ll get involved when they’re resumed later this month. America’s absence shows it wants war, not peace. So do continued terror-bombings of Syrian infrastructure, massacring civilians, and aiding “moderate” terrorists wanting Assad’s government toppled.
Maybe support for ISIS and al-Nusra continue covertly, airdropping them heavy weapons and other material support like earlier.
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America can’t be trusted, consistently saying one thing, doing another. In late December, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan minced no words, saying: “We have never coordinated our actions with the Americans. We will never cooperate with them” on Syria or Iraq. Along with its so-called “coalition” partners, it “has no real intentions” to fight ISIS and other terrorist groups, aiding them instead. On Friday, Sergey Lavrov accused America, Britain and France of “poison(ing) the atmosphere of” Syria peace talks.
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“Without any prior negotiating procedure, (they) hurriedly submitted” a draft Security Council resolution, wanting new illegal sanctions imposed on Syria based on fabricated claims of chemical weapons use, despite no evidence suggesting it – acting “with full understanding that (it) would be vetoed.” The co-authors want the Security Council “split” on this issue, Lavrov stressed. Irresponsibly acting during Geneva peace talks indicates wanting them undermined. Trump administration hawks make policy decisions on defense, national and homeland security. They’re warriors, not peacemakers, endless wars likely to continue. Maybe they have a new major one in mind.
The NYT War on Truth
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n issues mattering most, The Times features fake news, not the real thing. On March 1, its editors lied headlining “Russia Sides With Chemical Weapons,” saying:
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“Russia proved again on Tuesday that there is no crime heinous enough to make it turn against Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad. It vetoed a resolution before the United Nations Security Council that would have punished Syria for using chemical weapons.”
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Fact: Throughout six years of Obama’s war, now Trump’s, using terrorists as imperial foot soldiers against a sovereign independent state threatening no one, claims about Assad using chemical weapons were fabricated – bogus accusations without evidence.
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Fact: Plenty of clear evidence proves ISIS, al-Nusra and other US-supported terrorists used CWs numerous times – their elements trained in their use by Pentagon contractors in Turkey and Jordan, Saudi Arabia at times supplying toxins.
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Times editors: “The Kremlin’s decision was in keeping with President Vladimir Putin’s vigorous support of the Syrian military in a six-year-long war that has killed half a million people.”
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Fact: No mention by Times editors about Washington’s full responsibility for mass slaughter and destruction – NATO, Israel, and other rogue allies sharing blame. It is they who started this horrendous slaughter and it is they who have continued it to this day, unrelenting in their goal of toppling Assad for further enrichment of the oil cartel and Western strategic advantage.
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Fact: Syria was invaded by US/Saudi/Qatar/Turkey-supported terrorists, recruited from scores of countries, trained in Turkey, Jordan and elsewhere, responsible for horrific atrocities, mostly against defenseless civilians.
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Times editors: “Although Moscow had made clear in advance that it would veto the resolution, (Washington), Britain and France were right to insist on a vote and to expose Russia’s moral bankruptcy.”
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Fact: As usual, Times editors turned truth on its head, ignoring US-orchestrated aggression, vilifying Russia’s righteous mission.
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Times editors: Mr. Putin’s argument that the resolution interfered with cease-fire negotiations between the Syrian government and the rebels was…not credible.”
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Fact: The resolution was introduced to undermine peace talks, apparently wanting endless war continued.
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Separately, Times editors claimed White House signals give “autocrats…a green light” to do what they please. What rubbish! Most of America’s allies are rogue states, alliances formed long before Trump’s ascension to power – notably key NATO ones, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf states, partners in US high crimes. Maybe Times editors forgot.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
STEPHEN LENDMAN lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." ( http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html ) Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
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