Why all these anti-regime disclosures in the middle of the Geneva talks?

„Syrian government ‚demolished thousands of homes'“
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25947345

While noone should justify or play down the extensive damage inflicted on entire blocks and neighborhoods, one should wonder why the disclosure of these „war crimes“ (HRW) happens just as the Syrian government and opposition are negotiating in Geneva.
The satellite images are dated from mid 2012 to mid 2013. Did HRW and co. really need 6-18 months to „analyze“ these images or is the timing of the publication no coincidence?

Interestingly at exactly the same time there was first the publication of the Qatari financed torture photos and then (today) the expression of „concern“ by the US regarding the slow progress of Syrias chemical weapons disarmament.

Is all this meant to prepare the ground for either the declaration of new „red lines“ or an accelerated and intensified arming of the (definitely all but) „moderate“ rebels?

US continues hypocrisy and double standard regarding Syria

„The US says only 4% of Syria’s declared chemical weapons has been surrendered and expresses concern at the lack of progress.“
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25968616

But at the same time the US has announced to resume the supply of weapons to Syrian rebels.
The same rebels have either laid storage facilities under siege or they control roads leading to or from such weapons´ sites.
Both are considered „succcesses“ that the usually pro-rebel western press hails as „blows against the Assad regime“.

Egypt: Islamists shoot down army helicopter with MANPAD

Islamic militants have shot down an Egyptian army helicopter with a heat seeking shoulder-fired missile:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25915607
The BBC article seems to express „grief“ about this. Probably because the Egyptian regime (and army) is considered pro-western.

Interestingly western press reports of the Syrian rebels´ successes in shooting down Syrian army Migs and helicopters and killing hundreds of personell have been accompanied enthusiasm and joy.
Note: If you are a radical sectarian Islamist fighting a pro-Iranian or pro-Russian state you are good, you are probably a „freedom fighter“ and the US congress will somehow find a way to declare you „moderate“.
If you are however fighting a pro-western state you are a terrorist and one has to be worried if you have acquired and applied deadly weapons.

 

 

Congress Secretly Approves Arms for Syria Rebels

After all the embarassing and shocking revelations about the Syrian rebels, after the broad majority of the rebels either openly declare themselves as part of Al Qaeda or strongly sympathize and ideologically identify with Al Qaeda, the US has begun resupplying the rebels with arms.
How can an honest government officially endorse peace talks but at the same time arm a warring faction that is opposed to peace talks and will certainly feel emboldened and encouraged to fight on after getting further arms?
To justify this appalling decision the US has once again resumed reinvigorating the myth of the „moderate rebels“, no matter how ridiculous and incredible such claims have become in the mean time:

„One close observer of the  opposition, who recently returned from travelling in the rebel-held areas of northern Syria, says that “you could go an awful long way talking to these jihadi groups before you met any fighters who did not thoroughly approve of 9/11 as a well-deserved blow against the US”.“
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/01/27/return-to-damascus/

http://news.antiwar.com/2014/01/27/officials-congress-secretly-approves-arms-for-syria-rebels/

How moderate are the Syrian Rebels fighting ISIS?

The so called „Army of Mujahedeen“ is the group being most active in fighting against ISIS in Syria. Some mainstream western and arab media tried to imply that this group – as it is fighting „Al Qaeda“ (ISIS) – is (and must be) „moderate“.

Here one can read which specific rebel battalions belong to the „Army of Mujahedeen“:

„The Army of the Mujahideen was formed out of the following factions: the 19th Division of the FSA, the group known as Fastaqim Kama Umirt, meaning “Be Upright As Ordered,” the Nur al-Din al-Zanki Islamic Brigades, and al-Noor Islamic Movement…Meanwhile, the influence of the Nur al-Din al-Zanki Brigades covers areas in the northwestern countryside of Aleppo, such as Anjara, Hour, Mansoura, and Kafr Dael. These brigades are believed to be the strongest among the constituents of Army of the Mujahideen.“
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/syria-army-mujahideen-challenges-isis-gains

It is quite interesting to know who „Nur al-Din al-Zanki“ was in order to get a clue about the ideology and mindset of the fighters of such a rebel militia:

„In 1146, Nur ad-Din massacred the entire Christian population of the city [Edessa]“
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nur_ad-Din,_atabeg_of_Aleppo

Is Monsieur Hollande really so naive?

Read the following excerpt from Al-Hayats interview with Francois Hollande to see just how ignorant or naive this president of a major western country is:

Al-Hayat:  We constantly hear that Assad remaining in power is a better option, according to some people, than radical Islamists governing Syria. Do you think this is realistic?

Hollande:  There is no political solution if Assad stays. His insistence on pursuing oppression by all means will only prolong and exacerbate the Syrian crisis. Assad is not fighting Islamists. He is using them to put pressure on the moderate opposition…“
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/politics/2014/01/france-hollande-interview-syria-geneva-iran-egypt.html

So, basically he says that all the ISIS, Jabhat al Nusra, Islamic Front and other clearly sectarian and Salafi Jihadists fighting the Syrian regime are a myth, non-existent and only a creation of the evil EVIL Syrian government propaganda.
So, the long Salafi beards, the Al Qaeda flags, the burnings of Shia mosques, the vandalization of churches, the beheading of opponents (civilian or military), the mass executions of prisoners, car bombs, suicide bombs…in short, all the „success tools“ of the insurgency applied by the military effective islamist rebels are only a minor event of an irrelevant minority that Assad is using, while the non-visible „moderate“ majority is a victim of Assad AND the Islamists.

 

Who is suddenly and successfully fighting ISIS in Syria?

Out of the sudden and within few days the notorious Syrian-Iraqi Al Qaeda affiliate „ISIS“ (Islam State of Iraq and Sham) is suffering defeat after defeat on several fronts within Syria. But who is really fighting them?
We are now to believe that a hitherto hardly known group called „Army of Mujahideen“ is taking the lead in the inner-rebel „Jihad“ of (supposedly) „moderate“ rebels vs. ISIS:
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/syria-army-mujahideen-challenges-isis-gains

It is hard to conceive that the much feared and battle-experienced ISIS militia that has been simultaneously fighting the regular Syrian Army (SAA), the pro-regime NDF militia, the Kurds from YPG and different other rebel factions in Idlib, Aleppo, Hama and Raqqa is suddenly overpowered by the spontaneously created „Army of Mujahideen“.
What is more interesting is a concerted campaign by mass media outlets to portray the new player as part as the FSA, which has been a cover name for the so called „moderate“ rebels.  So, just as the rebellion lost the last bits of its once hyped aura of romantization and it became clear that the relevant forces on the rebel side are the most radical Salafi Jihadists – Syrian or otherwise – the old „good cop bad cop“ scheme is being applied: „Folks, there ARE the good, moderate rebels and they ARE militarily relevant. Look, they are routing Al Qaeda. Failing to praise and support them is tantamount to strengthening Al Qaeda“.

To look through this new attempt of deception through smoke screen creation it is necessary to read between the lines, e.g. this article where „FSA“ rebels are quoted openly admitting that their successes on the southern Deraa battlefront are mostly owed to the Nusra front (JN), the other Al Qaeda affiliate operating on the Syrian soil:
http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/islamist-militants-secret-role-in-syrian-rebels-successes

The biggest rebel umbrella organization aside from „Al Qaeda“ (JN & ISIS) is the newly formed „Islamic Front“ (IF) with its alleged 50-60.000 fighters, so if the claim is to be made that these other rebels follow a clearly different and non-islamist/non-sectarian „moderate“ ideology then one should ask whether the IF has openly declared ISIS (and JN) as enemy.
This is unlikely as only few weeks ago the IF and ISIS/JN were conducting joint operations: ISIS/JN played the main role in the capture of the Mingh airbase, in the capture of the al-Kindi hospital and in the attack and ensuing sectarian killings in Adraa near Damascus:
http://rt.com/news/russia-condemns-adra-massacre-406/

There are clear indications that the entire „sensational“ story about the supposed „uprising“ of moderate Syrian rebels against the evil, mostly non-Syrian „Al Qaeda“ rebels is a masquerade to wash the insurgency clean of its worst stains, but this is probably a bluff. It seems that ISIS is not putting up any real resistance and is also not suffering high casualties. Where are for instance the much feared Chechen fighters? Is it possible that the majority of ISIS fighters are only changing the label by „defecting“ to JN or the Islamic Front?

The following blog article is very well researched and outlines the depth of the farce that is spread through western and rebel friendly media:
http://notthemsmdotcom.wordpress.com/2014/01/07/the-reactionary-essence-of-the-syrian-insurgency/

Predictably we will hear in the course of the next couple of weeks that the ISIS-held rebel areas are „liberated“ by „moderate“ rebels, which in turn will be once again portrayed as reform-minded, pro-western, democracy interested non-sectarian majority that is fighting an oppressive dictatorship.
My two cents.

The Takfiris are leading the Middle East into a disaster

„Just as after Hariri’s killing, the calculated recriminations of the March 14 coalition, led by the Future Movement, came fast and furious. Blame was laid squarely at the feet of Hezbollah…As with all political upheavals in Lebanon, the question that must be asked is, “who benefits?” Does Hezbollah? Although Shatah was a stalwart March 14 operative who decried Hezbollah’s role in Syria, he was nevertheless regarded as a relative moderate…Just as in Iraq, moderate Sunni politicians have been singled out for assassination by takfiris who seek to exploit their spilled blood, provoke co-religionists into committing crimes against civilians and stir a simmering sectarian pot. Who are the likely perpetrators behind Mohammed Shatah’s assassination and the dahiyeh bombing? The very same ones the U.S. and Saudi-backed March 14 coalition have emboldened.“

http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/01/03/who-benefits-from-the-shatah-assassination/

The biggest threat to the world of Islam are EXTREMIST (Takfiri) Sunnis

The statements in this article are not relating to or directed against mainstream Sunnis, be they  „moderate/secular“ or conservatively pious.
I am specifically speaking of the „Takfeeris“, those who declare other muslims, especially non-Sunni muslims or nonconforming moderate Sunni muslims Unbelievers (Kuffar). The next step which the Takfeeris call for and actively work on – be it through arming and funding Jihadis or going to „Jihad“ themselves – is the extermination of the „Unbelievers“.

The broad majority of Takfeeris belong to the Wahhabi/Salafi school of thought , which itself is a part of the minority school of Hanbalis within Sunni Islam. The problem, however, is that this radical ideology is widespread among both private and political circles of the Arab monarchies of the southern Persian Gulf, which the West cannot really afford to antagnoize and punish because
a) they are (among) the most important global suppliers of petroleum and natural gas
b) they are harbouring US military forces
c) they are (especially Saudi Arabia) very important buyers of western weapons
d) they have bought themselves into western companies and economies
e) they are hostile to Iran
f) they have deposited hundreds of billions of USD in american banks, which if transferred elsewhere could cause a massive economic crash for the US.

The article below written by awarded expert journalist Patrick Cockburn highlights the irresponsible behaviour of the Gulf monarchies and the dangers that are threatening the Shia people:

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/sunni-monarchs-back-youtube-hate-preachers-antishia-propaganda-threatens-a-sectarian-civil-war-which-will-engulf-the-entire-muslim-world-9028538.html